Brad and Gary didn’t believe it. Joe said he’d never heard of it but Mark said he had. Kathy wanted to know if it was for real.

Well, believe it or not, my last column touched off a controversy. It was about gym etiquette and I’d mentioned that grunting in the gym was now frowned upon and even grounds for revoking your gym membership.

So beware you serious lifters out there—especially the big guys—those over 200 pounds or more. The gyms have their eyes on you. In fact, at a fitness chain called Planet Fitness, your grunting can set off an ear-splitting siren and flashing lights. I am serious.

They call it the lunk alarm. First let me explain that a lunk is someone who grunts, drops weights, or is judgmental of other exercisers. Planet Fitness is very serious about its written warning to its members. They even have a sign hanging on the wall where the free weights are located, and the so-called lunks hang out. Like I said before: I am serious!

Fact is, the fitness chain has given the old heave-ho to some members and insists it will keep doing it to maintain peace, quiet, and order in it’s facilities. There are many testimonies of former members who have moved on since being ousted. Fact is the police were called to escort one member out. This gentleman was a bodybuilder and state corrections officer—even they have no immunity. After that one incident, Planet Fitness removed the 75 pound dumbbells in all their locations. The heaviest dumbbell now is 60 pounds or less. Yikes! What’s a fitness pro supposed to do?

They tell you the real reason for the no grunt policy is to make the average exerciser feel—get this—comfortable. They also ban intimidation items such as jeans, bandanas, work boots, even doo-rags. Do these items intimidate you?

The clubs have facts to back up their no grunt policy. Besides being annoying, grunts can irritate the delicate vocal cords, warned Dr. Rosen, Director of the University of Pittsburgh Voice Center. Dr. Rosen said he’s treated recreational weight lifters for throat problems (irritation) brought on by grunting. "And lifters can develop calluses or lesions on the vocal cords, like a person who screams or sings." Like I said, this is for real!

I, myself, have grunted— you would too if you were pushing a 430 pound bench press—but I’ve never been treated for throat irritation.

Planet Fitness also has these facts and figures to kick you out with: they employed an exercise physiologist who said, "There is no physical benefit to grunting." Tell that to my hubby, Nick, when he deadlifts 650 pounds (a state record). It really is a benefit for him to "get his grunt on."

My question to the doctors is: "Do any of you lift weights —heavy weights—weights heavy enough to train for a contest? I know I had eight of my clients in a state lifting contest three months ago and six of the eight were grunting when the heavy weight went up or down. By the way, they all took first place in their divisions, and not one was disqualified for unnecessary grunting. Even I did it!

Now I ask you, have we gone too far? I know there are some guys (and gals) who may do some excessive grunting while working out, but come on we are all adults.

The scary part is that this looks to be starting a trend. Other gyms and chains are looking at this for their members. Sheesh, I hope you all don’t slurp the water at the water fountain. Could that be next? So you see, I was serious when I mentioned this grunting issue. I am curious as to what you all think about it.

See you at the beach.