Hygiene in the gym - Why fitness gloves are a good idea

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Over the past few years, fitness studios have seen a huge increase in the number of visitors due to the fitness boom. Every day, many people come together and leave behind not only sweat and burned calories, but also a multitude of bacteria and viruses on the equipment.

Therefore, even before the pandemic, hygiene in the gym was an important topic for gym operators and athletes.

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Status Quo in fitness studios

Hygiene is often a decisive factor when choosing a gym. A representative study revealed that 46% of athletes consider "price" to be the most important factor when choosing a gym - but cleanliness is almost as important to them at 44%.

Gyms are also the perfect breeding ground for viruses and bacteria because of the humid air. Due to sweating and the shower facilities, the air there remains warm and humid, which allows germs to multiply perfectly.

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Various studies have already shown how germ-laden studios can be. For example, one study shows that the bacterium "Staphylococcus aureus" can be detected on 75% of all equipment. This bacterium can cause muscular diseases in humans and even pneumonia or mastitis.
Failure to properly disinfect gym equipment or adequately wash hands between workouts can lead to cross-contamination. 

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How to prevent infections in the gym?

To protect yourself from infections and diseases in the gym, it is recommended to pay attention to the following eight basic principles of hygiene:

  1. Regular hand washing (at least 60 seconds)
  2. Regular airing (to let the warm and humid air escape, at least every 15 minutes).
  3. Keep distance when exercising (min. 1.5 meters)
  4. Disinfecting hands and equipment before and after use
  5. Wearing MNS masks and changing them regularly as soon as they become damp
  6. If possible: Train everyone to look in the same direction
  7. Do not touch the face during training
  8. Take three towels with you: One for the device, one to wipe sweat and the third to dry off after the shower.

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Is all this feasible?

Just by reading through the basic principles, you will notice: These are some points that you should remember as a visitor to a gym.

While some rules are easier to follow, there are also points that you as an individual cannot influence.

For example, recommendations #3 and #6: For working people, there are two options for when they can work out: Either in the morning before work or later in the evening after work. Since not all people are already in the gym from 5am in the morning, 5pm - 8pm form the usual peak hours. During this time it is of course more difficult to keep a distance of 1.5 meters to the other athletes. Also, exercising in the same line of sight cannot be guaranteed.

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Similarly, for people with time stress, many people still take the time to go to the gym in addition to a stressful job and their family obligations to leave the stress of everyday life behind. But with the extra tasks, there may not be much time left for the actual workout at the end of the session.


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Did the person in front of me clean properly?

Many athletes therefore have a great need for hygiene during training. However, because it is not visible whether the person in front of them has cleaned the fitness equipment properly, many people do not feel comfortable using the equipment. They have no choice but to spend their own time cleaning the equipment before and after use.

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How can gym owners promote hygiene in the gym?

To reduce the spread of germs, gym operators already offer a few options. One is the tried-and-true towel service.

Athletes can pick up fresh towels at the reception before their workout. This makes it easier for athletes to train without having to pack three towels for each training session.

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On the other hand, gyms have dispensers with disinfectant wipes that athletes can use to clean their equipment.

But this does not make training easier for athletes: First, the dispensers are usually not located in the immediate vicinity of the equipment, which makes their use not always very attractive. In addition, the disinfectant irritates the skin when used in heaps, which can cause skin irritation on the hands. The dry skin and eczema are not only painful, but can also limit training.

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Spotted: Mountains of paper trash & clouds of cleaning supplies

The use of disinfectant wipes and/or cleaning agents creates mountains of paper waste. Athletes need new wipes for each touchpoint - sometimes these are also used when "grabbing" to avoid direct contact with sports equipment.

In addition, the bottles of detergent leave clouds of chemical spray in the training air each time they are used.

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Considering these less than optimal solutions, ElephantSkin has developed a fitness glove. The motto: "Train more, clean less".

ElephantSkin gloves are designed for (hobby) athletes who do not want to do without hygiene during their training.

The ElephantSkin Fitness Glove is treated with antiviral and antibacterial technology to efficiently combat cross-contamination in the gym. Viruses and bacteria that collect on the glove surface are broken down, greatly limiting their spread.

Due to the decomposition of the germs, it is not necessary to constantly change the gloves. Thus, they can be worn the whole training session.

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Our fitness glove convinces with its robustness and was specially designed for the high demands of athletes. It is made of 100% recycled polyester and is therefore tear-resistant and resilient. The performance-oriented silicone coating on the inside of the hand provides optimal grip during training - indoors and outdoors!

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Our fitness glove convinces with its robustness and was specially designed for the high demands of athletes. It is made of 100% recycled polyester and is therefore tear-resistant and resilient.
The performance-oriented silicone coating on the inside of the hand provides optimal grip during training - indoors and outdoors!

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Where can ElephantSkin fitness gloves be used?

Fitness equipment

All fitness equipment is in constant use throughout the day and is touched by many different hands. Gloves are a good way to efficiently limit the transmission of bacteria and viruses between athletes.

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Service offer: Glove subscription

The reception desk in fitness centers is the first point of contact where visitors have personal contact with employees. 

This is where service is offered! Fitness operators not only create a pleasant atmosphere, but also emphasize the high standard of hygiene in the studio. This gives the attentive operator the opportunity to introduce a "glove service" in addition to the towel service.  

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For training, athletes can get a pair of gloves from the reception and hand them in for washing after training together with the towel. 

The fitness gloves make it easier for athletes to maintain hygiene standards, allowing them to focus on their workout.

 

Here you can get more information about our fitness glove and the application area "training"!

Interessiert? Here you can purchase the ElephantSkin Fitness Glove..

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For more information, follow us on our social media channels for the latest updates:

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To avoid misunderstandings:

ElephantSkin gloves do not replace disposable gloves in medical (sterile) applications.
ElephantSkin gloves are not intended to replace hand washing.
ElephantSkin gloves are an option for people who cannot wash their hands regularly.

Sources

https://www.fitforfun.de/gesundheit/wie-hygienisch-sind-fitnessstudios-367978.html

https://www.fitnessmarkt.de/magazin/artikel/leitfaden-fuer-unanfechtbare-hygiene-und-desinfektion-in-ihrem-fitnessstudio

https://www.netzathleten.de/fitness/richtig-trainieren/item/7401-corona-krise-im-fitnessstudio-auf-hygiene-achten

https://www.sports-insider.de/hygiene-regeln-im-fitnessstudio-4578/