Must know gym etiquettes

To stay physically fit and retain your youth and vigour, you need to exercise regularly. "A strong, fit and a healthy mind, body and spirit goes a long way in making you responsible in your actions, creative in your thoughts and graceful in your attitude," says holistic health guru Mickey Mehta. If you're among those who have taken to the gym to stay in shape, you need to identify and value the etiquettes of exercises to make it easy and enjoyable not just for you but for the others as well. At a health club - a place where tank tops, generous sweating, and mild grunting are perfectly acceptable, knowing the rules of etiquette becomes more important. If you find someone violating the gym code of conduct, tackle it well. "Bring it to the attention of the gym manager and let him deal with the situation. You don't want to start a brawl which might lead to an unpleasant situation," says fitness trainer Yasmin Karachiwala. In case you need to brush up on your gym etiquette, here are the pointers... No streetwear please: You surely don't want someone who might have stepped into gunk walking into the gym area wearing the same shoes. Keep a separate pair of shoes for gym use only. Adhere to time restrictions Many gyms have time limits on cardio machines during busy hours. There's a reason for that, and you should obey it. And bear in mind, throwing your towel over the display doesn't fool anyone. Cover yourself up You might have the confidence to walk around the locker room naked. But no one wants to see your 'hot bod'. See to it that you wear at least a towel after your shower to keep the locker room a comfortable place. Be good to the equipment Don't drop weights or let plates slam down. It's annoying, and adds to unwanted noise on the gym floor. Everyone in the gym does not need to know how much weight you just lifted. Keep equipment in place Never leave dumbbells on the floor when you're finished using them. Someone may trip on the weights. If you leave dumbbells on the floor between sets, criss-cross them against the wall or the bench so that they can't roll away. Don't be too chatty Respect people's privacy. Headphones usually equal "don't talk to me". It's not that they hate you but not everyone likes to have their ear chatted off. Also, don't stare at people or sing along with your iPod. And gym isn't the place to catch up on gossip with your neighbor. Always carry a deo Everybody smells foul when they workout. Do yourself and others a favour just by spraying a little deodorant on. Also, make sure you wash your gym clothes after every workout. Self help Rather than just showing up at the gym and randomly picking machines, have a plan before you walk in the door. Request for a trainer when you're experimenting with exercises or doing an exercise involving heavier weights than you're used to. Keep your gym bag in the locker - Avoid toting around your gym bag. Some people carry their bag from machine to machine. What are lockers for? - Leave the advice part to the trainers - Unsolicited advice is usually frowned upon and is of no help.