Wearing a “hoodie,” a hooded jacket, in the gym. Is it a good way to concentrate better or is it just a “ghetto-swag-fashion-statement”?
Gym annoyances
In an article about gym etiquette, I addressed common sources of annoyance in gyms and invited readers to expand my list. However, the painful but enlightening realization was that some of the mentioned nuisances were things I myself occasionally do.
- Grunting: Guilty. I simply like to push myself during a workout. In fact, I’ve written an article on the benefits of grunting. However, I do acknowledge that some people overdo it. For instance, at the gym where I train, there’s a pair who exaggerates so much that it’s hard not to laugh when they’re still shouting while resting. Yet, I prefer overly enthusiastic people to those who think just being in the gym, whether training or texting, is enough.
- Wearing tank tops: Guilty. It’s not common, but in summer, you might catch me in a tank top. If you’re bothered by this due to hygiene concerns, as it may leave equipment drenched in sweat, I understand the annoyance. Hence, the need for a towel. But if you’re bothered because it’s a painful reminder of years of dedication you lack the discipline or talent for, then I say, “Don’t hate the player…”
However, another annoyance mentioned surprised me:
Wearing a hoodie.
“Wearing a hoodie is rude”
I’ll mention a few reasons why someone might wear a hoodie during training. But before I delve into that, I want to ask why you would be bothered by someone wearing a hood. The person isn’t making noise through excessive grunting, wears thicker clothing reducing sweat puddles, and isn’t confronting you with your own “shortcomings.” So what’s the issue?
“Gym thugs”
Is it seen as an expression of the widely disdained “swag generation”? Does it exude a “street” vibe? Or is it simply seen as antisocial because you appear/unapproachable? Are you adopting the identity of a “gym thug,” someone who disregards others in the gym? Or do you see it just like someone wearing sunglasses in a cinema, thinking it’s cool? After all, “it’s not raining, is it?”
Are you someone who’s bothered by people wearing a hood in the gym? Then I genuinely want to know why!
Why wear a hood in the gym?
Various people will have different reasons for wearing a hoodie in the gym. But for me personally, the main reason is Concentration through isolation.
No, I don’t exactly look sociable or approachable when I have a hood on. So what? I’m not in a club or anything. Am I here for socializing, dating, or working out? Wearing a hood makes it easier to shut out your surroundings and focus on what you’re doing. Especially when resting, I benefit a lot from this.
Additionally, I’m just someone who feels cold easily. I’ll walk in with a hood or hat even deep into spring, finding it too chilly to change clothes. I can’t wait to quickly put on my hooded jacket. Also, I have a personal issue with my traps often being tense, leading to frequent headaches. I experience this more often in winter due to constantly shrugging against the cold. Wearing a hood helps alleviate this.
“Shock effect”
However, somewhere halfway through the workout, I’ll be sweating heavily and can take the jacket off. Then comes the next mental advantage of a hoodie. You’re already pumped up, take off your jacket, and without looking around, “know” that half the gym is watching to see what’s underneath. Such a “shock moment” is delightful, especially when it silenced the aforementioned laughable shouting duo one evening. Yes, call it “vain,” “macho,” or whatever, but I didn’t train so long, so often, so hard for nothing. Can’t I enjoy these moments?
The Kai-Greene-Effect
The Kai-Greene-Effect could be called a “reversed-Coleman-effect.” Just as Ronnie Coleman’s presence in a gym is impossible to miss, Kai Greene can move conspicuously inconspicuously in a gym. Hood pulled far over his head and completely in his own world.
Looking at Ronnie Coleman, we see his influence on people worldwide adopting his phrases and shouting terms like “Light weight,” “Yeah buddy!” and “Nuthin’ but a peanut.” If you find that annoying, you’ll be even more bothered when they, like Ronnie, start throwing dumbbells around (forgetting they don’t compensate for the damage by attracting hundreds of members with their presence).
If you see someone walking in with a red hooded jacket and even wearing red weightlifting shoes, you can bet it’s the “Kai-Greene-Effect.”
Hiding your body
In the article on “muscle dysmorphia,” I described how (objectively) some large and muscular individuals always hide their bodies under a thick layer of clothing because they perceive themselves as small. Similar to anorexia, people suffering from this (to varying degrees) don’t have a realistic view of their own bodies. In these cases, they always wear concealing clothing like a hoodie regardless of their training and progress.
In other cases, people temporarily wear thicker clothing or a hoodie, for example, when returning to the gym after a period of absence. When objectively knowing that you’re in worse shape. In those cases, I can understand a bit more that you want to “bring out your true self again.” “Worse” is often objectively not something to be ashamed of for those who are so concerned, stemming from a (milder) form of muscle dysmorphia, but we all need a bit of that to be truly successful in achieving training goals.
However, concerning the “shock effect,” it must be admitted that the jacket achieves this effect, not the attached hood. Yet, I have reason to suspect that simply putting on the hood is what irks some. But again, do I need to explain why I put on that hood, or do you need to explain why you’re bothered by something that doesn’t actually affect you?
Just a little longer…
For those who are annoyed by hoodie wearers in the gym and find all the above arguments for wearing them nonsense: Don’t worry. Summer is coming, and you can go back to being annoyed by tank tops.
By the way, if you have other reasons for wearing a hoodie yourself, I’d like to hear those too!
