Space Invaders

Problem: You finally make it to yoga class, but just as it begins, a latecomer places his mat inches from yours. Now you can’t salute the sun without smacking your neighbor’s back.
Solution: Confront, but in a nice way. “Always begin your approach with the thought that most people aren’t rude on purpose,” says Liz Neporent, an exercise physiologist and a coauthor of The Fat-Free Truth (Houghton Mifflin, $15, www.amazon.com). “They’re simply wrapped up in their own little worlds.” You could say something like “Excuse me, but I’m going to need a little extra room here,” suggests Dee Poquette, a personal trainer in Danbury, Connecticut. If politeness fails, move to another spot or take the matter to a higher authority. Chances are the gym or studio may be overselling classes.

Loud Talkers

Problem: You’re thoroughly engrossed in the latest issue of Real Simple, cycling toward your eight-mile goal, when a woman on the machine behind you answers her cell phone and proceeds to discuss her dinner plans at full volume.
Solution: Say something, but keep your tone pleasant and nonaccusatory. You can say, “Excuse me, but your conversation is distracting — would you mind talking off the gym floor?” If you don’t want to get directly involved, ask an employee to intervene. The problem, says John McCarthy, a former executive director of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, is that many clubs don’t ban cell phones. If yours doesn’t, try moving to another part of the gym or wearing headphones.