CFPR Gym Etiquette
Whether you’re a long-time member, dropping in from another gym or currently taking Fundamentals with us, we think it’d be helpful to review some general gym etiquette to make sure you and everyone else in class has the best possible experience:
1. Put your pride aside: First and foremost, we are a community of diverse humans with the common goal to improve our health and wellness which means we are all on the same team! We may not look the same or show up to class for the same reasons, but we are all in it together. Your coach may not look how you expect but we assure you they are a knowledgeable, badass that is there to help you! Make sure to listen to your coach and support your classmates as best you can!
2. Respect your classmates: Each person in class has the same right to be there as anyone else! Please do not interrupt other’s workout by impeding their workout or distracting them. While your classmates are lifting and working out, do not assume they are available to chat so always check that they are not busy. While you are lifting or working out, try to keep the space and equipment you’re using as contained as possible and out of the way of others. Whether you share appearance, goals or beliefs please respect your classmates by referring to each person by their preferred name and pronouns if they’ve mentioned them. We all win when we all respect each other!
3. Arrive on time: Since we run our group classes on a set schedule, we cannot hold up class times for folks arriving late out of respect to your classmates. Arriving late may affect the quality of your warm-up which can increase the chances of injury, or you may miss sections of the programming which means you won’t get as well-rounded of a workout as intended. Best to arrive 5-10 minutes early to put your things away in the loft upstairs and be ready right as class begins!
4. Stay until the end: When participating in group classes, we are working together as a class and community! Even if you finish your workout before others, it is expected to stay and support those that are still working! Plus, the class doesn’t end when the workout ends. There are optional but highly encouraged cool down and cash-out options programmed for folks to take advantage of if there is time allowing!
5. Be aware of your surroundings: There’s often a lot going on during group classes in a gym. There’s equipment around the gym floor, people are walking every which way, and some folks will be actively lifting weight. Keep your eyes peeled walking around to avoid tripping or slipping and never walk directly in front of or behind a person who is performing a lift. Remember that you don’t know what is heavy weight for another athlete and can’t always predict what will go according to plan or not. You not only run the risk of distracting that person, which won’t help with making friends, but you could also be putting yourself or others in danger of weight falling on you! Wait 10 seconds, they’ll be done with their lift, and you can walk on by.
6. Leave it better than you found it: Being part of a gym community is respecting the space we all use! Make sure to clean any equipment or sweaty spots after use, put equipment back where you found it, avoid dropping dumbbells, kettlebells or unloaded barbells and only apply chalk on your hands above the communal chalk buckets. Be clean, be safe!
7. Have fun! Okay that was a lot but at the end of the day we hope you have the best time working out with us! The other guidelines are only laid out to help you enjoy that time as much as possible!