The 7 Worst People You Meet at the Gym

Why they're bothering you: Maybe they're so in the zone that they forgot (or the gym is out of paper towels or wipes—it happens), but you'd rather not touch someone else's sweat if you don't have to.
How to handle it: Remind yourself that at some point, you've probably failed to wipe down a machine too. "Finding some kind of similarity between yourself and the person who's irritating you will help you put yourself in their shoes and keep you from seething inside," says Leah Lagos, PsyD, a sports psychologist in New York. "You can always wipe the equipment down yourself before you start using it." The one exception: a serial non-wiper. That's when you should say something to the staff, says Lagos.

Why they're bothering you: You've got places to be, and they don't include standing in the shower line for 20 minutes for a cold shower. Plus, it really kills your post-workout buzz.
How to handle it: Keep the steam from coming out of your ears with deep exhalations. "When we exhale, we activate our calming parasympathetic nervous system," says Jenny Susser, PhD, a clinical sports psychologist in Huntington, New York. "It slows down your heart rate and helps lower your levels of adrenaline and cortisol." Take 3 to 5 deep breaths, and focus on exhaling slowly. Calming down doesn't change the fact that a slow shower user could make you late for work though, so if it seems that this person is simply oblivious to the line outside the stall, politely ask how long they'll be, and be sure to include the fact that there are quite a few people patiently waiting for their turn, says Susser.

Why they're bothering you: You're trying to listen to Beyoncé—not this lady's terrible imitation of her.
How to handle it: If the wannabe pop star looks like they're just so into their tunes that they have no idea they're bothering anyone, chat them up, says Susan Stanley, a trainer with Equinox, who's successfully used this approach before. In your friendliest tone, "politely interrupt them and say, ‘What are you listening to? You seem to be enjoying it so much!'" They'll see that you're not trying to be accusatory or judgmental but that everyone can hear them. If they're being really loud and you get the impression that a good-natured chat wouldn't help, or might make the situation worse, tell the front desk. "When there's a disruptive person, it's the gym management's responsibility to handle it," says Stanley.

Why they're bothering you: If you were the kind of person who wanted some competition during your workout, you'd welcome the company. But today you just need some space.
How to handle it: Think of the space invasion as a compliment. "Some people go to the gym to feel connected and to be around other people, and if they decided to use the machine next to you when there were five other ones they could have picked, it means that something about you seemed safe and inviting," says Lagos. (If that fails, tell yourself it's because you're just so darned good-looking.) And if their presence is distracting you, get back into a rhythm by thinking about an immediate goal for your workout. It could be that you're trying to increase your resistance level today, or last for 5 minutes longer than you did last week. "A short-term goal can be a really grounding focus point," says Susser.

Why they're bothering you: This isn't just about not wanting to talk to this man—strength training is important for keeping your metabolism up, and you can't use the weights if you can't get to them.
How to handle it: Wait until he's done with his set (you don't want to spook someone who's got weights in their hands, advises Stanley), then politely ask if you can sneak in and grabbed your weights. "None of us are training for the Olympics—this guy included—so don't let anyone's size, or the size of the weights they're lifting, intimidate you," says Susser. If you're uncomfortable interrupting him, skip the free weights and change up your routine for the day. "There are a lot of different ways to work the same muscles." Go jump on a circuit machine, get a resistance band or grab a kettlebell instead.

Why they're bothering you: You can forgive the interruption if they're correcting your form (nobody wants to get injured), but if you were interested in personal training sessions, you'd ask about them.
How to handle it: First, consider that the trainer might be under pressure to chat you up. "Gyms often require trainers to have a certain number of clients, and they're expected to pick them up while they're working on the floor," says Stanley. "They're not trying to bother you—they're just doing their job." That being said, you're still entitled to an uninterrupted workout. Short of wearing a shirt that says "Do Not Disturb," try Stanley's trick of letting your body language do the talking. When the trainer starts speaking, make a point of slowly removing your headphones (if you're wearing them) and holding them in front of you. "That lets them know they're making you pause what you were doing to pay attention to them," she says. That, coupled with a polite "thanks but no thanks," will make them unlikely to interrupt you again.

Why they're bothering you: Aggressive jockeying for position aside, people look to the front row to see what they should be doing, and this person is leading the class astray.
How to handle it: Ask yourself if you really need to be in the front row, because that spot clearly matters to them. "They might have some need to be front-and-center," says Lagos. "Try to be empathetic and think about the fact that they probably need that attention or validation more than you." There's not much you can do about this person's lack of form in the moment, but if you find yourself in the same class with them again, move to another side of the room so they and their moves aren't in your sightline.