Gym Etiquette - Weights on Bar

[bigmacdaddy18]

Have had this question for s while. If I go to a machine, let's say a leg press, and there is a plate on each side when I start from someone else. When I am done, do I remove the plates that someone else left on before I started or just the plates I added?

 

[Nickespo89]

I have often wondered my self...

 

[Bodybeast]

No if you're not doing a plate on each side then byebye

 

[DUbz86]

Depending on what machine, leg press I'll leave one plate on if it was there where I started. Rest I generally take all off have seen some chicks struggle with getting the 45 plates off.....

 

[SFreed]

Always strip it, unless I've inadvertently interrupted someone's workout. Then I'll put it back like it was and let them finish. But let's be honest, a lot of people are pigs and figure it's somebody else's job to pick up after them. And that's about to get a whole lot worse with New Years Eve right around the corner.

 

[DUbz86]

Always strip it, unless I've inadvertently interrupted someone's workout. Then I'll put it back like it was and let them finish. But let's be honest, a lot of people are pigs and figure it's somebody else's job to pick up after them. And that's about to get a whole lot worse with New Years Eve right around the corner.

Ugh already getting some new year's resolution people in my gym. Prepare for hell the next month till they give up haha

 

[UnicornDrpns]

I generally take all off have seen some chicks struggle with getting the 45 plates off.....

Lol that's terrible

I generally leave a 45 on bc most people use those at minimum. I prefer to walk up to a machine hat is preloaded 45 machine. Smiths, tricep dips, leg press, bent over rows etc are machines where 45 is a nice starting weight for most.

 

[Aleksandar37]

I tend to clear them all off so nobody thinks I'm the one that left plates on the bar or simply to help out whoever comes next. There are some machines like the leg press though where I think it makes sense to leave one plate on each side.

 

[so1970]

Ugh already getting some new year's resolution people in my gym. Prepare for hell the next month till they give up haha

Then follow them to play it again sports to buy their new year's resolution weight lifting gear at a bargain

 

[AntM1564]

No if you're not doing a plate on each side then byebye

So an elderly person should not weight train by your standards. Or even a woman who is either A. starting or B. short/not strong enough to lift a 45 pound plate. Your logic is horrible.

Don't be a douche, clear the weights on everything.

 

[Bodybeast]

So an elderly person should not weight train by your standards. Or even a woman who is either A. starting or B. short/not strong enough to lift a 45 pound plate. Your logic is horrible.

Don't be a douche, clear the weights on everything.

Daaaaaaaamn chill buddy. I personally have never seen an elderly person try to do an incline leg press with plates. They typically use the machine leg press. And if I saw one wanting to use it then I would clear it, but I go to gym at University. There are no old people. The machine leg press is good enough if you can't do one plate on each side

 

[UnicornDrpns]

So an elderly person should not weight train by your standards. Or even a woman who is either A. starting or B. short/not strong enough to lift a 45 pound plate. Your logic is horrible.

Don't be a douche, clear the weights on everything.

Im going to leave my 45's on the leg press still. Sowwwwwwy

I rep 3-4 45's per side , 8-12 times so it's not like I'm not re re-racking.

 

[Bodybeast]

Daaaaaaaamn chill buddy. I personally have never seen an elderly person try to do an incline leg press with plates. They typically use the machine leg press. And if I saw one wanting to use it then I would clear it, but I go to gym at University. There are no old people. The machine leg press is good enough if you can't do one plate on each side

It's a workout and a half to rerack... especially at 8 plates on each side

Im going to leave my 45's on the leg press still. Sowwwwwwy

I rep 3-4 45's per side , 8-12 times so it's not like I'm not re re-racking.

 

[Sdog77]

Leg press, yea leave the solo 45's. I would think it would be un-courteous (if thats a word) to take them off, as anyone that can't leg press that has no business on it.

Squat rack is a different story. Strip'em

 

[UnicornDrpns]

So an elderly person should not weight train by your standards. Or even a woman who is either A. starting or B. short/not strong enough to lift a 45 pound plate.

It's such bull when people think women cant leg press 45's. Even when I started I easily pressed 45's and I routinely see women who are leg pressing 10 lb plates and im dying to throw weights on them for them. I'm def a small woman and was even smaller when i first started lifting years ago . i was 5'6 and 110 lbs and was still able to rep mroe than 45's....

Leg press, yea leave the solo 45's. I would think it would be un-courteous (if thats a word) to take them off, as anyone that can't leg press that has no business on it.

Squat rack is a different story. Strip'em

^this.

 

[GreekTheBrick]

Depending on what machine, leg press I'll leave one plate on if it was there where I started. Rest I generally take all off have seen some chicks struggle with getting the 45 plates off.....

Very true. The weights' place is in their stands when they are not used.

 

[DUbz86]

Very true. The weights' place is in their stands when they are not used.

Absolutely!!! Good manors go a long way in my book

 

[gaz7456]

There are a few exercises (leg press, dinkey calf raise) where to leave a small amount of weight on will be a favor for the vast majority of lifters so will sometimes leave a few plates on these particular machines, otherwise if you used it last, then you're responsible for stripping off the weights afterwards regardless of who put them on.

 

[AntM1564]

It's such bull when people think women cant leg press 45's. Even when I started I easily pressed 45's and I routinely see women who are leg pressing 10 lb plates and im dying to throw weights on them for them. I'm def a small woman and was even smaller when i first started lifting years ago . i was 5'6 and 110 lbs and was still able to rep mroe than 45's....

^this.

For some women, it isn't the trouble if using heavy weight, but depending on the leg press and height/strength of the woman, it may be easier to load on a 25 or even 35 pound plate.

The reason I am so against people leaving weight on anything is due to past experience. Yes, I was one of those people who would leave plates on. My whole theory was, I will leave it how I came to it. So if a leg press had 3 plates per side when I got to it, and I went to 5 plates, I would only take 2 off.

I had a heart transplant and was back in the gym 4 weeks post surgery. It was a pain in the ass to move plates, especially 45s. Now I realize that ot everyone is as strong as me nor should they waste their time, effort, and energy putting my plates away. Every machine or piece of equipment should start with nothing on it.

Additionally, think of your gym's workers or cleaning staff. They need to put plates away. Ask yourself, would you want to pick up after people when they can do so themselves?

 

[cstallion]

There's this one ass clown in my gym, he's juiced to the gills. He will throw on like 15 plates on each side, and then do these ****ty ass quarter reps. Then he just walks off and leaves the weight there. Same with bench. SMH.

 

[Brandinooooo]

Always take the plates off. I'm always having to remove ones left on by other people.

At my gym we have older people that workout there. They can't lift the 35 or 45 pound weights. Is it fair for them to not be able to use a machine because some punk kid was too lazy to put them back?

Hell no.

 

[cstallion]

Always take the plates off. I'm always having to remove ones left on by other people.

At my gym we have older people that workout there. They can't lift the 35 or 45 pound weights. Is it fair for them to not be able to use a machine because some punk kid was too lazy to put them back?

Hell no.

It's called Darwinism bro.

 

[SFreed]

I have some OCD tendencies, so I clear all the weights every time. It isn't necessarily about a concern for others, I just like things neat and organized. H3ll, sometimes I find myself rotating all of the dumbbells so the numbers are upside right.

 

[Brandinooooo]

I have some OCD tendencies, so I clear all the weights every time. It isn't necessarily about a concern for others, I just like things neat and organized. H3ll, sometimes I find myself rotating all of the dumbbells so the numbers are upside right.

I would purposely rotate every 3rd one every time you got up.

It's called Darwinism bro.

Lmao

 

[SFreed]

I would purposely rotate every 3rd one every time you got up.

Lmao

Reading this made me anxious

 

[AntM1564]

Always take the plates off. I'm always having to remove ones left on by other people.

At my gym we have older people that workout there. They can't lift the 35 or 45 pound weights. Is it fair for them to not be able to use a machine because some punk kid was too lazy to put them back?

Hell no.

Good man right here. I hope you don't clear the plates from equipment you aren't using though!

It's called Darwinism bro.

You're simply a tool.

 

[UnicornDrpns]

I have some OCD tendencies, so I clear all the weights every time. It isn't necessarily about a concern for others, I just like things neat and organized. H3ll, sometimes I find myself rotating all of the dumbbells so the numbers are upside right.

When I gym today I'm going to unconsciously think of u when I see upside down dumbbell numbers.

It's called Darwinism bro.

Lmao. Ur an ass but my god lol

 

[cstallion]

When I gym today I'm going to unconsciously think of u when I see upside down dumbbell numbers.



Lmao. Ur an ass but my god lol

Haha! I'm just kidding... serious. I definitely take the weights off the bars/machines with old people in mind. There are tons of silver sneakers at my gym and they happen to generally be fun to talk too.

 

[cstallion]

Good man right here. I hope you don't clear the plates from equipment you aren't using though!



You're simply a tool.

I'm kidding man. Chill out.

 

[Mowglisml]

As long as the DBs are put back to their designated location on the rack. all is good.

 

[kisaj]

OP- you remove them all.

 

[Daninplymouth]

What if your gyms really busy? Mine only has 1 or 2 bits for most exercises so if I finish deadlifting or leg press and the next thing I want to do is free I go grab it leaving the weights on

 

[muscleupcrohn]

What if your gyms really busy? Mine only has 1 or 2 bits for most exercises so if I finish deadlifting or leg press and the next thing I want to do is free I go grab it leaving the weights on

If you have time to put the weights on the bar and do sets with it, you have time to put them away. Why is your time more valuable than everyone else's at the gym? It's one thing to leave a plate or two on the leg press, but it's another entirely to leave 2-3+ plates per side side on the bar after deadlifts and expect someone else, maybe your mom, to clean up your mess. If you have to grab another machine quickly, put your towel/bottle there, then go back and put your weights away from where you were. Do not leave them laying around.

 

[Daninplymouth]

Cause the minute or so it takes to unload can be the difference between having a 10-15min wait to do your next exercise. I don't do it all the time but if the gyms really busy it's Everyman for them self where I go

 

[Brandinooooo]

Like muscleupcrohn said, just out your towel over the bar or seat and put a plate or two on it then hurry back and put the others away.

A lot of times ill put my bottle on the seat and grab the plates from what I was using before and put them on the one in going to.

 

[GreekTheBrick]

One of the most dangerous things in a gym is an unmovable-for many, bar full of plates that is lying on the floor and people pass over it holding dumbbells. Or rolling it over there and then again over here because it's an obstacle. Plus, for some people unloading it, equals half of their workout. It's a pity to spend it on it. Just my opinion

 

[muscleupcrohn]

One of the most dangerous things in a gym is an unmovable-for many, bar full of plates that is lying on the floor and people pass over it holding dumbbells. Or rolling it over there and then again over here because it's an obstacle. Plus, for some people unloading it, equals half of their workout. It's a pity to spend it on it. Just my opinion

This, plus, the majority of people who see a bat on the ground with 225+ think it's still being used, since people tend to still have some basic faith in humanity, and don't expect someone do be enough of a douche to leave it there when they're done. If it sounds harsh, good. Just put a towel/bottle on your next machine, then put your weights away, before someone picks up your bar and drops it on your lap at your next machine.

 

[GreekTheBrick]

This, plus, the majority of people who see a bat on the ground with 225+ think it's still being used, since people tend to still have some basic faith in humanity, and don't expect someone do be enough of a douche to leave it there when they're done. If it sounds harsh, good. Just put a towel/bottle on your next machine, then put your weights away, before someone picks up your bar and drops it on your lap at your next machine.

Very true. I have been waiting for a rack to empty as there were plates on it, many times. Thing is always people are passing by and if you are busy doing an other exercise, you think someone is actually using it. Now I go and claim the rack if I dont see anyone there for like 2-3 minutes.

 

[WawaCoffee]

I always strip the machine when I'm done. Even leg press. If somebody wants to jump onto the leg press and use 25's, that's their business, not mine.

 

[VO2Maxima]

What if your gyms really busy? Mine only has 1 or 2 bits for most exercises so if I finish deadlifting or leg press and the next thing I want to do is free I go grab it leaving the weights on

Unless someone is waiting for whatever you're using, and says to leave X plates on the side, please strip it. As some other people said, other people may think it's still in use. Plus it's just disrespectful to the gym and other members. If the gym is that busy, ask to work in.

 

[AntM1564]

Cause the minute or so it takes to unload can be the difference between having a 10-15min wait to do your next exercise. I don't do it all the time but if the gyms really busy it's Everyman for them self where I go

Then change your order of exercises. It won't kill you.