Should Gyms Be Cellphone Free Zones

ashlinmarie

Okay, I'm okay if they have their phones, but when they're standing in front of the weights or whatever texting on their phone and checking themselves out, I get pretty pissed. It is hard to ask a man with biceps larger than my head if he can move away for a few minutes so I can finish my circuit training. It is even worse because I usually don't have more than 45 minutes to spend at the gym so I can't stand around waiting.

This happened yesterday...and the guy set up his weight circuit so I couldn't do my incline pushups because he left the weights on EVERY bar and I could not even hope to lift it to the right height for my pushups. I ended up using one of the machines that worked similar muscles, but I know it wasn't as good. He kept standing there texting or walking up behind me and I feel very self conscious with any sort of weights because I am horrendously aware of how much work I still have to do.

camelothosting

I keep my iphone with me at the gym, not to use as a phone but because thats where my jefit app is

basschick

No, cell phones shouldn't be banned. I use the MFP app to log calories burned while at the gym and I listen to Pandora on my phone with headphones while I'm on the elliptical, stair climber, or stationary bike. I do think that talking on a cell phone during a class should be banned and I don't think it would be out of line to ask someone to leave if they were doing so.

_the_feniks_

I think they should. Too many people use them for things other than their fitness/music while at the gym. I hate hearing some donut talking or their phone ringing.

Paris11loves

I think talking on cellphones in gyms should be banned. I would like to think it would be common courtesy for someone not to have a loud conversation while on the treadmill, but unfortunately in our society the lines of what is respectful and what is rude are quite blurred.

I have no problem with texting (provided there is no ringer noise), in fact I have been known to do it myself. But the minute someone starts talking or their phone is ringing my concentration is broken. Let's be honest no one wants to hear one side of a conversation while trying to concentrate and or relax.

Renae_Nae

When you have a husband who is deployed your phone goes EVERYWHERE with you! I wouldn't walk from the kitchen to the bathroom without mine. I also understand the mom who has kids at home. Just because you have it doesn't mean you need to talk on it. If you need to take a phone call then you leave, plain and simple.

Hezzietiger1

I use my phone for workouts.. I plan my workout on my phone, have it on a sticky note on my phone and use my phone as a stop watch during my workout. If i'm using cardio equipment I use my phone for music sometimes and yup I text from the treadmill some too.

What I hate is when people are in my way on their phones not doing anything productive at all.

So.. like anything else, I don't think we need rules we are all grown ups. How 'bout we just stop acting like idiots and be courteous to each other. That's all.

Hezz

ngressman

Yes. I especially get why a yoga instructor would want all cell phones off. Yoga is supposed to help relieve stress and relax. I can't imagine going to a class and someone is there talking on their phone.

ironanimal

Yes, they should be banned like cigarettes.

Are you ingesting second-hand telephones?

kaylurzz

Cellphones in fitness classes should be. That's just rude.

But considering how many phones now a days can double as an ipod/mp3 player it would be hard to. soooo yeah.

mkusafr

Annoying and rude people are everywhere - rules or no rules. I rarely use my phone for actual phone calls - gym or elsewhere. At the gym, I plug it in to the treadmill for my nike plus data and charge. When I am done with my workout on cool down, I can text my hubby to pick me up if timing is right and he's done working - so I don't use the phone in the locker room. My music and movies are there too. This day and age people should know, when in the locker room, put them away and when in public, don't hold extended conversations. An all out ban is simply not possible in this day and age. Maybe more postings about being polite and thinking of others and if someone finds their behavior to be rude, that they will be told so by their fellow gym members. My phone is more of a tool than a phone and that is becoming the norm... That I know because I was late on the phone bandwagon and it has become a very important tool for me.

ImKindOfABigDeal40

Cell phones are the devil!

gsager

People need to just worry about themselves and not try to control everyone around them. If things bother you stay at home, run/walk down the road or at the park. Buy some weight for your house and your life will be perfect.

FatgutBgone

I don't have mine on unless I am expecting a call from the doctor. The cell phone only weighs a few ounces. You can't get much of a workout from lifting it. :laugh:

Ocarina

I personally think cell phones should be allowed. Family emergencies do happen and sometimes communication happens at the gym between family members on the cell phone. I do it with my spouse sometimes to let him know when I'm finished or to find out where he is because our gym is large.

Also it is a great device to do C25K and for music purposes. I don't advocate conversations or texting while working out though as it takes away from the environment and your focus.

An all out no exception type ban would not make much sense.

blair_bear

I used to think so, but then I stared an internship with our local public defender's office and these guys and girls work so much (10-16 hour days)! A few of them took their breaks at the gym and needed their phones on them to know when they had to get back to court or if there was a specific citation a paralegal was having trouble with. They never really "talked" but were on email or texting during intervals or cardio.

CalJur

how can you really get in a quality workout if you are working your mouth more than the rest of your body during a workout? isn't that really one of the questions. if that's the case why even waste time and energy going to the gym?

curls22207

I personally don't care- I keep my own headphones on and mind my own business. I would be pissed if cellphones got banned and I wasn't allowed to use it for my music though- and lots of people would be pissed if their workout tracker apps couldn't be used.

I guess I would be upset if I found a video of myself on youtube making fun of what I was doing at the gym, but luckily I try not to do anything where I would look like an *kitten*. Run hard, lift heavy, and mind your own business is my motto.

ETA: actually, scratch that- I look like an *kitten* all the time at the gym now that I think about it, but I'm working hard so I really don't care if people think that looks funny, and if a video ended up online of me working like a beast, so be it.

i agree! i don't usually pay attention to what other people are doing in the gym once my music is on. and for the people that are only paying attention to what other people are doing, i think you need to reevaluate why you are there in the first place.
i keep my phone on me 100% of the time anyways, so i would be upset if a gym banned me from having my phone on me. i use it to listen to my music, to take pictures of the machines listing how many calories i have burned and for how long, etc, so i don't forget later when i log my workout, to watch netflix, and so forth. and there have been times when emergencies have come up where someone needed to get in contact with me.
so no, i dont think they should be banned. however, i dont think people should talk on them while at the gym. take it outside if you need to talk that badly and give up the machines that you aren't using.

angel79202

At my gym you can use your phones for music with head phones..and texting..they don't say anything..but no talking on the phones, I have seen employees politely ask people to conclude the conversation or step out...

Drenched_N_Motivation

I leave my gym in my car when i'm at the cell phone.