Whether you're new to the gym or a frequent gym-goer, it's important to remember proper gym etiquette. Unknowingly, you may be doing certain things that other members find annoying – chewing gum, talking on the phone, grunting and taking selfies are just a few examples.

Way too many people think that the gym is their own personal territory; they think that they have the right to leave equipment – weights, dumbbells, barbells, etc. – all over the gym. "Hate to break it to you, your $11/week membership certainly doesn't give you the right to treat the gym like you own it," Jason Clark, co-founder of Perform360, says. "If we're a little more considerate of others and put [our] weights away after use, the gym could be an even better environment to exercise in."

Also, do yourself and everyone else around you a favor and stay away from the gym when you are sick. "Working out in a confined space and using gym equipment when you are sick is just a nasty recipe for spreading your germs," says personal trainer Jason Debel.

Things To Never Do At The Gym

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Don't Do Same Routine Every Single Day

If you're keen on improving your fitness you need to move in functional and challenging ways, Gaudin says. To do this, you need to change up your routine regularly. "There are so many ways you can keep your exercise interesting and challenging," she says. "You can change the exercise routine itself, but you can also change to speed at which you do an exercise, the weight, the duration/repetitions, too."

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Don't Work Out Without A Towel

"There's nothing worse than walking up to a machine and finding a pool of sweat greeting you," Debel says. "Clean up after yourself and make your mom proud."

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Don't Hover, Gawk or Push In

"This comes with standard gym etiquette. No one likes someone breathing down their neck when they're working out, so keep your creeping to yourself," Debel says. Staring and gawking at others may cause them to feel uncomfortable; and if you see someone waiting to use a piece of equipment, don't be a jerk and push in, he adds.

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Don't Use Only One Machine

This is a sure way to annoy your fellow gym-goers. "Over-training one muscle group and repeating the same exercises over and over can actually do you more harm over the long run," Debel says. "Mix up your workouts and keep things interesting. Your body will thank you for it."

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Don't Check Social Media While "Resting" Between Sets

"This tends to happen in a more commercial gym environment," Clark says. How frustrating is when you're waiting for a piece of equipment and someone is checking in, loading Instagram stories, watching someone else's Snapchat, scrolling Facebook aimlessly, etc.? "How about we all spend a little less time on social media and get the job done. You know, the job you wanted to achieve when you signed up to the gym. Who knows ... this could even accelerate your results."

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Don't Have Conversations While "Using" A Piece Of Equipment

"Who loves listening to a group of young, highly fueled testosterone males sitting around the bench press talking about their huge weekend at festivals? Or what about the group of young females gossiping about what happened on social media in the ab section of the gym? Once again, if we all put in a little more action and a little less talk we might achieve our goals a lot," Clark says.

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Don't Video-Shame

Clark says that this action is by far the biggest thing that grinds his gears the most in the fitness industry. "What gives people the right to feel it's OK filming someone at the gym who is having a go? Sure, if they're doing something that looks strange or peculiar or an exercise with wrong technique, why not offer support or find out what their exercising for (as the videographer surely, they must be the expert)?" he says. "Who knows, something good may come of offering support and having an actual conversation."

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Don't Go Crazy With The Chalk

"When things get a little tough and grip starts to diminish during a workout, some will blame the lack of chalk applied to their hands,” Clark says. "Let's face it ... in majority of cases the reason why some feel their grip is slippery is due to the lack of actual grip strength. Also admit it ... running off to the chalk bowl to re-apply chalk is for a sneaky rest, right? So, let's not blame the poor innocent white stuff as the culprit to your inefficiencies."

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