How squeamish are you about other people's sweat in the gym?

Aarjono

I wipe everything before and after, even if I saw the person before me wipe when they were done.

spartan_d

alexisu96 wrote: »

My gym is the most anal retentive place... you have to wipe each thing you touch... if I jump on the treadmill I "should" wipe the side grips off even If just warming up and not even touching them.. in the circuit.. each grip gets wiped off after each use... As I joke I want to hang up signs in the bathroom stating.. " need to wipe door nobs off after each use."... I undertand if you are sitting on a bike or sweating flyiing then you have to wipe.. makes sense..

ANd I am personally super sensitive.. I will start gagging if I see sweat puddles..

See, this sort of thing annoys the heck out of me. Avoiding sweat is one thing, but gyms like that take this policy to a ridiculous level. It wastes time, disrupts the rhythm of a workout, and serves no practical purpose.

Not to mention that it contributes to a wussified culture. People act so fragile nowadays that it's preposterous.

ninerbuff

We have several towelette sanitary wipes in my gym and I carry some around with me when I train every client just in case.
As for myself, I train in the morning so I don't deal with a lot of sweaty people since it's dead, but I do wipe off benches when I use them.
Sweat isn't the real issue..........................there's more bacteria on the barbells and dumbbells especially because you don't know where everyone's hands have been.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

PWRLFTR1

I keep cleaning wipes in my gym bag and since I don't keep my bag in a locker, they are always close by.

Brabo_Grip

meganpettigrew86 wrote: »

I try not to think about it, when sparring you will get the other persons sweat on you... if you start thinking about it you will get distracted... distracted means someone getting a good hit on you in the jaw...
So when it comes to gym equipment, it will always be alot less sweat than I'm used to seeing if any. In the end it is just salty water, it aint going to harm you.

Yep. After BJJ rolling and having gotten someone's huge sweat drop directly in my mouth or directly in my eye, sweat on some weight bench is nothing. Combat sports gets you over the sweat issues real quick.

spartan_d

ninerbuff wrote: »

Sweat isn't the real issue..........................there's more bacteria on the barbells and dumbbells especially because you don't know where everyone's hands have been.

And ironically, people generally aren't as careful about wiping down the barbells and other weights.

It's irrational, to be sure. People get hung up on sweat for little good reason.

kerrylkatriviera

I always wipe down the weight machines, but I also put a towel down when I am using them. As for the cardio, my gym provides disinfectant and paper towels for that, and of course I use them every time. Frankly, I think it's just good manners to clean the machine after cardio - and I always see people who don't wipe the machines off even though there are signs at my gym telling people to do it! It's as if some people are so vain that they think they don't sweat!

wrknonmedaily

I think that is the most disgustingest thing to do is to leave your sweat all over gym equipment! Wipe it down. Nobody wants to be touching your body fluid.

wizzybeth

spartan_d wrote: »

Folks, I'm not asking whether you wipe or not. I do so even when it seems like overkill.

I'm asking how squeamish you are about the notion of other people's perspiration. Again, not visible pools of sweat, but mere flesh-to-equipment contact even when one isn't noticeably sweaty.

I really think you are getting your answers

hesn92

At first I didn’t really know I was supposed to wipe down the benches and things. I don’t really sweat, nothing from my body gets on the bench. but then I saw other people doing it so I started doing it too so people don’t think I’m rude. To answer your question I’m not at all concerned about using benches and equipment that has not been wiped down. It’s not a thought to me. However my husband won’t even touch me after working out until I’ve showered because of all the icky sweat and germs that I’ve been laying on. Whatever.

spartan_d

wizzybeth wrote: »

spartan_d wrote: »

Folks, I'm not asking whether you wipe or not. I do so even when it seems like overkill.

I'm asking how squeamish you are about the notion of other people's perspiration. Again, not visible pools of sweat, but mere flesh-to-equipment contact even when one isn't noticeably sweaty.

I really think you are getting your answers

I am now. At the time I posted the remark you quoted, people were mostly responding with "Well of course I wipe down" or words to that effect.

Context and timing. They matter.

spartan_d

hesn92 wrote: »

At first I didn’t really know I was supposed to wipe down the benches and things. I don’t really sweat, nothing from my body gets on the bench. but then I saw other people doing it so I started doing it too so people don’t think I’m rude. To answer your question I’m not at all concerned about using benches and equipment that has not been wiped down. It’s not a thought to me. However my husband won’t even touch me after working out until I’ve showered because of all the icky sweat and germs that I’ve been laying on. Whatever.

You're the rational one.

Royal1954

I'm the guy in the gym that creates puddles of sweat and sometimes small streams of sweat running away from the cardio machine. I wear headbands. I place towels on the handrails. And I even place a bunch of folded up paper
towels on the floor under the cardio machine so it can soak up the puddle as it forms. When done I clean off the machine and remove the paper towels from the floor, but there's always large wet spots on the floor where the paper towels have been. That cardio machine usually goes unused for a long while. Sorry.