GYM RULES & POLICIES

We’re excited that you are part of the family and share your active lifestyle with us!  California Family Fitness strives for everyone who enters our club(s) to feel welcome and comfortable.  We want to give you a friendly, safe, & clean environment as you work towards your health and fitness goals.  In order to do this, we all will need to do our part by being courteous and respectful to one another so that we can have an enjoyable, fun experience together!

Whether you are a new member to Cal Fit or you’ve been coming for years, here are a few friendly tips for gym etiquette— we ask that you observe and follow them, and your contribution to the club environment will be much appreciated!

Please reference the following for:

• General Rules & Etiquette
• Fitness Floor Rules & Etiquette
• Locker Room Rules & Etiquette
• Etiquette and Safety Rules for Other Areas of the Gym

General Rules & Etiquette

We’ll go into more detail, but all gym etiquette guidelines fall into one of the three categories of the Gym Goer’s 3 Golden Rules: 

1.Be aware of your environment.  You are sharing a space with others, please be courteous to your fellow gym goers as you complete your workout. 

2.Be nice.  If it would make your grandmother frown, don’t say or do it. 

3.Treat the equipment like you want to use it again.  It goes without saying that taking care of the equipment and putting what you use away correctly shows respect for everyone else. We are all striving to keep the equipment in working order which ensures it will be ready to go when you are.

Let’s work together to keep the environment positive at our clubs by sticking to these general etiquette guidelines.  Read on for ways you can follow the Gym Goer’s 3 Golden Rules throughout our clubs.

See a sign?  Please take the time to read it. 

We provide limited signage installed around our club to help guide you.  We try to be clear about do’s and don’ts around our facilities but we can’t create signs for all scenarios.  If you aren’t sure about something, feel free to ask one of our friendly CFF team members. 

Be thoughtful about cell phone use.

There are some great apps out there for tracking progress and recording your workouts.  Feel free to take advantage of those!  We only ask that you let others enjoy their cardio high or yoga Zen by refraining from loud, distracting conversations on your phone in our club.

We’ve provided comfortable chairs in our lobby area, along with Hydromassage lounges in some clubs.  These are the perfect spots to sit while you scroll through your phone. The gym equipment?  Not so much.  Please keep the equipment available for active use. If you are texting, scrolling, or talking instead of using equipment, don’t be surprised if a staff member politely asks you to move so the equipment will be available for those actively working out.

Be courteous to the members and staff around you when it comes to phone use and/or filming/photography.  Some of them weren’t planning on starring in a video today, so we ask that you keep the other gym goers out of your feature film.  And in the parts of our gym where privacy and safety is a priority—the locker rooms, restrooms, Childcare, and Kidz Klubs—film and photography are strictly prohibited.  Finally, we ask that when you are in a class, you politely keep your phone on mute

Audio and visual equipment is for everyone to enjoy!

Some of our cardio machines are equipped with screens so you can find just the right show to accompany your workout.  Download the Audio Fetch app, which allows you to hear the programming on your individual machine.

Audio Fetch is available at Midtown, Roseville, Orangevale, Sunrise, Citrus Heights, Laguna, Elk Grove, Folsom, Rocklin, and Natomas clubs. 

When your workout involves sharing a screen with others in the cardio area, remember those Kindergarten lessons and share graciously.  If you don’t like what’s playing in front of you, here are some helpful suggestions:

• Ask others if they mind you requesting a change, then ask a CFF team member to help.
• Bring your own headphones and portable music player as back up entertainment.

And while sharing is caring….we ask that you don’t bring portable speakers for broadcasting your preferred music.  Earphones let all of us to enjoy our favorite tunes, podcasts, or audiobooks while working out.

We’re all here to get and stay healthy—don’t let germs crash the party!

Our clubs are a shared space.  Many people are using the equipment throughout the day.  If everyone works together, we can avoid the spread of germs or allergens that might make us sick.

• Please clean equipment after you use it. We’ve provided convenient sanitizing stations throughout our clubs.  Make use of them to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria from one piece of equipment to another.
• Please keep the air fresh around you—avoid heavy scents.  Your signature perfume or cologne might not be enjoyed by your neighbor in spin class.
• Absolutely no spitting please! Your mama probably didn’t let you do this either, so let’s keep her happy and we’ll all be happy.
• As much as we love to welcome you through our club doors, please stay home if you are ill. If you are coughing and sneezing in a class or while weightlifting, you are leaving a trail of germs that might infect your fellow club members.  Opt for an in-home workout on sick days—our trainers are happy to make a few recommendations, plus we have some great video workouts here.

Have a plan for when you see someone with bad behavior in our club.

It’s fine to step in and give them warning if they are doing something that puts them, or anyone else, in immediate danger. It’s more important to keep fellow members safe than to worry about offending someone.

What if the problem is more annoying than it is dangerous?  In that case, it's best to communicate with a CFF team member if you are concerned about someone acting inappropriately.  We’ve found that our members accept correction better from a CFF team member than other members, so let us help with this as it will likely produce more effective results.

Remember the purpose of our club is fitness.

California Family Fitness locations are meant to be used for fitness and exercise activities.  To make sure our facilities are available to members for their intended purpose, we reserve the right to suspend or revoke membership privileges if for those who use them for other activities.  Non-permitted usage of California Family Fitness facilities may include (but are not limited to) loitering, sleeping, charging of electronic devices, or other behaviors deemed inappropriate by club management.

Fitness Floor Rules & Etiquette

Make sure equipment is ready for the next member to use when you finish with it.

While we’d love to be the first to launch Magic Cleaning Fairies in our clubs, that product is still tied up in research and development.  With lots of members using the equipment throughout the day, we simply don’t have enough hands to wipe down and re-set each piece of equipment for you.  Please pay it forward to your friends at the gym by leaving equipment clean and organized.  Make sure to do the following before you continue your workout:

• Use a towel and sanitation spray to wipe down any perspiration or indication of your use on the equipment to leave it ready for the next member. We have wipes, towels, and spray throughout the floor. If you can’t find them or see our supply is running low, let us know so we can help!
• Put equipment away.
  • Play nicely with others by not waiting until the end of your workout to put all of the supplies away. Since others are probably waiting to use the equipment, let it be available when you aren’t actively using it. 
  • Using an Olympic bar? We encourage you to put the plates away in the right place. It's unfair to the next person if they have to take your poundage off the bar before putting on what they need.  And no one wants to play hide and go seek with weights!

Share the available equipment.

It really is possible to get an effective, efficient workout in while still being courteous of others.  Be mindful of those trying to get a good workout around you, and let others “work in” on equipment between your sets. 

And just a quick note….throwing a towel over a piece of equipment doesn’t mark it as yours.  If you aren’t actively using it, it needs to be available for others. 

Only dummies drop dumbbells.

There are some weights that are made to be dropped, but dumbbells are not one of them. Not only does it create a noisy distraction, but dumbbells do not have the structure to be dropped and can potentially break. Moreover, a dumbbell could bounce and injure you or another member.

Give people around you safe space.

Remember in driver’s education, when you learned about defensive driving?  Move about the weight room as if you are driving defensively—be on the lookout for possible collisions and do your best to avoid them.

With free weights like dumbbells and plates, people are able to swing and move the weight every which way. If you see someone with a free weight, give them a wide enough bubble so you avoid getting hit. With practice, you will find it easier to recognize when another weight-lifter might need some extra space.

And speaking of people, we welcome those who are 12 years and older to make use of our fitness equipment.  Younger people are welcome to work out their wiggles in our Kidz Klub or childcare.

Shoes are more than a fashion statement here.

When packing your gym bag, make sure your footwear offers safety and stability. Safety comes first on the workout floor, which is why we require you to wear closed-toed shoes when you are on the workout floor using cardio machines, weight-machines, free weights, or other equipment. Check out some great tips for finding good shoes here.  

Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

…use it to check your form, not publish to your social media wall.  We have lots of mirrors available for you to use for various reasons in our clubs.  On the fitness floor, be mindful that those with weights often need to check the mirror to make sure they have proper form.  Avoid standing in front of those actively reflecting their form, or with anything other than equipment in your hands.  

We also encourage you not to use our wall-mounted mirrors as a support when you are stretching.  Mirrors—unlike walls—are not designed to bear weight.  We would hate for you to be injured by cracked or breaking glass during your stretch.

Locker Room Rules & Etiquette

Keep personal grooming….personal.

We’re just going to come out and say it: Intimate grooming or tasteless personal hygiene rituals should be done at home, not in the locker room. Examples: clipping nails or body hair, washing feet or clothes in the sink, waxing, zit-popping, or various other personal self-grooming techniques.

Respect boundaries.

Every individual has a personal level of comfort about their body and others’.   Our body comfort zones are a mix of personal, familial, and cultural norms.  With so many different levels of comfort—and reasons for those levels—we find modesty is the best policy in our locker rooms.  Adopt boundaries you may not have in the privacy of your own home when you are in the locker room, such as covering up with a towel.

Here are some other guidelines for respectfully sharing locker room space:

• Limit the space you use for your belongings on benches and counters. Especially during peak gym hours, give other members space to get ready.
• Clean up after yourself. If your shaving cream or makeup spilled, make sure you take care of it.
• Put toiletries and appliances like hair dryers back in their place so others can use them.
• Wipe up water you might’ve splashed around the sink
• Remove toiletries, hair, etc. from showers when you leave them.
• Save some for the fishes--turn off the water once you’re finished.
• Do not leave empty shampoo/soap bottles or extra towels.
• Dry off before walking through the rest of the locker room to avoid slipping.
• Our hair dryers are available for the hair on your head. And only the hair on your head.
• Foot and body powders can become very messy. Avoid applying within our locker rooms.

Leave the phone in your bag.

Even if you are simply texting your mother back, it can make people uneasy because your phone most likely has a camera. Turning it on silent is probably a good idea, too.  Filming and photography are strictly prohibited in our locker rooms.

Other Areas of the Gym

Read on for helpful etiquette and safety guidelines regarding other club amenities.

Group Fitness

Working out in a group means you have access to top notch instructors, great music, fresh routines, and a chance to befriend and motivate other class members.  Be courteous to your instructor and those attending classes by being mindful of the following suggestions.

• Be punctual. Even if you’ve registered in advance, you should strive not to interrupt a class with your tardiness.
• Be welcoming. It’s great to get to know the people you see on a regular basis, but everyone has to start somewhere.  Try to make new faces feel comfortable.
• While a class is in session, be courteous and avoid opening and closing the door unnecessarily.
• During cycling classes, a personal towel is required.
• Cell phone use. Out of respect for your instructor, please turn off or silence your cell phone before you enter class.
• Our classes are designed for bodies 12 years and older.  Younger bodies are welcome to enjoy our Kidz Klub and childcare services while their adults are in class.

Pool Areas

We are happy to offer swimming and lap pools at many of our clubs.  When using the pool area, be mindful that there is not a lifeguard on duty.  A parent or adult must supervise children age 12 and under at all times, and no children under the age of 14 are allowed in our hot tubs.  Children age 6 and under must have a supervising adult in the water with them at all times. Please observe the 10 minute safety breaks supervised by an employee at the end of each hour by promptly leaving the pool when the whistle blows.

For more safety tips and detailed pool rules for our clubs, please click here.

Lap Pool

• So that everyone has a chance to fit in their laps, there is a 30 minute time limit for the lap lanes if someone is waiting and all lanes are full.
• Avoid collisions, there should only be two swimmers per lane.
• A minimum of two lap lanes will be available during Aqua classes and other scheduled pool activities when a shared use pool is the only option at the club.

Steam Room & Sauna

Heat can be beneficial, but when proper precautions are not taken, it can also be dangerous.  Please beware of hot metal objects which are the source of steam. Pregnant women or anyone with a medical condition should consult their physician before using the steam room or sauna.  A maximum of 5 minutes is recommended for steam room first timers, 10 minutes for those who are acclimated to steaming.  Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during, and after your steam or sauna session.  You should also avoid large meals, smoking, and use of alcohol before or during use of our steam rooms and sauna.

While flip-flops and sandals are fine, no outside footwear (like trainers or running shoes) is allowed inside the sauna and steam room. Please follow these additional rules for safety.

• For your safety, and to prevent damage to the equipment, no fitness equipment is permitted in the sauna or steam room.  

In the steam room:

• Keep the door closed unless you plan to enter or exit the steam room.
• Plastic bags should remain outside the steam room.
• Protect the thermostat—do no throw water on it.

In the sauna:

• Shower before entering the sauna.
• Sit or lie on a towel inside the sauna.
• Our saunas are dry saunas. Refrain from throwing water on the rocks.

Basketball & Raquetball Courts

Shooting hoops and working on your backhand are fun ways to fit in a sweat session.  We’re delighted to have racquetball and basketball courts available at several of our clubs.  For your safety and enjoyment, we encourage you to consider the following guidelines when you use our courts.

• Only non-marking shoes should be worn in the courts (no black soled shoes).
• Be cautious about entering our exiting the court when play is in progress.
• Basketball courts may be used for Kidz Klub activities from 8 A.M. until noon.
• For racquetball, protective eyewear is strongly encouraged.

Cal Fit Basketball Court Rules

• No foul language or “trash talking” on or off the court.
• No throwing or kicking the basketballs at the ceiling, walls, or lights.
• No food or drink allowed in the court.
• Court priority will be given to members wishing to play a full court 4v4 or 5v5 game.
• No fighting or arguing with fellow players or staff member(s). You will be asked to leave.
• The staff has full authority to enforce all rules.
• Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.

Climbing Wall

Need to relieve some stress?  Feel free to climb our walls!  Our rock walls, that is.  Enjoy the combination of cardio and strength training plus agility that comes from rock climbing.  To ensure your safety, please be aware of the following:

• All first-time climbers must be certified to use the wall. This requires a brief introduction to climbing from one of our staff members, with information about basic safety practices.  We will keep a record of your certification on file.
• Age requirements. Children 11 years and younger must be supervised by a parent.  Those 12 years of age and older may climb without parental supervision, but will need a staff member present.

• Climbing Wall Use:
  • Sign up and check out harnesses at the front desk
  • One person at a time at each station
  • No horseplay
  • 15 minute time limit if others are waiting
  • Members only
  • Must have waiver and certification on file to climb
• Please observe your club’s additional posted safety rules.

Childcare

We are delighted to welcome our youngest members to our clubs!  We provide top-notch childcare services and activities for them, and strive to maintain the highest standards of safety and cleanliness.  Please help us to do so.

• Sick kids need to stay at home. In regard to the well-being of other children and our staff, we cannot accept sick kids.  Admittance will be denied if signs of illness are apparent.
• Please sign in and out with a staff member.
• Our play area will be closed before and after operational hours.
• We have a two hour maximum time limit.
• Sometimes kids need a time out. For misbehavior or misconduct, we have a time out procedure.  Feel free to ask a child care attendant more about how this is enforced.
• No food or drink allowed in the play areas, with exception of water, your baby’s bottle or snacks sold onsite.

We are thrilled that you’ll be working out with us at Cal Fit!  As always, we encourage you to ask a Cal Fit employee if you have any questions or concerns about club rules and etiquette.