Thursday, April 10, 2014

Gym Faux Pas: Guilty As Charged {A Three Things Thursday post}

I was listening to the Jillian Michaels podcast this morning on my way to meet my run date. I was sort of zoning out, the way you would in a large group conversation at a party, when Jillian mentioned an article about gym etiquette. {that may or may not be the correct article}

Apparently, there's things you should not do at a gym - like leave sweat on the equipment, rest for too long and leaving weights out.

OK. We all know not to do those things but it doesn't stop some of - Jillian and me - included from doing them.

Here are my crimes.

 photo treadmillphone_zps9ac4997a.jpg

1. Using a cell phone. While the article was more focused on talking, I developed a bad habit of playing music on my phone and not using ear buds when I ran on the treadmill this winter. I just couldn't get the ear buds to stay in but wanted the motivation for hard workouts. I tried to be mindful to keep the volume low, not play offensive music and only do it when those surrounding me were wearing headphones.

2. Invading personal space. I never understood why someone just had to have a certain piece of equipment at the gym ... until this winter. I totally crushed on one treadmill at the YMCA and would be disappointed if it was occupied. I would claim it for a run, even if someone was using a machine right next to it and there were 10 others open.

Note: One of y'all mentioned this very thing on a post earlier this year, and it clicked about two weeks later. I could go lock but I'm tired and don't have the brain power - I'm currently in a caffeine detox of sorts.

3. Scoping out the displays. Yep. I do it. I love to know how fast the person near me is running and at what incline. It helps to spark my internal competitiveness ... which is why I do it. It's like running a race.Without a bib and an entry fee. I also find that it helps me stay on task during a workout.

After a winter in the gym, I will now give you my three pet peeves in terms of gym etiquette:

1. Prancing around the locker room with very little clothes on for no real purpose. I am sorry but it is possible to blow dry your hair with more than a bra and underwear.

2. Lifting irresponsibly. I can not tell you how many times at the BBG that I saw guys just throwing up weights and grunting as if they were filming a video for Muscle & Fitness. Their form was poor, the weights appeared to be too heavy and the timing was rushed. Hyperextending your shoulder to bring a weight up in one second is doing you no good! Gah!

3. OK, not related to people but vending machines stocked with crap. If I just got done working out, I'd like at least the option of getting something healthy.

Weigh in: What are you guilty of? What do you hate?

By the way, Jillian hates the gym selfie and, well, selfies in general. I am not super big on these but will do it for the sake of social media/ambassadorships/boredom.

5 comments:

  1. I"m guilty of scoping out the displays too.

    Cell phone usage drives me crazy, especially on the cardio machines. And I don't understand why gyms need soda machines. It's a freakin' gym!

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  2. Ha! That is funny Jillian hates the selfie! I don't mind them now and then :) Every day would get a bit old.

    I wonder if the people who blow dry with so little on do it because the dryer makes them so hot/sweaty, especially if you have't cooled off after a shower. That is what would happen to me if I used on. Just the hot iron makes me too hot!

    I don't go to a gym so I don't have any for either list!

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  3. Definitely creep on people's pace and incline. It's really interesting to me to see how "hard" I *perceive* someone is working by watching their gait compared to mine, and then it's insane when I see they're jogging along at 7 minute miles like it aint no thang.

    I know we're all women and it's supposed to be a safe space or whatever, but I'm nuts about keeping as covered as possible in the locker room. I wish other women felt the same. I'm glad you have no body shame, but I still don't want to see you completely naked as a turn a corner! It's jarring!

    To be honest, I don't always wipe down the machine. If I don't touch it, and if I don't manage to break a sweat (using it for a warm-up), then I'm not wasting time and paper wiping it down for no reason.

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  4. Guilty of wearing nothing but bra and panties in the locker room. I do it because I go directly to work and don't want to put my work clothes on until I have dried my hair and done my make up because a) I get hot and sweaty when I dry my hair and don't want to sweat in my work clothes, and b) The likelihood of me getting make up on my top is very high, so I don't want to put it on until after I'm finished.

    Sorry, especially to all of the people who have to look at the cellulite on the back of my thighs.

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  5. Maybe I'm getting older but I can not believe some of the shorts the girls are wearing to work out. They look like underwear! This is a gym not the beach no one wants to see the underside of your ass cheeks, cover it up!!

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