It usually starts as a group of trainees chat away their experiences of the day on a bench or at a piece of equipment for fifteen minutes while you are waiting to use it.

Or someone is standing directly in front of the barbell rack doing tiny lateral raises when you want to get at the really big weights. Or casuals using equipment favoured by the regulars and often looked at like pieces of personal furniture for their own use.

All this builds up stress especially between the months of January and April when the newcomers hit the gyms and fitness centres in an attempt to lose the weight gained over the Christmas and New Year period.

In trying to realise their New Years resolutions they overcrowd the aerobics area and take over the weight room leaving weights lying around and causing queues for equipment. Regulars of the gym experience these problems and tempers start to flare in a phenomenon becoming known as

"Gym Rage"

During this testing time, all gym-goers, both new and experienced and the employees of the fitness clubs know that the newcomers usually only last until April and after that their good intentions run out. To help you through this stressful time have a look at and follow some of the hints below:

* Stand at the back of the aerobics class when you first start, as you will usually find the hard-core regulars will be down the front.

* Their are no rules that govern how many members a gym can sign up, causing some fitness centres to become overcrowded with everybody wanting to use them in the morning and afternoon on their way to and from work.

So try to plan your visit to the gym a little earlier than usual or later in the day or evening. There is only one effective way to beat the January to April rush and that is to workout out late at night after 7.00pm

* Talking on your cell phone whilst you are working out, this will tie up a machine or piece of equipment for a long time causing problems. It's recommended that you turn off your cell phone whilst at the gym.

* Don't hog the machines; try not to go over the time limits set on the particular machine you are using. If there is a time limit please stick to it. The thing that annoys most people is the way people sit on a machine knocking out set after set. By performing one set to muscular failure and moving on will free up the machines for use by the next person.

* Wipe the machines down after use, try not to leave your sweat on the piece of equipment you have just used, use a towel to separate yourself from the machine while you make use of it and wipe it down thoroughly after use.

* Don't drop the weights onto the ground and don't clang them loudly as this is very off-putting to the other members. Make sure you return the weights to there correct place on the racks when you're finished with them even though you might have found them lying on the floor.

* One thing you don't want to do is constantly ask people if they've finished using a machine when they're obviously still exercising on it. If anything the trainee will try to sit on it longer just to annoy you. Be patient; don't interrupt them while they are lifting, wait until they finish their set first.

* A gym isn't a social club don't stand around in large groups chatting especially if you have a machine in use, do your talking in the locker room or at reception.

* Don't leave your towel or other personal items lying around on a bench or piece of equipment if you are not using it. Leave your training space as clean as the way you found it.

If the equipment is unattended for more than five minutes go ahead and use it, but be prepared to share also, let people work in with you if the difference in weight is not too large. Leave enough space around you so that other people can approach the weight rack and get the equipment they need.

* Don't scream when you are going for that personal best lift, remember that the others around you are concentrating on their own work out to and don't need to hear you screaming out for attention. Exhaling loudly as you contract the muscles during your set is fine.

* Don't hog the water fountain, only take a few mouthfuls of water and then move away, don't fill up your huge water bottle with cold water and leave warm drinking water for the rest of the members.

* Follow the gyms code of conduct usually seen on the walls of the gym or fitness centre, if trainees are not following the code report it to management don't take it into your own hands.

Do yourself a favour and put these simple steps to use the next time you are in the gym and you will be in for a much more pleasant experience.