Thursday, February 23, 2012

5 Ways to Look Cooler at the Gym



The gym is a great place to people-watch. It helps pass the time and often you can't help but stifle a chuckle when you see some of the things that happen in a gym. Like when the bulked-up meathead throws his 50 lb dumbbells up in the air after completing a set of bench presses and they sound like the Jurassic Park dinosaur footsteps as they hit the ground... or when the fashion challenged spin guru waltzes in dressed like Richard Simmons. But then you have to wonder... if I'm making judgments on all these other gym goers, what are they thinking when they see me?  Rest assured, here are 5 tips to make you look cooler at the gym.

1) Bring your own towel and use it. The only turnoff bigger than sweat-drenched machines is body odor. (So let's add "be sure you wear extra deodorant" to this tip too.) It is common courtesy to wipe off the bench or seat after you've used a strength machine. On cardio equipment, the standard is to grab some disinfectant wipes or solution (most gyms have them) and wipe down the handrails and dashboard or any place you touched (also wipe the seats on stationary bikes and rowing machines).

2) Leave the gallon water jug at home. Carrying a gallon of water with you not only is a pain to lug around, it also makes you look a tad pretentious. Really, are you going to work so hard that you need a GALLON of water to replenish your fluids?  The answer is no. Generally accepted recommendations for the average exerciser are to drink 7-10 oz every 20 minutes during exercise. More fluid is lost from the body when exercising in a heated environment (outside in a hot, humid climate) and during cardiovascular/aerobic endurance events (group fitness classes, 30 minute+ runs, etc.).  So be sure to up your fluid intake after exercising in one of those situations. But for the average exerciser spending no more than 60 minutes working out, you're ok sticking to a regular sized 16-20 oz water bottle. Refill it at the water fountain if you need to.

3) Don't have a conversation while sitting on a machine. Gym equipment is not meant to be a parking spot for your rear end while you chat up your BFF, who consequently is parking his/her rear end on the machine next to you. It's ok to rest between sets, but if you plan to rest more than a minute, get up and move aside in order to let other exercisers use that equipment.

4) If you don't know how to use a machine, ask for help. Using a machine incorrectly won't give you the intended benefits and it could cause an injury. Not to mention, it will set you up for some of those "OMG, will you look at that one?!?!" moments from the people around you. Ask one of the fitness staff - it is their job after all. Or feel free to ask someone who looks confident using the machine... most people enjoy sharing their knowledge and you might make a new friend!

5) Be confident in yourself. When you feel confident, you look confident... and cool. If the gym makes you anxious, pick one new piece of equipment to try out each time you go. After a few weeks, you'll have a good handle on most of the equipment and YOU might be the person someone asks for help.

What gym faux pas irritates you the most?