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HOW TO PICK UP CHICKS AT THE GYM!
Without Breaking A Sweat

By VICKIE YORK

Guys, you can pick up a buff babe at the gym -- even if you're a scrawny, 98-pound weakling!
"You don't have to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger to impress ladies," declares Los Angeles dating guru Veronica Simkin. "All it takes is the gift of gab.

"Health clubs are notorious meat markets and many women go there strictly to hook up."

Here are 10 tips:

1. SIZE UP YOUR TARGET -- "Figure out whether a girl is there to meet guys," advises the sexpert. "If she's wearing baggy sweatpants and a baseball cap, odds are she prefers to be left alone.

"If she's got on loads of makeup, she's decked out in a thong-type bodysuit and keeps drawing attention to her fanny with gratuitous toe-touching, she's probably interested in more than just pumping iron."

2. AVOID SHE-HULKS -- If her biceps are bigger than yours, she guffaws loudly and gives fellow females "good job" spanks, odds are you're barking up the wrong tree.

3. MAKE EYE CONTACT -- Let the hottie "catch" you admiring her toned tush and six-pack abs. But don't drool or stare between her legs as she exercises her inner thighs. "You don't want to come off like a pervert -- sniffing the seat of her stationary bike is another bad idea," Simkin points out.

"If she's interested, she'll give you a friendly smile. A frown or 'middle-finger salute' are signs you should move on."

4. SHOW OFF -- Find one exercise machine you look good using and work out on it conspicuously when your target is nearby. "Women are wired to respond to physically powerful men," explains Simkin.

"If all else fails, stay on a Stairmaster -- set at the lowest level - for 50 minutes. Your 'amazing' endurance will likely pique a potential lover's interest."

5. HELP AN UGLY CHICK -- Demonstrate what a "nice guy" you are by showing a fat girl how to use a machine correctly. If you're clueless yourself, ask a trainer ahead of time for some pointers.

6. APPROACH AND GENTLY CORRECT YOUR TARGET'S FORM. "Women love a man who seems knowledgeable and in control," Simkin says. "But don't overdo it -- no one likes a know-it-all."

7. USE DEODORANT -- Smelling "manly" is O.K., but rancid stench is a serious turn-off.

8. MAKE SMALL TALK -- "The girl's workout gear often gives you an opening," Simkin observes.

"If she's wearing a Save the Whales T-shirt, you could pretend to be interested in the environment."

9. PAY HER A COMPLIMENT -- Marvel at her well-toned calves or flirtatiously say you "loved watching her work out."

10. ASK FOR HER NUMBER -- "If you play your cards right, the two of you will soon be engaging in aerobic exercise of a different kind," the expert says.

Published on: 12/10/2004