You hit the gym to improve your health, but exercising in a workout facility could actually make you sick.

“The gym is a breading ground for germ sharing,” says Sherry Torkos, a pharmacist, fitness instructor and author of The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.

Many gyms are confined spaces with communal machines packed tightly together. “If there’s someone on the treadmill beside you and he’s huffing and puffing, chances are you’re going to be breathing in his air as well,” Torkos explains.

While there’s nothing to be done about your heavy-breathing neighbour (unfortunately), there are steps you can take to avoid picking up a virus or infection at the gym. Keep your workout routine on track with these tips.