Hey Minnesota, Put Your Shoes On When You’re At The Gym

Last night, as I was leaving the gym where I workout, I looked to my left and saw something that made my jaw drop. Next to some of the cardio machines were some pairs of shoes. It took a minute to register that people were working out on the machines, in their socks. What?

Am I overreacting here? Sometimes it's tough enough to get some gym-bro to wipe down their machine when they are done, let alone would someone take the time to wipe off the tread on the treadmill, elliptical machine foot area, or the foot area on the stairmaster/stairmill.

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I know people like to stretch out on mats before or after a workout and that wearing shoes might inhibit your stretching, but if you don't wear shoes on the equipment or elsewhere in the gym, I think you'd be lucky not to encounter a few close calls with weights or people.

This was a whole subject on Reddit in the last year, and it seems that overall,l people wearing socks in the gym or working out is a thing. People like how they feel more grounded; some said not wearing shoes while lifting was easier on their knees, while others were in the camp of wearing shoes.

One comment stood out to me, as it was a logical anti-shoe argument. Here's that comment.

Comment
byu/thesithtoad from discussion
inxxfitness

"Take your shoes off if you want! Just don't take off your socks. That's when it becomes a hazard for you.

People saying that it's gross are being ridiculous and are probably just easily weirded out by feet, but thats their own issue. It's no different than walking around with shoes on.

Deadlift platforms, squat racks, and turf areas are really the acceptable areas.

The big addendum to this is: do not take your shoes off using machines (including leg press) or anything that isn't on the ground. Basically, don't take your shoes off using machines, it's a big safety issue for yourself, and it's a lot more reasonable for someone to put their hands in those areas of a machine.

Any gym that says it's a hazard or liability for them are being dumb because you always sign a waiver when you go into thr gym saying that you will not hold the gym liable for injury. So if you drop a weight on your foot (with a shoe on or off, because 45 pounds will still do damage with a shoe on) it's your own fault." - Independent-Syrup195 via Reddit

Personally, I'd rather folks wear shoes on the equipment, not that I hate feet, because I REALLY don't like feet, it just seems to me working out in just your socks is much less clean, and it makes me think about someone's sweaty sock was just where I am now working out.