A reasonable concern for many people when going to public gyms is the safety policy of the place. Many will avoid going to public gyms because of this issue. They’d rather spend more money and create a gym in their home than go to places like these.

Although not all places are the same, some indeed pay more attention to safety than others. The type of people visiting these gyms is also essential for keeping a neat workout arena. It’s all about individual and collective effort. The problem is not everyone sees this as important.

The safety issue got real when the Covid pandemic appeared. People took all sorts of measures to prevent the spreading of viruses. Not all of them were successful, though. At the end of the day, it’s up to each of us to be cautious. If you want to stay safe, we’ve prepared a list of things to keep in mind. Follow up to see what they are.

1. Carry your own towel

The first rule of gyms - carry your own towel. Spread it across the machine and exercise without touching anything with your skin. The only thing that will touch with naked skin is your palms, but we have a solution for that too later in the article.

You don’t need anything special, just a towel that will be a tamper zone between you and the area someone else possibly spread germs before. It’s wise to have another one for wiping off your sweat because mixing both may make the first one useless.

2. Cover any existing wounds that may get infected

If you are hurt, you shouldn’t go to the gym in the first place. If you get hurt there, find a way to cover the wound before continuing your exercises. Understandably, people lifting weights won’t get discouraged by a small cut, but safety precautions are necessary.

Cover the wound, and then keep going. If the wound gets in touch with germs, it may get infected, and you’ll create a severe health issue. Instead, ensure it’s sanitized, cleaned, and if you feel good enough, you should continue your workout.

3. Shower after your workout

Showering is the best way to take germs off your body after exercising. When you lift weights, you’re sweating, and sweat is nothing more than water mixed with toxins. It’s sticky and a perfect medium for germs.

When you finish your workout, don’t give these germs a chance. Go straight to shower, and take the sweat off your body. The pores on your skin are open while you’re working out and sweating, and with the shower, you make sure you safely take the body’s system to its original setting.

4. Clean up after your workout and ask everyone to do the same

After working out on a particular machine, you surely have sweat spread out around the place. It’s normal to sweat while doing this, but it’s also essential to take the towel and wipe off everything you messed up.

If you see someone being careless, ask them to take care of the mess they created. No one is responsible for cleaning up after them. This is a basic rule that everyone in the gym must follow. If you see too many people not respecting this rule, simply go to another place.

5. Use some antibacterial solution before and after workouts

It’s wise to put some antibacterial solution on your hands before and after working out. Before, to make sure you’re not the one spreading any diseases around the place, and after, to make sure you’re not picking up anything left by others.

Go to the store, ask for a Cetaphil antibacterial solution, and always have one in the bag. When you take the other essentials from it, you’ll never forget to put some on your palms. This is a great way to add value to your protection plans.

6. Avoid close contact with others inside the gym

You know those guys who love invading your personal space? Make sure you’re not communicating with them, especially in the gym. This is the easiest way to spread germs. When someone talks to you from close range, there’s a great chance you’re exchanging viruses and bacteria.

Instead, keep people at a reasonable distance. If you’re talking to someone, ensure at least six feet of distance. This is a generally safe distance to avoid getting their viruses. Same goes for you - don’t get into people’s faces, and respect their personal space.

Conclusion

Going to the gym is time well spent. Taking care of your body and health is an absolute priority, but you must learn how to do it right. Aside from learning to exercise perfectly, you should practice these safety methods to avoid picking up viruses or bacteria in the gym. Follow the rules, and stay safe.