GYM ETIQUETTE

On Gym Etiquette

As an avid member of a local gym, pet peeves are likely to arise. Perhaps, pet peeves about how certain generations are comfortable enough to free-ball their way around the locker room. Maybe your headphones aren’t loud enough to drown out the grunting noises that the old man across the gym is making as he pushes the maximum amount of weight above his shoulders. Either way, there are a handful of pet peeves to go around and there really isn’t much to be said or done when it comes to gym policy.

Have you ever noticed the people that walk around with their shirts off and as they are dripping in their own sweat and they get it on every piece of equipment they touch? Yeah, it can be quite a task while wiping off someone else’s sweat from a machine. Personally, I highly recommend bringing a personal hand towel or make use of the disinfectant and paper towels that the gym provides throughout its facility.

If you are just starting out and wondering what you should bring to the gym, consider a small hand towel to place on the seat or bench to use during a workout. Trust me, no one wants second-hand sweat. Since COVID-19 has turned some of us into germaphobes, I also recommend bringing personal sanitizing wipes to clean off the equipment before and after working out.

Let’s talk about the amount of time that should be spent on one machine. Most gyms have two sets of equipment to accommodate all of their members, but what if both of them are taken? The majority of the people working out on a machine will spend 4 to 5 minutes on that particular machine until they complete a certain amount of sets. So, how about the rest time between those sets? Should that person step aside and let another person use the machine while they take a 30 to 60-second break?

I am just going to tell you right now, that typically doesn’t happen because unless it’s between two workout partners. We all know that one person who takes their time while sitting on their phone as they take a break from the daunting task of lifting weights. So, either approach that person and ask them politely if they are done or simply move along until the machine is available.

A general rule of thumb is that a member should spend 20 to 30 minutes max on a cardio machine. These machines include a rower, elliptical, treadmill, stationary bike and a stair master. The same rule should apply to the other machines around the gym, right? But in smaller intervals.

Now, if you understand the amount of pre-workout it takes to get pumped enough to even step foot in the gym then it’s understandable that the type of headspace each person is in as they are working out. There is no consideration to be taken, at least those are my thoughts as I survey people posing in mirrors and slamming their weights throughout their workout. It’s every man or woman for themselves out there.

OK, let’s pause. I have another one for you. How about when someone slams their weights as they release the heaviest amount of pounds that they could possibly add to maximize their workout? This particular group of individuals loves to drop their weights every single damn time they finish a set and it will drive anyone insane once they realize how much the other person do it. Not to mention the individuals that take on more weight than they can lift, just to drop or slam the entire weight onto the ground and shake the entire gym.

If you haven’t noticed them yet, you will now.

Last but not least, have you ever tried looking for a set of free weights and they are nowhere to be found on their designated rack? Yep. This happens all the time. At this point, you might as well start tracking how many steps you take around the gym while looking for those 15 pound dumbbells that are needed to complete a workout. No matter how many signs are placed around the gym about re-racking weights, it won’t happen. So, just prepare yourself because it quite possibly may happen to you.

The gym can be a fun place to meet people with similar interests and a collective community where everyone is vibing off one another as they get swole. These little pet peeves shouldn’t deter you from actually working on your physical health. They are common behaviors as each gym member is working hard for their own longevity. KATARINA DE ALMEIDA

Wheeling Near the Edge

2020 has been a novel year defined by a novel coronavirus

By PORTER AYDELOTTE

2020 O

According to the World Health Organization timeline of COVID-19, Wuhan Municipal Health Commission first reported these events on the last day of 2019. From then on, the entire world has been facing an unfeeling monster. Thousands have died from the virus itself or the aftermath dealt by the brutal nature of the virus.

The pandemic continues to spread across the planet, placing individuals with weakened immune systems on edge. I am such an individuals nervous about these events. Facing an actual threat to my life, it’s something that isn’t easy to deal with.

Here’s my situation. I was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a condition that causes the muscles in the body to be weak and continues to weaken throughout life. Those with this condition typically only live into their 20s or 30s.

I’ve gone from walking at age 7 to becoming fully wheelchair bound at age 12. It hasn’t been an easy journey. Being a teenager and young adult without any underling issues is difficult; try watching as your body’s strength is sapped, and it becomes harder to do activities you enjoy.

With this weaker disposition, I’m always on edge concerning my health. Every time I get sick, I need to take as many as possible steps to protect myself. It’s really nerve wracking to be in a position where my health is constantly a struggle to maintain.

Not only do I have to worry about my underling medical conditions, but I have to worry about a viral infection. So right now, I want to avoid any chance to become infected by this virus. I understand that for some this transition has been rough. From the economy struggling to the increased stress of online schooling to canceled trips, it feels like we are trapped.

Even with these wants, the need for precautions and isolation cannot be understated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states on its website that COVID-19 spreads quicker than the flu. Further, this virus is contagious for at least 12 days.

Both of these neglect the fact that COVID-19 is nearly 10 times more fatal than the flu. That high of a fatality rate alone makes this virus a threat, combined with

We aren’t just another empty name or blurred face, we are flesh and blood just like everyone else.

a quicker spread means that COVID-19 can pose a death threat for people such as myself with weaker constitutions.

I really struggle when people refuse to wear masks or downplay the significance of the pandemic. I am part of the minority at risk, and I am not alone. There are many others with my same medical condition or those with other medical conditions that put them next to death’s gates.

It’s easier to think of everyone who isn’t close to you as a nameless face you’ll never meet personally. However, with the information provided by medical organizations and the actual risks it places on people, there is no excuse to not take precautions.

All those actions do is harm more people, resulting in a longer pandemic and greater loss of life. So you can ignore the restrictions, use their rights as United States citizens to bypass medical concerns. Ignore those at risk because you aren’t one of them.

In the end, it harms more than just a handful. You sentence others to suffer by your actions. I wanted this to stand as a statement for those at risk. We aren’t just another empty name or blurred face. We are flesh and blood just like everyone else.