# How to protect yourself in the gym?



## Sicwun88 (Mar 14, 2020)

Wanted to hear from others on the board,
What are you doing to protect yourself when training?
I've been wearing mechanic grade latex gloves,and keeping my hands off my face,
The only good side of this is there's no wait for equipment at my gym,
Basically dead in there!!


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## CJ (Mar 14, 2020)

Spray and wipe equipment before and after use, plus my hands. 
.


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## Spongy (Mar 14, 2020)

Don't go to the gym.  You're not gonna shrivel up and die by taking a deload week or two.  Walk outside for cardio.  

Gym equipment is notoriously dirty in normal conditions.  I read a recent small study where they found barbell handles had something like 372% more bacteria, etc than a public toilet.  

Think about how much spit, mucus, etc is excreted during just your workout...

Nope. I'm out.


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## Seeker (Mar 14, 2020)

https://time.com/5795492/gym-fitness-studio-coronavirus/


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## Seeker (Mar 14, 2020)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-stressand-stress-reliefof-the-gym-during-coronavirus-11583863988


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## NbleSavage (Mar 14, 2020)

Seeker said:


> https://time.com/5795492/gym-fitness-studio-coronavirus/



Deep sigh of relief. I need the weights. Bad enough I'm stuck at present in a small apartment fer work away from Missus Savage, take away the gym and I'm gonna be hell on wheels looking to kill & eat me neighbors.


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## Elivo (Mar 14, 2020)

No gym, have you seen some of the dirty fuks that go to most on a normal day?

Yeah is sucks but like spongy said, couple weeks wont kill ya.


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## brock8282 (Mar 14, 2020)

No point in avoiding the gym unless you are prepared to do it for months and months. This isn’t going to go away in couple weeks.

just be as smart as you can and try to go when it’s not busy, spray stuff down and use sanitizer. I’ve come to accept unless a miracle vaccine happens, most of us will get this at some point.


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## NbleSavage (Mar 14, 2020)

Elivo said:


> No gym, have you seen some of the dirty fuks that go to most on a normal day?
> 
> Yeah is sucks but like spongy said, couple weeks wont kill ya.



'tis a mental 'ting fer me as much as is physical. Fook, I get more than enough physical activity on me job. The gym is my decompression, my meditation. Squatting is a singularity fer me - ye can carry the stress of the world on yer shoulders and in yer head, but ye put 500 lbs on yer back and suddenly all that other shite just falls away and there's nuthin' left in the world 'cept you and the bar. When ye rack that beast after a set, no one can take that accomplishment from ye. 

Its therapeutic. No amount of bodyweight squats is gonna replace that fer me. Here's to hoping the gyms stay safe and open.


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## tinymk (Mar 14, 2020)

I wash my hands often at the gym and I don’t touch my face. I wipe down the machines and bars before and after use. The gyms are dead and I going. Don’t give a **** what anybody says. My choice 
best to you all. I also live rural as **** in the mountains at a low population. The town is shutting down for a bit but I have a key to the gym


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## Uncle manny (Mar 14, 2020)

I’m still hitting the big box gym until they close. Just wiping down everything thoroughly. Luckily I’m young and healthy and have no contact with older folk or any one with compromised immune system. If gyms close, I train clients at a small private gym and will just use that worse comes to worst.


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## BigSwolePump (Mar 14, 2020)

I am a man. I lift weights and have been for decades. I don't touch my face even when there aren't people freaking out about the flu. I wash my hands often and use sanitizers provided by my gym to wipe down what I touch before and after...even when "doomsday" isn't upon us...

Sure there are germs in the gym...they were always were. Those germs aren't going to affect me any more now then before this end of the world hype started.

I survived the gym through the worst flu seasons, ebola, H1N1 and every other BS "scare the world" ailment that has been thrown my way.

I hope everyone does stay home so I can have the gym all to myself. In a month or even a year from now, however long it takes for people to find something else to be victimized by, I will keep my headstart and constancy ahead of those that can't wash their hands.

This COVID shit ain't going away anytime soon so if you think that in 2 weeks things will have changed, think again. The flu has been around for decades. This will be no different.

Hell, I may even post my 3rd picture in UG history of my jacked physique after those that stay home have lost 10 pounds of hard work.

I am good. Good Luck


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## BigSwolePump (Mar 14, 2020)

Don't mind the other 3 people doing that awful cardio mess...I am the only rebel


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## Viduus (Mar 15, 2020)

People who know me know I’m into the whole prepping thing... sadly the gym is my weakness. Like NS said... it’s become more of a mental thing then physical... I need the therapy.


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## tinymk (Mar 15, 2020)

Gym was slow today but 3 out of the 5 squat racks were beating used and used correctly.  Didn’t see the usual noobs


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## dragon1952 (Mar 27, 2020)

I live in a fairly small city and the gym is never that crowded but I ordered some full-finger cross training gloves from Amazon that promptly got canceled. Evidently a lot of other people had the same idea. Not sure to what degree it would help. Found this though, 

"While the Centers for Disease Control has said that wearing a mask isn't necessary for the average person, Gordon suggests wearing cloth gloves during your workout.Technically, the virus doesn’t pass through skin — “you have to touch a mucous membrane that will serve as a portal or entry,” Gordon says, like your eyes, nose or mouth. But wearing gloves may deter you from touching these hot spots on your face. You still have to wash your hands when you take the gloves off, though. “People touch their faces a lot, and they aren’t aware,” she says."


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## Alijay (Apr 6, 2020)

Should You Attend the Gym During the Coronavirus Pandemic?


There is no getting away from the fact that the current worldwide pandemic is a very serious matter. Many thousands of people have already died and many more will do so, and in countries around the world movement is being restricted to try and stem the spread of the virus. Should you be going to the gym at a time like this? First, we will say that if it is permitted to do so, there is no reason not to if you are prepared to take the correct and appropriate precautions. I’ve continued going to the gym while possible, and will heed any advice otherwise. 


Keep Yourself Safe


The problem with going to the gym during the pandemic lies in who else is there, or has been there. It is important that you keep yourself separate from others, and observe the social distancing rules that are being put in place around the world. What’s also important is that you clean the surfaces of the apparatus you are using. This should be done at all times anyhow, but is more important now than ever before.
Make sure the surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned before using them, and you are making yourself safer. Also, there is one substance that you should certainly be considering the use of when you are at the gym. This is liquid chalk. What is liquid chalk, what is it used for, and why is it important to protect against bacteria and viruses at this time? Here’s a bit about what it is, and why I’m using it at the gym.


What is Liquid Chalk?	


Liquid chalk is used by rock climbers and others who need grip when performing, and is a very effective product as such. It’s also widely available, and should still be easy to get right now. Why is it important for using at the gym? As we have said, the idea is to provide protection against bacteria and viruses, which we know can exist on surfaces for some time. Liquid chalk helps with this in a couple of ways.
First, it acts as a barrier on the surface of handrails and such, but a much bigger bonus is that one of the active ingredients is alcohol. Alcohol is known to break down certain viruses naturally, so should be a reliable repellent when it comes to the Covis-19 coronavirus. Using liquid chalk on your gym equipment is a good idea whenever you are working out, but right now it is an even bigger preventative measure, and a necessary one.
I’ve started using liquid chalk at the gym and also on my gym equipment at home. It’s not expensive, it helps you get a good grip, and more to the point, it also helps you protect against viruses and  bacteria, and even kills them. If you are concerned about going to the gym during these times of crisis, make liquid chalk one item you carry with you, and always follow the official advice.


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## CJ (Apr 6, 2020)

Liquid chalk will not protect you from a virus, that's just flat out wrong. Any alcohol in it, if even strong enough to kill a virus to begin with, quickly evaporates so you're left with a film of chalk on your hand.

Wash your hands, spray down your equipment, follow good hygiene practices. Think about bringing your own hand sanitizer with you. 

The point is moot anyway, since I believe all public gyms are closed. If not, don't think that liquid chalk will protect you. Otherwise, it's a good product and I use it myself on occasion.


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## SFGiants (Apr 6, 2020)

I can appreciate both sides to this, I wouldn't stop.

If bowling centers were open I'd be there everyday like usually, same attitude I had as a powerlifter for years.

Time lost is time lost, sure we need rest but not this much!


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## mugzy (Apr 6, 2020)

If the gym was open I would be there.


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## dragon1952 (Apr 6, 2020)

mugzy said:


> If the gym was open I would be there.



Amen to that.


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## BrotherIron (Apr 6, 2020)

Thank GOD... my gym didn't close due to a few contracts deeming them essential but the governor issued a stay at home order threatening citations to those who go outside.  The good news is the police aren't issuing citations so I'll keep going to the gym.  The only bad news is my gym only allows 30-40min training sessions each day.

I know some will say... I'm being careless with my decision but I don't see it that way for a few reasons; 1. only 10 ppl are allowed in the bldg at a time 2. the gym is cleaned every hour on the hour 3. they have abridged hours so they're only open 6hours a day instead of the normal 24hr access 4. I'm using my equipment which isn't communal meaning I alone use it so I don't have to worry about something being on it from someone else.


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