What is the deal with forcing people to wear shoes in the gym?

swettbaby6

New member
I have been working out at cult.fit for more than a year now and have been doing so barefoot. I like it, it gives me proper balance and most importantly it doesn’t make my feet sweat as much during exercise.

One fine day, I arrive at the gym and I was told I can’t workout barefoot there. I was taken aback and explained the situation. They didn’t understand and I had to leave because I did not have any spare shoes at the moment.

Later I reached out to their customer support and they cited bullshit reasons like cleanliness and hygiene. In what world are SHOES cleaner than the human foot? Does that mean their yoga classes are unclean and unhygienic because no one wears shoes there? Do people wear shoes to bed because it’s cleaner, apparently?

Just wanted to understand from this community whether it’s an actual thing that you all have faced and can they even enforce this without prior notice BEFORE I got the membership?

P.S. the reason I even signed up for cult membership was because of their flexibility and non interference in how people choose to be comfortable in the gym.
 
@swettbaby6 I'm surprised it's happening only now for you. I was told this at Cult 5 years ago 😂 The only reason that sounds sensible to me is smelly feet. They have back to back group sessions and can imagine the place will start to stink at some point.
 
@swettbaby6 Oh. So they just allow us to go there and do what we want ? I haven't been to Cult in years. I remember there S&C being a group session back then.

I would assume it is still sweaty+stinky feet. Feet get progressively sweaty in a workout. Unless the outsoles are incredibly wet and dirty, shoes generally make less of a mess in the gym.
 
@swettbaby6 I like wearing just compression boxers when working out 🩳, I just wear only this when exercising at home.
That doesn’t mean I can do that in a gym, it’s a shared space.

suggest to follow the rules of the land/building/shop etc. Besides it’s just footwear. I can agree they could have given some advance notice if it’s a new rule. But they are free to change rules. Unless it’s some crazy rules.

I too prefer gyms that have some dress code, not wear what ever you want.
 
@cruwbewq There's a big difference between indecent clothing and prioritizing comfort/convenience. I get your general point but I refuse to agree with the claim that exercising barefoot in a public gym is somehow equivalent to wearing compression boxers.
 
@swettbaby6 no outside shoes are allowed in my gym.I have to put on another pair of shoes for that gym. There are two options either get another pair of shoes specially for the gym or go barefoot. I like to be barefoot on leg days.
 
@swettbaby6 I take off my shoes at my (non cult-fit) gym while lifting and no one bats and eye. Working out barefoot is truly the best way to go on about it.

Cult fit gyms are an abomination. Literally. They once told me that me "sweating" is causing discomfort to people in the gym. While I'm the ONLY one using a napkin and cleaning puddles of sweat by other members on machines.
 
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