Quantum Mechanics in the Gym

or

When do you work out?

Leisure centres are a strange phenomena that put me in mind of Schrödinger's Cat.  At any point in time, they can either be full of 'gym heads' or people like myself who aren't that bothered about getting super-fit, but find the gym or swimming pool a pleasant place to while away an hour or two and catch up on the gossip.

As with Schrödinger's Cat, one is never quite sure what state it will be in until you go (i.e. observe) yourself.  But that leads to the question of how can you be sure your mere presence (or the act of observation) isn't causing the current state to change?

Maybe everybody was chilling out, doing a leisurely jog or breaststroke or maybe casually picking up a weight to see how heavy it is, until you arrive.  And maybe they don't want to talk to you or maybe they don't want you to think they're lazy, but, for whatever reason, they all spontaneously think, "Quick!, Look busy, here she is!" and switch treadmill programme, transform the breaststroke into the crawl and start pumping iron like their lives depended on it.  Maybe there's even a secret signal!  Conversely, maybe everbody is normally very focussed and then, when they see me arrive, the secret signal goes out again - "Ah, it's the poor cripple girl.  Quick, relax everyone, so we don't intimidate her!"

Admittedly, comparing the type of people in the gym to the Schrödinger's Cat problem is a bit of a stretch.  I have started to notice a pattern which, when I put forward my hypothesis in the sauna this, got enthusiastic support from the gentleman I had chosen to sweat beside.

During the day, particularly the morning, people go for a leisurely swim, jog, yoga or aqua class followed by the serious business of the day - chatting in the sauna.  These morning club members tend to be slightly older and thus retired or have some medical issue preventing them from working.  (It really is a club of crocks and grey-heads!).  They probably have more time at their disposal to get things done, and are thus more chilled out and open to connecting with people.-

In the evening, however, you get the post-work crowd.  They are there to 'Work Out' in the snatched hour between work and dinner, after which they still have to do the housework, put the kids to bed, prepare that presentation for tomorrow.  They don't have time to chat, they're focussed on 'Getting Fit'.  They may enter the jacuzzi, sauna or steam room, but it's strictly timed, with frequent glances at the stop-watches on their wrists.

As a result, going for a swim or class in the evening can be a surprisingly lonely affair.  People don't chill out.  They either don't have enough time, or have too many issues going on in their lives to extend common courtesies to strangers, lest they become a 'Klingon'.  I always think the loneliest one can be, is to be surrounded by people and ignored by all.  It's why I couldn't bear to live in an apartment, although I'm quite happy to hole up inside my house for weeks on end incommunicado.

Of course, the irony of this hypothesis, is that I discussed it at some length this evening, the time of focussed training and isolation, in the sauna which a painter turned psycho-therapist who completely agreed with me!  Maybe the evening people are just shy and waiting for someone to reach out and welcome them to the fold.