Buzz
We gathered your gym etiquette inquiries, and you delivered! Or, to be more precise, you asked. A lot. Thank you! Today, we’ll address a tricky issue about what to do when someone occupies the equipment you need, while seemingly wasting both their time and yours.
Kelly asks:
My biggest pet peeve is when people claim a piece of equipment, only to occupy it by
spending 0.1% of their time actually using it, and the other 99.9% glued to their phone, checking emails or doing whatever. What’s the most polite way to work in, or politely suggest they move their phone elsewhere?
I would join you in getting frustrated with this person, Kelly, except sometimes, I’m the one guilty of it. My pet peeve is when people assume I’m just checking my email, but in reality, I’m following the prescribed rest time between sets and using my phone for entirely workout-related tasks, like calculating how much weight I need for the next set.
Also, there are times when I’m dreading the next set and might delay it by checking my email. Sorry about that.
Here’s the bad news: It’s not always obvious if someone is goofing off or actually resting. So my advice is to avoid jumping to conclusions, give them the benefit of the doubt, and try saying one of these magic lines:
"Mind if I work in?"
To use this approach, you first need to assess if the equipment is shareable. For example, if they’re on the assisted pull-up machine, they could easily step aside while you adjust the weight pin, complete your sets, and then return the pin to its original position.
This strategy is not recommended if adjusting the equipment between your sets and theirs would be too much of a hassle. For instance, nobody wants to repeatedly load and unload heavy 45-pound plates between sets.
Ultimately, it’s up to the person using the equipment to decide if they’re willing to let you work in. If they agree, be polite and don’t make them do any extra work to accommodate you. If they decline, move on to the next question.
"How many sets do you have left?"
This question is useful when the person probably can't or won’t share the equipment (even if you’ve already asked). A “set” refers to a group of repetitions they’ll do before taking a break. For example, I might do five squats, rest, then do another five squats, rest, and then do a final five. That’s three sets.
This question serves a dual purpose: for your planning. If they say 10 sets, you’re not getting that equipment for a while. If they say one or two, stick around—the equipment will likely be free soon.
The real purpose of the question is to signal your intention. Once they finish their sets, they should look around and ideally make eye contact or flag you down to let you know the equipment is available. If someone else has already asked, their reply might be, "three, but that guy has it next." In any case, knowing someone is waiting typically encourages them to use their time more efficiently.
You are never guaranteed to be next in line—if they leave the squat rack before you return, someone else could grab it—but you significantly improve your chances.
