9 Habits to Avoid If You Don’t Want to Be 'That Person' at the Gym

Let’s be real, flatulence happens. Who hasn’t accidentally released some gas mid-squat? I’m not here to shame anyone’s digestive process for doing what it’s supposed to do. But I do have an issue with those whose emissions don’t stay in a discreet bubble—no, they make a troubling, crop-dusting trail. Especially when that trail appears during a group class. Particularly in a hot yoga class, where the intense heat makes it feel like you’re trapped in a sweaty shoebox in Kuwait.

One fart? Happens to the best of us. Twice? Fine, I guess. Three times? Sir, I’m going to have to politely ask you to step away to the nearest restroom. Have you noticed how close our mats are—and that your releases aren’t exactly silent? Please don’t continue casually doing “happy baby,” with your toes pulled in, your cheeks elevated, and all of us being forced to experience your emissions. This isn’t part of the deal, buddy.

The locker room is a shared space. Just in case we need a reminder of which personal hygiene activities should be avoided in a communal setting, here’s a quick (and certainly not exhaustive) list: shaving your legs on a bench, clipping toenails, setting up an entire beauty salon with facial lotions, body creams, hair treatments, and makeup, or dyeing your hair in the shower (yes, we mean DYE-ing, like boxed hair dye, and we’ve seen it with our own eyes).

Of course, no locker room etiquette discussion would be complete without addressing the phenomenon known as: Naked People Standing Around Talking for Hours While Being Extremely Naked (and trying to have conversations with you while their natural bits swing free). If you’re one of those liberated individuals who’s cool with fully exposing yourself in public spaces, more power to your carefree attitude—honestly. But please, this isn’t the French Riviera, it’s a gym in central Jersey. Let’s consider the sensibilities of others, and cover up with a towel.

This tip is mainly for the ladies with medium-to-long hair (myself included). Let’s avoid leaving a clump of hair on the shower wall that could easily be donated to Locks of Love. I get it, you don’t want the massive hair loss to clog up the drain, so you gather it in one place instead (After all, I’m not just the president of the Dead Hair on the Shower Wall Club, I’m also a member). But it’s pretty gross to come across a stranger’s huge hairball while showering at the gym. So when you grab your toiletries and head back to your locker, make sure to scoop up your stray hair and toss it in the trash.

We get it. You’re strong, and you’re putting in the effort. Sometimes, when we push ourselves, grunts happen, and that’s perfectly fine. But let’s keep it cool, and skip the show-off routine. As Mytour commenter MOMMA THERE GOES THAT MAN once wisely pointed out, “Grunts are fine. Quick, controlled exhales are fine. But yelling like you’ve just had a surprise prostate exam by Hagrid? Not so much.” Couldn’t agree more.

This one should be obvious, but here we are. Even after COVID, there are still people who use equipment and just walk away, leaving behind their sweaty, germ-laden imprints (and yes, butt prints) all over it. Dude, there are more wipes than ever—use them! (And if you used a mat in a group class, spray and wipe it down before hanging it up, not while. There’s a line of people waiting, and we're on a tight schedule; our bosses don’t even know we’re here.)

Some gyms provide an abundance of free towels. This is a fantastic perk that members pay for—members who surely don’t want those towels to be used for anything unsanitary, like catching the urine of a child or cleaning dog poop from the bottom of a shoe. (I wouldn’t believe these things if I hadn’t heard them from friends. But alas, they happened.) Drying off after a workout, wiping down a bench to prevent slippage, or even blotting the top of a soggy flip-flop? All fine uses for a towel. But using them to catch urine or clean filthy shoe bottoms? These towels go on people’s faces, folks. Show some respect.

Group classes can come with their fair share of annoyances, and here are just a couple. We all run late from time to time, but there’s a big difference between quietly entering a class and heading straight to your spot versus walking up to the instructor and distracting them with questions.

Then there are those who respect their assigned spots and those who think they can just “go wherever,” forcing the person who actually booked that spot to ask them to move. (This is the equivalent of picking any seat on an airplane, regardless of where you’re assigned.) But maybe that person only has one hour a week to focus on their fitness—and maybe they booked well in advance to secure that specific spot, because it’s the most comfortable in terms of music volume, instructor visibility, and ventilation. Whatever the reason, let’s avoid the “go wherever” mentality. Assigned spots are there to help instructors manage the class efficiently. Stick to them.

No one expects you to be entirely odor-free while working out. But the least we can do is arrive without any strong scents. This means being freshly showered, applying deodorant, and avoiding clothes that reek of food, perfume, cologne, or the unpleasant funk caused by bacteria and sweat buildup over time (which sometimes doesn’t even come out after a vinegar soak—those tees should be tossed). The last thing anyone needs while gasping for air during a HIIT session is a whiff of someone else’s body odor or Eau de Menthol Garbage.

Don’t let the catchy term manspreading trick you—it applies to all individuals, regardless of gender. If you’re enjoying some solo time in the locker room sauna, congrats! Feel free to do some downward dogs, we’re not judging. But if others are present—even if you were the first to arrive? Time to tighten things up, Lie Down Lisa. When that tiny sauna is packed, it’s not the time to stretch out so much that your feet are practically touching your neighbor. Instead, bring your knees together, keep your space compact, and leave room for everyone. And let’s not forget, it’s 180 degrees in there. A casual fart will only come back to haunt your karma.