Who polished everything? I admire the desire to make everything look pretty and shiny. But please, please, please don’t polish the weights. That stuff ends up all over the grips and fighting to hold onto a 20kg dumbbell is not my idea of good, safe, (or even fun) gyming. Besides, it wears off in a matter of days and looks dull again, but having to use those weights during those days really sucks. Clean them by all means (please clean them actually) but don’t use super slick silicone based polish.

So in a follow up to things that annoy me, here’s one about stuff that goes on at my gym — and I’m sure it’s safe to assume this isn’t a special case.

• Why do you have to stand in front of me, mid-rep, obscuring my vision of the mirror? No, the mirror isn’t there to inflate my ego and cushion my vanity (though for some I’m sure it is), it’s there so that I can check my form and not injure myself. So please move, a single step sideways will suffice, it’s not like you’re doing anything important at the moment.
• The whole free-weights floor is open, so why did you take the bench directly in front of me? I like the mirror, it feels awkward doing exercises with no mirror to use as a point of reference. You could at least move it sideways slightly, but don’t worry if you don’t, I’ll move mine sideways.
• How old are you? Did your mommy never teach you to put stuff back when you’re done? I don’t like hunting around for that specific weight you selfishly left on the other side of the gym. Also, did no one ever teach you to count? It’s not hard to put the weights back in the right spot; it only takes about 30 seconds to learn the layout of the weight racks. You’ll be stunned to notice that the racks are ordered.
• Why are all the plates, unceremoniously dumped in piles on the floor, often enough right next to the weight tree? Sure, dump a plate or two on the floor, the next guy will probably use them, but every single one of them? That’s a good 30 plates or so… the weight tree looks rather lonely.
• If you’re the last one using the machine/press put the plates back. Sure, leave the weights on the leg press when you’re done, it’s easier for the next guy to take 2 plates off than put 10 on, but if you’re the last person using it (I go at night, and leave just as the gym closes), it’ll only take you 2 minutes to put all the plates back. Yes, the gym personnel get paid to do that for you, but in all likelihood one them had just put those plates away. It’s a courtesy thing.
• Why abuse the equipment? It’s not necessary. Sure if you think you’re going to fail badly and injure yourself, drop that weight! The only person you’re impressing by dropping a 50kg barbell from chest height every set is yourself. Same goes for machines, it’s not necessary to just let go of the bar/cable/lever and just let the plates slam down; besides, keep doing this and you’re going to injure yourself if you’re not careful.
• One bench please, don’t put your stuff on one bench and then do your sets on another bench. People don’t always know that that stuff belongs to you, so they can’t ask you to move it. If they’re different types of benches, by all means, use both benches, but don’t moan when someone grabs the one you’re not using at the time.
• Like the one above, please don’t use all the spare benches. It’s nice that it takes two of you to spot the one guy doing the exercise, and another two to take up some of the spare benches while providing moral support. But seriously, if the gym is full or you’re sitting on popular benches, all you’re doing is taking up space and annoying people.
• Who’s having a baby? It’s not necessary to moan and grunt that loud.
• Cellphones? Are you so important that you have to sit there for half an hour talking really loudly on your cellphone? Get off the bench, you’re not using it, and you’re only annoying the people around you by talking as loud as you are.

There’s more, and I can’t remember them right now, I wrote this post in two parts so I forgot a bunch. Oh well, I’m sure there are plenty of others.