Don't be a nerd - do not wear training gear in public

by Mike

Normally, I ride my bike to class. Takes me about fifteen minutes, vs. 45 on the train and I get some nice warm up/cool down besides. In the summer, I get to work on my tan and in the winter, I get to hear people tell me they admire me for riding in a Chicago January.

Aside from my big, bulky duffle bag that's probably going to throw my back out one of these days, I don't look particularly conspicuous. There was one time I was running late and wore my Sprawls (and some lady shouted, "hey, nice shorts"), but other than that, I don't look any different than the Potbellys deliverymen.

I generally ride all year long, so long as nothing's falling out of the sky and the roads are clear. When it drops below freezing and/or it's raining or snowing, I have to suck it up and drop a couple bucks on the train.

Case in point was last night when it was raining just hard enough that my bike would have been a pile of rust when I got out of class. I hopped on the el, rode down to Belmont and got on the brown line, making pretty good time when I got to my stop. I picked up my huge-ass bag, waited for everyone else to filter out of the car and left.

The first thing I noticed about the guy heading for the stairs was that he was wearing these really bright red, fingerless gloves. He had a bag from the Apple store stuffed full of whatever and he was carrying a big gym bag in a really awkward way.

I got closer and thought, "those aren't gloves, those are handwraps."

Then there was the guy behind him. This dude was walking, arms out in front of him like Frankenstein, wrapping his hands on the el platform.

I wanted to say something to the guys, but wasn't sure what I could say. All I could do was hope that they were going to the Gracie school up the street, or maybe the Kung Fu place on the corner.

When I passed them on the stairs, I saw that the handwraps they were wearing were the type they sell at my school - a brand I've never seen anyone, anywhere else wear.

Moral of the story: Don't be a nerd.

I know things happen and sometimes you need to run out to get lunch, grab something from your car or feed the meter and you don't have time to change, or you've been there all day and you forget you're wearing your belt or whatever. But, you shouldn't be walking around in your training gear unless you're actually training.

Wearing your gi on the walk to class - you look like a nerd.

Wearing your school shirt is fine, as are plain gi pants (usually). You add that belt and you're not 6 - you look like a nerd.

Wearing a Team Punishment Beanie, TapouT shirt and Sprawl shorts but you're not walking to the cage for a fight - you look like a nerd.

Wearing a Team Punishment Beanie, TapouT shirt and Sprawl shorts but you're bouncing at the bar - you look like a nerd and no one you try to throw out will take you seriously.

If you've got some sort of compulsion that keeps you from changing in the locker room, you've got bigger problems than looking like a nerd. You should really try to fix that.

Don't be a nerd.

Also, don't get me started on people who wear socks in the boxing ring or on the mat.