Busy hours turn equipment sharing into a real point of friction — members hesitant to ask to 'work in,' or unsure of the norm, often just leave frustrated instead of resolving it.
Normalize asking to work in, explicitly
Gyms that actively encourage and model asking to share equipment between sets remove a surprising amount of unspoken tension during peak hours.
Time limits during peak hours can be a fair, simple policy
A reasonable, clearly posted time limit on cardio equipment during known peak windows is a fair way to manage demand without relying purely on social pressure.