Is Your Gym Crawling with Bugs?

[admin]

I don't know how many of you read this AM's article "Is Your Gym Crawling with Bugs?", but it's a good quick read.

Core Performance: Article: Clean: Lift: Is Your Gym Crawling with Bugs?

Good comment from a reader about remember to wash your hands...

Any thoughts from our forum?

[tonester]

It's a buggy world out there. What can you do except wash your hands here and there. Really.

Everywhere you go there are door knobs, handles, elevator buttons, public washroom faucets and toilet handles etc.

Probably better to expose yourself and develop the antibodies.

[davejakes]

I somewhat agree with tonester in the sense that you can go overboard with respect to hygene and germ avoidance. The disposable, disinfecting wipes you are supposed to use to wipe down equipment after use are a fairly recent phenomenon. We got along pretty well without them before, didn't we? A quick swipe of the bench or equipment and you were good to go. I think any kind of wiping, disinfectant or plain towel is more about lowering the "gross-out factor" in a gym than bug control. If you've got oozing, infected, open sores, then cover them of course, but I don't think we really don't have time to cover every scratch, nick and paper cut and still have time to make it to the gym.

Good nutrition, quality exercise, sufficient rest and reasonable hygene are the best ways to stay healthy. Just wipe off your sweat and accidental spit and most of us will be fine with that.

[MichaelC]

Originally Posted by davejakes

If you've got oozing, infected, open sores, then cover them of course, but I don't think we really don't have time to cover every scratch, nick and paper cut and still have time to make it to the gym.

Yea, if I tape every scratch and cut I'll turn into a mummy. lol But really, I can't tape every little thing. Good idea if it's a bad cut.

[cyberhit1]

I like the two previous responses. Good personal hygiene is probablky the best thing you can do, that is always in your control. I don't work out at gyms/fitness centers anymore but at home. In the past I was always very conscious about wipingt the equipment down after I used it. I tend to sweat heavily and it aint cool for me to leave a pool of sweat all over.

REally though the only time I worried much about "germs" in the gym was when I wrestled/jiu-jitsu with people rolling all over the mats. The best thing we did there was clean the mats after every night's practice.

Chris