Avoid the glares of fellow gym-goers; don’t be any of these guys.
The Curler
The squat rack exists to make heavy-lifting exercises safe and accessible. What this hulking mass of steel is not designed for, is your biceps.
When gym space is at a premium, taking over the most coveted spot to do the one exercise that can be done literally anywhere shows a severe lack of awareness. It also suggests you’re big enough not to give a monkeys, so please be our guest – great arms, bro.
The Screamer
Unless every weight in the room is positioned across your upper back (and if that is the case, may we suggest you find a new gym), making any noise other than the odd inadvertent grunt is rarely acceptable — especially if you’re training in your local leisure centre rather than an old-school spit-and-sawdust gym.
It’s 1pm on a Tuesday, no one needs to hear your war cry pre-Boots Meal Deal.
The Mansplainer
A tricky one for many to grasp, this, but it’s really quite simple: if you’re not a personal trainer, don’t act like one.
Your encyclopaedic exercise knowledge sure is mighty impressive, but it’s also best kept to yourself: Emma in HR doesn’t need to be told that she’s not fully activating her glutes before work.
The Never in a Million Years-er
Ambition drives progress, and in the gym ‘progressive overload’ — upping the weight or the reps session by session — is what allows for improvement.
There is something to be said, however, for knowing your limits. At best, lifting too heavy will leave you red-faced; at worst, you’ll do some serious damage.
Illustrations: Dan Evans @danxdraws
