Dominicans not using fans at the Gym

I just started going to Samson's Gym in Veragua which is all Dominicans, I turned the fan on and people freaked out. I have noticed every time I go that if the fan is on someone will turn it off, it's friggin HOT in there no A/C and they are sweating too so wtf?
I thought maybe it was just women and something to do with their hair but nope the men turn it off too. WHY?!?!?!

Is it a superstition or what? I find it really odd!!
 

VJS

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Sep 19, 2010
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The gyms I know in Santiago have either full A/C or overheads fans running at full speed, all the time.
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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Sounds like you found..............



.............................."THE GYM FROM HELL".....................



B in Santiago
 
Oct 13, 2003
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When I'm in GH I go early in the morning - the gym is one block from the park. It opens at 07:00 am and is relatively quiet then. It is not big/modern but has all the basics.
 

KateP

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May 28, 2004
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At the studio where I do Zumba there's no a/c but there're 6 floor fans and 4 wall fans on full blast all class.
 

flyinroom

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Aug 26, 2012
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What a novel idea...
Go to a gym to work out and, horror of horrors, sweat.
Does anybody think that Rocky Balboa ever worried about fans in a gym?
BTW...
Horses sweat.
Men perspire
And women glow. ;)

[video=youtube;qJNp2z9gQNY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJNp2z9gQNY&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

Anybody see a fan?
 
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bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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Every gym I walk by here in Jarabacoa has fans running and the gym I use has AC. I'm soaked after 15-20 minutes on any exercise machine I use and so are most others exercising. There is however one amazon that takes about 45 minutes to get a nice sheen on her beautiful skin. I could watch her workout all day.
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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We cut the fan on here when it gets hot, but that starts in July. :)

Sweating is good, you should see me in my gym Club Mambuiche - we have maybe one fan that never seems to be on. BTW, if you see an old bald guy that looks like mini-me lifting 4 times his body weight that would be me. :)
 
Apr 7, 2014
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At the studio where I do Zumba there's no a/c but there're 6 floor fans and 4 wall fans on full blast all class.

I think in most all of the big city gyms they have the fans on &/o AC if it is available. Probably because the training videos that came with the equipment showed the people using the equipment in gyms with running fans. Also, more sophisticated gyms have more sophisticated clientele. Poor modest gyms are used primarily by local yokels so they would be more subject to hokey superstitions.
I use the Olympic Gym in Santiago with two "downtown" locations. The one across from Union Medica del Norte always has the fan on. The one above the Pare Sufrir Church on Las Carreras has fans running usually.

I think the root of this superstition is in the mediocre quality of electric wiring in many places. I doubt anyone ever met anyone who has died of pneumonia due to "over cooling of the sweaty skin". Most likely they had a stroke from a lifetime of bad eating habits and died.
 
Oct 13, 2003
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Back to the OP - the superstition referred to is the fear of high temperature differentials affecting their health. It sounds funny to us, but I believe that might be true for Dominicans - in their normal life they have limited temperature variations. As a result their bodies are more susceptible to cold.

It is referred to as Pasmo.
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
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Life is not a movie. Gyms need air circulating. Some misguided people think that by sweating they will lose weightbut its only water and it will come back.
 
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Back to the OP - the superstition referred to is the fear of high temperature differentials affecting their health. It sounds funny to us, but I believe that might be true for Dominicans - in their normal life they have limited temperature variations. As a result their bodies are more susceptible to cold.

It is referred to as Pasmo.


maybe, but that is merely psycho-somatic. because we already know that such things arent possible. to come in from hot outside and then into an AC controlled room, people dont keel over and die.

This Pasmo isnt exclusive to DR. Back maybe 20 years ago, yep, 20 years ago, my friend Rob brought his wife up from New Orleans to live in New York. It was ALWAYS cold to her. 60 degrees in October, "damn, its cold." I used to laugh when they sold those bulky winter coats hanging from the wall at Winn-Dixie supermarkets in Miami.

a. it is either a superstition from people who were too poor to do what is considered a rich thing(have climate control), so they speak in envy of the people who can.

b. insufficient medical knowledge or exposure. insufficient knowledge of climatology. insufficient health care. insufficient standards of civil engineering(with respect to electricity).
c. since they dont experience things in leisure here it could be a scare tactic related to a. not to be wasteful when you are exposed to it. Of course I dont believe this one because they tend to waste everything else of limited resource so why not spinning air?
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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maybe, but that is merely psycho-somatic. because we already know that such things arent possible. to come in from hot outside and then into an AC controlled room, people dont keel over and die.

This Pasmo isnt exclusive to DR. Back maybe 20 years ago, yep, 20 years ago, my friend Rob brought his wife up from New Orleans to live in New York. It was ALWAYS cold to her. 60 degrees in October, "damn, its cold." I used to laugh when they sold those bulky winter coats hanging from the wall at Winn-Dixie supermarkets in Miami.

a. it is either a superstition from people who were too poor to do what is considered a rich thing(have climate control), so they speak in envy of the people who can.

b. insufficient medical knowledge or exposure. insufficient knowledge of climatology. insufficient health care. insufficient standards of civil engineering(with respect to electricity).
c. since they dont experience things in leisure here it could be a scare tactic related to a. not to be wasteful when you are exposed to it. Of course I dont believe this one because they tend to waste everything else of limited resource so why not spinning air?

Good grief, why don't you just ask someone instead of coming up with these grand theories???? :)
 

JMB773

Silver
Nov 4, 2011
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I dont even understand what you wrote, Speak English...

Can you dispute the reasons why they freaked out when the fan was turned on? With real Anthropological proof? Not "I m almost an 100% original Dominican, by-proxy" proof.

When I was younger I would try to come inside and stand by the AC and mi abuelita would ALWAYS make me go back outside until I cooled off( and she is 1000% Puerto Rican) so you see it is not only Dominicans who believe this.

A lot of things people make fun of on this site about Dominicans believing it is a "Dominican thing" is really a Latin thing. I know Mexicans and African Americans who believe if you are sweating and hot you should not have AC or a fan blowing on you because you will catch a cold.

BTW An older Puerto Rican lady who lived on my street believe if you are really HOT!!! you should not drink cold water because it too will make you sick.

Now I will admit some of it rubbed off on me because when I am running with my daughter and the both of us are hot and sweating then proceed to the car I NEVER turn on the AC in the car until she cools off LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!