Twelve etiquette rules you should follow when at the gym:

1. Clean your sweaty machine. Nobody wants to sit in a puddle of your sweat when they sit down to use the rowing machine. If your skin sticks to the seat, possibly even making a noise, this is a sign to you that you need to walk over to one of the 12 billion stations around the gym, grab a rag, spray the rag with the spray bottle and wipe down your gross seat.

2. Don’t hit on people they are in the zone. Some tell-tale signs that someone is “in the zone” are if they have headphones in, they look super intense or if they are in fact in the act of exercising. If you must hit on someone, be aware of your timing. This may ultimately lead to a better outcome for you.

3. Don’t take people’s weights. If someone is obviously using the weights nearest to them but they may be taking a break, don’t steal the weights from them.

4. Get a combination lock. It is a frustrating experience to keep opening lockers that are seemingly unoccupied because they don’t have a combination lock on them only to find that they are full of stuff.

5. Don’t linger. Most people don’t want an audience watching them when they work out nor do they want to feel rushed. Don’t hover around someone who is using a machine you wish to use. Try using another machine or getting a drink of water while you wait.

6. Put your weights back. Don’t leave your free weights scattered across the gym. If you pick weights from the rack, it only makes sense to put them back. You wouldn’t want someone to lift too much or too little because weights are missing.

7. Wear deodorant but not heavy cologne or perfume. There are two ends of the spectrum at the gym: the unhygienic and the excessively hygienic. There is no need to drench yourself in perfume. An application of deodorant should suffice.

8. If there’s a lull in your work out, offer to spot someone else. If you find yourself needing a break but not wanting to stand still, offer to spot someone that is working out alone at the gym. This is a nice thing to do; you might make a friend or stop an injury.

9. Don’t make weird loud noises. I understand working out is hard, but it makes others around you uncomfortable when people make overly exuberant sex grunts as they work out.

10. Stop taking gym selfies. The gym mirrors are there so that people can visualize and correct their form. The mirrors are not there for people to take selfies. It is distracting, and frankly, it’s an odd location for pictures anyways. Nobody cares that you work out.

11. Lift only what you can so you don’t drop the weights. The sound of weights hitting the floor is startling. If you have to hurl the weight at the floor when you’re done with it, maybe you’re lifting too much.