One of the things that the current pandemic has caused is a fine line where public fitness gyms are concerned. Some have remained open, with restrictions. Some have chosen to close their doors. I hold no judgement against either side of the coin, but I have to admit that there are pros and cons to the use of a public fitness gym. I’ve held memberships with some gyms; and unfortunate side effect of some of the places I’ve been posted over the years, since some of my work locations haven’t boasted gyms of their own.
I think that at SOME point in the past couple of years, I may have posted about the benefits of using a fitness gym… I honestly can’t remember because after almost 700 posts, they all kind of blend together. But needless to say, there are some definite benefits and advantages to using an actual fitness gym to get in shape as opposed to doing it at home, despite the fact that you CAN do so at home. And although I can’t seem to find the post where I posted the benefits, I decided it might be a good idea to post the down sides. Here are my five top down sides to training in a public fitness gym…
Membership Fees: Although it’s not only expected but required that one pays a monthly fee for the use of a public gym, sometimes those fees can seem a little off the rails. Depending on where you join, the monthly fees can lean a bit on the stupid side. Be sure to shop around and make sure that there’s a decent balance between available resources versus what you’re paying. If you live in a smaller community, you may not have much choice. But if you live in a larger centre, you have the benefit of being able to shop around and find the best value for your dollar;
Contracts: Don’t get me started! This pisses me off! Why do I need to sign a contract to join a gym? Will your building and equipment disappear if I quit your gym? No. So why do you require a fixed commitment, signed on paper from me just to allow me to lift weights for an hour, three or four times a week? What, am I renting the place from you? Can I sleep on the yoga mats at the end of the day? Give me a fuckin’ break…
Crowded Equipment: There’s nothing that quite gets me like a half dozen ‘roided up idiots surrounding the station I need for the day’s current workout. I’m the kind of guy that pre-plans his workouts before he starts, and having a group of douchebags standing at the leg press station, chatting away instead of getting their reps and moving on, ENRAGES ME TO NO END!!! Seriously though, it’s great if you can use your local gym to socialize with your friends, but I’m referring to the batch that are already huge and just hang out because they want to show off;
Other People’s Sweat: No matter how many signs they put up, no matter how many spray bottles are sitting all over the place, you’re bound to lay on a machine that was improperly washed by the previous user. Don’t even get me started on the gym showers and change facilities! I’ve always had the practice of sanitizing the machine BEFORE I hop on, but very few people maintain this practice, so Light knows what funk you may be exposing yourself to! That was a problem before COVID concerns became prominent…
Personal Perspective/Other People’s Judgment: This last one can be somewhat specific to the person, but not everyone feels comfortable stepping into a public place to try and get into shape. And I get that. What makes it worse is when you have some idiots making fun of people TRYING to make a positive change. I’ve seen some heavier set people hopping on a treadmill or elliptical with the intentions of trying to make a better future for themselves only to be discouraged by some nay-sayers who point and make fun of said people. We should grow up and be slightly more evolved at this point.
Honestly, I love using a fitness gym. It usually features multiples weight machines I would never dream of being able to afford on my own, coupled with sauna, shower and spa options that you just don’t get from working out at home. I don’t like paying for it, that’s probably the worst of the top five for me. But using a fitness gym, especially a personal trainer, can help get you on the right track for your fitness goals. ☯
The Blogging Buddhist 