The Things You Can and Should Do in the Locker Room...
Locker rooms are sure getting their share of the limelight lately, and it should go without saying that some things are not cool to do (or say) anywhere, and in the locker room no less. For the most part, locker rooms are places of preparation, and often, team building; coaches often use the locker room to motivate and refresh their teams, and some powerful and inspiring game day speeches are known to have gone down in the locker room.
In any case, we can all do our part in making sure locker rooms are hospitable - and even empowering places - for ourselves and others. Here’s a short list of some perfectly reasonable activities that you can and should do in a locker room…
1. Mental Prep
Get your head straight before you jump into your workout. You should have a purpose and a plan for each exercise session otherwise your fitness level and results will plateau - at best. This is also a good time to review your goals, visualize yourself performing at your best, and give yourself some positive self talk. Listening to something that motivates you right before a workout is another great mental tool and a potential performance enhancer.
2. Be a Positive Presence
Say hello. The gym can be an intimidating place for many people. If you are a regular, take the opportunity to welcome someone you recognize may be new, or congratulate someone you saw throw down a kick-ass workout. If you’re the newbie, smile and reach out too; the toughest looking, hard core gym goers most often aren’t at all just jocks or jerks who will turn their noses up at you. And remember to keep it a judgment-free zone. The gym or athletic field are places – communities really - where people go to make themselves better, and by so doing, they have the power to influence and motivate others. So keep it positive, and remember that everyone is there to get ready to do their thing.
3. Stock Your Locker
If your gym allows you to keep a personal locker overnight, leave some clean gym clothes and a towel, and a spare pair of sneakers in there along with some toiletries. This way you are always prepared for your workout even if you forgot to place key items in your gym bag. And speaking of that gym bag…No locker privileges? Then keep a stocked gym bag in your car trunk. Even better, keep one by your bedroom or front door, and get in the habit of packing it nightly and taking it with you when you leave your house every morning.
4. Strike a Pose
Remember Amy Cuddy - and that picture she showed of Usain Bolt finishing a sprint? She’s on to something: stand tall, get your chin up and strike your best Super Hero stance. Ever notice that you can identify an athlete by the way they stand and walk? Part of that is due to better posture from having a strong core and muscular balance. But athletes are also very much aware of the power of their mental programming and their body language. The way you carry yourself physically influences your physiology and the way you feel, which both impact the way you perform. Take a look at Amy’s TED talk here.
5. Get Your Stuff Juiced Up
In addition to your mental state and your body language, there are some other things that are proven to help you perform better during your workout: Some people have lucky charms or rituals they observe before competition; athletes are notorious for this (check out Rafa). But if you want to guarantee better performance, have your bottle of (preferably) cold water ready, line up a banging playlist, drink your pre-workout shake, and strap on your heart rate monitor. If you tend to be extremely tight, it may also help to use a rolling stick like the Tiger Tail to roll tight muscles before your workout. And make sure you never blow off a proper warm up just because you feel psyched up and ready.
6. Help Keep it Clean
Don’t leave a mess. And if the locker room looks unkempt, report it to your club’s front desk. Your club management is likely to be vested in keeping the locker rooms clean as it reflects on the facility and impacts member experience. Some gyms offer access to a pool, sauna, or steam room through the locker room and some people make their decisions on a gym based on the locker rooms. If you see anything - including negative behavior - in the locker room that makes you or another member feel unsafe, immediately take your concerns to the staff.
7. Go Ahead, Take that Selfie
Notice how good you feel after a badass workout? That’s what exercise does. Science confirms it’s as good as prescription drugs are for your mind, your brain and your body. Revel in that when you get back to that locker room. Your selfie can function as a record if you are keeping track of workout days, and it can re-affirm your sense of having accomplished something. It is also a great way to keep track of visible changes if that’s what you are working towards. Note: this is best done when you have the changing room to yourself. Remember that a locker room is a place where people (rightfully) have the expectation of privacy, so even just the illusion that you are taking pics in a room with others around (and possibly in various stages of undress) would be unsettling.
So, bottom line is: the locker room is one of a gym’s best assets and we can all help make locker rooms a better environment for everyone.
Feel free to share some of your own helpful locker room tips and let’s spread the word!
