re: Gym etiquette - 45lb plates

The only time I don’t mind seeing a bunch of plates left on anything is when I want to do leg presses. It’s nice when there are a bunch near it if not so I don’t have to get a cardio workout just moving 45’s.

Otherwise it is uncouth to leave plates on anything.

In my opinion, like a lot of things in life, the answer is "it depends". I've worked out in gyms with multiple benches and typically 1 or 2 were always left clean and 1 or 2 typically had the 45s left on. Didn't see this as an issue and I would always leave my 45s on (if there were other bench's left clean, if not I'd take mine off).

Now that I workout at a gym with a single bench, I think you should always rerack all of the weights.

I was thinking about this yesterday. I'm new to weights and definitely use less than 45s on a regular basis. I dont get mad or anything when people leave plates on there. It's more of a frustrated feeling. I've only been lifting about a month, but the most aggravating part is trying to find the weights I'm looking for. Someone mentioned it earlier, JENGA! Now THAT is the aggravating part. I use the time between sets to clean up the weights. The pegs are labeled as to which plates belong on them. It's not that damn hard to put them where they go.

This morning every single bar/machine had random amounts of weights left on them and plates stacked over other weights... I did the "leave it better than you found it" routine and cleaned them up as I was moving between them and during rests.

I have a good idea of who the group is that tends to leave them this way (I've seen them leave a machine/bar loaded, but not the entire free weights section of the gym). Downside of the gym being so close to a local high school I guess.

quote:

---

yall sure are making me love my home gym this morning with all these comments lol

---

Absolutely. I remember how pissed I used to be when I was the 4AM workout guy and had to clean up after the 8PM crew. There would be 100lb dumbbells everywhere...the floor, on the rack where 10s should be. Without fail I cleaned it up, I didn't want people thinking it was me.

quote:

---

Is it considered impolite to leave a 45 lb plate on each side of the bench press bar?

---

yes. rerack everything. stop being lazy.

Rack your got damn weights. Yes, this makes me irrationally mad. Especially the douche that loads up the leg press for 1/4" ROM with every got damn 45 in the gym. I hate all of you.

quote:

---

But was working out with a friend and he insisted it’s very rude not to remove everything from bar.

---

Listen to your friend. He understands how a gym is suppose to work.

quote:

---

keep telling myself to build a home gym, but my 24Hour Fitness is $21/year and only 3 miles from my house. When the kids start wanting to workout more, I think I can justify it then. They would cost me $240/year @ 24Hour.

---

My time > low gym fees

The OT is only allowed to bench 350. Nothing more or less

I always took everything off unless someone wanted it next, sometimes they would say leave it. I was in a smaller gym and new most of the ppl there.

quote:

---

I leave the bar naked when I'm done.

---

I nearly did this once when I’d had a lot to drink.