I used to be a gym rat. I would have lived in the weight section of my local health club if they had let me. Lately it hasn’t been as much, but I’m getting back into it, it’s part of the Price We Pay to stay alive, both health-wise and if we have to defend ourselves. You workout regularly, right?
Last week I came into the locker room after my workout and found this:
I always have my stuff in a locker with a good lock on it. My stuff was safe, but I’m not sure who lost what. It made me think of an old story back in 2009 when some whack-job went into a gym and starting shooting people (story here). I’ve been lax about my own security at the gym and decided to take a look around again.
First, I was looking for my escape routes. If someone starts shooting, where would I go? The obvious was finding the exits. So I did that and took note of the ones near where I normally work out. I also noted hallways and other places to get out of sight. I also looked for last ditch escape routes.
This is the corner I spend most of my time in. The squat rack is to the left and the bench press is to the right. There is no exit in this area, but where there is a will, there is a way. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? As a last ditch escape route there are a lot of heavy weights around that I would have no problem throwing through the window to escape. Other last ditch escape routes could include doors to fenced in areas (over the fence), trash chutes, delivery doors, roll-up doors, and opening a normal window.
Carrying a weapon in the gym is hard and I normally don’t, but am rethinking that. 511 Tactical makes a great product that I’m going to order and test just for working out with (511 Select Carry Pistol Pouch). The other option I’ve used in the past is my man bag with my gun in it. I’m not a fan of that because I am paranoid someone is going to walk off with it while I’m in the middle of something. So I don’t get a good workout in. I haven’t been able to carry anything else in shorts and a T-shirt very effectively. I tried a knife for a while but that was super uncomfortable. The last option is improvised weapons. There are tons of heavy metal objects around the gym. Think of throwing 5 and 10 pound weights at someone, or using a bar to swing at someone. That’ll leave a mark.
The thing I am the worst at in the gym is actually paying attention. I get laser focused on what I’m doing and don’t pay attention to anything else. I would be really in trouble and way behind if something happened. So I am starting to only wear one side of my ear buds again instead of both, and am stopping after and before every set to look around. I also got back in to the habit of meeting people at the gym again. It’s fun and I get lots of info from them and they will let me know if something happens. It’s kind of like knowing your neighbors.
Keeping your stuff safe while you are working out can be hard. Anything you are going to leave in the lockers, make sure you lock it up with a good lock. I use a master lock made of all steel and has a key. Think of spending $10 or more for a lock. Anything else can normally be pulled open or easily pried open with a screwdriver. Even with the picture above I still think it’s safe to leave stuff in this local gym. Another gym I used to work out in I wouldn’t have left a bag in the locker room. There was a theft at least every-other day. I knew that because I talked to people in the gym. So I locked my stuff in my car and kept my keys with me.
Keeping your stuff in the car is another potential problem. First, make sure your stuff is hidden before you get there. If someone watches you hide your expensive computer, they know what car to break into. Judging whether to keep your stuff in the locker room or in the car is your call. At my current gym, I keep stuff in the locker room. The gym is in a nice part of town, but the high school is across the street and the gym sits between a large apartment complex and some stores. This creates a lot of foot traffic and I’ve seen people looking into vehicles, which I talked about in a previous post (Observe and Report).
Judging a parking lot’s safety factor for your stuff is an art. Here are some signs to look for: Broken Glass on the ground is a dead giveaway that people are breaking into vehicles; Lots of graffiti is normally a good sign that your stuff isn’t safe in the car and you may not be either; A bunch of young people hanging around or moving through the area is generally a bad sign if you want to keep stuff in your car. Youths aren’t bad, they are just more prone to committing crimes of opportunity than others. The more people hanging around, the more the chances there will be a bad apple; Lastly, look for lighting. Even during the day, if there are a lot of lights around and in good repair there is a good chance that your stuff will be safer.
The chances of you being involved in a violent encounter at the gym are exceptionally low. We should all strive to pay attention to our surroundings to keep trouble from sneaking up on us. We need to pay attention to the security of our stuff while at the gym because theft is very common. And lastly, when you are leaving the gym make sure you are paying attention as you walk out because parking lots have always been hunting grounds for criminals.
Stay Safe,
Ben