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Don't put your elbows on the table.

Always say "please" and "thank you."

Cross your feet at the ankles.

Don't double-dip a chip.

If these little rules sound familiar, mom taught you well, and you're savvy to the code of social etiquette and good manners. Just as we have rules for dining, conversing and modesty, so do we have rules for proper gym conduct.

Although they're mostly unwritten, there is a canon of gym etiquette that all gym-goers should recognize. Whether or not others do so is beyond your control! You can avoid committing a fitness faux pas by following a few simple guidelines.

Work It In

The gym has only so many machines, and if you go during peak hours, most of them will be occupied. If someone is using a machine you'd like to use, ask if you can 'work in." Working in is a way for two people to share the same equipment: One person rests while the other does a set. Approach the other person while he or she is resting and politely ask if you can work in. Be prepared: The person might say no. But don't stress over his or her rudeness; simply move on and find something different to use. If the person agrees to let you in, it's a nice gesture to return the weight setting and seat adjustment to what he or she was using once you finish your set. Hopefully, that person will be just as courteous to you.

# posted by Medical Information : 2:48 AM