Should Gyms Be Cellphone Free Zones

CaliDan23

I agree...I use my phone for my workout music and my Nike+ app to help keep track of my runs, calories, etc. Just talking should be banned unless an emergency

samamfa93

I think that in classes, they should be banned. But not in the general gym area.

I quite often use my cell to listen to music while I am doing cardio. And when I do interval training, I often will check facebook/ reply to texts and have found that it helps pass time by quicker.

bm99

Banning cellphones is silly. People use them as music players, stop watches and there are about a million apps available that are useful while exercising.

They ought to ban people being obnoxious. If you are talking loudly or otherwise annoying the people around you, you should be kicked out of the gym or a manager can ask you to be quiet.

A cellphone is a tool only, not the cause of the rude behaviour.

BinaryPulsar

OMG, lol "that yoga instructor" is my friend (since college). She's famous now...:D.

For what it is worth...we should be able to use cell phones at the gym (in the locker room).

aproc

I think as long as your not sitting on one of the benches for weights or on other equipment, in the way, or talking on it around others then it should be fine.I check mine off to the side sometimes and will even answer it on rare occasions when I notice an important call. Even then I always make sure I'm not near anybody and not talking loudly. I would never do it during a class though. Thats just rude.

Sherbog

YES YES YES

Articeluvsmemphis

Honestly I think cell phones should be banned almost everywhere. It's corrupting everyone. I know plenty of people who would go mad if they lost their phone, that's how dependent they are on it... I always see groups of people hanging out together, not talking, on their cells, I mean really? Not that it's any of my business but I just don't get it. When I'm with someone and they start texting, I get pissed off. Worst thing is at restaurants when there's always that one person who is ridiculously loud on their cellphone.

THIS

saragato

I use the gym at the Y and they ban cellphone use in the workout areas unless you're using it as an mp3 player. It makes things a lot quieter but there are still people who will sit on machines or form a group in the cardio area and start talking. Last week there was a couple of women in the weight room who were talking about "Magic Mike" and started describing certain parts on the male actors that even made me uncomfortable. To me those people can be more annoying than twits on phones.

BeyondThePixels

Yes, I can't stand when I'm working out and someone is having a loud conversation! I don't care if someone is texting or silently playing wiith their phone, just don't talk. If you need to take a call, pause your machine and go outside/lobby.

trojanbb

Yes, I can't stand when I'm working out and someone is having a loud conversation! I don't care if someone is texting or silently playing wiith their phone, just don't talk. If you need to take a call, pause your machine and go outside/lobby.

It's a ********** GYM. Not a library. A gym. A room filled with heavy iron.. A gym is a place of force and muscle, not some pansy *kitten* meditation paradise. What difference if I talk to my workout partner in person or a friend via a phone? Should we ban talking to friends in the gym as well? If conversation really destroys your workout that much, invest in some headphones. Go enroll at Planet Fitness, the queen of all pansy "gyms". the no phone rule will fit along nicely with their rule against in-shape men and countless rules against heavy lifting.

A real gym should have loud music blaring, muscular men grunting, iron strewn across the floor, inspirational pictures on the walls. This quiet gym sanctuary crap is insane.

for the record, i've never talked on my phone in the gym.

BinaryPulsar

Yes, I can't stand when I'm working out and someone is having a loud conversation! I don't care if someone is texting or silently playing wiith their phone, just don't talk. If you need to take a call, pause your machine and go outside/lobby.

It's a ********** GYM. Not a library. A gym. A room filled with heavy iron.. A gym is a place of force and muscle, not some pansy *kitten* meditation paradise. What difference if I talk to my workout partner in person or a friend via a phone? Should we ban talking to friends in the gym as well? If conversation really destroys your workout that much, invest in some headphones. Go enroll at Planet Fitness, the queen of all pansy "gyms". the no phone rule will fit along nicely with their rule against in-shape men and countless rules against heavy lifting.

A real gym should have loud music blaring, muscular men grunting, iron strewn across the floor, inspirational pictures on the walls. This quiet gym sanctuary crap is insane.

for the record, i've never talked on my phone in the gym.

Ok, but it's not just men. Women should be able to lift weights also (even if we just get in, lift and get out). The gym is co-ed, the men don't own it. We all pay the same membership to use the squat rack and everything else. Just because we are small does not mean we aren't allowed to heavy lift. Using free weights is much better on all our bodies than being stuck with the crappy circuit machines.

And btw, the article was about the yoga instructor working at the facebook employee gym...that is not a hardcore gym.

PrincessCelestia

No. Sometimes my mom drops me off, I have to text her when I'll be done.
Some people have iPhones and need to put down how much time they did doing what.

InfinitePoss

Personally, I think there should be restricted areas in gyms, and many other places, for making calls. Of course a person should be able to use a phone to surt the web, listen to music, etc.

Honestly, it occurred to me the other day how absolutely dependent I have become on my cell phone. I was going out the door for a walk and I was thinking about just taking my iPod and not my iPhone, because it's smaller, and I almost broke into a cold sweat thinking about what if something happens on my walk, that took me all of an hour;-)

I found this absolutely ridiculous because I can remember a time when I used to go on ten mile runs without even a walkman, "gasp", but now I can't even go workout for an hour without a phone. Pathetic....

LaurenAOK

This is tricky because I agree that people talking on their phones can be annoying. However, I actually have an app on my iPhone that tracks my workout as I do it, so I have to use my phone at the gym. For that reason, it would suck if they were banned. Also, I suck at rest periods, so sometimes I'll send a text message or something to kill time between sets. So I do think phones should be allowed, but I wish people were more responsible with them.

_Refried_

This is tricky because I agree that people talking on their phones can be annoying. However, I actually have an app on my iPhone that tracks my workout as I do it, so I have to use my phone at the gym. For that reason, it would suck if they were banned. Also, I suck at rest periods, so sometimes I'll send a text message or something to kill time between sets. So I do think phones should be allowed, but I wish people were more responsible with them.

THIS^^^^^^^^

texaslonghorn42

I have to take mine with me because I am often on call for work and HAVE to answer. However, I ALWAYS put it on SILENT and just check it every few minutes. I have had to answer it while on the elliptical (I run a foster care agency so I can not NOT answer) but I always ask if I can call back or if I have to talk right then I will go outside.

StarvingDiva

Yes. Yes. Yes.

I cannot believe a gym fired a yoga teacher for this. Why would anyone be using a phone during yoga or any exercise class? Ridiculous.

TaraFTMVA

Honestly I think cell phones should be banned almost everywhere. It's corrupting everyone. I know plenty of people who would go mad if they lost their phone, that's how dependent they are on it... I always see groups of people hanging out together, not talking, on their cells, I mean really? Not that it's any of my business but I just don't get it. When I'm with someone and they start texting, I get pissed off. Worst thing is at restaurants when there's always that one person who is ridiculously loud on their cellphone.

Agree^^. The gym I go to is a cell phone free place, there are signs at each machine and posted all over. The focus should be on fitness and relaxation, not chatting. Also I am a server and it drives me nuts to see people out together all on their phones or I am trying to take an order and they are on their phones whispering to me or mouthing the order...or making me wait.....I have a million things I could be doing while trying to interpret/hear your order or while you make me stand there waiting...so yes....more than just the gym should prohibit cell phone use.

mamagooskie

no.........because a lot of people use it to listen to music, and texting never bothers anyone. Personally though I just don't give a *kitten*........if it doesn't affect my workout I don't care what others do.

I've used my phone before to log into MFP while working out to pass the time while on an elliptical or bike and it was nice to be able to do so, but most often I like to just listen to music and workout hard.

StarvingDiva

People should have more sense than to be fiddling with their phones during their workout time.

Too many people are too attached to their phones.

I totally agree. People need to learn to unplug.