Making “accidental” eye contact is top flirt-move
Squats tops the list of most unflattering exercises
Dramatic grunting is Irish gym-goers top pet peeve
Beyond the squats and personal bests, Ireland’s gyms are home to a range of unexpected behaviours. To coincide with the launch of its Müller x Myprotein range, Müller UK & Ireland, one of the nation’s favourite dairy brands, wanted to know if Ireland’s fitness fans are head’s down, concentrating on the exercise at hand or would they swipe right and engage in some flirty fun at the gym. The results suggest that while Ireland’s gym-goers are committed to their goals, they’re not immune to a bit of awkwardness along the way. Here’s what they found out.
The majority of us might prefer to concentrate on our fitness when we’re at the gym but a quarter (24%) have been tempted to, while almost a fifth (17%) currently are or have dated someone they met at the gym.
For those that are feeling a little amorous, their top three preferred subtle flirt moves in order of priority are: the good old making prolonged, or oops “accidentally” making, eye contact; some are brave enough to strike up conversation complimenting their crush’s ‘impeccable’ form; while others prefer to complain loudly about how hard their workout is and hope for something sympathy!
A workout can help us look and feel great, but during the middle of one is probably not the time when we feel we’re looking our best. Over a quarter (28%) of gym-goers think that the squat face, a result of tackling heavy squats, is the most unflattering of all exercises. This is followed closely by the flailing arms and grunting associated with Battle Ropes (25%), and all the confidence-killing jumping and sprawling that goes with Burpees (23%).
We all have pet peeves at the gym. Coming out top of nearly one in three (32%) Irish gym-goers list is the ubiquitous soundtrack of the gym, that person who excessively grunts with every lift. Just over a quarter (27%) say it is the master of the mid-set scroll who annoys them, that person with the phone in one hand and weights in the other. While almost a fifth of us (19%) think it’s the statement gym fits that deserve their own spotlight.
To support this growing appetite for movement, Müller has launched a series of free wellness events around Dublin to celebrate the new Müller x Myprotein range – from a mindful Pilates session with Cloud Pilates, to a scenic run club with Sole Mates, and an energising HYROX training session with Nadia El Ferdaoussi.
The Müller x Myprotein range, designed to fuel both regular workouts and active lifestyles, is available now in stores across Ireland. From creamy mousses to grab-and-go shakes, each product brings a different vibe, but all with high protein, low commitment. And with 20g+ of protein in every one, it’s less “it’s complicated” and more “where have you been all my life?”