The Gym and H1N1 Virus

Originally Posted by Pete22

I'm usually oblivious to others at the gym. But after reading this thread, I went to the gym today and observed people around me sneezing and coughing, and it got me a little paranoid. I'm mostly by the power rack the whole time anyway, as long as I stay away from the smith machine and preacher curl bench I should be fine.

Pete, you mean the glute ham raise, or the preacher curl?

The majority of us (healthy individuals in our young adult life 20 to 50) will have nothing to fear of the H1N1 Virus, it a slightly more dangerous verison of the flu.

Something like 30,000 poeple die from the flu each year anyways. I'm not concerned about it, 4 of my friends if had it and all are fine. The doctors/nurses that I know go "It's a slightly more serious case of the Flu, but in 90% of the cases you'll be just fine with regular flu fighting tactics"

Originally Posted by lonesXedge

Pete, you mean the glute ham raise, or the preacher curl?

Hahaha! That's why I use my GHR at home, I don't want to get infected. Plus there's a line out the door to get on the preacher curl and use entirely too much weight.

Matt Kroc just posted a nice, unbiased opinion piece in his log about the current situation with some thoughts. It looks like he did some research behind this, and as a pharmacist, his opinion probably holds some weight on the matter.

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/training-...id=107566&tid=

These are some things that will help.

Wipe down every peice of equiptment before and after use

Wash your hands immediately after lifting

Cough into your shoulder and not your hand

Take your vitamens

Drink plenty of water

Wash down a shopping cart before use, wash hands after touching a door, railing, drinking fountain etc........

Avoid eating out as much as possible.

Originally Posted by bass slayer

These are some things that will help.

Wipe down every peice of equiptment before and after use

Wash your hands immediately after lifting

Cough into your shoulder and not your hand

Take your vitamens

Drink plenty of water

Wash down a shopping cart before use, wash hands after touching a door, railing, drinking fountain etc........

Avoid eating out as much as possible.

I believe in doing the opposite and letting your immune system get its bench on.



I'm immune to ALOT of virus due to being exposed to ALOT of strains of various zooiphiliac dieseases/bacteria/viruses, I can walk around on a kill floor without a mask and be fine - If the average person does this, they will be sick for weeks to months, depending on what they have been exposed to.

Originally Posted by Risk10k

I believe in doing the opposite and letting your immune system get its bench on.



I'm immune to ALOT of virus due to being exposed to ALOT of strains of various zooiphiliac dieseases/bacteria/viruses, I can walk around on a kill floor without a mask and be fine - If the average person does this, they will be sick for weeks to months, depending on what they have been exposed to.

I think that really is the best thing in most cases. I think many people bring their kids or themselves to the doctor for every little freakin thing...colds, fevers, whatever. They take drugs for everything and they just get sick all the time.



That wiping down the shopping cart things is outta control, lol.

Originally Posted by Risk10k

I believe in doing the opposite and letting your immune system get its bench on.

This would be a great idea except for the fact that as mentioned per my earlier post, even though you maybe won't get that sick, the chance for spreading infection is still something to consider.

Originally Posted by Mercuryblade

This would be a great idea except for the fact that as mentioned per my earlier post, even though you maybe won't get that sick, the chance for spreading infection is still something to consider.

While I agree with coughing into the shoulder and washing hand etc, I'm not going to carry a friggen anti-bacterial instant dry hand sanitizer around with me to protect everyone else from something that my skin might be carrying.

On that note, there are FAR more dangerous bacteria running around on everyone at any given time than the H1N1 virus - your immune system just happens to be kicking its ass, all day long.

My dad worked with a Lady that was a germaphobe back before it was "popular" back when hand sanitizer was just coming out. She was talking about how when she goes into the grocery store she makes sure to wipe down the handle with an antibacterial wipe before she touches it. My dad being the smart ass he can be asked if she put her produce in the baby seat/top basket on the cart. She said yes, and he asked if she wipes it down, she looked at him puzzled and said no, why?
He said, think of all the babies that sit in that seat with dirty diapers. She turned green and nearly puked.

Originally Posted by Risk10k

While I agree with coughing into the shoulder and washing hand etc, I'm not going to carry a friggen anti-bacterial instant dry hand sanitizer around with me to protect everyone else from something that my skin might be carrying.

On that note, there are FAR more dangerous bacteria running around on everyone at any given time than the H1N1 virus - your immune system just happens to be kicking its ass, all day long.

I dont know if they have them at all grocery stores, but at mine, they have a little anti bacterial wipe dispenser that you can use to wipe down the cart. Wont take but 2 seconds. Also why would you not want to take extra precautions if there really was a huge pandemic. Not saying there is, but just saying even the smallest thing could help.

Originally Posted by bass slayer

I dont know if they have them at all grocery stores, but at mine, they have a little anti bacterial wipe dispenser that you can use to wipe down the cart. Wont take but 2 seconds. Also why would you not want to take extra precautions if there really was a huge pandemic. Not saying there is, but just saying even the smallest thing could help.

If there was a TRUE pandemic of an air-borne based viral infection, the last thing I would worry about is my shopping cart.

Im pretty sure I already had it in the summer when I had a 2 day flu. I'm not too concerned about it anymore. My room mate had it, and our neighbours had it.

Originally Posted by Risk10k

If there was a TRUE pandemic of an air-borne based viral infection, the last thing I would worry about is my shopping cart.

Very true. Glad to say we dont have that problem. We do have a flu going around though.

Originally Posted by Skalami

Wait, you had the flu and still went to the gym?

Yea... WTF is wrong with you?

Originally Posted by Risk10k

I'm immune to ALOT of virus due to being exposed to ALOT of strains of various zooiphiliac dieseases/bacteria/viruses, I can walk around on a kill floor without a mask and be fine - If the average person does this, they will be sick for weeks to months, depending on what they have been exposed to.

Jesus, what the hell do you do for a living? Slaughterhouse?

Originally Posted by drummer

Jesus, what the hell do you do for a living? Slaughterhouse?

I hope he does not answer your question considering: Zoophilia, from the Greek is the practice of sex between humans and animals.

If you don't touch your face (especially eyes and mouth) while lifting and wash your hands thoroughly with soap afterwards you won't have to worry about catching H1N1 at the gym. You should do this regardless of the prevalence of la maladie du jour.

Also, wash your hands thoroughly before going into the gym for the courtesy of other people who don't want to catch what you have. And you might be contagious even if you're not sympotomatic (yet).

Both my friggin parents are coming down with something, my dad is hacking and coughing and my mom is beginning to cough. Looks like I'm ****ed. I haven't been sick in over 5 years, but I am going to be pissed if I get sick now. They've had something for about three days and so far I'm fine, I just hope it stays that way. I've been walking around with disinfecting wipes and wiping down everything they touch, and using hand sanitizer from time to time.

I don't post much, but I figured this piece I recently read could be of value. I know it sucks to be kept out of the gym due to illness, so I hope it helps.


The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot, but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Originally Posted by ZenMonkey

Yea... WTF is wrong with you?

Hah! Its called being serious about my training. Try it.

My gym is teeming with this ****. Long before i got it. I'm probably one ov three serious trainers working towards some real goal in the entire membership, so there's no way in hell i'm gonna be the only guy to stay home because ov some silly flu. ****... you guys make it sound like i'm screwing people with AIDS or something... Turn off your TV's.

I could never gargle salt water, it makes me feel sick.

I'm on day three or four now and still feel fine, is there a period where sick people are more contagious and I can start considering myself in the clear?

Originally Posted by Judas

Hah! Its called being serious about my training. Try it.

My gym is teeming with this ****. Long before i got it. I'm probably one ov three serious trainers working towards some real goal in the entire membership, so there's no way in hell i'm gonna be the only guy to stay home because ov some silly flu. ****... you guys make it sound like i'm screwing people with AIDS or something... Turn off your TV's.

Dude if sick people dont come to the gym it would cut down huge on the potential of infecting others. Theirs always the people that dont know theyre sick yet but cmon man... a little courtesy.

On a side note im going to start training with latex gloves and an oxygen mask. And anyone time someone comes up to talk to me i'll spray em down with some clorox disinfecting spray and squirt them with disinfectant

Originally Posted by Judas

Hah! Its called being serious about my training. Try it.

My gym is teeming with this ****. Long before i got it. I'm probably one ov three serious trainers working towards some real goal in the entire membership, so there's no way in hell i'm gonna be the only guy to stay home because ov some silly flu. ****... you guys make it sound like i'm screwing people with AIDS or something... Turn off your TV's.

First, just take a deep breath, nobody is comparing this to aids.

This is a pretty even keeled discussion, no need to get all fussy about it.

You do realize they do have a point, if you're a trainer, you're comming in contact with a lot more people than the average person, so the chances of you giving it to someone is pretty realistic, however that does boil down to personal choice I guess.

I'm pretty sure I have it now and I feel like crap! Definitely not fun. No gym for me until I get better, I don't want to spread this to others. Another reason to stay out of gyms while you have the flu is that you could pick up a secondary infection. We all know staph is common in community settings, being in an immuno compromised state from a viral infection makes it much easier to pick up a bacterial infection.