Wear comfortable clothes. Go for maximum comfort and minimum
embarrassment, but don’t wear anything so baggy that it impedes your
movement or can possibly get caught in some moving part. Don’t wear
something that exposes you to the world when you climb on some
strange contraption. You may end up spreading your legs in front of
30 strangers, none of whom are your gynecologist or proctologist.
Ask for help if you need it.Liz knew a guy who was pretty proud of him-
self for finally making it to the gym. He got through his first workout only
to slice his Achilles tendon on the shower door. He lay there in agony for
quite a while before calling for help because he was so embarrassed, not
to mention naked. The injury required six stitches, and the guy hobbled
around on crutches for six weeks. It took several weeks after that for the
staff to coax him back to the gym. He finally returned, although he now
takes his showers at home.Health-Club Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules ............................................
Every type of club has its own customs, like the secret handshake you and
your buddies used back in fourth grade. Or the secret code word that Howard
Cunningham used to get into the Leopard Lodge on Happy Days.Health clubs
don’t have secret code words, of course, but you may feel more at home if
you know a few of the unwritten rules. Here are some tips on how to act in
certain situations:If someone’s using the weight machine that you want,ask whether you
can work in.That’s a term for alternating sets with another person. Asking
to work in is perfectly legitimate; no one has the right to camp out at
one weight machine for a half-hour.
Working in with someone is convenient if all you have to do is switch the
pin in the weight stack. But it’s awkward if you have to readjust the seat
or add or subtract weight plates. In those cases, waiting until the person
is done is a better choice.If someone is standing over your shoulder waiting to use the machine
that you’re on, kindly ask that person to work in with you. Or tell the
person how much longer you plan to use the machine. Say something
like, “This is my last set. Then it’s all yours.”
If you need help adjusting a machine or you forget how to use it,turn
to a staffer or a gym member with a kind face and say, “I’m new here.
Can you help me?”278 Part VI: Conquering the Gym (Even at Home)