The Importance of Washing Your Hands: Germs at the Gym

The Importance of Washing Your Hands: Germs at the Gym

Jason Baker
Fitness805.com

Let's talk about washing our hands. It's a pretty simple act that can actually have a huge effect on your health. Washing your hands often can do a lot to keep you from getting sick, and to keep you from sharing germs with everyone around you.

Believe me, as a new father of a toddler who makes sure to be a 'walking germ pool' by touching everything possible, I know how important hygiene can be.

In public places, people leave behind germs with every touch. This can pose a big problem at the Gym. We go to the Gym for our health, but we can sometimes make backward progress by exposing ourselves to the germs of other Gym-goers.

How to wash your hands

Most of us take washing our hands very casually, but E-coli, MRSA and other staph-a bacteria, as well as common cold and flu viruses can be left on surfaces at the gym. Proper hand washing is necessary to keep them out of your life. Most people end up bringing bacteria home without meaning to just because they aren't paying enough attention to properly washing up.

Here's how to do it right:

1. Rinse your hands first. You want to be sure the soap will cover every part of your hands equally, and for that they need to be thoroughly rinsed.

2. Lather and scrub for at least 20 seconds, being sure to scrub every part of the hand including the fingers, tips, the back of the hands and under the fingernails. Giving your hands the once over isn't going to cut it. If you're not thorough, you'll end up hanging on to bacteria better left at the gym.

3. Rinse well. You used the soap to clean your hands, but the bacteria can survive. Carefully rinsing off every last bit of soap is the only way to be sure to get rid of all lingering germs.

4. Dry your hands. If possible, try and turn off the water faucet with the paper towel, or your elbows, to keep from putting the bacteria you just washed off back on your hands. And don't touch that door on the way out! Public restroom door handles are coated with bacteria.

Diligent hand washing is something worth taking seriously. Wash your hands before you head home. You work hard at the gym to be healthy. Don't bring germs home to your loved ones, and don't fall short in avoiding illness.

Jason Baker, Dr. Laura's Personal Trainer Jason A. Baker is a fitness expert with over 10 years of experience. He currently holds certifications through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and his past work experience involves many different disciplines such as nutrition and exercise. He has provided personal training services for clients around the world and enjoys educating the public about living healthy and feeling great. In 2006 Jason Baker founded Fitness805.com, a Santa Barbara County health and fitness resource providing fitness experts in almost every form of exercise from yoga to martial arts and many types of prescreened professionals in niche areas such as building custom home gyms, private chefs and specialized massage professionals.