Help me understand a pair of idiosyncratic behaviors I observe at the gym

May 11, 2006 10:21 AM

Please Explain two things I've observed at any of the several health club I've belonged to -- one involving people (usually women) avoiding the locker room, the other a tradition among racquetball players involving their gloves.

1. I call 'em tossers, because as they move from machine to machine, they toss their keys over to the next machine. These people come dressed, and leave all sweaty, never pausing in the locker room to change or shower. I imagine they prefer their own bathroom, so just drive back home to change, but man what stinky places their cars must be! (This is predominately a female behavior -- something off-putting about the girls' locker room?)
2. Many racquetball players have this weird tradition of 'decorating' their gym bags with their worn-out, filthy gloves, tying them onto any convenient attaching-points. Seems the ideal is to have four pairs, one at each corner. Man, does that look skanky -- WTF?

And no, I don't feel like 'just asking' because I have no desire to socialize with most folks at the gym.

posted by Rash to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (50 answers total)

I live a couple of blocks from my gym, so I just walk there and shower back at my pad. And usually its a bunch of gay guys in the showers staring at you anyway, which is alright I'm just not in to it.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 10:23 AM on May 11, 2006

And in my experience it's mostly a bunch of weirdos at the gym, so don't take anything too seriously.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 10:24 AM on May 11, 2006

I always just drive home for my shower at my gym. it's easier than showering in a public area, because I don't think my gym has reasonable locker prices and i dont want to haul around an extra change of clothes (I go to gym right after work, so that'd be 3 outfits a day to remember to drag to the gym).

Sadly i'm not a female, and my car may occasionally smell like a musky man. but damnit, you knew that before you married me.
posted by ZackTM at 10:24 AM on May 11, 2006

I (a man) would fall into the category of tosser and non-tosser.

On days when I have more time, I shower and change at the gym, in the locker room, where I have a paid locker. On those days I also ride my bike.

Some days I'm a lot shorter on time and want to get home quickly to take care of other things, so I'll drive my car and not bother to shower at the gym. My car smells fine.

Could be that these people want to get in a workout but spend as little time at the gym as possible, or just prefer their bathroom, as you suggested. I doubt their cars stink.

Then again, I'm a guy, so I guess I'm not answering too much here, as I have no first hand experience with women's locker rooms.
posted by dead_ at 10:26 AM on May 11, 2006

In general, while I won't claim that I smell great after being at the gym, I do think women tend to smell much less bad than guys, in general, after heavy excercise. This comes from working out next to both women and men at various healthclubs, where I usually didn't smell the women next to me while the guys would, for the most part, require me to hold my breath while trying to keep my heartrate up.

I don't know if it's pheromones or antiperspirants or that women are more likely to shower before going to the gym or what.

And I've always lived within walking distance to whatever gym I was going to, so now worries about making the car smelly. And yes, I'd usually just go shower at home, unless the gym's facilities were especially nice.

Actually, that might also play into it. Women are more likely to be particular about brands of shampoo and bodywash, to want to moisturize after getting out of the shower, to need to dry their hair after washing it, etc. Those things take a lot of time and gear, and it's a pain to budget the time and schlep the gear.
posted by occhiblu at 10:29 AM on May 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

Having worked at a gym I've observed these behaviors many times.
1. Alot of people just have an aversion to public locker rooms either because of other people or the cleanliness or both. And yes, they would rather stink their car up than use the public locker room. Or course some people jog to and from the gym so showering and changing at the gym is pointless.

2. Skins. "Look how many gloves I've gone through, punk. Don't mess with me." Also, you can never have too many gloves. What if you're getting a game up but the other guy doesn't have any gloves? Many people also carry extra racquets.
posted by puke & cry at 10:31 AM on May 11, 2006

I live a block from my gym, so most days, I'm a "tosser". I like the showers at the gym, but they don't have my fancy shampoo, my body wash, my poof, my face scrub, my face wash, my razor, my foot pumice, my face moisturizer, my body lotion, and my eye cream, so it's much easier to go home then lug all that stuff to the gym. I think not having all the important products there is one reason women will shower at home over the gym. I imagine more men are willing to use that crap in a bucket they call "soap" and "shampoo" then women.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:35 AM on May 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

I don't consider myself a particularly high-maintenance female -- yet when I shower, I require numerous bottles of cleansing fluids and various acoutrements: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, loofah, not to mention shaving utensils. Then there are the after-shower toiletries: deoderant, lotion, face moisturizer, etc etc. Hauling all of this stuff from home and back is a huge pain, and generally results in forgetting a crucial bottle that will only be missed once I'm covered in suds and reaching for it. Much easier just to go home and shower where all my lotions and potions regularly live. I suspect many other women feel the same. And besides, girl-sweat smells like petunias -- our cars don't get stinky.
posted by junkbox at 10:35 AM on May 11, 2006

When I had a gym membership, I worked out after work and drove the two miles home withotu using the gym shower. And honestly, I wouldn't always shower right away when I got home. Sweat has been given a bad rap. Embrace it.
posted by pmbuko at 10:36 AM on May 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

Haha, jinx, junkbox!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:38 AM on May 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

When I used to go from home to the gym and back home again (instead of work->home->gym) I always wore my workout clothes to the gym. I mean, why not? I'm not stinky. Why would I want to get naked around strangers, wash my curly hair into a tangle of knots because the gym doesn't have conditioner, risk foot fungus and carry all kinds of extra clothes, if I don't have to?
posted by croutonsupafreak at 10:47 AM on May 11, 2006

I am now working on a counterpoint AskMe question asking "why would people shower at the gym?" I mean, you have to bring clothes, soap, towel, you have to get naked in front of a bunch of strangers, and generally iocker rooms smell, and your bare feet have to touch their disgusting tiled floors. What an unpleasant experience.

But to answer your question: I shower at home because it's only about a mile away.
posted by poppo at 10:47 AM on May 11, 2006

er, I mean (instead of work->gym->home).
posted by croutonsupafreak at 10:48 AM on May 11, 2006

Response by poster: Ah, didn't realize some gyms charge for locker usage. And since I don't go everyday, I don't utilize the shower there like at home -- it's just freshening up, not the daily cleaning.
posted by Rash at 10:49 AM on May 11, 2006

Response by poster: poppo, I may have caught the plantar wart virus from those disgusting tile floors. Hence the pair of cheap flip-flops in my gym bag.
posted by Rash at 10:50 AM on May 11, 2006

I agree, poppo. If I was going to shower at the gym, I'd need four pairs of shoes to feel comfortable:
1. The work shoes I came in with.
2. The athletic shoes I exercise in.
3. The waterproof sandles I shower in to avoid food fungus.
4. The comfy shoes I leave in.

And three outfits:
1. Work
2. Exercise.
3. Home.

If I walk out in my gym clothes, I get away with two outfits, two pairs of shoes. The alternative seems excessive and a little yucky.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 10:51 AM on May 11, 2006

I would never shower at the gym. I live about a half mile away. I'm the one who cleans my bathroom, so I know it's clean - can't vouch for the showers at the gym.

Anyway, my sweat doesn't stink. It smells exactly like those green cardboard pine tree car fresheners.
posted by iconomy at 10:52 AM on May 11, 2006

I am most decidely a tosser. Even at 45 minutes on an eliptical, I don't get stinky. A little damp, but not stinky. I think its just an issue of some girls just don't get all that stinky so its not an issue. Also, I am on the modest side and don't like the conundrum of sticking my pair ass out of the shower to get my dry clothes or trying to rig my clean clothes as not to get wet.
posted by stormygrey at 10:56 AM on May 11, 2006

I am now working on a counterpoint AskMe question asking "why would people shower at the gym?"

I can answer that because I do.

1) I like to work out in the early afternoons
2) Work is far from home.
3) The gym is close to work.

So, unless I want to be sweaty the rest of the day at work, I have to shower at the gym.

(snobby caveat: I belong to a very well-maintained private gym)
posted by vacapinta at 10:59 AM on May 11, 2006

Of course, I was kidding.

There are perfectly legitimate reasons to both shower and not shower at the gym, and Rash was perfectly capable of answering this question himself, and did in his question, without the help of AskMe

I was being sarcastic
posted by poppo at 11:02 AM on May 11, 2006

I live across the street from my gym. I mean directly across the street. It takes me two minutes, on foot, to get there. Why would I want to stand in someone else's cold stale leftover showerwater and hope no one barges in to my stall (which has happened) when I can run across the street and shower at home? Even after a really hard workout, I'm rarely smelly. Also, and this is probably just my own weirdness, I really like the sweaty feeling I get after I work out. It makes me feel great. So I enjoy the sweaty walk home.

I haven't seen the raquetball gloves thing though, so I can't help you there. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure my gym even HAS a raquetball court. Cheap bastards.
posted by LeeJay at 11:17 AM on May 11, 2006

Interesting. I shower at the workout club, but that's because my locker rental is included in my membership fee, plus they have really, really nice shampoo and conditioner and bodywash. And the showers are those rain showers - way better than my shower at home! I just have two of everything - two straightening irons, two face washes, two lotions, two makeup bags, etc. One's at home and one's at the club. Not a big deal to me. I also do wear flip flops in the shower, but the club provides these heavy-duty foam shoes if I forget. They also provide razors and lotions and mouthwash and gel, but I choose not to use those because I like my own better. I guess it helps, too, that I don't have to bring clothes to wear to the club, since they have uniforms there. But then, I work out at a club that caters to executives, rather than a Bally's, where I think those kinds of services/products aren't always available.

As far as the racquetball question goes, I have no clue. We don't have a racquetball court at my club.
posted by MeetMegan at 11:19 AM on May 11, 2006

I've gotten athletes feet several times from public showers, so I avoid public showers whenever possible. The disease is pretty obnoxious and takes several weeks to cure. I know wearing sandals in the shower prevents the problem, but so does avoiding public showers all together.
posted by malp at 11:22 AM on May 11, 2006

I Nth the potential grossness of public showers and the lack of $20 shampoo.
posted by clh at 11:26 AM on May 11, 2006

man what stinky places their cars must be!

I can't afford a gym membership right now, so I walk in the park for exercise, and I wait tables for a living. Neither offers showers, and after either, I'm at least as sweaty as I was after an hour at the gym. If getting in sweaty is going to make your car smell funky, you've got bigger worries than the gym. (Whether your car will smell vaguely of old grease after you spend hours every day in a restaurant kitchen before driving an hour home is, naturally, another story... ick).
posted by Cricket at 11:31 AM on May 11, 2006

Response by poster: How nice so many of you can walk to your gym! Actually, I could mine too, but my usual routine is stopping there en route to work, so I'm usually driving (like most everyone else -- this is in California, after all). I also belong to a more expensive club, which provides more-than-acceptable shampoo, conditioner and bodywash (and even Q-tips at the further-away branch) -- please accept apologies for my ignorant assumption that we all have it so good.

Thanks, puke & cry, for the gloves explanation -- I've wondered about that for years.
posted by Rash at 11:33 AM on May 11, 2006

I only shower at the gym under duress, because the shower stalls are private, but there's no changing area or place to lay down your dry clothes without getting them wet, so in effect you're forced to change in front of strangers. I'm just not very comfortable with that, so I only do it if I have to go to work after working out.
posted by joannemerriam at 11:35 AM on May 11, 2006

I'm always amazed at the people who don't shower at the gym, including my darling girlfriend. She's got a short trip from home to gym but I doubt that makes the slightest difference in her decision. Personally once I'm done working out I want to wash to scuzz off as soon as possible.

Then again, I sweat like a rabid wildebeast and couldn't possible care less about being naked in front of other people so I'm probably not a useful datapoint.
posted by phearlez at 11:38 AM on May 11, 2006

I don't shower at the gym because I would have to (remember to) lug too much extra stuff: extra towels, shower sandals, shampoo, soap, conditioner, comb, deodorant, makeup (if I'm going somewhere afterwards) etc. I shower as soon as I get home but my car doesn't seem to smell.

Also, the gym I used to go to was in Boca, Fla and the locker room was like the parade of bad plastic surgery. Yuck.
posted by superkim at 11:56 AM on May 11, 2006

I do think women tend to smell much less bad than guys, in general, after heavy exercise. This comes from working out next to both women and men at various healthclubs, where I usually didn't smell the women next to me while the guys would, for the most part, require me to hold my breath while trying to keep my heartrate up.

I don't know if it's pheromones or antiperspirants or that women are more likely to shower before going to the gym or what.

Based on my experience it's because women makes sure to thoroughly wash their exercise clothes in hot water inbetween wearings while many men aren't that careful. A lot of the guys at my gym stink before they even start to workout.

I think it's partially cultural, one country I lived in the women seemed very hungup about nudity so when I worked out at lunchtime I would see majority of them actually put their work clothing back on and go to work without showering.
posted by fshgrl at 12:06 PM on May 11, 2006

I think part of it for women is modesty. They're really concerned about being seen nude in front of anyone, including other women. This assertion is based upon behaviours I've observed in women's locker rooms my whole life: they'll line up and wait for the private change stalls, they'll hide themselves under towels, etc.
posted by raedyn at 12:15 PM on May 11, 2006

Like many others here, I live very close to my gym (~0.5 miles) so I just shower at home.

As far as a stinky car is concerned, even if I did have smelly sweat (which I don't), I am a marine biologist, and my car smells like marsh mud and dried seaweed anyway.
posted by nekton at 12:19 PM on May 11, 2006

I use the fitness center at the college I work at, and there are private shower and changing stalls, with doors and latches and everything. I pay almost nothing for annual rental of a full-size locker, and keep my lotions, potions, towel, books and work-out clothes there. I bring a fresh pair of undies every day, and rotate through 2 sets of gym clothes, then take the dirty stuff home once a week to wash. The women's locker room users are split about half and half between students and faculty/staff, so we get all kinds, as well as students and faculty/staff who use the fitness center but not the locker room.
posted by crepeMyrtle at 12:39 PM on May 11, 2006

There is something off-putting about the girls' locker room. The nakedness. I really, really don't feel comfortable being naked with a bunch of women and some may try to carry on a conversation.
posted by Sallysings at 12:53 PM on May 11, 2006

Are you sure the gloves are really worn out, or just worn? They may keep them on the outside to dry properly (they get really sweaty and can take a long time to dry), or they would get REALLY skanky. Some gym bags have little loops or strap attachments etc and they may be strapping them on that.
posted by Rumple at 12:59 PM on May 11, 2006

Tossers:
Most people go to a particular gym because they live near it.

Not because the club has great facilities. Not because they have a philosophy in regards to fitness. It's because it's 2 min closer to their houses. So, if they're working out based on how close...how long does it take them to drive home and use their non-public shower?
posted by filmgeek at 1:09 PM on May 11, 2006

so just drive back home to change, but man what stinky places their cars must be!

Well, you're initial observation is wrong. I've always driven home to shower, and you could never tell by being in my car.

Cooling down a little, toweling off, and most people are good good to go. Hell, I could go out to dinner still.

Maybe you're just especially stinky after working out and are projecting?
posted by justgary at 1:36 PM on May 11, 2006

As a gal, I want to thank all you other females who prefer to shower at home. This leaves the locker room generally empty, so I can change (and shower when necessary) in relative privacy!

I also got a very short haircut for the sole purpose of decreasing my shampooing and hair-drying time at the gym.

Most of the time, I do shower at home (live close by, blahblah) but I also have a small travel kit that I keep stocked with my toiletries of choice, so when I do have to shower at the gym, I don't have to lug my entire bathroom with me.

As for the gloves, I do the same thing with my weight-lifting gloves. By hanging them on my gym bag (or on a hook at home) they're dry by the next day. Nothing ickier than putting on sweaty gloves. Eww.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 1:52 PM on May 11, 2006

Response by poster: Maybe you're just especially stinky after working out and are projecting?

Not stinky, but definetly sweaty, since my positive reenforcement after working out is a session in the sweat lodge sauna.
posted by Rash at 2:08 PM on May 11, 2006

Tossers: Most people go to a particular gym because they live near it.

Exactly. I pay more than I would at any other neighborhood gym, mainly for the convenience (looking out the classroom window, I can see my house). So it makes sense for me to just go home and shower.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 2:12 PM on May 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

I go to a nice fitness center-the showers have changing areas and a shelf to keep clothing dry, but sometimes I still go home because it is a pain to lug all my hair products, makeup, clothes, etc to the gym and back. Or I'm just in the mood to get home, period.

OTOH, our gym caters to all ages and body types and it is not at all unusual to see old fat naked ladies in the locker room. Some just prefer to change in the locker area, and that's cool. If there is a line for the showers they prefer we do that anyway, but underwear and a towel is usually enough for the more modest of us.

And I second the comment about women smelling better than men. I sweat like a horse during spin class and don't smell all that bad immediately after-nor do my fellow women spinners. But just today a guy came in and got on the bike in front of mine and he already smelled stale. Ew.

Our (male) instructor teaches several classes a day sometimes and never smells bad but he wears outdoor bike attire and he's kinda metrosexual so I'm sure it's clean. He tells us sweat is sterile, anyhow. I think there is a big difference between fresh sweat and old sweat.
posted by konolia at 2:13 PM on May 11, 2006

Response by poster: there is a big difference between fresh sweat and old sweat

Absolutely -- the stink comes from bacteria growing in the sweat. I understand there's a saturation point and the smell stops getting any worse after about seven days.
posted by Rash at 2:25 PM on May 11, 2006

I usually only go to the gym to play (inline) hockey and rarely shower there. Partly because the outdoor rink we usually play on doesn't have shower facilities near by, so we're all used to driving home without showering anyway.

Like some others above, my gym doesn't have long-term rental lockers, so showering at the gym would mean bringing shampoo, gel and clothes and trying to cram my gym bag into a small locker.

As for the car smelling bad, I usually keep two towels in my car. I put one of the towels over the seat before I drive home so the sweat doesn't get absorbed by my car seat (like people said above, it's old sweat that really smells bad). Generally the only time my car smells is when I leave my hockey bag open in the car overnight.

I do think women tend to smell much less bad than guys, in general, after heavy exercise

Reminds me of the deodorant commercial with the cute girl dancing and the text that says "There's no such thing as a Hot - Sweaty - Sexy - Dude"
posted by chndrcks at 3:09 PM on May 11, 2006

(guy) On days I swim after working out, I usually sauna too, so I shower 3 times (before the pool, after the pool (to get the chlorine off my skin, after the sauna - cold fullblast for 30 seconds to get the sweat off). I have to change anyway while I'm there, so I usually go in street clothes & just change twice.

On days I don't swim, I change before I go, since then I don't have to bother with bringing a lock, a bag, clothes, etc. Works well. On the other hand, I usually don't do cardio at the gym, so I'm really not all that sweaty at the end.
posted by devilsbrigade at 4:01 PM on May 11, 2006

I work out at the gym, hop in the car dripping with sweat to drive home, and always spritz some Febreze on the seats & floor of my car. Keeps it fresh as a proverbial daisy.
posted by davidmsc at 4:14 PM on May 11, 2006

They're dirty sods, basically. They're happy with walking around in public sweaty and honking, even if only for a short while.

When I work out, I sweat. The idea of leaving that gym without showering first is utterly unthinkable and repulsive. But then I've always been a very clean, sweet-smelling person. Other folk are less fastidious and less considerate. They can't smell themselves, you know, so it doesn't matter.
posted by Decani at 4:27 PM on May 11, 2006

Also, this notion that only old sweat smells is bullshit. Unless you have really bad adenoids or you're a smoker, I guess. Fresh sweat may smell less than stale sweat but it still smells.
posted by Decani at 4:29 PM on May 11, 2006

I've gotten athletes feet several times from public showers, so I avoid public showers whenever possible. The disease is pretty obnoxious and takes several weeks to cure. I know wearing sandals in the shower prevents the problem, but so does avoiding public showers all together.

Shower sandals aren't that effective; it's hard not to touch the floor with your feet while you dress. For me that's reason 1.

More importantly, I think a lot of people, particularly women have body issues that make them uncomfortable to be naked anywhere. This is really too bad.

And Mean Mr. Bucket is kind of right about gym showers and gay. I go to a gay gym and the shower area has more attitude than most gay bars or nude beaches. I am gay, I'm not shy, and I'm just not into the whole gym shower thing.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 5:43 PM on May 11, 2006

I'm inclined to believe that women (American) are just uncomfortable with their own bodies. At the gym I go to, the mens shower are is wide open, but the womens has individual shower stalls & doors. I have never seen a guy come in dressed to work out, but very frequently see women come in their workout clothes and then leave in the same clothes.
My girlfriend goes to the same gym and has confirmed some of the peculiar female behaviour.
posted by drstein at 7:10 PM on May 11, 2006

This thread brought back all kinds of memories from my younger days frequenting the JCC in my hometown, namely:

1) I once had my towel (my own) stolen.
2) I got years' worth of plantar warts from the floor.
3) People barging in on one another.
4) Lots of old naked women I didn't want to see.

Now I walk home from the gym without showering. I really am averse to public showers - I hate the feeling of wet tile under me. And other people's hair. Oh, God, other people's hair.
posted by anjamu at 7:20 PM on May 11, 2006