Gym Bans Personal Trainers From Drinking Water Bottles During Sessions, Says They Look 'Unprofessional'

A personal trainer took to Reddit this week to share a rule from his gym that has folks scratching their heads. Trainers there were told they can’t drink from water bottles while training clients, because the bottles look“unprofessional”on the gym floor. Instead, they’re expected to time their hydration around trips to one of two water fountains in the building.

The problem is most of the staff work five or more clients back to back with no breaks, so stepping away for a sip isn’t exactly simple. The trainer’s post pulled in over 1,300 comments, with plenty of folks pointing out the obvious: a gym floor is full of sweat and heavy breathing, and a water bottle is where the line gets drawn? He also noted that the written policy never actually mentions bottles. Staff say the rule came down verbally. His solution was to call his doctor, who’s writing a note saying he needs his water with him.

It’s a small story, but it touches something a lot of us know well: a workplace that seems to care more about appearances than people. Whether you’re training clients, hauling hay, or sitting at a desk, staying hydrated shouldn’t require permission. So we want to know what you think. Is this gym out of line, or are the trainers making too big a deal out of it?