7 awkward moments everyone experiences at the gym

The gym is a crazy place. Everyone’s doing their own thing, getting really sweaty, and bumping into each other on the way to the same machine. Hilarity has to ensue. It’s not just you: There are so many awkward moments at the gym that everyone experiences…which sort of just means that you shouldn’t be so embarrassed when they happen to you. Whether it’s random sweat, smells, or just locking eye contact with That Weird Guy, no one looks properly cool at the gym.
The gym was basically made for awkward moments.
It’s like some unspoken rule that as soon as you put on yoga pants, tie your hair back, and hop on a treadmill that cringeworthy things will happen to you. Sweaty body parts are flying, people are huffing and puffing, and you’re just trying to figure out how to use the leg press machine without running into that friend of a friend you spotted using the other contraption you never properly figured out how to use right next to it.
Small talk and strength training were never meant to happen at the same time, guys. Everyone has weirdness at the gym.
If you’re still face palming over that random crotch sweat you didn’t notice till you hit the locker room, read on. Because these are the most common awkward gym moments that happen to everyone. Every. Single. Time.
1Spilling your water on the treadmill.
A body in motion must stay in motion. Just when you start to get your groove on a treadmill, we all trick ourselves into thinking we can seamlessly grab that water bottle just like they do in the movies. Wrong! It’s ends up being dribbled all over chin and tank top, right in front of that hot trainer who looked over at the exact same time. Or maybe you just accidentally inhale it and almost literally drown during mile three. Good stuff. Stay classy.
2Unsolicited nudity.
There’s nothing wrong with nudity, especially in a locker room or shower. That’s where people will be naked. We all know this. Yet it can be off-putting when you walk in a stranger just bare-ass naked while you’re still catching your breath from that last set of pull-ups. Even more awkward? When you run into someone you know who insists on having a conversation with you about mutual friends while completely topless. It’s hard to concentrate when you’re talking to boobs sometimes, even when you’re totally not a prude.
3Leaving sweaty butt marks.
Butt sweat is a common thing in gyms, but it totally sucks when the gym is crowded and you’re hopping off a machine, gathering your belongings and don’t get a chance to wipe down the seat before another person moves in. And then they look at you like you’re the jerk for not wiping the seat down! We were gonna take care of that, we swear, and we’re sorry you know what our sweaty butt looks like.
4Catching someone’s eye at the wrong time.
Nothing feels better than doing reps on a machine. But it always seems like someone is making eye contact just when you get going on the hip reflexer, or are spread eagle on another machine. Just keep repeating to yourself: This is not sexual, this is not sexual, this is just my workout.
5Singing outloud by accident.
Tunes are essential to any good workout and sometimes we can lose ourselves when Beyoncé comes on. A little outburst during the hook happens to everyone. Like, you’re human. Just ignore the weird glances from the woman next to you. She’s obviously not having as much fun toning her abs as you are.
6Blatantly using the machines the wrong way.
Being too afraid to ask how to use a machine is dangerous for a few reasons. But sometimes, it’s less about any injury to your body than the injury to your dignity when you realize you’re stacking weights wrong or accidentally make the treadmill move waaaaay faster than you meant to. Don’t pull a Taylor Swift, friends.
7Really wanting to pick that wedgie.
Can we get to the bottom of this? Why is it so socially unacceptable to pick a wedgie in general? It’s just your undies bunching up in your butt crack. Men adjust themselves all the time in public, yet having pull your underwear through your gym shorts knowing that people are behind you is somehow mortifying. Like, terribly so.
A lot of things can go wrong at the gym and make you feel like a tool. But you should be proud of yourself for actually going to the gym: It’s good for your bod and your mental health (unless, of course, you can’t stop replaying the moment you realized your body odor was not as low-key as you assumed it was).