Weightlifting Etiquette

A new year always comes with new people joining your favorite gym. This is a good thing - new training partners, new skill sets and diversity is great. I’m always open to new people joining our little club.

HOWEVER – there is something that all newbies to the weightlifting club should learn. And that is a thing called Weightlifting Etiquette! A little bit of etiquette can go a long way in preventing your grizzled and seasoned teammates from handing out a throat punch.

(1)  Please don’t walk across my platform while I am lifting or setting up for a lift. Seriously, it’s plain rude. Please be aware that weightlifters need space. Space to set up for a lift without someone walking through my field of vision. Space to complete my lift without fear of you walking into my bar. And perhaps, most importantly, space so that if I need to bail out of a lift, I won’t kill you.

(2)  There are good weightlifting barbells …. And some that are not so great. CrossFitters, I love you. You know that I do. But if you are going to come play in my arena, don’t take the good bars for your deadlifts and leave me with the shitty bar that does not spin. Especially when I am less than 2 weeks out from competition.

(3)  Speaking of bars, please allow the women to use the slimmer bars. I realize that some of you males out there prefer the 25 mm bars rather the 28 mm bars, but in most gyms the slim bars are few in number. The narrow bars are for those of us with small hands so as a male, please don’t take the 25 mm bars when the platforms are dominated by female lifters.

(4)  High density rubber weightlifting plates are in short supply. As such, don’t be a donkey. If you are increasing the weight on your bar by 20 lbs each lift, please don’t be a lazy ass and add 10 lb plates each lift. Take some of those 10s off and use a couple of 25s already!

(5)  And this brings me to my final point. DO NOT STEAL PLATES! Some of my teammates like to joke that am like a raven and collect shiny objects (plates) to surround my platform. I’m not being an asshole, I do this for a reason. In preparation for competition, I take specific breaks between sets. I surround myself with plates so that I don’t have to go far for what I need next. I like to be prepared and I don’t want to have to go on a lengthy search for my next working set. I will share, I promise to share my shiny plate stash with teammates. But please ask for them. SO - Don’t be a plate-stealing-ninja. Do not wait until a lifter to turns their back and then steal their plates.  And when that lifter calls you out on your bullshit – own up to it.

So please feel welcome to come visit our weightlifting club. If you keep my top 5 weightlifting etiquette tips in mind, then you might just be invited to stay while avoiding the dreaded throat punch.