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Swabbing equipment handle bars and examining collected specimens under microscopes might bring gym germ grossness closer to the forefront of our minds; but will it prevent us from working out at health clubs?

For most fitness club members the answer is a definite no and there are good reasons why this answer is understandable including the fact that most people do not have exercise equipment at home and many people need to get out of the house in order to force themselves to stick to their workout routines.

No matter what response one gives to the gym germ and avoidance issue, the facts are, we all collect and spread germs, they don't need our permission to attach themselves to or release themselves from us, and we will undoubtedly continue to aid their ability to survive every time we touch a thing and then touch another thing and then touch another thing. Even more still, we will continue to do what germs like most-touch things and then touch our faces, eyes, noses and mouths; and of course, we will most likely continue to allow germs to latch on to us simply by walking on them with our bare feet.

Exercisers don't have to give in to germs so easily however. We can fight the little buggers by wiping down exercise equipment before and after using it. Since most all equipment has some sort of bar that must be handled or buttons that must be pressed in order to operate it, wiping equipment in advance protects users from germs left by previous exercisers and wiping them after completing routines protects the next guy or gal.

We can avoid touching things we don't need to touch - for instance many of us may not need to touch doors that can be pushed with a clothed part of our bodies and we may not need to touch handrails when going up or down stairs.

Wearing gloves can help protect us - although some athletic gloves have finger holes that allow for aeration, wearing them helps to keep germ levels at lower degrees than not wearing them because major portions of gloved hands are covered.

Weightlifters - aside from gloves take gear such as abdominal straps, lifting straps, triceps ropes and bar pads to the gym with you. Having your own gear assures you won't have to touch some of the millions of germs on gear touched by sweaty palms before you.

Hand towels - arriving at a gym without a hand towel is like arriving at a beach without a swimsuit. Problem with towels is we put them down while we workout; and where do we put them - on exercise equipment full of germs - or even

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