It's the new year and with that comes the usual resolutions, including the one that involves tackling health and fitness by eating right and going to the gym.
Obviously this is the biggest time of the year for health clubs, and as I, and many of my facebook and twitter friends have experienced, there are quite a few people in the clubs these days. This influx is inevitable and it usually calms down by March. I've noticed lately that this sweaty-body surge is often viewed with great disdain by my fellow tweeps and friends.
I used to feel (a little) the same way, but I have to admit that I've had my eyes opened to the subject recently and I'm a little disappointed at the elitist attitude that some people have chosen to take against these new people in the clubs. The thinking seems to be along the lines of, "since I use the gym all-year long, these NEW people need to go away and let me continue to do MY thing, because I'm ENTITLED to use the gym as I wish, due to my dedication and loyalty".
Hmm, let's see... I pay my gym membership every month. Costs the same as your membership, right? If I don't workout, LA Fitness doesn't call me up and say, "Hey, noticed you didn't come in this month. I'm going to skip this payment." So where does this sense of entitlement come about?
I know we all want our time at the gym to be easy, and crowds don't make for a fast or convenient workout. I agree. And I'm not saying that we should continually excuse people for poor gym etiquette like staying on a treadmill for an hour when there is a line, not cleaning the equipment after they're done, or (my personal fav) sitting naked on the locker room bench without a towel (?!!?!?) But it is not only the new people (or resolutionists as I've heard them called) that are offenders of poor gym-etiquette. Quite the opposite, I see people who are at the club every day doing these things most often.
I think it is worth the time to consider changing our attitudes towards these newbies in an attempt to not become an exclusive club of "gym goers".
This country is in need of some serious help and education when it comes to all things heath and wellness related. If I see someone in the club who is walking slowly on a treadmill, who the hell am I to judge them? If they are walking on a treadmill when they would usually be at home eating a burger, then I not only applaud them, I want to make sure they know they are welcome in the gym and welcome to look to me for inspiration and an example of what focusing on health and fitness can do for the body and mind. The last thing people need is any more discouragement to stay out of the clubs.
I'm not saying you have to take on a fat-buddy or anything, but would it really hurt you to smile at someone at the club, even if inwardly you want to criticize them for doing those step ups with 2 pound dumbells when you could be using that space to do them with 20 pounds, instead? No, it won't hurt you. I've actually found that it has helped me stay inspired and to use a little more grace in my interactions. Even if you want to just be in your own head at the gym, you can do that without being a dick to people.
If you think that you have it pinpointed to the "type" of person that drives you nuts at the gym, maybe think about me the next time you're scowling and flinging around criticism: I've always been known to throw up some pretty big numbers on my lifts (for a girl) :). This past summer I was deadlifting 255, I could clean and jerk 140 and I could back squat over 200. I looked like I belonged in the gym and I was accepted as such. As some of you may know, I had surgery for a broken foot in October, and due to the process of injury and healing, I have lost everything I had in the gym. Sunday I spent some time at LA Fitness doing step ups and other physical therapy things. Today I walked on a treadmill for 15 minutes. I probably look like one of those out of shape people that can't do anything "real" at the gym, and so I'm sure quite a few people scoffed at me. I have to suck up a lot of pride every time I choose to workout these days. I have to forget what I was and remember what I want to be again. How do you choose to view me?
The wonderful thing about fitness is that it meets you where you're at. My call to you today is to help meet people where THEY'RE at by showing them that fitness starts where they are, and also showing them that you don't have to be part of the "elite" to gain entry to our precious gyms and clubs.
Just think about it, for me. Please?
1 comments:
Right on Sista!
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