Gym Etiquette?

Full Article Published in: The Healthy, March 7 2023

I was asked to "weigh" in to the hefty topic of gym etiquette! Is there such a thing? There certainly is! Here's a some of what was discussed.

Besides the occasional sweaty machine from the person who used it ahead of you (yeah, yuck)—it’s likely that you didn’t think a ton about the health risks of working out at the gym. Since the pandemic, more of us have started to practice better gym hygiene, while probably hoping our fellow gym-goers are doing the same. “One result of the pandemic is that people are more aware of hygiene and are more vigilant with their behavior in general, but especially in the gym,” says Rachana Adyanthaya, a specialist in modern etiquette and co-host of the podcast Manners Matter 2 with Julia Esteve Boyd. “This is obviously much better for everyone,” Adyanthaya says. “Being more sanitary is not a bad thing!”

Indeed it’s a plus. But while some of our newer gym practices might seem like good manners, experts say not all of them actually help prevent germs. We asked infectious disease doctors to share exactly what you need to do to avoid Covid-19 at the gym and to keep yourself, and others, healthy when you’re engaged in one of the healthiest habits of all: exercise.