The negative rules, on the other hand, are those which are prohibited in the gym so as not to create outright confusion and conflict. The following include the negative points which no gym user should manifest: 1) Never leave equipment covered with your sweat. Wipe it down with towel/tissue and leave it clean for the next user. Safety measures would dictate any gym user to wipe-off sweaty seats, handles, etc. in order for the next user to be ensured of the same safety as the one who had just used the equipment. 2) Never use a chair or any seat-like equipment as your reading place.
Leave that equipment for others to use. Gym users usually have time schedules to follow and every minute that is added to their scheduled work-out time may be another time lost for the gym user. 3) Never hog equipment by spending unnecessary time chatting too long between or after sets. It would be better to leave all mobile phones in the locker. If you are expecting a call then wait for that call in the lounge. 4) Never train too close to other equipment that you are not using as you may block the access of others in that area.
It is very presumptuous of a gym user to believe that he is not causing distraction to the other person. 5) Never interrupt people who are doing their sets by talking to them or asking questions. Wait until they are done. 6) Never move too near people who are lifting heavy weights as you may distract them;. 7) Never ignore request of others to share equipment as you may share the equipment with them in between your sets; 8) Never leave weights or plates littered around the gym floor. Place them back in the stack; 9) Never assume that an equipment would no longer used by the previous user.
Check if the previous user is done using the equipment. 10) Never use your mobile phone while in the gym as this will distract other people and they may lose their concentration especially to those who are lifting weights. These negative points are the most common violations in the gym. They are not only violated by the starters but also by the regular users. More often, where such conflicting situations occur, the starters give –in to the regular users. It has been observed that there is a certain implied hierarchy in the gym that both regular users and starters acknowledge.
Much consideration and attention are given to regular users who have already developed their physique. They intimidate some of their peers and some even avoid them. Others, as observed, look up to these people with big physical built as their icons. Their moves are watched and attempts to imitate them are observed as well. Perhaps it is but an unconscious act of one with bigger physical built but the way he carry his weight around really imposes some dominance and some superiority in the gym. Size matters.