DONT HOG THE EQUIPMENT

292.DONT HOG THE EQUIPMENT Remember how intimidating it was for you the first time you went into the gym? There are new people feeling the exact same way watching you work out. Nobody likes an equipment hog. As you rest between sets, keep an eye out for people who seem like they want to jump in but are too timid to ask. Make the offer. You are not expected to go around the gym recruiting people to work in with you; but be conscious of other members wanting to use the equipment you are using.

OFFERING ADVICE

291. OFFERING ADVICE VS BEING A KNOW-IT-ALL
It won't be long before you'll be seen as once of the "regulars" at your gym. Remember how you sought out more experienced bodybuilders for advice? Now you're one of those more experienced bodybuilders. With this new status comes responsibility. If someone asks for advice, then by all means offer it. Likewise if some new guy looks like he's about to hang himself from a cable machine, intervene. Don't, however, rush around the gym like some world-famous consultant after memorizing a passage from the latest issue of MuscleMag International. The regulars will think you're an idiot; the owner may or may not ask you to leave; and you run the risk of a lawsuit if someone takes your advice to heart and injures him- or herself. There is a fine line between being helpful and being a nuisance. The truth is, many people resent being told how to exercise.

BE WARY

290. BE WARY Anything emphasizing the human body will attract the unsavory element. Occasionally photographers or agents will bait the unsuspecting, with promises of stardom. If you develop a great physique it's possible one of these characters will approach you. Before signing any form or doing any photo shoot, check the individual's credentials. The better gyms won't allow these types through the door, but occasionally they'll find a way to slip in. Ask questions, check ID, and talk with other gym patrons. At the first sign of shadiness, drop the person. If he keeps bothering you, tell the owner. If he starts stalking you outside the gym, contact the police immediately. If an individual tells you he works for a magazine, call the magazine's head office and check. Ask for a physical description.

DONT STARE

289. DONT STARE Although you are not going into a jungle, gyms do occasionally get frequented by animals! Even if some bodybuilder does have a great physique, try not to stare. As primates, most humans do not like to be stared at. Staring is a sign of aggression and provocation. It would be better to go over and compliment the person's physique and ask him how he built it, rather than staring continuously from across the gym. Another reason not to stare is that homophobia is rampant in bodybuilding gyms. That seemingly innocent stare on your part could be taken as a sign of sexual interest You don't want some 250-pound bodybuilder getting the wrong idea! In addition, most females go to the gym to train, not to be stared at. Staring men is the reason for the proliferation of "women only" gyms. Gym clothes are often tight or provocative, but don't take that as a come-on. You don't want to be charged with stalking or harassment, and you don't want the gym to ask you not to come back.

CHECK BEFORE YOU STRIP

288- CHECK BEFORE YOU STRIP Another of those unwritten rules. Don't start stripping down a bar assuming that just because there is no one close by, the bar is not being used. As most gyms enforce the "replace your weights" rule, odds are fairly good the person using the bar stepped away for a second. This could be to use the washroom, give someone a spot, or visit the water fountain. Before taking the plates off the bar, check around to see if it is definitely free.

DONT USE THE SQUAT RACK FOR BARBELL CURLS

287. DONT USE THE SQUAT RACK FOR BARBELL CURLS This is one of those unwritten rules that you and follow. Nothing is as frustrating as not being able to do squats because the squat racks are all taken up by guys doing barbell curls. Barbell curls can be performed just about anywhere. If laying the bar on the floor is inconvenient, lay it on the end of a bench. Don't hinder someone's leg workout because you are too lazy to pick the bar up off the floor.

DO NOT SHARE YOUR COMB OR WATER BOTTLE

286.DO NOT SHARE YOUR COMB OR WATER BOTTLE WTTH ANYONE As with sharing razors, you don't know the background of the person you are trying to help out. Head lice are still common and any number of infections can be spread by sharing a water bottle. In short, buy your own and use your own. Wash your hands after your workout and after using the restroom.

RAZOR BLADE

285. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHARE YOUR RAZOR BLADE This is another of those //you should know better" tips. In this day of AIDS and hepatitis, you'd think sharing a razor blade would be unheard of, but that's not the case. ^ All it takes is one drop of blood from someone else's disease-infected body and your life may be tragically cut short. With razors costing mere pennies, save yourself a heap of potential trouble and buy your own.

SHOWER AFTER EVERY WORKOUT

284. SHOWER AFTER EVERY WORKOUT lt/s not only your gym clothes that sweat and stink after a workout - you will as well! It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who do their last set and go straight to school or work. All that sweat is a great breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria. Give the person next to you a break and take a shower as soon as you finish working out If not at the gym then do it at the earliest possible time. 

WASH YOUR GYM CLOTHES

283. WASH YOUR GYM CLOTHES - REGULARLY! We've alt heard the phrase, "It smells like a gym." The thing is, it shouldn't. Nothing is as disgusting as working out next to someone wearing month-old gym clothes. While you may be able to get by washing your gym clothes every second day, we strongly recommend doing it daily. If this is impractical, buy a second or third set of gym clothes. Having three sets of workout clothes means having to wash them only once or twice per week. Not only will your gym buddies thank you, you may even get a little bit of social life with the ladies.