Weight room etiquette lacking

By Robert Sutton

As a regular patron of the Malley Center weight room and various other workout facilities in the past, I feel compelled to point out that the constant state of disarray of the free weight, dumbbell and Hammer Strength machines is not an enjoyable or acceptable situation to have to deal with each time I workout. I have worked out at eight other campus recreation centers and commercial gyms in the past, including working in some.

I can say, without hesitation, that the Malley Center weight room at Santa Clara is by far the most consistently out of order when it comes to weight plates and dumbbells not being where they should be. It's amazing to me how rarely weight lifters in the weight room properly pick up after themselves.

I applaud those individuals who actually do remove their plates from bars and put them back on the correct tree or machine racks, but they are the exception.

To those individuals who would place the burden on the weight room attendant to clean up after their mess, I would say you have completely missed the point. It is that very attitude that proliferates the unfortunate stereotype of private school attendees of being overly entitled and snobbish, as well as ignorant.

Anyone who has worked out in any other gym environment knows that it is common practice and courtesy to remove your plates from your bar when you're done and then place them where they actually go.

Working out in the Malley Center is a privilege, not a right. And now I hear rumors of a verbal altercation between two guys because one wouldn't let the other work out on the same piece of equipment. Is this Jersey Shore?

Tripping over randomly discarded dumbbells and plates is not fun, and having to take off two 45's to get to the properly-placed 25 plates underneath on a weight rack downright sucks.

So how about we try a little more etiquette: put away dumbbells in their proper place when you're done using them, take off plates and replace them on their appropriate rack after lifting and try to keep the place a little cleaner for everyone. Santa Clara is lucky to have such a nice facility to use -- not every university gets a place like ours. The administration can only do so much to change this culture of laziness and inconsideration. It's up to us to keep the weight room an inviting place to walk into every week.

Robert Sutton frequently visits the Malley Center.