Lou Ferrigno is 74 years old, still training with intensity, and still passing along the lessons that built his legacy.

In an August 19 Facebook video, the bodybuilding legend broke down five essential pointers anyone should follow when training at a public gym, drawing on decades of experience from bodybuilding's Golden Era.

1. Hygiene comes first

Ferrigno didn't hold back on his first rule. 

“Number one: respect your hygiene. Use deodorant, take a shower.” Ferrigno said in the Facebook video. “I've seen people sometimes wear the same t-shirt; they don't bathe, it's not fair for other people."

For Ferrigno, cleanliness is the basis of a good training session. 

2. Respect the gym staff 

Lou Ferrigno’s second tip focuses on basic weight room etiquette. He stressed that one should always treat gym employees with respect and maintain a friendly, positive demeanor toward the staff.

3. Never take your anger out on the equipment 

His third tip serves as a cautionary warning about keeping emotions in check while training. Ferrigno recalled a personal incident that ingrained this.

“Many years ago, I remember one day I was really upset about something. I was doing bent-over laterals for the rear delt. I threw the dumbbell down. Guess what? I broke my toe. That’s a lesson I learned.”

 As Ferrigno learned firsthand: "Barbells and dumbbells will hit you back."

4. Focus is non-negotiable during every rep

Ferrigno's fourth tip pushed lifters to stay locked in throughout every set, warning that a moment of distraction can lead straight to injury. 

"The most important thing when you go to a gym is focus. When you're doing the exercise, cherish every repetition," he said. 

Ferrigno specifically cautioned against turning to chat mid-rep during movements like the bench press, where a sideways head turn can throw off form and cause harm.

5. Stretching and nutrition finish the job

His final piece of advice extended beyond the workout itself. Ferrigno emphasized finishing every session with stretching, then following it up with proper nutrition to actually lock in results.

"Finish the workout stretching. When you go home, just remember, you gave yourself a great workout, but eat the proper food," he said. 

He didn't mince words about undoing a hard session with poor choices afterward. 

"If you do cardio for an hour, and you go home and eat like two cakes, three pies, that defeats the purpose. It's important that nutrition is 80%."

Ferrigno has credited staying in shape, smart supplementation, and avoiding unnecessary over-the-counter medications as the biggest factors behind his longevity since retiring from competition.

For Ferrigno, none of these five principles require anything complicated. Just consistency, respect, and enough common sense to keep both yourself and the people training around you safe.

Do you follow all five of Ferrigno's gym etiquette rules?

Written by

Zaid Quraishi

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi