Forums >Cross Training>Joining a gym?
Thats pretty fun but it is the truth! I was told a number of times that I don't need to run because I am not over weight. I was told I ran too hard(7 min pace), too fast(7 min pace) and sweat too much.
I too enjoyed the "Lunk alarm" and "7:00 pace is toooo fast" planet fitness story. (I just won a 3-month membership to them last week at a race, but have not tried it out yet.
I tell you what I'd do... If someone complained that "7:00 is too fast", I'd just give them the look and kick it to 6:45.... :-D
The Plan '15 → /// "Run Hard, Live Easy." ∞
I actually work at Life Time Fitness (one day a week as a Run Coach, Centreville VA). The run I presently lead, BTW, is usually outdoors. Prior to that I hadn't been in a gym for years, mainly because we have a nice treadmill at home in our basement. But now that I'm working there and have free range of any LT club as an Onyx member, it's growing on me. Not a bad perk for a part-time secondary job. The treadmills are nice, though the setup I have at home is still just fine, too. What makes the difference for me are things like spin classes and yoga sessions, that I can use to augment my training and are easy to walk into (no advance scheduling or separate fees).
BTW, you can also get 1:1 run coaching at some Life Time clubs, though unfortunately not mine.
One thing about Life Time that sets it apart on the fee. Our monthly fees are much higher, but they are month to month. You can quit anytime. So for us the incentive is not to just take your money for three years up front and then never care if we see you again. We depend on our members coming back and that means if we don't deliver value, they simply won't come back. It sets up a much better customer relationship in my opinion from the get-go. Not perfect, perhaps, but in many ways we are the anti-Bally's/24 Hour Fitness, etc.
Shoe Alarmist
So, I went and had the tour and the sales pitch tonight and I bailed. Maybe I'm too much of a lone wolf? What do you guys do? Looking forward to hearing your thought.
So, I went and had the tour and the sales pitch tonight and I bailed. Maybe I'm too much of a lone wolf?
What do you guys do? Looking forward to hearing your thought.
Not all gyms are created equal. My town has many gyms with different personalities, equipment condition, and vibes. I chose the JCC because it is reasonably close to my home, has a good vibe, and is constantly engaged in some type of goodwill within the community. At first I was traumatized with each visit as they brought back painful memories of an idiotic race in Nashville. Fortunately, they have a library with free coffee and I've been able to read enough self help books to work through most of those issues. Eventually, I may even work out there.
Good luck with whatever you decide but do make sure you tour first and get a feel for the gym's persona before you go. Going to work on the mill is awful enough, you don't want to compound the difficulty by joining a gym you hate for non-workout related reasons.
Not all gyms are created equal. My town has many gyms with different personalities, equipment condition, and vibes. I chose the JCC because it is reasonably close to my home, has a good vibe, and is constantly engaged in some type of goodwill within the community. At first I was traumatized with each visit as they brought back painful memories of an idiotic race in Nashville. Fortunately, they have a library with free coffee and I've been able to read enough self help books to work through most of those issues. Eventually, I may even work out there. Good luck with whatever you decide but do make sure you tour first and get a feel for the gym's persona before you go. Going to work on the mill is awful enough, you don't want to compound the difficulty by joining a gym you hate for non-workout related reasons.
Agree to disagree. What I mainly look for in a gym is a convenient location & available equipment. Anything else is secondary. (Maybe if I ever had the lunk alarm rung on me at PF, I'd feel differently.) I don't use them as social clubs, I just want to work out & get out. To each his own.
In any case, this thread is reminding me how annoying it will be to go to the gym starting January 1st, for probably about a month, till all the resolutioners give up.
Dave
jfa
I belong to two gyms but one is pretty much for racquetball only as they're not many with racquetball courts anymore.
The other gym I use a lot. Especially this time of year when it's dark by 4:30pm. I have gone the outside lone wolf route. There was a time when i couldn't stand more than 5 minutes on the treadmill. Now I get a little lonely out on the bike paths at night alone. I know that many people enjoy such a life because I used to too. I think , for me at least, it's good to mix things up as I go from one marathon training cycle to another.
So I run the gym Monday through Thursdays, then do my longer runs on the weekend outside.
Old , Ugly and slow
I have a lot of weights in my basement that I use.
i don't have the extra time to go to a gym
first race sept 1977 last race sept 2007
2019 goals 1000 miles , 190 pounds , deadlift 400 touch my toes
President of the Galaxy
This is not me, but it is funny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMN1vLa1O1w
Agree to disagree. What I mainly look for in a gym is a convenient location & available equipment. Anything else is secondary.
I can see that. Fortunately I'm sitting pretty high on Maslow's hierarchy of gym needs. I suppose I would not trade convenient location and available equipment for love & belonging either. Hopefully we can all grab self actualization.
Gym Rat Control
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2011/05/gym_rat_control.html
" I've been lectured by staffers for breathing too hard when lifting, and I've gotten dirty looks for excessive sweating in the weight room."
Yea, been lectured and gotten the looks, lol, not from lifting though.
http://planet-fitness.pissedconsumer.com/rip-off-stay-away-20140617498662.html
I go to golds. There are 3 of them in my town. 2 are meathead gyms. The one I chose has a wide variety of people with different goals and programs.
Find a gym you like and go with it.
I have been running for a year and a half mostly on my own. While I like running outside in winter, I don't really like running in the dark during the weekdays. I have been throwing around the idea of joining a gym to cross train and to use the treadmills on weeknights. So, I went and had the tour and the sales pitch tonight and I bailed. Maybe I'm too much of a lone wolf? What do you guys do? Looking forward to hearing your thought. Lynda
I have been running for a year and a half mostly on my own. While I like running outside in winter, I don't really like running in the dark during the weekdays.
I have been throwing around the idea of joining a gym to cross train and to use the treadmills on weeknights.
Lynda
It depends on what you want to get out of a gym. I currently belong to a gym. I pay 50 bucks a month. I generally go to the gym 25 times per month so I get my moneys worth. You may be able to find gyms that are 10-20 per month. I think it would be a wise investment.
If you have a lot of time to spare for gym time, a membership could be good for you. For me, I think the others' idea of buying your own equipment is better if you want to avoid the public space.
Increase Speed and Stamina Blog
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I traded time, comfort and flexibility over cost. Between Craigslist and making my own equipment (thanks YouTube)...I built my own gym in my garage...
- picked up a dreadmill from a friend who no longer needed it to hang clothes on =$200.
- 15 - 50lb set of dumbells = $100
- slosh tube out of PVC = $20
- push up paralettesf PVC = $10.
- pull up bar - galvanized piping = $25.
I workout when I want to, how I want to. If I find the need for a new piece of equipment..back to Youtube I go...
If you find the need for a 'trainer', join (for free) a local running club and pick the brains of the guys who have been doing this stuff for years and wait until you get to work, and scour these boards......
If you are a lone wolf as you say, having some basic equipment at home for strength training will really be good enough. For example P90X allows you to do everything by yourself at home with just a few props. And you get into really good shape.
I have a cheap treadmill at home for those icy days with scheduled speedwork but can't stand to spend more than 30 min on it.
The only reason for me to join a gym would be to participate in some of their classes for the extra accountability/motivation or take advantage of a pool.
Usually the thrill of a new class doesn't last long though and I haven't had any injuries that would limit me to swimming so I'm not a gym member anymore.