I read an article in ZLife, a Zumba fitness magazine instructors receive, and thought it was worth sharing. I added a couple of rules myself.
I love the gym, love the feeling when I walk through the doors, love the endorphins that fly when I start moving and love the people I get to chat with and meet.....awww cute, I know!
Here are some tips that could enhance your gym experience but will more than likely help enhance someone else's gym experience.
THE 7 COMMANDMENTS OF GYM ETIQUETTE:
1. Keep your distance. Respect a person's space. Now I know this is sorta funny when you think back to your last Zumba class BUT remember to give people room to move. Keep water bottles, towels etc...out of the way so others don't trip over them. Be aware when your arms are flailing around not to hit your neighbor in the head!
2. Silence is golden.....well there again, in Zumba I want you to let your inner scream out BUT please turn off or at least silence your cell phones in class. If you must use it, step outside and then come back in when you're done. If people read rule #1 you will still have your spot when you return.....
3. Clean up after yourself. This one is especially for classes that use equipment. Pump (put your weights back where they belong) and Spin (wipe down your bike AND the floor - if you've sweat that much).
4. Let the instructor know if you have to leave early. I always think it's nice when members let me know that they have to leave class early. It's not necessary but it lets me know that they don't hate my music or think I suck, they just have a dentist appointment or kids to pick up from somewhere. Breathe......which leads me to #5
5. No whining. I like constructive criticism and will take it under advise but if you don't care for a particular song or exercise (in any class) discuss it in private with the instructor or keep it to yourself. It's impossible for one instructor to please 50 people. Compliments are much more fun :)
6. Smell good??? I know, I know......were all going to smell not so good by the end of class but we should at least try to smell decent to start with. I have a weird little habit of showering before class. It doesn't matter if class is at 1:45 in the afternoon (shout out to my Monday peeps). I have to shower before class.....I can't stand sweat on top of my filthy self. Another thing I have noticed, from experience, is after a while my workout clothes getting really funky *eeewww*....I don't mean after a class, I mean after a couple of months. Someone told me that you should NOT use fabric softener with any of that dri-release, sweat whicking material, that it "holds" a weird smell in the garment.
Not cute!
