This is for all of you single guys out there looking for love in all the wrong places. It’s time to try the gym again!
The gym can be a great place to meet women. You already have one huge thing in common: you both care about health and fitness. As a 50-something female, I’ve belonged to several gyms over the years because I want to maintain a consistent workout routine in order to improve my strength and overall health.
Over the years, though, I have encountered many men who are obviously not solely interested in their fitness level. Many of them can be obnoxious and interfere with your workout. So in order not to be “that” guy, you need some basic etiquette tools.
CONSISTENCY
If you go to the gym at about the same time every day, you will quickly start to recognize the “regulars.” This breeds familiarity. I once went to a gym where for years I saw this guy every day and we never really acknowledged each other. Then one evening we ran into each other at a restaurant and recognized each other instantly. We had a great conversation, I got to know him, and I made a friend!
SMILE, SAY GOOD MORNING
When you spot someone you’d like to meet, smile and say good morning. Leave it at that for a while. She will recognize you and may even begin to return the greetings. You don’t need to rush things. Recently, I was working out and a guy I had never seen before came up to me and out of the blue said, “Hi, I’ve seen you here before. My name is Luis. Can I take you out for coffee or dinner?” My first thought was: “Stalker Alert!” I’ve steered clear of him ever since.
SIMPLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF
If she is returning the greeting on a regular basis, you can take the next step by introducing yourself. Give her your name, but not your life story! There’s a great chance that she’ll reciprocate. Use her name when you greet her, and again, leave it at this for a while. The nicest introduction is the simplest. My favorite is when I met my now longtime gym friend. He literally just walked up to me and said, “Hi, I’m Kenny. I see you here every morning. It’s nice to meet you.”
KEEP IT LIGHT AND BRIEF
When you have the opportunity to strike up that first conversation, keep it brief. Don’t interrupt her workout for too long. The worst thing is when someone approaches you and talks for fifteen minutes of your precious one-hour workout. Most women I know will tend to avoid them. Believe me there are more than one of those guys at every gym! Remember, she’s there for a fitness workout first, so respect that.
FOCUS ON FRIENDSHIP
It’s nice to become good friends first. But if it is love at first sight and the feeling is mutual, then take it out of the gym immediately. This is your once in a lifetime chance. If you are like the rest of us, a coffee date is a safe bet. I’ve almost always felt comfortable grabbing coffee after a workout with someone from the gym.
Some of these tips may sound like common sense, and everyone has a different style, but taking things slowly and being respectful of people’s time and space is super-attractive in my mind. If these 5 tips don’t bring you the true love you deserve, then at least you’ll be in great shape, and who doesn’t want that?
