Something I will never forget seeing

Recently while swimming laps at my local YMCA I came up out of the water for a break to be greeted by a very hairy man, in a small swimsuit doing push ups on the pool deck, right by my lane.

It was something I will never forget seeing. I mean I even saw some butt cheek. Really?

Gym Etiquette for Dummies Tip: If you are a hairy man. . . . please shave. If that is not possible please wear swimming trunks when swimming in the local pool. Once done swimming please get dressed and use the workout rooms to do push ups, planks, and whatever else it was that you were doing. I had to advert my eyes as to not see anything I wasn't meant to see. Thank you.

Remember to send your gym horror stories to: Gymetiquette@gmail.com

Is your towel scented?

I forgot that I had this blog until I had an interesting thing happen to me at the gym today.

When I started this blog I was living in Illinois. I have since moved to Massachusetts, so today's blogpost is from one of the new gyms I workout at. This gym is pretty old and has a tiny pool. In fact their pool is only 20 yards long. They have to schedule Adult lap swim and it is usually for only an hour, so it can get crowded.

Today I headed to the gym to get a swim in. I had a towel with me and I was walking to put it on the bench and get into the pool. As I was walking to the shallow end the lifeguard called me back and asked, "Is your towel scented?" I said, "I'm sorry, what?" "Is your towel scented?" "Um, I did wash it yesterday, but it doesn't really smell. Why?" "Someone complained about your towel, do you mind if I put it in the closet here?" "Um, sure, but I use unscented fabric softner sheets, so I'm not sure what she is smelling." From the pool rudely, "Sorry, but I have a very sensitive nose and it's bothering me." I didn't want to cause any trouble, so I allowed the lifeguard to put my smelly towel in the closet.

After I was done swimming I decided to go in the hot tub. I got out and asked if I could use my towel real quick before heading into the hot tub. The lifeguard got it for me and warned me that the lady with the sensitive nose was in the hot tub. I told her I hope I smelled ok because I had washed my bathing suit the same way as my towel. At this point lap swimming was done and water aerobics had started with some oldies, but goodies playing from the boom box. I get into the hot tub and this is what I see:

The whole time I was in the hot tub she had her eyes closed, ears plugged and looked ticked off at the world. Then she got out of the hot tub, never unplugging her ears, never opening her water, bumped into the wall, leaned against the wall for about two minutes all while plugging her ears and keeping her eyes closed. I got the lifeguards attention in case something was wrong. Then her eyes popped open, she unplugged her ears, smiled at me and said, "Have a great evening." Talk about Bizarre.

GYM ETIQUETTE TIP FOR THE DAY #1- If you are sensitive to smell, you might not want to swim in a pool full of strong chemicals that I can smell when I walk in the door of the gym. Think it might have been the chlorine and not my towel? Just sayin'

GYM ETIQUETTE TIP FOR THE DAY #2- If you are sensitive to sound, you might not want to stay in the pool area during water aerobics and spend a couple bucks and invest in ear plugs, you won't look so silly.

With all this said I did feel bad for the lady and while in the hot tub looking at her, I did pray for her and all her sensitivities.

Please send me all your gym pet peeves, horror stories and they might be featured on this blog. Please email me at gymetiquette@gmail.com You can send me pet peeves from the gym, races, working out outside. If it has to do with working out, send me your stories. Let's educate the clueless here.

I found some old emails with more gym horror stories and running pet peeves. Stay tuned.

There's a New Sheriff in Town

I heard a couple of stories from the men's locker room and I must say that they are a little disturbing.

The first situation has to do with a man and a blow dryer. This man was seen on very regular basis naked with his leg up on the counter blow drying his private area. He did wear a cowboy hat and sunglasses though, so that makes it better, right? Um, I'm a girl, so any guys out there want to tell me if it is necessary to blow dry this area? Seriously, towel off buddy.

Another story I heard was about a guy in his 70's, who would be butt naked, leg up on the counter shaving his . . . . . .
face.

GYM ETIQUETTE TIP OF THE DAY: Um, yeah, not sure what it should be, but maybe just maybe, don't put your leg up on the counter when you need to shave or blow dry. Towel off instead of blow drying. Um, if you are shaving your face put a towel on. Just some ideas. Please feel free to leave suggestions in the comment area for our leg up on the counter, blow drying, shaving guys.

And remember please send any gym pet peeves to me at gymetiquette@gmail.com. We will do our best to educate the clueless at gyms nationwide. Next post, Kids in the gym, seriously people the stair stepper is not a jungle gym, and the whirlpool is not a kiddie pool. Stay tuned.

Water Aerobics Etiquette Part 2

So today I wrote about some instances of not so good etiquette when it comes to water aerobics.
Since that post I have heard from a couple of you about some more instances, so I have decided to post them here.

A friend of mine reminded me today about a story I had told her a few years back. When she told me it brought a horrible memory flooding back into my mind. One that I had actually repressed, so thanks a lot my friend, thanks. In reality I am happy she brought it up because I can now share it hear in hopes that someone who does this will read and learn.

There was a time I took water aerobics. Yes, I was the youngest one in the class, but I also had an injury that prevented me from doing any other form of exercise. We were working out, having a great time, when one of the older ladies tells the instructor, "I'll be right back. I need to pee." That was nice to let us all know. She was back in no time at all.
I said to her, "Wow, you are quick. I can never get my suit off and on that fast." She replied, " I don't take my suit down. I just run into the first shower stall and pee." You should have seen the look on everyone's faces. You should have seen the instructor trying to keep her composure while teaching. We were all a little grossed out by that and amazed that she would tell us all that. She seemed almost proud that she had figured out a fast way to pee and wanted to tell us in case we wanted to pee fast too.

WATER AEROBICS GYM ETIQUETTE FOR DUMMIES TIP #3- Please if you are leaving water aerobics to go to the bathroom do not go in the nearest shower. If you feel the need to pee in the nearest shower could you not come back and announce it to your class even if someone says you are fast at relieving yourself. Thank you.

Another Gym Etiquette for Dummies reader let me know that her friend was in the gym pool swimming laps while water aerobics was going on and one of the participants decided to take a dump in the pool. There it was floating in the pool. Hey, why not? It is like a big toilet, isn't it?

WATER AEROBICS GYM ETIQUETTE FOR DUMMIES TIP #4- In the last tip I said to not pee in the first available shower when exiting water aerobics to go to the bathroom, but this tip is a little different. Could you please exit the pool and at least use a bathroom when you need to poop. That would be greatly appreciated by all. Especially all the other swimmers that have to clear the pool when you decide to take a dump. Thank you.

Keep those stories coming. Email them to me at gymetiquette@gmail.com. Happy working out!!

Water Aerobics Etiquette

I have had a few people complain to me about trying to swim laps while the older crowd set takes water aerobics. They were not complaining to me about the waves or the music, but that the ladies wear perfume making it hard for them to breathe while swimming laps. I had never experienced this until last week.

At my gym there are still 2-3 lap swim lanes open while the water aerobics are going on. I personally love this because it makes the water choppy, which is good training for my triathlon open water swims. I always try to get a lane right by them. This particular day I had to be two lanes away. I started my workout and BAM this smell hits my nose. I figured out, shortly thereafter it was perfume, not just a little, but A LOT of perfume. After about 800 yards I started to sneeze and to get a headache.

On this particular day they have back to back water aerobics classes. Some people only stay for one class, some for both. On this day a lady from the class came over and asked if she could share a lane with me. Being that I have great Gym Etiquette, I said, "Of Course." She gets in and BAM the smell hits me even more. She was one of the offending perfume wearers. I started sneezing even more and my headache got worse. I was almost done with my workout, so I didn't say anything to her, but did complain to the aquatics director.

WATER AEROBICS GYM ETIQUETTE FOR DUMMIES TIP #1: If the gym says to shower before entering the pool, they do not mean to shower in perfume. Please leave the perfume in the locker until after your class. Thank you.

Another pet peeve of mine during the aerobics class and again, several people have complained to me about this, is when the ladies stop you from swimming your laps, and say, "Excuse me dear, could you please stop splashing? I just got my hair done and you're getting it wet."

SERIOUSLY? You are in a freakin' pool for goodness sake. You are up to your neck IN WATER, working out, IN WATER. I am swimming laps. I'm going to splash. SHEEESH!!

WATER AEROBICS GYM ETIQUETTE FOR DUMMIES TIP #2: If you just got your hair done DO NOT take water aerobics. YOU MIGHT GET WET or if you insist on taking it, please go to the front of the class, away from the lap lanes. If you like the back of the class please DO NOT complain when I splash. Thank you.

Remember to email me any gym stories, locker room stories, group workout stories, or event stories you have so that we can educate the clueless on proper gym etiquette. Email me at gymetiquette@gmail.com

Welcome to Gym Etiquette For Dummies

I have had fun lately posting little public service announcements on my facebook page for my fellow gym members. People have been responding with their gym horror stories. This got me to thinking I need to start a blog, so that the clueless people out there will learn some Gym Etiquette, hence, the title of my blog, Gym Etiquette For Dummies.

Now a lot of my experiences come from the locker room, the women's locker room, since I am woman, so guys, I need your help here. I need your locker room horror stories.

I need stories from the locker room, the pool, the spinning studio, yoga studio, aerobics studio, weight room, treadmills, bathrooms, outdoor group training session, and even events you are part of. Pretty much everything is fair game.

We need to get the word out to the clueless, the shameless, the dummies that just don't get it. We need to educate. Let's start today.

Please email these stories to GymEtiquette@gmail.com
They will be considered for future blog posts. I will not post your full name. I will not post where you are from or what gym you work out at unless you want me to of course. Just let me know in the email.

From time to time there will be contests, so check back frequetly. Everyday at the gym could lead to more fun stories. I can't wait to hear from you. Have a great day!!