Gym Etiquette. Is it so much to ask that you go to the gym for one reason?
To work out.
The gym is a safe-haven, a place where you can improve your fitness and focus on one thing.
It is NOT a place for multitasking. It may quite possibly be the only time and place in your life where multi-tasking is a definite no. Besides church.
Multitasking is not always necessary.
There are things you should do at the gym and things you should really try your hardest to avoid. While trying to be productive tonight as I was working out, I couldn't help but become preoccupied with staring at the few people who easily demonstrated a long list of "no-no's".
For example...
I was feeling a little more bottom-heavy than usual today, so I decided to waltz on over to the leg machines. As my friend and I were picking out which machine to do, we rested our eyes on the perfect one; you know, the one where you sit down and you press a ton of weight while bending your knees? I don't know the politically correct term. Anyways, before we took a step closer we saw a woman just resting on the machine. Reading a magazine. Excuse me, reading Glamour magazine, a not-so-easy read that requires your full attention for articles that teach you how to pick out the perfect lip gloss for your skin tone and how to stay safe in dark alleys. I gave her the up-down and we proceed to stare for another 8 seconds or so in awe of her activity of choice. Maddy and I were determined to tone-up and get swoll and our plans took a turn for the worst when this woman decided to multitask during our precious gym time.
To make matters even worse, right when we turn our gaze to another leg machine, this younger couple is using it. But not only are they "using" the machine, they are flirting and kissing in between sets. Not to mention, the girl had her hair down. EVERYONE knows you don't work out with your hair down. Valentine's Day is 4 days away, please save the PDA for Monday, or at least wait until you leave the gym. At this point, Maddy and I were peeved to say the least. Single girls with no form of reading material to keep us busy while waiting for our machines, we had looks of disgust imprinted on our faces.
Finally we were able to work out, but not in peace as we had hoped. High pitched laughter echoed right behind me and as we both slowly turned our heads, we saw the perfect example of inappropriate gym etiquette. Two 8th grade girls wearing skin-tight roxy spandex and see-through tops held instructions for every machine in their hands as they flipped their long hair out of their faces. SINCE IT WAS DOWN. They were checking themselves out in the mirror, allowing themselves to be consumed by the middle school mindset that you truly believed being picked up in a gym was possible. Maddy and I shared a quick laugh and a roll of the eyes and decided that we had extended our welcome in the weight room. But to top it off, as we were gathering our car keys and mandatory towels, an older mad possibly in his late-50s was walking in our direction.
This man's outfit of choice consisted of those weird frog-like water booties, a skin-tight maroon under armor tanktop and a pair of long spandex zipper leggings to complete his ensemble. I don't think I need to further explain where the gym etiquette was lacking.
To say the least, I could have been much more productive tonight.
My point through this whole rant though, is this:
Living in such a busy world where texting, taking class notes, and eating an apple all at the same time have become normalcies, we tend to forget the simple things in life.
Being able to just stick your earphones in and work out.
Being able to have a face-to-face conversation without any distractions.
Being able to take a breathe every once in a while and realize that life doesn't always have to move as fast as we have let ourselves believe.
So what will you do?
Read a magazine and attempt to work out?
Or will you stick in your earphones and focus on those leg workouts you have been looking forward to all day.
