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Gym Etiquette

GPK26

I really enjoy going to the gym, but recently I have started getting frustrated when other members do not wipe done equipment after use.
It is and always has been good gym etiquette to clean done kit after use -its not just something that came about with COVID.

Tonight I saw one of the PTs with a group of clients who were not cleaning kit, so I asked to have a quiet word in private with the PT.
I calmly explained my concern only for him to ask why I was making a big thing out of it. I said that I could have raised my concern in front of his clients, but thought that it would be more respectful to do so quietly. I told him that I am autistic, to which he said that explains things.

He did go and wipe down the kit and we had a civilised chat afterwards.

So, I'm already a bit triggered and decided to speak to another gym member (not a client of the PT) - a big sweaty guy that was going from station to station leaving his sweat all over.
At first he was surprised and a bit taken off guard that I had an issue with him. This then turned into denial, then saying everyone else wasn't doing it (they were), and then laughed at me and walked away.

At this point I was really struggling to stop from having a full on meltdown, so came home. Now I am in a bit of a state.

I know that this goes on at all gyms, but I struggle not to notice it.
I am concerned that one time I will challenge the wrong person and end up with a slap!

I did have a word with the gym manager last week about my concern and that I had seen his own staff not following the etiquette.
The manager is a really nice guy and I get on well with him (he is close friend with people I know very well).
I will follow up with him about tonight's happenings and see what happens.

Anyone else have similar experience or can offer advice?

Cheers

Gary

  • in reply to GPK26
    GPK26 said:
    It's the fact that some people either have no regard for others

    Bingo!

    Most people are selfish and even if they know they should be doing the cleaning then a fair number will just not care.

    You can't make them care so all you do by having a go at them is to wind yourself up and risk getting into a confrontational / violent situation.

    It may help to think about it like "they should care that cleaning is important to me" can also equate to "you should care that they don't want to do it". The two cancel each other out.

    GPK26 said:
    I guess that I need to figure out how to just "let it go" 

    That is the golden key to harmonious living - learn how to not give a frack about them and focus on looking after your self.

    I would recommend getting some therapist time in to be able to do this - it helped me now end,

  • in reply to Iain

    Thanks for the advice Iain - it does make sense, but my issue is that the gym company are not putting measures in place to encourage (dare I say enforce) better behaviour. It's probably exactly the same at 99.9% of gyms.

    I do see other people cleaning kit (maybe 75% of them), so why can't everyone do it? I mean it takes literally seconds to do and is appreciated by others and then there's no problem. BUT, it's not just about knowing that the kit that I am about to use is clean - yes, I could clean it before I use it. It's the fact that some people either have no regard for others or are just too dumb to realise and that frustrates the hell out of me.

    Looking at the bigger picture, I really struggle at times when people do as they please with no regard for others.
    That could be someone skipping a traffic queue by going down a bus lane (yes, I have confronted a few).
    It could be arrogant idiots who park in disabled or parent & child spaces when they are not entitled to do so.
    Even someone driving the wrong way around a supermarket carpark despite there being big arrows painted on the road!
    The list goes on and on - I guess that I need to figure out how to just "let it go" 

  • GPK26 said:
    Anyone else have similar experience or can offer advice?

    This happens continuously in my local gym.

    The solution is to forget them and deal with the issue yourself - you will never educate the willfully ignorant, especially the ones on steroids.

    The solution = take your own spray bottle of alcohol and cloth, clean the equipment before and after use and you have kept yourself protected and helped the next person too.

    One tip is to label the bottle as yours as others will invariably try to take it to do the machine they are using.

    It means you have to carry your water bottle, alcohol spray, cleaning cloth and towel with you from machine to machine, but it beats having to confront some roided up ape who is spreading his body leakage all over the place and will want to save face in front of the gym ladies and their mates.