gym rat

plural gym rats · alternative gym-rat · alternative gymrat

1. colloquialA person who spends an unusually large amount of time at a gym.

   For the average gym rat, Anthony recommends being wary of longer-than-necessary rest periods.

   2010, Eric Velazquez, “Power Pairings”, in Reps!, volume 17, number 84

   5 more examples

   Three decades ago, the trappings of sports equipment in those rooms took a magnetic hold on "gym rat" McGuire.

   1977, Newsweek, volume 89

   I was a real "gym rat." I'd go home and eat, then come back to the gym and play some more. I mean, I practically lived in that gym.

   1989, Larry Bird, Drive: The Story of My Life, page 42

   This gym rat dripping tattoos in a sweatshirt with the sleeves ripped off was brooding at the juke box, like it had just asked him a very difficult question that he was determined to answer.

   1995, David Rabe, A Primitive Heart

   They wore suits, casual pants, and sports shirts and generally managed to look like solid citizens rather than gym rats.

   1998, Arnold Schwarzennegger, The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, page 672

   These guidelines do not exactly enter “gym rat” territory: at least 150 minutes a week (that’s about 21 minutes a day) of moderate activity such as brisk walking, plus a few body-weight exercises on different muscle groups (such as sit-ups or push-ups), at least twice a week.

   2025 October 2, Arthur C. Brooks, “The Mind-Altering Effect of a Good Workout Routine”, in The Atlantic

   Synonyms: gym bunny