January always means one thing for indoor exercisers: Hoards of New Year’s resolution-ers will join gyms. If you’re new to the fitness center scene, take note that in addition to navigating your way through the treadmills and recumbent bicycles, there are some tacit rules of etiquette that health club members should try to follow, regardless of the season.

Clean up After Yourself: The same principles you learned in kindergarten apply to the inside of your fitness center. While most health clubs employ a housekeeping staff to sanitize machines, locker rooms and common areas, it makes their job easier when club members practice good manners post-workout.

Sanitize: Remember to wipe off machines when you’re done using them so that the person after you doesn’t have to run on a sweat-stained treadmill. In the locker room, remember to place your towel in the proper receptacles when you’re finished – and not just laying on the floor.

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Beginning the gym process is often scary for most people- they fear the unknown. Don’t let the thought of joining a gym for the first time scare you. Everything will be alright and you will soon feel that you a part of a gym family.

Finding the right gym is often the toughest part. You definitely need to take in to account the distance you will be traveling, whether or not the gym has the right equipment (weights, day-care, fitness classes, etc.) to help you meet your needs, and reasonable memberships rates. The next step is to familiarize yourself with the workout process. Beginning a new fitness routine is rather challenging and often hazardous to the body if you’re not completely careful. I recommend contacting a fitness expert with questions or help with setting up a new fitness routine. Recent studies show that beginner gym “go-ers” are more likely to injure themselves compared to the entire gym population. Below is a list of injuries that you need to be aware of so you can be sure to steer clear of them.

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Whether you currently have a gym membership or plan on joining a gym as part of a New Year’s resolution, there’s one thing you should know: health clubs potentially pose health hazards.

That’s right, even though your local gym provides many ways for you to improve your health, there are a few ways that the opposite may be true.

Skin Infection

Germs are the main health risk at your local gym. Most health clubs encourage their members to spray equipment with a disinfecting spray after using, but we all know that’s not followed by everyone.

Staph infections can spread through gym equipment, towels and even mats. They tend to occur on certain areas of the body, including the armpit, neck, groin, and butt. They start out looking like a pimple, but grow and become more painful and produce puss. While they often clear on their own, you should contact your doctor if you develop a fever or the infection grows, or  becomes tender and warm.
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There are a few items that are must-have arsenal when living a healthy lifestyle. Your fridge, which we’ve already covered, and your gym bag!

So, the key to a successful workout is successful planning! I actually keep two gym bags… I know it’s insane… But I do not want to entertain that excuse that “I do not have what I need” EVER!

In my gym bag I have 10 essentials:

1.  A Fitbook: An amazing journal/planner to track all of my calories and workouts and MORE!

2. A GOOD pair of shoes: I had my feet analyzed by a shoe company that told me the best shoe for me. You can get this done at many running stores, and yes it is worth the financial investment! A good shoe can save you many injuries!

3. A pair of workout capris: For me, shorts ride up and pants are too hot, so capris are a perfect balance.  I have also found that the more fitting they are the less chaffing they cause.
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Material Girl Madonna, who is perhaps best known for her pop career, strong arms and healthy lifestyle, is taking her love of fitness and yoga one step further — she’s opening a chain of her own gyms!

Set to open later this month in Mexico City, the chain appropriately called “Hard Candy” (the name of her most recent album) will also eventually have locations in Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Europe and Asia, according to a press release.

Madonna is doing the club in partnership with her manager Guy Oseary and New Evolution Ventures (NEV) with Mark Mastrov, the founder of 24 Hour Fitness. The first Hard Candy Fitness will be a beautiful and uniquely designed 30,000-square-foot space, Mastrov said in a statement.
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