Gym Etiquette

Over the last few weeks, I've been making the most out of my membership to American Family Fitness. The place is great, tons of equipment, nice pool, hot tub and sauna.

The thing that SERIOUSLY ANNOYS ME are some of the other members. Here I am, taking great care in using a towel to wipe down any sweat off the machine when you have other people come in, use the Tricep Extension after they been pouring sweat for an hour on the treadmill. They do their sets and reps then just up and leave. Meanwhile, I'm next in line, left with a nauseated stomach because I realize I'M going to have to clean Steroid Stu or Anorexic Ann's gland secretions.

God knows no one wants to put their hands on grips or sit on a seat that I've left the gift of sweat on, and I would hope people would think the same. Apparently not.

In defense, most of the members do abide by etiquette and do wipe down the machines. It always seems to be the 'roided up men, grunting their alpha-male mating call; the excercise-obsessed eating disorder-rattled chick who's probably more concerned with making it back to her car without fainting than if she's cleaned up her sweat; or the age-advanced members who probably think their sweat glands dried up at the same time their sperm or eggs did, so they don't think about it.

Thank the Lord for the hand sanitizer dispensers, paper towels and spray cleaner all around the gym, otherwise I'd probably end up with rashes and other nasties. Ugh.

A final note: AFF does all it can to enforce wiping down equipment. This is all about common courtesy by the members themselves. So, how about following the Golden Rule? "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!"