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I have worked out for years and touched the equipment that others have touched and never had a problem. Maybe you are being a little too obesessive compulsive. There is typically spray at the gym as well.
Location: Los Angeles, which as I understand was once upon a time ago part of the United States of America
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Yes, it's "in my head", because I'm thinking about it. I don't want to touch stuff that others have been using, especially while sweating. That is why it's in my head. Cities are filled with dirty people, and I don't like touching stuff in public. I can usually open most doors with my elbows, or use a paper towel from my pocket to open one and then throw away the towel. This works fine on a day to day basis, as long as I don't have to use a public phone or computer terminals (I usually get index numbers before going to the library, etc.). However, the gym seems really difficult to simply use my elbows or paper towels to work the equipment, so that's why I asked initially.
Yes, it's "in my head", because I'm thinking about it. I don't want to touch stuff that others have been using, especially while sweating. That is why it's in my head. Cities are filled with dirty people, and I don't like touching stuff in public. I can usually open most doors with my elbows, or use a paper towel from my pocket to open one and then throw away the towel. This works fine on a day to day basis, as long as I don't have to use a public phone or computer terminals (I usually get index numbers before going to the library, etc.). However, the gym seems really difficult to simply use my elbows or paper towels to work the equipment, so that's why I asked initially.
You sound like my mother. She won't go to a gym because "gyms are dirty" and "people sweat in a gym". Yet she's severely overweight, can barely walk and has all kinds of medical problems that she thinks Kevin Trudeau and his phony baloney books are going to solve.
I'd rather be healthy, fit, trim, able to walk, have no health issues and work out in a "dirty gym". But that's just me.
Nothing wrong with a little OCD as long as it doesn't become disabling. If breathable workout gloves aren't enough of a barrier for you, try heavy-duty leather work gloves with padding inside. You will sweat in them, but the padding should absorb the sweat.
However, your hands will smell like feet and so will your gloves after 3 workouts, so be prepared to deal with the smell or wash them every night. People might stare a little or ask you about it, but if you go regularily, they'll just get used to seeing you there with gloves on.
Gyms are dirty. It's common sense (but not common practice) to wash your hands thoroughly before and after a workout. In reality, you're not going to catch anything worse than a cold from using the same equipment and touching your eyes or mouth without washing your hands, but that probably won't set your mind at ease.
Yes, do get a Bowflex. Gyms are disgusting IMO, and I don't like to lay on equipment or stradle equipment where some other guy's sweaty junk had just been
But I tell you, I pulled weeds for like 5 minutes in latex gloves and they caused me to sweat and were useless, so that's not the answer. I would either set up a home gym in a bonus room or garage or buy a ton of Lysol and take that with me to the gym and sit on any bikes or equipment with a towel under me.
I want to join a gym, but I don't want to directly touch the equipment after others have touched it, so if I wore plastic gloves while working out, would that seem odd?
Sounds like you have OCD.
I have OCD with some things but I dont think I would worry about the gym.
They make great sanitizer wipes now that are individually wrapped that you can use after you workout. I would be careful not to touch my face or mouth, wipe the equipment down and use workout gloves with the weights if you want.
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