Tuesday, June 10, 2008

(The lack of) gym etiquette


Gym relationships can be tough, because for the most part, it's a bunch of strangers sharing space and equipment. Some people can be clueless or disrespectful when dealing with fellow fitness buffs. (I'm talking about YOU, cell phone gossipers!)

Driving around this afternoon I heard an interview on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" with Newsweek reporter Tina Peng, who talked to some fitness club managers about gym rats' most obnoxious habits. The story was sparked by a Manhattan incident of gym rage: one guy became so annoyed by the grunts and shouts of a fellow rider in spin class that he tipped the other guy right off his bike and into a wall (been there, wanted to do that). Tina's list of offenses is impressive -- and yes, it includes some nut who used the sauna to make grilled cheese sandwiches, like the photo illustration above.

Not to be outdone, listeners called in with gross-out stories of their own. One dude saw a guy use the communal hair dryer to dry his private bits. Then a gym owner called to complain about people who spit in the water fountain. Ew.

What about you, area gym people? Seen anything that really ticks you off?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the worst is when people are incredibly loud or disruptive. Just this morning, a woman at my gym had her headphones turned up so loud I could here them over my own! The same goes for gum cracking and really long, loud conversations. When I'm at the gym, I'm just trying to tune out everyone else and focus on my workout, and all those things are major distractions, which just makes my workout that much harder.

Anonymous said...

guys who don't wear underwear with shorts. at least wear a jock. keep the mouse in the house, boys.

Anonymous said...

My pet peeve is loud cell phone conversations. I think cell phones should be banned from the gym!

Anonymous said...

Cell phones should unquestionably be banned from the gym. There is no reason you need to be checking your phone every 10 seconds to make sure no one called you. Plus if you are talking while "working out" you really aren't getting much of a work out.
Also shirts- wear them. I don't care how hot you think you look without a shirt, put one on. I'm not here to look at your gut.

Anonymous said...

Ban cell phones!!! A couple of weeks ago I followed a woman on her cell phone from her car, to the check-in desk (who had to set all her stuff down and dig for her card, all the while holding the phone), then she just so happens to get on the elliptical next to me, and proceeds to talk to her girlfriend about everything under the sun, for the ENTIRE half hour she was on the treadmill. Then left the gym, still with that phone attached to her ear. JUST STAY HOME!

Anonymous said...

Cell phones - blech hate them in the gym.

Not wiping down equipment - gross.

Prancing around naked in the locker room - yes the majority of us need to change and will be naked for a portion of the time. However you do not need to get out of the shower, fix your hair, apply make-up, look at your ass all while naked - use a friggin towel!

Exceeding the 30 minute time limit on cardio! - It sucks, i know I like to do 45 minutes myself but we all need a turn. If other machines are empty, fine keep going but if not step off and find something different to do.

Anonymous said...

Great post.

Cell phone users should have membership revoked.

As should
* naked old guys in the locker room.
* Grunting, Dorian Yates want-to-bes who slam weights, do a rep once every 10 minutes and spend more time admiring themselves in the mirror.
* Women who work out wearing two pounds of makeup. Are you working out or trying to mate?

Anonymous said...

1. Cell Phone Users
2. Looking like you're going out to a club or bar because of all the makeup you have on your face
3. Hanging around on the equipment after you have already used it. I don't care if you are talking to the person on the machine beside you, get off the machine so someone else can use it.
4. people that set several weight machines to their desired resistance in advance so they can do a "change-free" circuit. Just because you adjusted the resistance on a machine doesn't make you the owner of that machine.
5. gym employees who hide in their office playing on their computer
6. gym employees who have their significant other come "hang out" with them while they are working.

Anonymous said...

Some of us dont sweat enough to warrant wiping down the equipment. Also some of us girls go to the gym after work and what am i supposed to do go wash my face before i go to the gym? who cares!?

Anonymous said...

When in the sauna please cover your privates. There is nothing more frightening and disgusting that seeing the steam clear for a moment only to reveal you doing yoga cross-legged and naked for the world to see. Have a sense of decency!

Anonymous said...

I go to the gym every single day after the gym. My gym has this incredible device called a sink. I use this "sink" and the "soap" to wash the make-up off my face. It's amazing. Just like at home!

If you're wearing make-up you're not working out that hard anyway. Sweat means streaky make-up and we all know that streaky make-up does not get you a husband.

Anonymous said...

Guys: if you take the time to load 400 lbs on the squat rack or any piece of equipment, have the decency to take it off. Ladies especially, would like to use it and don't want to have to pick up after your lazy A**.

Anonymous said...

women who get in the hot tub naked. you're not there to take bath and the other women certainly do not want be in a jacuzzi with a with a random naked person. have the decency to put on a swim suit or at least some shorts and a sports bra.

Anonymous said...

People who blog about pet peeves at the gym who look like they haven't seen the inside of a gym in decades really bother me.

Anonymous said...

People who insist on being sheepish about wearing a freakin swimsuit in a locker room!!! I have a penis, and so does everyone else. They aren't going to see anything they haven't seen already. No reason to be modest, let's get in, get out, and go home after a work-out. We're there to get in shape, relax and go home! I'm not there to worry about someone else seeing what they already got. I frequently go butt-ass naked, as well as everyone else I've ever seen in the men's locker room hot tub. Then again, maybe that's just the difference between men and women. Men don't really care, and women are kind of prudes in the locker room!