Emma Radebaugh Depending on who you ask, gym hygiene is either a high priority or a useless nuisance. When gyms offer buckets of sanitizing wipes and ask that you wipe equipment after use, it leaves hygiene matters in the hands of the users. But if you want a safe, healthy place to work out, you should reconsider your stance on personal gym hygiene. Here’s why you should prioritize cleanliness at the gym.
Germs Spread Fast
Germs can infect numerous people unless you stop the spread. At the gym, many people touch the same high-contact places, like the middle of a dumbbell, the handles for the chest press machine, and the buttons on the treadmill. No matter where you go, there are germs waiting for the next host—which will be you, unless you prioritize your gym hygiene.
Think as a Community
Gymgoers are a community that entrusts each other with their health. When one person in the chain of equipment users forgoes the cleansing treatment, everyone else is susceptible to MRSA, the flu, athlete’s foot, and more. If you remember that you’re just one person out of hundreds who touches a piece of equipment each day, it will encourage you to keep your station clean.
You Can’t Get Fit if You’re Sick
Prioritizing cleanliness while working out isn’t just about other people. It’s also about your personal health. If you’re sick all the time and contracting annoying infections while working out, you won’t make the progress you desire. Essentially, you can’t get fit if you’re sick.
Athlete’s foot will keep your feet itchy and burning, which means no running. The common cold will decrease your lung capacity, which means no long, effective workouts. If you have MRSA, you’ll get sores and rashes on your skin, meaning you won’t want to rub your hands on barbells and dumbbells. Keep your station clean, so you can stay healthy and avoid sickness while pushing yourself to the max.
Knowing why you should prioritize cleanliness at the gym is one thing; putting healthy practices into action is quite another. If you’re wondering just how dirty gym equipment really is, all it takes are a few internet searches and a blacklight. Take active steps towards community health and personal hygiene by wiping down equipment and maintaining a high level of cleanliness at the gym.
