A survey by Nuffield Health revealed that of 2,000 participants, one in five still went to the gym with a cold – risking passing it on to someone else.

Half of participants admitted to using other people’s towels and bottles, and a third failed to wear socks, which risks athletes foot.

Almost three quarters also said they often found other people’s sweat left on equipment.

A study for Men’s Heath by Dr Derren Ready also revealed high levels of bacteria in gyms – with 132 million bugs found in one area the size of a 2p piece in an unnamed London facility.

Ask The Expert: I’m Cycling Loads And Watching My Diet but Gaining Weight

You could start only going to the gym at bizarre hours when no one else is there. Alternatively, you could save yourself both time and money, and just go for a bike ride instead…

Of course, any exercise is good exercise – we’ve got an in-depth look at the pros and cons of both cycling and the gym here. 

If you do decide to forgo the gym, check out these great pieces of fitness equipment you can keep and use in your (clean) home!