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Gym Membership Tricks
Your Gym's Dirty Little Secrets
Before you re-up for another year, there's a thing or two you should know about health clubs
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What Your Gym Doesn't Want You to Know
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1
They'll Fight to Keep You
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2
Monthly Contracts Can Be a Rip-Off
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3
The Place Is Crawling with Germs
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4
They Hire Some Dud Trainers
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5
You Can't Trust Them With Your Life
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6
They May Keep Charging You After You've Canceled
The Place Is Crawling with Germs
We suggest you Purell before reading further. All sanitized? Here goes: One study found that three-fourths of weight equipment was contaminated with cold-causing rhinoviruses, and even wiping surfaces down twice didn't completely nix germs. The sniffles are the least of your worries: MRSA (!) and other types of staph infections can be contracted if a cut or scrape on your skin comes in contact with the bacteria. (Search: What is MRSA?) And your gym can have its fair share of the stuff, says Jack Foley, director of sports medicine at Lehigh University and coauthor of the National Athletics Trainers' Association report on skin infections. Bacteria, fungi, and viruses can survive in moist spots . . . like damp locker rooms and sweaty mats and public benches.
More: The Germiest Places In Your Gym
To lessen your exposure, put down a towel when using an exercise mat or bench (that goes for benches in locker rooms too) to limit direct skin contact with surfaces. (Also smart: Swap your tank and short shorts for a less-skin-baring T-shirt and capris or leggings.) Bring your own yoga mat; most communal ones are only sporadically cleaned. After your workout, shower immediately, change into clean clothes, and keep your dirty gear in a separate compartment in your bag, says Jeff Hageman, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When you get home, let your shower flip-flops air out and dry before repacking them. And next time, you may want to rethink using gym-provided towels: Outbreaks of MRSA have been associated with shared towels. Ask if your gym launders them in hot water and hot dryers. If the staff can't say for certain, bring your own.
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