When people come into the gym, the last thing on their mind is usually their safety in that environment. If they felt safety was an issue, they probably wouldn’t have gotten a membership at that gym in the first place. However, safety is of the utmost importance when you’re at the gym, both for the gym members and gym owners. So to ensure you’re working out at a safe gym if you’re a gym member and offering a safe exercise environment if you’re a gym owner, here are three tips for having a safe gym experience.

1. Warm Up and Cool Down

One of the most important yet most commonly overlooked parts of having a safe gym experience is in warming up and cooling down. For exercisers, it can seem like a waste of time to do a small workout before your main workout. However, MamasHealth.com states that taking just a few minutes to stretch and warm your body up before and after a hard workout, especially an aerobic workout, will save you from potential injuries. If you haven’t made warming up and cooling down a habit while at the gym, it’s time to add this to your routine. This will increase your recovery time a lot, meaning you’ll be able to fit a lot more workouts into your week. You could also visit steelsupplements.com to find some supplements which will speed up your recovery time – combine the two together and you’ll be recovering in no time.

For gym owners and operators, you can promote this healthy behavior by creating safe spaces where your members can feel comfortable stretching and moving without equipment. By allowing a designated warm up and cool down area, you will avoid members getting injuries that could land them in the hospital and you in a litigation office.

2. Cleanliness

Working out in a clean gym will keep the facility in top working order as well as keeping gym members in good health. For gym owners, ensure you have disinfectant placed around the gym and encourage members to clean their equipment after each use. It’s also important to keep good air movement to filter out any of the unpleasant smells that come along with a good workout. Your members will thank you.

As a gym member, it’s your responsibility to clean up after yourself. Make sure you’re doing your part to contribute to a clean gym. However, you should also be on the lookout for signs that your gym staff isn’t holding up their end of the deal. Greg Daugherty of the New York Times suggests looking for things like litter, dirty mirrors, bad smells and minimal fresh towels as a sign that your gym needs to clean up its act.

3. Equipment Maintenance

Faulty or outdated gym equipment is bad news for both gym owners and gym members. Equipment that isn’t safe for a member to use can result in injury and bodily harm, creating physical problems for the athlete and legal or financial problems for the gym itself.

To make sure gym equipment is always up to par, Gym Tech advises for gyms to create a preventative maintenance schedule and follow that schedule for replacing and repairing equipment that is in need of an upgrade. If you as a gym member notice a piece of equipment that’s past its prime, be sure to let your gym staff know about it.

Exercising is meant to be good for your body, not cause you harm. So to make sure you’re getting the most out of your workouts and giving your gym members what they’re paying for, take all necessary precautions to ensure safety is the highest priority.