The Barbell Incident: Why Respect in the Gym Starts With One Simple Habit
I asked someone to re-rack their barbell…
and she threw the weights on the floor.
That was my reality on a late-night shift as a Fitness Coach at JD Gyms in Wolverhampton. Now before you read this, know that this problem exists in gyms across the country, especially chain gyms. But this persons attitude was the thing that left me completely gobsmacked.
I was doing the usual end-of-night reset, putting away weights, resetting the benches, making sure the gym was safe for the next morning. Then I spotted a girl walk away from a fully loaded barbell.
Normally, I’d just sigh and add it to the long list of abandoned weights I’d already moved that evening. But this time, I decided to politely ask her to put them away herself as I had literally watched her walk away from it. Right next to a place I had reset only minutes before.
I smiled and said: “Hey, could you put the barbell away please?”
Instead of re-racking, she ripped the clips off, threw them onto the floor, dropped the plates, and snapped:
“I pay to come here. You work here. You put them away.”
Working as FC/PT in a Gym
It’s not my job to clean up after members.
My job is to keep the gym safe.
My job is to support beginners and prevent injuries.
My job is to make sure the gym is welcoming for everyone.
But if members refuse to take responsibility, that job becomes impossible. Leaving 60kg on a barbell might not seem like much to someone who trains regularly, but for a beginner, it can be the barrier that stops them training altogether.
Gym Etiquette
Gym etiquette isn’t about being perfect, following some secret rulebook, or making the gym feel like school. It’s about respect.
Respect for the space, respect for the staff, and respect for the people training alongside you. It’s the small habits that make the biggest difference; re-racking your weights, wiping down your bench, not hogging equipment, keeping noise to a reasonable level. None of these things take much time or effort, but together they create a safer, more welcoming environment.
For me, gym etiquette is what turns a gym from just a building with weights into a community where everyone can feel confident and included.
Why Re-Racking Matters
Re-racking weights isn’t about being picky. It’s about respect:
Respect for staff who shouldn’t have to clean up your mess.
Respect for other members who might not be able to move what you left behind.
Respect for the gym as a shared space that only works if we all do our part.
It’s a small action with a big impact. It is also in the rules of the gym, so there should be no confusion.
It really is simple.
My Brain is Neurodivergent
As an autistic, ADHD personal trainer, I follow rules to the letter. If the sign says “please re-rack your weights”, I’ll always do it. My brain also doesn’t let me ignore it when people don’t, because I know the rules exist for a reason: safety.
I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m trying to make the gym safer, tidier, and more welcoming for everyone. Sometimes that means asking people to do what they already agreed to when they joined.
Shifts at the Gym
I don’t expect thanks for reminding someone to re-rack. I don’t expect people to love being called out.
But I do expect basic respect when I’m doing my job.
The gym works best when it’s a community, where everyone takes small actions that make the space better. Re-racking is one of those actions.
So next time you finish a set, remember: Respect starts with one simple habit. Re-rack your weights.
Gym Accessibility
If you’ve been following me for a while, you will know that gym accessibility is something I am very keen to explore more and to improve. When you’re anxious, neurodivergent or struggle with overwhelm then new places like a gym can be places to avoid rather than places to enjoy.
