Gym 101
1. Keep your B.O.LOW
Gyms are sweaty places and you’re there to
work up a glow, but sweaty needn’t mean smelly. “Do your fellow gym-goers and
dignity a favour and take precautions,” says Durban-based lifestyle and
wellness expert Lisa Raleigh.
Gyms
are sweaty places and you’re there to work up a glow, but sweaty needn’t mean
smelly.
2. Put it back on the rack
Not returning the weights is another
frequent gaffe.”Nobody wants to waste precious time hunting for equipment or
unstacking a machine,” says Raleigh.
Not only that, but if the next gym-goer in
line isn’t quite blessed with your upper-body strength or thighs of steel, they
might unwittingly hurt themselves. Wherever possible, place a towel between
your body and the machine you’re using. If you do drip sweat or water, wipe it
down well.
3. Be a bunny, not a hog
You’re entitled to practice your planned
sets, but always be aware of others waiting to use the machine and set a
reasonable time frame,” says Raleigh.
The standard for cardio machines (such as
treadmill and stationary bikes) is 10 minutes. Unless there’s definitely nobody
waiting, stick to this.
4. Bend with caution!
Change rooms are a hotspot for bad gym
habits. “This is not the place to be shaving any – and I mean any-body parts,
nor washing your delicates after your gym session,” says Raleigh. “Keep it
short and functional. The respectable amount of flesh to show is subjective…
“No-one minds a quick flash while you’re
reaching for your towel. But a confident, towel-less stroll is, in my eyes,
inappropriate. And remember how you bend when someone is standing behind you!”
Cycling 101
1. Hold your line
The most annoying thing novice cyclists ten
to do is look over their shoulders, lose their line and swerve,” says top local
cyclist Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, who’s off to the London Olympics this year.
Sudden veering can, and often does, have bloody consequences - especially at
events, where the domino effect leads to nasty pile-ups. The same holds true
for sudden stops.
2. Don’t be a half-wheeling harriet
In cycling circles, “half-wheeling” –
riding just ahead of another rider, spurring them to pick up their pace –is a
dirty word.
Moolman Pasio is categorical: “It’s a
capital crime.” In group or club rides, it’ll make you instantly unpopular. Not
only is it read as a taunt (“I can ride faster than you!”), it disrupts the
flow of the bunch, causing everyone to speed up and undermining the judgement
of the lead rider who’s responsible for setting an appropriate pace.
Avoid the shame by holding not only to your
line, but also to a wheel. Moolman Pasio translates: “Maintian 30cm or less
between you and the wheel ahead and ride very slightly to the side. This way
you’ll get good draft [see ‘3. Know when to graft, not draft’] and if someone
slows down, you’re less likely to ride into them.” If you’re riding abreast,
the rule is line up handlebar to handlebar.
3. Know when to graft, not draft.
Known as “drafting”, riding in the
slipstream of another cyclist (just behind them) can make slogging up harsh
inclines much less punishing. But isn’t it a bit of a cheek to use another
cyclist as your windscreen? Not really, no.”You’re allowed to draft in training
and in road races, although never in a time trial,” says Joburg-based Lynette
Burger, a SA track cycling champ.
Moolman Pasio adds another condition. “Ina
race, it’s not OK to draft racers from a passing category [one that’s lapping
you]. You may, however, draft riders from your own group.”
As for making use of other riders who
happen to be training on the same route, it’s common practice. “Out of courtesy
introduce yourself rather than just hanging on for a free ride,” says Moolman
Pasio.
4. Learn to shoot sharp
If you were taught that lady keeps her
bodily fluids to herself, this one might come as a shock.
Roadside disposal of spit or phlegm is not
alas, taboo. “It’s not really appropriate,” says Burger, “but it’s sometimes
necessary to make breathing or swallowing easier.”
If you have the stomach for it, etiquette
states that you calculate your aim with absolute accuracy; veterans insist this
is a delicate art.
