Flying off treadmills and other embarrassing gym mishaps

On a lighter note this week, MSNBC has a story out today on embarrassing gym mishaps, the bulk of which appear to occur in January by amateur gym-goers armed with freshly made new year’s resolutions.

Last year, there were more than 1,500 reports of exercisers landing in the emergency room after run-ins with workout equipment, according to data collected by the federal Consumer Products Safety Commission.

The agency estimates that when extrapolated to the rest of us, more than 50,000 people are treated in the ER each year after falling off exercise balls, getting snapped in the face by resistance bands, dropping heavy weights on their toes, tripping over jump ropes or flying off treadmills. Especially flying off treadmills.

When I moved from a graphic design position into a reporter role, one of the managing editors interviewing me asked why I think I’d make a good reporter.  I replied that I’ve publicly embarrassed myself so many times now that I have no qualms speaking to anyone about anything.  And yes, one of those embarrassing moments sadly involved me being propelled off the treadmill before an audience of early morning gym rats.  It was back in 2003, when I had finally achieved a fitness level in which I could run for more than a few minutes before collapsing in a huffing pile of red-faced exhaustion.  I had just upped the speed on the treadmill from a brisk power walk to moderate jog while reading a magazine to ward off the dreary monotony I’ve always found comes with running.  You know those annoying little subscription cards magazine publishers strategically place throughout that have the end result only of annoying readers?  As I flipped through the pages, a few of those cards spilled out onto the belt of the treadmill.  Fearing that I’d step on one and trip, I tried to strategically swoop down and flick it off all without losing my stride.  Yep.  You can imagine how this story ends.  I tripped, my headphone line got tangled in with the emergency stop button cord and I ended up ejected onto the floor with scrapes to my elbows and knees and a badly bruised pride.  All I could do was just sit there and laugh as a couple of concerned weight-lifters rushed to my aid.

How about you?  Do you have any embarrassing gym mishaps to share?