Safety, Respect & Being a Good Gym Member

Making a gym a safe and fun place for everyone means a lot of things working together. Coaches need to ensure movements are being performed properly, that equipment is working correctly and that the floors & bars are clean. But there is another factor that can make or break these efforts; the athletes themselves.

Coming in with a positive attitude, awareness of your surroundings & respect for fellow athletes and equipment is what makes the gym a great place for everyone. Greg Everett of Catalyst Athletics, recently wrote about this in his article "Be a Good Gym Member: Safety, Respect and Taking Care of Equipment"

"The way you treat the equipment in your gym says a lot about you, not just as an athlete, but as a person. Whether or not you know it, you’re being judged, and if it’s by me, it’s probably harshly. For those of you with good hearts, but not enough experience to know proper facility etiquette yet, here is a handy list of rules to help you take care of the gym you train in, show the people around you that you care, and be safe. " -Greg Everett

He has written a list on some of the most common and offensive gym 'faux pas' that create a dirty, dangerous environment and shorten the lift of the equipment. Some are obvious, "Put Away Whatever You Use". While others may not be well-known courtesies like "Don't Drop Bars into Vertical Racks".

CVSC has  our own Gym Rules board covering some of the basics and if ever in doubt, ask a coach, they are there to help you! Not sure if you should load 45# plates onto a 15# bar?  How about 10# plates on a 45# bar? Ripped a callous on the pullup bar? Kicked the chalk bucket? Ask for some help and you will always be greeted with friendly guidance and when needed, a bandaid or Clorox wipe.