Gym memberships in Moscow are incredibly expensive, averaging between $300 - $500 per month. Some of the more popular chains include Gold's Gym and World Class Gym. Despite the ridiculous price, I joined the club in our building. How many options do you have when it is 2F outside? It's a nice club, though perhaps not as nice as I would expect for the price. There is a pool, co-ed steam room, cardio room, weight room, small cafe, three rooms with various classes, and sauna in the locker rooms. I haven't noticed any other foreigners at my gym yet.
Gym culture is a trip. If you want to fit in as a woman, there are 5 main rules:
Rule #1 - Put the little blue slippers over your shoes when you enter the gym lobby (look like a shower cap for shoes) and
Rule #2 - Check your coat with the coat-check person.
Rule #3 - Don't sweat. This rule is critical for the many woman that can actually be seen putting on make-up prior to working on it. Not just basic make-up mind you, but full-on applications that include lip stick and mascara.
Rule #4 - Don't be polite in the western sense of the word. This means, don't acknowledge strangers in passing with a Russian hello or a smile unless you want people to either look at you like you are strange or just completely ignore you. Don't hold a door open for someone for the same reasons. Likewise, be prepared for a door to head quickly for your face if someone walks through it right in front of you. I progressed from the western polite stage to ignoring people entirely (with no eye contact), to now looking at them directly in the eye with a blank stare while walking by - which is what they all seem to do. It's fascinating to sit on a chair and watch these passing interactions.
Rule #5 - Don't lift weights, especially free weights. The weight room is 95% male. The free weight area is 99.5% male. There seem to be a lot of olympic-style power lifters in Russia. With a couple of exceptions, the only time I see woman in the weight room is when they are accompanied by a personal trainer.
I break all the rules. Since I live in the building and don't walk outside to get to the gym, I don't bother with the blue shower caps for shoes. I used to check my coat until the coat check lady gave me the wrong jacket back - twice. Seriously, how hard is that job? Accept a coat, bring it to coat rack, take number off where coat goes, give that number to the customer. I like the three coats I brought with me, so haul them into the locker room with me now. If I don't sweat, it's not a workout. I'm also trying to lose baby weight (45 pounds down with 10 to go!), so I like for my shirt to almost be soaked before I break the next rule of lifting weights. I'm doing a modified version of the P90X program, so free weights are key.
I have only attended the yoga class at the gym. In true yoga fashion, the Russian woman that teaches it seems really cool. She figured out that I don't speak Russian during my first class so sprinkles in English for me from time to time and smiles in a zen way when she speaks to me. The atmosphere of the class is different from what is typically found in the U.S. such that people will leave in the middle of the class, others will consistently stop doing poses early and just sit, and there are even a couple of woman that keep their phone next to them the entire time - intermittently reading and sending text messages during poses. Bizarre. I lost my mind before the first class thinking the woman standing around were yoga people more than Russians. I smiled and quietly said hello in Russian to two woman while waiting for the room to open. Again, my efforts were met with cold, suspicious stares.
Gym culture is a trip. If you want to fit in as a woman, there are 5 main rules:
Rule #1 - Put the little blue slippers over your shoes when you enter the gym lobby (look like a shower cap for shoes) and
Rule #2 - Check your coat with the coat-check person.
Rule #3 - Don't sweat. This rule is critical for the many woman that can actually be seen putting on make-up prior to working on it. Not just basic make-up mind you, but full-on applications that include lip stick and mascara.
Rule #4 - Don't be polite in the western sense of the word. This means, don't acknowledge strangers in passing with a Russian hello or a smile unless you want people to either look at you like you are strange or just completely ignore you. Don't hold a door open for someone for the same reasons. Likewise, be prepared for a door to head quickly for your face if someone walks through it right in front of you. I progressed from the western polite stage to ignoring people entirely (with no eye contact), to now looking at them directly in the eye with a blank stare while walking by - which is what they all seem to do. It's fascinating to sit on a chair and watch these passing interactions.
Rule #5 - Don't lift weights, especially free weights. The weight room is 95% male. The free weight area is 99.5% male. There seem to be a lot of olympic-style power lifters in Russia. With a couple of exceptions, the only time I see woman in the weight room is when they are accompanied by a personal trainer.
I break all the rules. Since I live in the building and don't walk outside to get to the gym, I don't bother with the blue shower caps for shoes. I used to check my coat until the coat check lady gave me the wrong jacket back - twice. Seriously, how hard is that job? Accept a coat, bring it to coat rack, take number off where coat goes, give that number to the customer. I like the three coats I brought with me, so haul them into the locker room with me now. If I don't sweat, it's not a workout. I'm also trying to lose baby weight (45 pounds down with 10 to go!), so I like for my shirt to almost be soaked before I break the next rule of lifting weights. I'm doing a modified version of the P90X program, so free weights are key.
I have only attended the yoga class at the gym. In true yoga fashion, the Russian woman that teaches it seems really cool. She figured out that I don't speak Russian during my first class so sprinkles in English for me from time to time and smiles in a zen way when she speaks to me. The atmosphere of the class is different from what is typically found in the U.S. such that people will leave in the middle of the class, others will consistently stop doing poses early and just sit, and there are even a couple of woman that keep their phone next to them the entire time - intermittently reading and sending text messages during poses. Bizarre. I lost my mind before the first class thinking the woman standing around were yoga people more than Russians. I smiled and quietly said hello in Russian to two woman while waiting for the room to open. Again, my efforts were met with cold, suspicious stares.
Started working out in the mornings. I've found that many woman that work out in the mornings sweat - over half I would say. I haven't seen any women trolling for men in the mornings. Must be more of an afternoon/evening phenomenon.
ReplyDeleteToday, I briefly forgot that people don't hold the door open for others walking directly behind them. I was a split second from getting hit in the face by a big glass door that a big man walked through. Chivalry is definitely dead in Moscow.