I got to the gym tonight for the first time in... um, months. Didn't do anything serious: 15 minutes of stationary bike and 15 minutes walking on a treadmill. But just getting there was a serious enough development. I'm hoping to make this a habit again. I figure, as long as I start going one more time than I stop, that's a good thing.
The only drawback was, the treadmills are right in front of a TV set that was tuned to American Idol. Ewwwwg.
In the locker room afterward, I overheard two guys talking about going into the sauna. One asked the other if he was wearing his shoes in there, and the other one said he would. Now, I'm not exactly the Finnish ambassador to the U.S., but I have a little experience with the sauna. I had never heard of wearing shoes into a sauna before. I almost spoke up, but didn't. In the defense of one of the guys, he was in a wheelchair, so maybe he has an excuse for saving himself the effort.
The only drawback was, the treadmills are right in front of a TV set that was tuned to American Idol. Ewwwwg.
In the locker room afterward, I overheard two guys talking about going into the sauna. One asked the other if he was wearing his shoes in there, and the other one said he would. Now, I'm not exactly the Finnish ambassador to the U.S., but I have a little experience with the sauna. I had never heard of wearing shoes into a sauna before. I almost spoke up, but didn't. In the defense of one of the guys, he was in a wheelchair, so maybe he has an excuse for saving himself the effort.
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Nice and unembarrassed and all, but I wouldn't... I mean, it's a bit too "cultural" for me. :D
I don't want to think of how grungy the shoes would get from regular exposure to saunas (where feet would sweat more than usual, combining with existing foot sweat... I'm making myself a little queasy...).
In the UK it's more like how you describe US ones to be. We don't do the naked thing very readily. Towel would be de rigeur, but if any shoes, I think you'd normally use flipflops. (There is a concern about verrucas because most times you'd only see saunas in gyms or leisure centres.)
Also, good point. Sneakersweat!
Flipflops would be good in more public saunas, to be sure. Never know what you could catch.
As far as the guy with the shoes in the sauna, I'd be more curious as to the cumulative effect of all that steam on shoe leather. Perhaps his shoes were a little loose...?
Usually I'm closer to the other TV, which plays music videos of modern rock music. So at least I don't have to see Simon Cowell on that one. Almost makes me want to get an iPod with video capability. (Then I look at my bank account and remember that I like to eat. But that's a different issue.)
I was wondering what Sharon Osbourne was doing lately, since "The Osbournes" ended production.
It hadn't really occured to me that you meant other shoes than flipflops. That'd be horrible, surely, wearing proper shoes in a sauna?
Seems to me wearing shoes and clothes in a sauna is missing the point, which is to open pores and sweat a lot. (Not to discount any social aspect of it, of course.) Anything that would constrict, like shoelaces or elastic waistbands, would be distinctly unwanted.