The Gym and H1N1 Virus

Obviously we've all seen the news of people getting H1N1 every day and the gym is probably one of the highest risk places to get it, outside of a dorm.

So what are you guys doing to avoid getting the virus? Are there things you do at home to prevent it?

Honestly I haven't changed a ton in my routine (I manage the gym I run my business out of) besides being better about cleaning the equipment more frequently and washing my hands a little bit more.

I've had several guys who have been out of the gym with it and they certainly did get pretty sick.

So who's become a germaphobe and who is just too tough to get the virus??

H1N1 or not, I always use hand sanitizer immediately after a workout (they have it at my gym) and wash my hands when I get home.

That, and eat well and sleep well.

Originally Posted by ZenFitness

eat well and sleep well.

This...both of my kids had it (most likely), several of my friends had it (doctor confirmed), and a bunch of my students had it (some confirmed). So far I have avoided it, but I'm older and supposedly it isn't as bad for us old dudes.

I don't have to worry about getting it at the gym, my gym is at home.

I still wipe down my bench and bar at least once a week with a Clorox wipe, I try to do it after every workout.

I try not to lick my hands after sets, but seriously I don't think there is much we can do other than be cautious. I agree with ZenFit in that I've been making an effort more than ever to eat right and get sleep around the times others are getting sick.

I was extremely sick at the beginning of this year and I think that has helped my system. My friends, who got the flu shot, are currently sick. Go figure.

I'm old, so I'm not too worried about H1N1. It appears us older folks have likely been exposed to the strain or one very similar to it previously. I get a flu shot every year for the past 12 years and I've avoided the flu for each of those years. Of course, now that I typed that I'm probably going to get it... curses!

I wash my hands immediately after lifting and then go straight home and take a shower. My wife is pregnant, so I am trying extra hard to stay clean. I also try to avoid touching my face while lifting, which you actually do quite often without realizing it- adjusting headphones, scratching, wiping sweat, etc.

We keep a big bottle of hand sanitizer in the gym. We also clean the bars frequently with acetone. Acetone works great. It kills most everything and dries almost immediately...much faster than bleach.

Everywhere I spend time is basically a risk. Tons of people in computer labs, lectures, my house, and my gym. I'm exposed to thousands of people a day probably.

I haven't ever taken a flu shot and I never go to the doctor because I'm in Canada and it'll take two weeks to get an appointment. I'd be dead by then if I was sick so I just don't go...haven't been there in a long time, I just tough it out. I think it has helped build my immune system because I get sick maybe once every year or two and its usually just a small cold.

I'm basically a germaphobe though and I wash my hands after touching just about anything.

Avoid touching your mouth, eyes, nose and ears.
Wash your hands after your session.
Avoid people talking directly to you, since the virus is transmitted with saliva.

Pretty much do what I always do. Keep clean, wipe equipment down, stay away from others who are sick. If I get sick, I will take time off. If not, I will train.

Has anyone gotten the vaccine?

I use the sanitizer they have there more often and wash my hands when I get back before I start makin my food. That's about it...I'm not too worried about it. I survived all four of my roommmates getting either it or the standard flu so I think I'm good.

I bring a bottle of disinfectant with me and spritz the bench or machine before and after I used it.

One guy called me a douche bag for doing that, but I try to be safe after some staph went through one of my old gyms.

Originally Posted by Travis Bell

Has anyone gotten the vaccine?

Travis,
I live with 5 other people and two of them have gotten the vaccine. It's been a few weeks and they're all healthy.

I don't usually get sick. take extra vitamins if I feel iffy or everyone around me is sick and mkae sure to get rest. And of course wash my hands after I am done lifting.

As soon as it is available, I'll take advantage of the vaccine. Right now, the priority cases need first dibs. I'll have to wait for the second round.

I dont usually get sick, but this year i swear i'm under some kind ov supernatural attack... so i fully expected to get something. I'm well overtrained, underslept and underfed right now, and haven't been taking the usual vitamins or immune system-enhancing supplements i've always taken because i'm so broke, so i've already had the flu (yes, THAT flu). I didn't have to stop training so its no biggie. I doubt i would have got it at all if it happened (a generally much healthier) last year.

Gyms are generally disgusting places. Even the spotless ones that clean everything never seem to clean the weights themselves... weights that EVERYONE touches with bare, dirty hands. The plates and bars in my gym are 30 years old and have literally never been washed in that time. I dont even bother trying to stay away. I just clean my hands before eating and when i leave the gym and try not to cough or sneeze in other peoples' faces because i'm such a nice guy.

I still think this swine flu bull**** is just media-created hype, and the drug companies AGAIN are raking it in. But yeah, the gym is probably one ov the worst places you could be if you didn't want to get it. My gym has been barer than usual, and i dont know if its because people are sick and staying home, or avoiding it because ov the hype. Its not usually so abandoned this time ov year.

All I've really changed is I make sure I wash my hands after training.

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

I think I'm OK because I had it during the summer.

It completely floored me for 3-4 days and then I went back to work. Luckily I got tamiflu right from the start so that probably helped the recovery. It was horrible though, I could feel myself fighting it off for a few days and then I just couldn't get up one morning and rung in sick. I could barely move for a day, then I felt awful for a day, then bad and then I was mostly OK again. A really sharp shock to the system.

Ive never gotten a flu shot that wasnt mandatory. My wife is pregnant and got the H1N1 vaccine. What made her decide to do it is every year the flu vaccine is re-made based on the predicted majority flu strain. So while the H1N1 vaccine is new, it isnt like the people making the vaccine are going through some entirely new proccess. Its just a different strain of the influenza virus.

Originally Posted by Judas

I still think this swine flu bull**** is just media-created hype, and the drug companies AGAIN are raking it in. But yeah, the gym is probably one ov the worst places you could be if you didn't want to get it. My gym has been barer than usual, and i dont know if its because people are sick and staying home, or avoiding it because ov the hype. Its not usually so abandoned this time ov year.

I can tell you as someone that works in the healthcare industry that it's not all media hype. Like any situation, the media is playing on public fears and will over-sensationalize things, but the nature of this virus is something to be concerned about. No, you will probably not die from it, but because most people don't have the anti-bodies to fight off an infection, the chance for spread is very high. Like anything, it's all about minimizing risk, and when a larger subsect of the population is exposed to a virus that kills people every year, the potential for greater casualities is increased.
I got my vaccine for the sole reason that I don't want to spread the virus to others. I'm not worried about dying from the flu (as I am young and healthy), but I want to minimize my chances of infecting other people if I do get it.

Long story short, the government is taking extra precautions about a potential pandemic, and the media is taking every oppurtunity to cash in on public fears. Just take extra precautionary measures to prevent the spread of infection, but don't let it keep you up at night.

Originally Posted by Skalami

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

I just noticed that part of his post too.

Training while your sick is a really ****ty thing to do to others at your gym.

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.