Forums >Cross Training>Joining a gym?
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
June 7, 2015 Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon
Interval Junkie --Nobby
To ensure Chicago has a very warm winter and little snow, I joined a gym as a backup plan -- when it gets icy out, I do the treadmill thing.
I did the math: it will cost me $18/mo to have a year membership. If I cancel in the Spring and re-join in the winter: I will save $8 for the year. So, I have a year membership.
I don't like the gym -- any gym. But when i took the tour I asked one question: I'm a runner; I'm only interested in using the treadmill for icy days; does your gym have a problem with me using the treadmill for my 2.5hr long run? The last place I joined I got the stink-eye after a half-hour.
The guy said they didn't care. I was sold.
I went for 3 weeks straight in the summer time to x-train. As soon as I could run again I only showed up twice so far for some weight work on an injury.
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
A gym is a great investment if you use it. I use mine regularly, but not the treadmill. I'd rather run in subfreezing temps in the dark. Oh right, I do.
Still kicking
I'm retired military, and have access to a state of the art gym with everything. And it's free. And I hate it and never go there anymore. I'm no longer interested in other people's funk, and sweat and drool and snot, and catching the latest virus that's going around. I got a treadmill off Craigslist, a Spin bike from Sears, and a nice weight set from Academy Sports. I cross train in my basement every day, and use my treadmill anytime it's unseasonablty dangerous outside.
I'm also on Athlinks and Strava
I belong to a gym, but mainly because it is close to work so I go there and run outside before work and shower and change.
however, a few years ago I had a pretty bad fall on some black ice on an early morning, dark, cold run. Since then, I still do most of my winter runs outside, but I do gauge it for potential danger in the dark and may use the treadmill.
Like Stadjak said though, make sure if you are going to be doing long runs that they don't care, or at least that they have enough treadmills that you wont be limited. I used to belong to my town YMCA and they only had about 10 treadmills so there was a sign that said to limit yourself to 30 minutes during busy times. The last two gyms both have had 30-40 treadmills so there has never been an issue with staying on for long periods of time.
Same here, except I love it (the gym). I go a couple times per week, but almost never for cardio in itself, because that's what my running/cycling is mostly for. I do the weight-training thing and lately have been incorporating crossfit type stuff into my routines, especially involving the ropes and rings. My motivation is to keep my entire frame strong and healthy, so I don't look like so many of the very old decrepit men I see way too often. I'm convinced that good cardio conditioning is not enough for total health as we age.
I'm convinced that good cardio conditioning is not enough for total health as we age.
BLASPHEMER!
I joined a gym at the beginning of last winter when Planet Fitness came to town, 2 miles from my house. At $10/month plus $39/year it works out to $13.25 per month and at that price it is worth having even if I hope to rarely use it. And they have 50 treadmills, no time limit and I've never seen more than 20 people on the treadmills at any given time.
Last winter was pretty crappy. December through March I went 26 times and logged 206 miles on the treadmill. I had my best spring racing season in 10 years. Honestly there were probably 5 or 6 really key workouts that I did in February and March of this year that I could never have done outside and that in my mind were worth the whole year's cost. I also went a few times over the summer when it was oppressively humid. So I figure I have gone 30+ times in the year I've had the membership, so I'm down to about $5 per visit. I can live with that.
So for me, at $13.25 per month and 2 miles from my house, it is worth it. Even though there are treadmills in my office building that lately I use more often than my gym. It's good to have options. As always, your mileage, goals and life situation will most certainly vary.
Runners run
While I own a kick ass treadmill - I recently joined a gym due to an injury (they have a pool and spin bikes.)
Personally I like to go to the gym to enjoy the scenery. Don't judge.....it can make the miles / hours go quicker. And I pity the person that attempts to push me off a machine after an hour.
Also - I might be apt to workout a bit harder due to the self-imposed peer pressure of the gym. I have been know to look at my neighbor and kick the pace up just a bit past his. Again......whatever works.
In the Boston area an inside option is almost a must. Cannot do good intervals or pace workouts in the icy dark. Just my $0.02.
Ready, go.
delicate flower
I'm a member of two gyms. Hey, the $10 a month membership to the employee fitness center is automatically payroll deducted, so it's like it's free. It's nice to have when work sucks and I need to get away for an hour.
The other membership is to an actual gym (sorry, "fitness center"). While I'm slacked like hell with everything non-treadmill the past year, it's located on the rail trail. So before and/or after work I can stop, change at the gym, run on the trail, then shower. It's also a convenient mid-run emergency poo stop (yes).
<3
I'm not a fan of public gyms either. I workout at home. I have everything (powerrack, weights, kettlebells, powerblocks, recumbant bike, elliptical, bike trainer, and 2 treadmills. Think of all the gym fees and you can afford to buy this stuff and it saves money. I can workout when I want and don't have to deal with an unsanitary gym. The only reason I would join a gym is if space were an issue.
Andy
"Any idiot can run a marathon. It takes a special kind of idiot to run an ultramarathon." - Alan Cabelly
If you run alone, hate people in general get a headlamp. Dealing with crazy people in the gym is a handful, stressful. Outdoor is free, bright(in a way even in the dark), refreshing. This is my first year running with a headlamp and I love it! I usually run after 6pm so it is pretty dark already.
Personally, I rely on the gym. I'm a believer in strength training and there is much more variety of equipment which helps keep it interesting.
Motivation-wise, I'm just 'thrifty' enough to make myself get there since I'm paying for it, even if it is only $10/month. A free membership would be useless to me.
President of the Galaxy
I tried planet fitness a couple of years ago when we moved to a new town. I got the "lunk alarm" rang on me for doing deadlifts. I wasn't slamming the weights or grunting or anything like that - just doing moderate weight deadlifts. The minion came over and told me that deadlifts were too intimidating for other people and they didn't allow them. My wife (who is a much better runner than I am) was told she was too intimidating for running at a 7:00 pace on a Planet Fitness treadmill.
I've heard of other people getting kicked out or told to change their workouts because they were lifting heavy weights or running in a sports bra. Planet Fitness is a terrible place. They even have pizza and donuts - I guess muscle milk and fruit smoothies are to scary for their clientele.
We both quit and joined the Y, which is fantastic. It's clean, reasonably priced (but more than PF), has good equipment, has a 25m lap pool, and even has a really good place to park the sproggettes while we parents train.
I've heard stories like that but have never seen anything like it at my local Judgement Free Zone. They don't have a lot of barbells but people do dead lifts and I've routinely done workouts at sub 6 minute pace with nary a word.