Phones are essential to life in North America, or at least it seems that’s the case based on the way we carry them around, dress them up in snazzy covers, constantly check them, walk around looking at our phone’s screen instead of the road ahead.

When cell phones first came out, they only did one thing but now phones are multi-purpose so we carry on them all of our music, emails, social media links, banking apps, GPS and fitness apps, clock, etc.  We understand the importance of the phone and the need to have it with you all the time.

Phone Etiquette at the Gym

At the gym, we’d suggest you PUT YOUR CELL PHONE DOWN!  If you’re listening to music, that’s fine but don’t let it distract you from moving through your workout.  Be considerate of others while at the gym since it is a public place where many people go to de-stress and focus on their wellness.

Avoid Lingering

Weekly, we see people at a busy gym sitting on the machines or on a bench with free weights at their side, and just staring at their phones or texting.  They are completely oblivious to other people who want to get on that machine, do their reps and get out.  This behavior is not only rude, but also diminishes the effectiveness of a faster-paced workout.  If working on a weight training plan with longer rests between sets, we recommend that you get up and walk around rather than sit at the machine.  Doing so will still bring down your heart rate, while giving others a chance to cut in to use the machine.

Avoid Conversations

We’ve all experienced the loud cell phone talker, perhaps in the grocery line, on the subway, on the beach!  It can be entertaining to hear about someone’s personal life and sometimes it can be annoying.  We also know that it can be boring to sit on the bike for 60 minutes staring at the clock as it counts down the time!  Catching up with others on the phone while exercising can be tempting but, again, by doing so you disturb everyone else, and you cheat yourself out of a great workout.  Although you might think that multi-tasking is efficient, it isn’t always effective.  Use the time on the bike, treadmill or elliptical to focus on your fitness effort.  In fact, if you do some intervals at higher intensity, you can reduce your workout time and get an even better effect than working out longer.

Avoid Taking Pictures

In a world obsessed with selfies, fitness buffs have found their medium for showing off their hard work.  If you like to take selfies, like to post pictures of your friends or your daily routine, please be respectful at the gym.  Some people, like myself, basically get out of bed and head to the gym.  We don’t necessarily look our best during those sweat sessions.  We could be lurking in the background of your photo without your noticing, and we sure don’t want to appear on Facebook with frizzed hair and our awful weight lifting grimace!

Following these simple suggestions can help you focus on your workout, and help you make more friends than enemies at the gym!

Recipe of the Week: Banana Blueberry Pancakes