seems weird...is this some new gym practice?

John Prophet · 01-31-2009, 10:29 AM

I figured I had seen it all over the years. But now at a "Y" I have seen something new. I guess in our fear-driven modern world this had to come.

At the Y the weight room is sort of divided into 2 halves...the "pit" area with the free weights strewn everywhere and then the "machine area" that then leads over to the cardio machines. Basically you could say its a "mens side/ladies side" setup.

So on the "ladies side" here is the standard practice I have observed. After EVERY set they walk over to the wall and pull out a paper towel, spray it with cleaner, and wipe down the seat and handles and sometimes the frame and then walk back over to the trash can and throw away the paper towel. AFTER EVERY SET!!!! Doesnt matter whether anyone else is using it in between their sets or not.

I have to say its the most asanine thing I have ever seen. Okay, wipe the sweat off AFTER you r thru with it or if someone is working in...I can see that. But wiping it down with spray cleaner after each and every one of your own sets??? No, I just cant see this.

Is this the modern trend??

Old-Time-Lifter · 01-31-2009, 10:36 AM

Waste not want not...........

gbg · 01-31-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Prophet

I figured I had seen it all over the years. But now at a "Y" I have seen something new. I guess in our fear-driven modern world this had to come.

At the Y the weight room is sort of divided into 2 halves...the "pit" area with the free weights strewn everywhere and then the "machine area" that then leads over to the cardio machines. Basically you could say its a "mens side/ladies side" setup.

So on the "ladies side" here is the standard practice I have observed. After EVERY set they walk over to the wall and pull out a paper towel, spray it with cleaner, and wipe down the seat and handles and sometimes the frame and then walk back over to the trash can and throw away the paper towel. AFTER EVERY SET!!!! Doesnt matter whether anyone else is using it in between their sets or not.

I have to say its the most asanine thing I have ever seen. Okay, wipe the sweat off AFTER you r thru with it or if someone is working in...I can see that. But wiping it down with spray cleaner after each and every one of your own sets??? No, I just cant see this.

Is this the modern trend??

Let's not generalize here John, as far as the mens side and the ladies side goes.

I have never seen that, maybe it's just the "Y" I used to work at one, not much of "mans" gym IMO

dumdum4gumgum · 01-31-2009, 10:44 AM

John Prophet · 01-31-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbg

Let's not generalize here John, as far as the mens side and the ladies side goes.

I have never seen that, maybe it's just the "Y" I used to work at one, not much of "mans" gym IMO

a fly on the wall or any casual observer would see the gender split. 9 out of 10 men dont use the machines and 9 out of 10 women wont dare venture into the "pit"

crupiea · 01-31-2009, 11:02 AM

So your saying that your gym is set up the way a gym is supposed to be set up. Sounds good.

I think people are too hung up on germs in general. It is considerate of them though.

gbg · 01-31-2009, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Prophet

a fly on the wall or any casual observer would see the gender split. 9 out of 10 men dont use the machines and 9 out of 10 women wont dare venture into the "pit"

Not this one.

DaddyR · 01-31-2009, 11:10 AM

LOL there does seem to be a difference between the ladies and men at my gym too. Exaggerating for effect of course, but it seems the ladies disinfect the heck out of everything before and after use. The guys have about a 50-50 chance that they will wipe up the pool of sweat with a dry towel on those occasions when they leave one.

They even have a "ladies workout" room behind closed doors where I guess the womyn go and work out where we can't ogle them (what a bummer!) I sometimes wonder what they have in that room - obviously it's foreign territory to us guys.

Funny that there's no similar "men's workout" room for us uncouth heathen males. It would be nice to have someplace where we could pass gas at our leisure. Or then again, maybe not...

Good observation that very few women make it back to the hardcore free weights area. But I MUST say that those that do generally earn extra respect from us guys for their commitment. They're not just your average cardio bunny.

John Prophet · 01-31-2009, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbg

Not this one.

yeah, u r the 1 out of 10. That doesnt invalidate what anyone can casually observe

baker · 01-31-2009, 11:34 AM

Where the hell have you been sir?

John Prophet · 01-31-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baker

Where the hell have you been sir?

mainly focusing on trying to get a promotion at work...which I finally realized was a huge waste of my time and energy.

So now I am focused on getting back into personal training with a new mental outlook and definite goals etc.

heatwave13 · 01-31-2009, 12:28 PM

On the rare occasion that I go with my wife to her gym, I see this exact thing. Very, very, very few ladies go near the iron. Well, at least while I'm there anyway......

IronCharles · 01-31-2009, 12:31 PM

Maybe I'm old school, but I wear long shirts to the gym and if I sweat on a bench I just wipe it off with the bottom of my shirt. If somebody else sweats up the bench I'm going to use, I just wait 15 seconds till it evaporates. If they leave the "hair slick", I wipe that with the bottom of my shirt, and remind myself not to put my shirt in my mouth.

Frankly, I'd rather have a little foreign sweat on my back than toxic cleaner chemicals soaking into my skin.... but, that's just me

Minotaur · 01-31-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbg

Let's not generalize here John, as far as the mens side and the ladies side goes.

I have never seen that, maybe it's just the "Y" I used to work at one, not much of "mans" gym IMO

Quote:

Originally Posted by heatwave13

On the rare occasion that I go with my wife to her gym, I see this exact thing. Very, very, very few ladies go near the iron. Well, at least while I'm there anyway......

My gym has two levels. The upper level is referred to as the "meathead-free zone", called that almost tongue-in-cheek. Most of the machines are up there. The classes are up there (with the area curtained off and no mirrors in that area).

While there are some freeweights (bench, incline bench, Smith, but no cage, plenty of dumbells and plates), the guys, including myself, are respectful of the area that is used mainly by the ladies when we use the freeweights up there. We see very few on the downstairs main floor where all the freeweights and very few machines are. It's just an atmosphere of comfort and respect Rob has set up and keeps going.

Deborah_Lyn · 01-31-2009, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Prophet

I have to say its the most asanine thing I have ever seen. Okay, wipe the sweat off AFTER you r thru with it or if someone is working in...I can see that. But wiping it down with spray cleaner after each and every one of your own sets??? No, I just cant see this.

Sounds like OCD to me. Very odd.

I will wipe down the leg press after I use it (and sweat) but that was after I saw a guy do it! lol.

crupiea · 01-31-2009, 02:53 PM

These ladies would have a field day in my kitchen.

I am from the school of thought that whatever crawls into the pan wanted to be eaten.

I did change my sheets yesterday, i mean it is 2009 for heavens sake!!

Iceman1800 · 01-31-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Prophet

Is this the modern trend??

I've noticed this too. Kind of pathetic IMHO. I can see wiping your sweat off but alot of people are more concerned with spraying then wiping off the equipment after using it then actually working out hard enough to break a sweat in the first place.

gbg · 01-31-2009, 03:11 PM

It's funny to me how many of you keep referring to the free weight section as the men's area, when many of the men that workout in that section are less muscular than me and some female lifters that I know of.
Not to say it's twice as hard for us to gain LBM.
I get plenty of looks when I'm lifting and when I get a chance to look I notice this. Just gives me more fire.

As far as wiping equipment down, I don't they have people on salary to do that.
I'm there to train not clean.

TDetroit · 01-31-2009, 03:16 PM

after every set. what are the fees there? must be astronomical...

personally, I like the germs in the gym. there aren't many people who will let me kick their ass without calling the police. so germs are great. they take a beating and never call the po-po.

partsRheavy · 01-31-2009, 04:56 PM

That's wasteful. Lots of times I just lay my jacket on the bench, do my sets, and walk away.

The most paper towels I've used was when I had muddy feet and had to wipe red mud off the push plate of the leg press when I was finished with my setS.

The only sanitation thing I really care about in the gym is if someone is obviously coughing/sniffling. Sweat or hair oil? Natural and germ-free as far as I'm concerned.

If people are that fussy about sharing benches or whatever they should buy equipment of their own and w/o at home.

I do wash my hands thoroughly after working out and I take extra vitamin C and sometimes zinc in the winter.

Minotaur · 01-31-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbg

It's funny to me how many of you keep referring to the free weight section as the men's area,

I can't speak for the other guys, but my observation of the gym in the 6 1/2 years I'm a member is that there are very few women who use the freeweights area. Much less going near the squat cage or power rack. They just avoid the freeweights. It's not like they're run out by the guys brandishing oly bars like Greek hoplites' spears.

They're certainly welcome; it's actually gratifying to see women working out with more than the abductor and adductor machines.

gbg · 01-31-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minotaur

I can't speak for the other guys, but my observation of the gym in the 6 1/2 years I'm a member is that there are very few women who use the freeweights area. Much less going near the squat cage or power rack. They just avoid the freeweights. It's not like they're run out by the guys brandishing oly bars like Greek hoplites' spears.

They're certainly welcome; it's actually gratifying to see women working out with more than the abductor and adductor machines.

Well that just pisses me off! bunch of woosies and there dam pink DB!!!!

John Prophet · 01-31-2009, 05:31 PM

the funny thing is...this particular Y is pretty ghetto. There are at least 10 different types of dbells, stuff thrown around everywhere. The concept of unloading a bar is totally nonexistant. Plenty of rusty bbells etc. Yet they wipe down the machines after each set.

Minotaur · 01-31-2009, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbg

Well that just pisses me off! bunch of woosies and there dam pink DB!!!!

And exercise balls. Don't forget the exercise balls.

gbg · 01-31-2009, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minotaur

And exercise balls. Don't forget the exercise balls.

Pink DB and balls!!! one is virtually useless, the other? well.......,

Do_Somethin · 01-31-2009, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbg

It's funny to me how many of you keep referring to the free weight section as the men's area, when many of the men that workout in that section are less muscular than me and some female lifters that I know of.
Not to say it's twice as hard for us to gain LBM.
I get plenty of looks when I'm lifting and when I get a chance to look I notice this. Just gives me more fire.

As far as wiping equipment down, I don't they have people on salary to do that.
I'm there to train not clean.

There are people who prefer a more hygienic way of doing things. At mine we generally wipe a machine/bench off after we're done with it.

rpaul11 · 01-31-2009, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Do_Somethin

There are people who prefer a more hygienic way of doing things. At mine we generally wipe a machine/bench off after we're done with it.

I agree. Do I really want to be touching the same machine as the person who just used the bathroom and didn't wash their hands, or was just at home taking care of their kid whom coughed all over them etc..etc....

Between every set as mentioned by the OP is ridiculous...I must agree, but I think it's common courtesy to wipe off a machine after you have finished with it.

Keltron · 01-31-2009, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crupiea

I think people are too hung up on germs in general. It is considerate of them though.

I like to have a little germ exposure... Keeps my immune system strong.

John Prophet · 01-31-2009, 07:24 PM

I wonder which is worse....the actual germs or the morbid fear of them?

its funny, ive yet to see anyone wash off the push button of the water fountain at the gym...yet we all use it.

chodan9 · 01-31-2009, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Prophet

its funny, ive yet to see anyone wash off the push button of the water fountain at the gym...yet we all use it.

LOL
good point!

The only machine I wipe down is the cardio machine hand holds, I leave em pretty sweaty sometimes.
I would be the oly bars probably get the most sweat of any tool in the gym, and are probably wiped the least.
I dont think I have ever seen someone wipe a bar