This picture is funny, but NOT the recent survey results from big box gyms #YuckyYou’ve made the honorable effort of getting your butt to the gym. Little do you know, the battle has only just begun. Claiming your space for high-intensity intervals, handstands and heavy lifts isn’t easy — and during peak hours, there’s a real art to getting fit in close quarters. But on the road to slimming down, leaning out, or getting swole, are you leaving behind a trail of destruction (alongside a pool of sweat on the bench)
“One out of every three gym-goers doesn’t wear deodorant.”
According to a survey conducted by Nuffield Health, of the 2,000 people polled:
- 74 percent said fellow gym goers were guilty of bad gym etiquette, and many implicated themselves as well:
- 49 percent admitted to having used water bottles and towels that weren’t actually theirs;
- 33 percent revealed they exercise without deodorant;
- 18 percent fessed up to working out despite coughing, sneezing and being sick; and
- 16 percent flat-out said they don’t wash their clothes between workouts. #OMG #Disgusting
So who are the worst gym offenders? The Gym’s TWO Most Wanted Are…
You guess it?
- The But First, Lemme-Take-a-Selfie Chick
How else will the world possibly know you crushed your workout? It’s your moment to flex those guns, squeeze those lats, and do whatever gets you amped to keep up your progress. Whether you have five followers — or five million — don’t take your Insta-self too seriously.
- The Sweaty Betty (and Stinky Steve)
Sweat can be the mark of hard work, but don’t let it stain your reputation. Not wiping down equipment exponentially ups the “yuck” factor for all parties involved. “You accept a level of grossness in most gyms, but have a little respect,” Trink says. What’s worse: Skin infections, such as jock itch, ringworm and even MRSA can spread like wildfire in athletic settings, so personal hygiene isn’t just, well, personal. When it comes to smelling fresh and clean? “Have a rotation of at least two to three gym outfits and a stick of deodorant on call,” suggests Tapper.