How squeamish are you about other people's sweat in the gym?
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I have NEVER see anyone wipe the equipment down before or after "working in." I'm okay with that. I wouldn't expect people to do that sort of thing -- again, unless they're dripping with sweat.deputy_randolph wrote: »Interestingly...when people work in with me or ask to use something immediately after me, they don't wipe after me. I don't look gross maybe?
Yeah, I've noticed that. If somebody is waiting for a piece of equipment, I'll usually turn to them and say "would you like me to wipe this off?" and they always say no.
I thought you lifted at home?0 -
Oh, and I'm not squeamish, but I generally prefer if people wipe benches after using them - just to be on the safe side. If I get on one that's particularly dirty (whether it's chalk dust, sweat, or whatever) I'll wipe it down beforehand, but not if there's nothing obvious.0
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I sometimes wonder how some gymgoers would feel in a CrossFit class. In many CrossFit-style workouts, you're probably going to wind up sharing sweaty equipment with a bunch of other people. You'll be hopping onto rowers, one person after another, in rapid succession. Or you'll be taking turns on AbMats. Or climbing the same ropes while working up a sweat. Or carrying the same heavy junk that somebody else did moments earlier.0
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Sweat isn't the problem. Potentially harmful bacteria deposited on any surfaces that you may touch is.
Sweat may be "gross" but it isn't necessarily pathogenic. In fact, there are reports that sweat may actually be anti-microbial. See, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1173041/
On the other hand, you'd be surprised where they've found potentially harmful bacteria (including but not limited to E coli and salmonella). Restaurant menus and even soap dispensers are among them. Just Google "germs in public places" for details.
I'm not hugely germophobic but I always carry a small spray bottle filled w/isopropyl alcohol (70% is said to work best) to disinfect anything at the gym b4 I touch it OR to disinfect my hands afterward if I don't.
I also always disinfect the keypad at the ATM and the handles of grocery carts b4 I use them. Fortuntely, most grocery stores provide disinfecting wipes to use for this purpose.
The only other choice would be to put on latex gloves b4 you touch any suspect surfaces but that would be impractical and seem pretty weird at the gym and many other places.
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I typically go to a circuit-style training gym so you're coming into contact with someone else's sweat every time you move to a new station. So it typically doesn't bother me if I go to a regular gym and someone doesn't wipe down their equipment either. I also run Spartans and the like, where you're running through mud and god knows what else.0
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Heck, yeah. I made that point about obstacle course races earlier. Can't afford to be too prissy when you're racing through muck or climbing up ropes that others have sweated into.Pamshebamm181 wrote: »I typically go to a circuit-style training gym so you're coming into contact with someone else's sweat every time you move to a new station. So it typically doesn't bother me if I go to a regular gym and someone doesn't wipe down their equipment either. I also run Spartans and the like, where you're running through mud and god knows what else.
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That is a valid point. Still, merely wiping down won't do much for that sort of thing--not even with the spray bottles that some gyms provide. (Disinfectant solutions need a certain amount of time to work.) And honestly, from what I've read, gyms aren't even particularly filthy in that regard.Sweat isn't the problem. Potentially harmful bacteria deposited on any surfaces that you may touch is.
Sweat may be "gross" but it isn't necessarily pathogenic. In fact, there are reports that sweat may actually be anti-microbial. See, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1173041/
On the other hand, you'd be surprised where they've found potentially harmful bacteria (including but not limited to E coli and salmonella). Restaurant menus and even soap dispensers are among them. Just Google "germs in public places" for details.
You did, of course, mention the bottle of alcohol that you carry around.
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I am not generally sickened by anything-I have worked in GI surgical rooms where body fluids are very disgusting. But, what I am is knowledge of things that can hurt you, where they come from and the best practices of preventing harm to yourself. Even with all the advanced knowledge for germ fighting practiced in hospitals, they test high on the scale of communicable "cooties".
I never and will never, for the sake of my own health and well being, ignore any "sweat". When is the last time your gym ran infectious swab tests on the equipment?...Wanna bet the parts per million on fecal matter is out the roof? Even just touching equipment spreads someone else's fecal onto your hands...then you wipe your face and eeewww!2 -
I want people to wipe off machines after they use them for the same reason that I want somebody to wipe up a spill if they drop their glass in a high traffic area or that I want them to take the heavy weights off of a bar when they're done with it. It has nothing to do with germs...it's more about courtesy and recognizing that the space is being shared with others.1
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Not at all. I wipe my gear down before moving on and clean up messes if I see them, but after a few deployments none of this gets to you.0
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Sweat isn't the problem. Potentially harmful bacteria deposited on any surfaces that you may touch is.
Sweat may be "gross" but it isn't necessarily pathogenic. In fact, there are reports that sweat may actually be anti-microbial. See, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1173041/
TRIMMED
The only other choice would be to put on latex gloves b4 you touch any suspect surfaces but that would be impractical and seem pretty weird at the gym and many other places.
Agree, adding that any open cuts or broken skin should be covered. Mat-burn can be dangerous if it gets infected. But as you point out, that can happen in any public area, not just the gym.1 -
girlinahat wrote: »I wipe down after.
But I also Swing dance (Lindy Hop). Given the number of partners you dance with during a class and how energetic things get, there’s a point in an evening where you realise you are carrying your sweat, mixed with the guy who lead the dance befores sweat, onto the next persons body. It all just becomes a messy sweat swapping session, no matter how many times you change your shirt.
this reminds me - I've said many times after sparring "I didn't sweat this much... but someone did" 0 -
I experienced two extremes this year. My small gym at home is immaculate, has wipes everywhere for people to use, little signs up around the place and I very rarely see someone up and leave any equipment without giving it a swipe. Compare to a place I went to while on vacation at home where nobody wiped anything if they didn't have their own towel, there was one mat on the floor by the free weights that apparently everyone used. I didn't have a towel of my own so I just sucked it up and used the mat when I needed it but damn straight I washed my hands and arms well after.0
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i'm only semi-squeamish about sweat, but i work to a different bar. what gets me is other people's piss on a public toilet seat. that absolutely ENRAGES me.2
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I'm not squeamish to sweat but it's disgusting. I will wipe off before and after use. I feel as though that's courtesy and I believe others should do the same0
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Sweat doesn't bother me nearly as much as snot. Why the heck to sick people need to go to the gym? It grosses me out watching people wipe their nose then touch equipment.1
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canadianlbs wrote: »i'm only semi-squeamish about sweat, but i work to a different bar. what gets me is other people's piss on a public toilet seat. that absolutely ENRAGES me.
Totally! I would love to slap whoever started teaching women that I was more sanitary to “hover”. Grrrrr!2 -
canadianlbs wrote: »i'm only semi-squeamish about sweat, but i work to a different bar. what gets me is other people's piss on a public toilet seat. that absolutely ENRAGES me.
That is the absolute worse! Or when they go on the floor. Like where were you raised??? I have even gone as far as to see fecal matter on the floor. Absolutely no reason for it.2 -
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..0 -
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.3
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