Sweatiquette: Answers to Common Exercise Etiquette Questions

A Chatty Exercise Buddy

Q. "My workout buddy chatters through kickboxing class. How do I get her to shut up without hurting her feelings?"

A. Next time she's gabbing instead of jabbing, speak up. Address the problem in the moment, not an hour later in the locker room, and steer clear of accusatory phrasing ("Can you stop talking so much in class?"). "Say, 'I really get in the zone in here, so I'd rather not talk. Let's catch up over a smoothie after class, when I can focus on what's going on with you,'" suggests yoga instructor Ashley Turner, who is also a body-mind psychotherapist in Santa Monica, California. A good friend will respect your workout wishes.