7 Ways You’re F*cking Up in the Gym, According to the ‘Good Guys’

If you’ve been to a public gym, you’ve probably seen some of these gym etiquette violations: barefoot weightlifters, machine monopolizers, and people treating the steam room like their personal OnlyFans studio. Even worse, you’ve probably ducked behind a squat rack to avoid ending up in someone’s TikTok content. 

On Good Guys, hosts Josh Peck and Ben Soffer got real about the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways people violate gym etiquette—and how you can do better. Going to the gym doesn’t have to entail being a menace! 

1. Showing up naked in the steam room

Let’s start with the violation that set off this gym etiquette rant—full nudity in shared spaces. A listener wrote in asking if it was weird that her fiancé went into the steam room completely naked with his best friend. 

“The idea of sitting naked, ass naked, in a steam room next to somebody who’s also ass naked is gay,” Peck says, pausing before adding, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But it’s inviting something that either you want or don’t want.”

Soffer adds, “I have a towel wrapped around my waist. Even men walking around the locker room naked…still wear a towel when they enter the steam room.”

What to Do Instead: When you’re in the steam room, or another shared space, be respectful and wrap it up—literally. Nobody wants your bare bum on the bench, and they definitely don’t want your bits in their peripheral vision. Bring a towel or a bathrobe, and maintain a sanitary environment.

2. Having a personal spa day in the gym bathroom

Clipping toenails, tweezing chin hairs, and doing a full-blown skincare routine in the locker room is not the flex you think it is. “The gym is not a personal spa,” Soffer reminds us. “You wanna do that stuff, do it at home in your bathroom. Not next to a guy trying to put his contacts in.”

What to Do Instead: Use the locker room to change, shower, and fix your ponytail. If your routine involves sharp tools or plucking body hair, save it for home.

3. Sitting on machines like your living room furniture

If you’re scrolling Instagram between sets while someone hovers nearby, clearly waiting, you’re the problem. “We’re all for rest periods,” Peck says, “but it’s not a scroll break. You’re not on your couch—move!”

What to Do Instead: Time your breaks to be 60-90 seconds at most. If you absolutely must check your phone, do it while off the machine. 

4. Leaving your DNA all over the equipment

Sweat happens—that’s not the problem. Leaving a puddle of it behind like a snail trail? Absolutely not. “I don’t need to lie down in your bodily fluids to hit a bench press,” Soffer gripes.

What to Do Instead: Wipe it down. Most gyms have spray bottles and paper towels—clean up after yourself, and stop acting like you were raised in a barn. 

5. Filming people without their consent

The “Did the workout even happen if it’s not on TikTok?” mentality has turned gyms into unwitting content house. While documenting your fitness journey is fine, filming other people in the background without permission is a huge no.

“If you’re filming and someone’s ass is right there doing squats, and they didn’t sign off on it—you’re the problem,” Peck says. “You’re not Steven Spielberg. Relax.”

What to Do Instead: Angle your phone so others aren’t in the shot. Better yet, wait until the gym is empty to test out auteur theory. Respect people’s space and privacy, even if the gym allows filming in the area. And don’t even think of kicking someone off a machine so you can “film content.” 

6. Leaving your weights all over the place

Other people suffer (and sometimes from serious injuries) if you leave dumbbells everywhere. “If I have to go on a scavenger hunt to find the matching 15-pounders, I might throw one at you,” Soffer jokes. 

What to Do Instead: Put things back where you found them. Refer to the previous point about “acting like you were raised in a barn.”

7. Judging others for not being ‘fit enough’

Everyone starts somewhere and deserves to exist in that space without being looked down upon. “Unsolicited criticism in the gym? No,” says Peck. “You’re not a trainer. You’re just a douche.”

What to Do Instead: Keep it moving. Compliments are great, and encouragement is even better. Judging someone for not meeting your fitness standards is textbook loser behavior.

Bonus round: Treating the gym like a live-action Hinge

This one’s non-negotiable. Hitting on people who are not interested? Crossing lines in shared spaces? It’s a restraining order waiting to happen.

If you’re over 60 and hitting on men young enough to be your grandson, begging for attention, and rubbing their backs—STOP. There’s nothing sexy about being a “gym cougar.” 

What to Do Instead: Don’t force conversations, don’t touch people without their explicit consent, and don’t make anyone uncomfortable. Being persistent after someone says “no” isn’t sexy, it’s harassment—no matter the genders or the ages of the people involved.

Gym etiquette isn’t complicated—it’s just about respect. That means having some respect for the space, the equipment, and most importantly, the people around you.