It's Social

The gym is really a social place. Yes, it is meant to be a place of working out and getting healthy, but seriously, it is a social place! I notice that I start to look for the people I "expect" to be there and when they aren't I wonder why they aren't there. It isn't that I haven't noticed the gym as a social place before, but I'm noticing it more lately! I don't have anyone that I look for to work out with or to chat with, I have people that I look for to say hello to or give a head-nod or a smile to.
I have had work-out partners from time-to-time and I can tell you, I enjoy those workout days more! I love chatting with a friend and getting something done at the same time!
I look for Mr. Shorty Shorts and Mr. Black Socks daily. I enjoy catching a glimpse of the Senior Dance Group practicing! I love the woman in the front row of my Zumba class and how she Zumba's like nobodies business! I can't wait to see Mrs. I Just Had a Baby in my Pilate's class. I look forward to the occasional, quick hello, with a mutual friend of a friend or the parent of one of my kids friends! I enjoy Mrs. Clicks, on the track and knowing that she will be walking with someone, but who today?
I know why group fitness works and why it always has, it's social, I've always said that! But, how can a gym survive so long without ever changing names---it promotes the social side of working out and people love that and come back for it!
All that being said....
It was much to my surprise one day, when a woman "scolded" myself and a friend for chatting during the warm-up of a class! I couldn't believe the way she did it or that she did it! Everyone knows, chatting through the warm-up is OK! It's when class gets going that, first you shoot a dirty look and then you politely ask the chatting to stop! But nooooooooooooooooo, this woman was mean-spirited! My friend and I obliged the grouchy woman and stopped chatting immediately (after all the meat of the class was about to begin anyway)and felt a lil uncomfortable the rest of the class!
It only takes one to ruin the social part of the gym and that should not happen! I really wonder how many people Ms. Grouch has chased off!
Truth is, people keep working out because they enjoy going and it is usually the people they meet up with, see, chat with, wink at etc......... that keep them coming back and our health depends on that! Even if you don't chat with anyone, there is someone that you expect to see at the gym daily and that makes it social!
Please, don't let Ms. Grouch chase you off, she is only one! Look forward to seeing your friends or workout partners or your own Mr. Black Socks or Mr. Shorty-shorts or your own Mrs. Zumba's Great or Mrs. Pilate's I Just Had a Baby (and look fab) or Miss College and Everything is Tone, or Mr. Muscle Look at Me or Miss I Can Do Everything and Look Good While Doing It! Look forward to that stuff and keep yourself going back for that exercise, after-all you may be someone elses Miss, Mrs, Ms, Mr something and you'd be letting them down if you didn't show up tomorrow! Enjoy your workout and enjoy the social part of your gym time too!