Believe it or not, there is proper locker room etiquette, and apparently a lot of people don’t know the basic rules to follow (judging by the average gym experience)! The gym is a public place, and a place where most people aren’t to excited to be at in the first place. So make it as pleasant as possible for everyone by following these simple, courteous locker room rules:
1. Don’t hog the space! If you’re the only one in the locker room in the middle of the afternoon, fine, take all the space and time that you need. But if you’re in the locker room during the prime hours (before and after work), don’t take your sweet time, don’t spread your belonging out on the bench, and definitely don’t take up more than one locker. There’s nothing more annoying and rude than making other people wait for space to change, forcing them to prolong their workout. Get in, get out, and get on with your workout!
2. Respect other women’s personal space…and bodies. Don’t crowd people in the gym – if someone is changing in front of your locker, give them a minute. It’s rude to reach over on top of someone who is half naked. You may be completely comfortable with your body, but that doesn’t mean other people are. Which brings us to the next point: It’s one thing to quickly bare all while changing into or out of your gym clothes, but don’t hang around the locker room in the buff. Not everyone is comfortable seeing you naked, and it can make other people more self-conscious than they already are to be changing in the locker room – or at the gym in the first place.
3. Keep it clean. Don’t leave your dirty towels in the locker room for other people to have to move or put away. Put your dirty clothes in a plastic bag – not on the bench where other people sit or put personal belongings.
4. Turn off your phone. It’s so rude, and in some cases even against the rules, to have your cell phone out in the locker room. You should never be talking on your cell phone in confined public areas like a locker room. No one wants to hear your drama, even if it’s just a 5-minute conversation. Send a quick text if you have to, and keep your phone calls for after the gym.
5. Keep your perfume in the car. Sure, locker room may be smelly at times, but you’re really not doing anyone a favor by spraying your perfume all over the place. Not everyone likes the same scent as you, and some people may even be offended by it, or worse, allergic! If you workout before heading to the office, keep a bottle in your car and wait until you get in it to spray away!
