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Gym floors can be intimidating. There's usually an enormously large man lifting an enormously heavy weight. The cardio-obsessed woman doing intervals, except without taking breaks. And of course the "lifting bros," constantly encouraging each other to do one more rep while secretly competing with each other on who can push his chest out further. Those are some of the typical sights. There are some common sounds as well.
These days, most of us cannot fathom separation from our iPhone/iPod/(insert digital music player here) while working out. Part of the reason for that may be our need for inspiring tunes to encourage us through tough workouts. Part of it may just be tuning out the sounds of the gym. For those who prefer an upbeat, bass-pumping, motivational soundtrack to your workout, here's a peek into what you're missing out on by keeping those headphones on.
7 Sounds of the Gym We Pretend We Don't Hear
1. Grunting
Usually the perpetrator is alone and can garner a lot of attention. Depending on the gender and level of attractiveness, can be easily confused with other, more interesting sounds.
2. Flatulence
Ben Franklin once proclaimed, "Fart proudly." Sadly, some do in public places. The gym is not immune. This is not an article on common gym odors, but one can imagine...
3. Yelling
Similar to grunting in ferocity, but typically involves two or more people. The larger the group, the larger the volume and more often than not the less impressive the feat that triggers the yelling.
4. Clanking
Metal... meet metal. The loud slamming of heavy weights which is the "nails on a chalkboard" equivalent at the gym.
5. Music
Let me be clear: some places are much better than others. Those who "DJ" for David Barton or Equinox or Everlast Lab get it right in my opinion. But that's just it, our musical tastes are based on our opinions. If you don't have your own mobile music with you, you're stuck with whatever happens to be pumping through the gym... and yes, it's possible for this to include Justin Bieber.
6. Chit Chat
Remember those kids in college who constantly talked on and on about how much homework they have to do to get that "A"... instead of just doing it? There are those at the gym too. Proudly, they say they "work out" for hours at a time, and most within earshot can recite their routine from memory.
7. Cellphone Chit Chat
One of the only things worse than the standard chit chat easily overheard is the one-sided cackling of a cell phone call. Yes, we all want to hear about every detail of your day. Really we do!
Let's keep in mind that some sounds are welcome. The sigh of exhilaration after a tough workout.... The voice of an encouraging trainer... A stranger's compliment that acknowledges dedication.
I'm personally looking forward to hearing the sleek "whir" of the Core Flyte as it moves across gym surfaces all over the country.
We'd love to hear from you. What sounds do you hear in the gym that inspire you to either work harder or work faster to get out quicker? Comment on our Facebook page at facebook.com/flytefitness or tweet us at @flytefitness.
Be Flyte Fit,
Jeremy Greenberg
Co-Founder & CEO
Flyte Fitness
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