14 September 2011

Gym (dating) Etiquette

How do you approach someone at the gym; if at all?

I've been at my gym for a year now and there is always a new hotty showing up, but how exactly do you speak to them when they have ear phones jammed in their ears/with their mate/posing in front of the mirrors (I mean doing weights...)

Now in terms of guys talking to me I've had two different approaches:

1) In the steam room where I'm near to naked and it's just me and him. That awkward conversation begins and I was too polite to make my excuses (20 years too young) and do a runner! Instead I let the steam get to the point where I was at fainting point and then left. (20 minutes later).

2) This approach happened just the other week and stemmed this post.
There I was, on Bank Holiday Sunday (yes, that is how interesting my life is, gym on a Sunday and even more so a Bank Holiday!)
There I was sat (note: earphones in) on the abs machine - yes ok, I was replying to a text, but I had just done a rep of 20 so was having a breather and again it was Bank Holiday Sunday making the gym near enough empty.
This guy comes up to me, his lips start moving, I look behind me to remember all there is, is a brick wall. Excellent it's me his lips are moving to.
As you know from previous posts I'm always too polite to ignore/tell them to piss off. In true Daniela style I took my earphones out and listened to what he was saying whilst thinking of the quickest/politest way to get him to go away.

He came out with lines like, 
"Not see you in here before"
"What you doing here on Bank Holiday Sunday?"
One question I got was what music was I listening to which resulted in me picking up my Ipod with a follow up question of; 
"Oh is that one of the cool ones that do video?" I replied; "I'm not sure my boyfriend brought me it so to put my music on".
There, boyfriend card played surely he would leave me alone now? No, instead I then get grilled about my "boyfriend" that I don't have. He eventually clicks I don't want to talk to and leaves me be... 20 minutes later!

So gym etiquette; how do you do it, if at all? 
Put it this way, I haven't got a clue! I do know however the 2nd approach won't be it!
For the past four months now I've seen the same "red sweatpants boy" and all we manage to exchange is the uncomfortable smile. I mean I don't want to just wade up to him! He may pull the "girlfriend" card and then what?
I think if at all, the best approach maybe that awkward silence in the steam room/sauna.

Now just to work out how to get him in there...!