It’s Official. Gyms Are Not Good For You

Right, that’s it. Cancel your membership as we’re taking our lives into our own hands every time we pay visit to the gym. And it’s not because that exercise is bad for us, or that we are doing too many weights, it’s because we’re all sweating too much and not cleaning up after ourselves.

Recent tests have shown that gyms have a bewildering collection of nasty bacteria which, in some instances, are capable of killing. A recent survey for a men’s fitness magazine produced some shocking results when swabs taken from various pieces of equipment and areas of a gym revealed dangerous levels of bacteria – so much so that it made eating your lunch off a public toilet seat a far less riskier exercise.

The mind boggling array of bacteria included the usual types, such as athletes foot, but also included some scary ones too – such as herpes and even a strain of MRSA. Things didn’t get any better when they moved pool side where both the spa and pool contained various forms of bacteria derived from faeces. And it doesn’t even matter that your eyes are stinging from the chlorine either – because the hotter the water, the less effective the chlorine is at killing the bacteria. It kind of makes you want to keep your mouth closed whilst swimming or relaxing in the Jacuzzi now doesn’t it?

So if you’re worried about straining or rupturing something, forget it. You should be more concerned about that sweaty bloke not wiping the equipment down after use, or that annoying person who simply dumps their wet towel on the floor of the changing room and expects someone else to pick it up for them.

But what about that shapely and tanned blonde working up a sweat on the running machine? Would you really want to risk picking up all sorts of nasty bacteria by cuddling up to her once she’s all hot and sweaty? Hmmmm. Bit of a tough call really - but I think I’d risk it!