I joined a gym---now what?

[FitBoop]

It has been years since I went to a regular gym. I decided to join a gym today because I was looking for a place with a pool. The gym also has a lot of cardio and strength equipment and classes.

Joining this gym made me realize that I am out of touch with the new machines and the computers attached. Is it really necessary or good to have a computer screen in front of you during a workout? To me, exercise is the time to be away from the computer.

The spinning bikes have computers that tell stuff about you, which I am not sure I like. I don't want to share my information. The salesman said the first 2 rows of bikes have hard core, competitive people on them. That sounded a bit intimidating.

I also joined the gym because I feel like it might be good to be around other people who are into fitness. Just walking in and seeing a lot of people in great shape made me feel motivated. It also made me realize that I used to be in better shape when I belonged to a gym. I hope the gym will give me a push.

I am going to try everything in the gym, except the bodybuilding area. I will try the classes, but it is hard for instructors in gyms to compare to my video instructors.

Those of you who go to the gym, what do you do there? Does going to the gym motivate you?

[killoffsonny]

Sorry I can't help you out. My gym doesn't have all that new technology. No computers on the machines although I expect that to happen in the next couple of years. I go mainly for the classes. Yes the gym does motivate more than working out at home does but I do both. Especially now that I'm working nearly forty hours a week and don't have time to get to a class like I used to I have to do most things at home. But it's not the same as the gym classes.

[Pat58]

I go to a bare bones Planet Fitness. It has no classes and no computers, the only technology is a bank of TV screens. I left a typical body building gym that had better equipment, but I no longer liked taking the classes and didn't want to pay extra for them any longer.

I do my home videos on weekdays and visit the gym on weekends. I typically use the treadmill for hill climbs, the arc trainer, and elliptical and/or the recumbent bikes. It's my numb-out time to get some non-impact, sweaty cardio in. I also take advantage of the weight machines to work all the major muscle groups a little heavier than my home dumbbells can. I like using the various cable positions and handles for resistance training, too.

It's a good gym for people watching. While I'm on the cardio machines I peer out at the stretching areas and watch some of the members doing all kinds of yogic, body weight and hand balancing routines. Enjoy the pool! Keep us posted on how you enjoy your new gym. Is there someone who can take you around and introduce you to the equipment? Most places will give a new member three free training sessions (just keep your guard up against getting sucked into another contract for personal training).

[eam531]

I go to the gym. I generally use free weights (dumbbells and kettlebells) and some of the machines (pull-up/dip and one or two others) and do lots of stretching post-workout. When I use a cardio machine (ellipitical) I just put it on "manual" and set the resistance the way I want it. I don't track workouts on a phone, although this can be done on the ellipiticals and treadmills. Not sure about the bikes--there are exercise bikes but no spinning bikes.

The gym gets me around other people who also exercise (hugely motivating), and has all the equipment I could want. It also frees me to create my own workouts using exercises from books, videos, YouTube, and things I see people doing at the gym. I'm going to check out a class this summer--probably Pilates. The instructor is also one of the trainers and I have been very impressed watching her with clients.

I still do videos at home (yoga generally) but the gym has been an enriching experience.

[sheepla]

Originally Posted by FitBoop

The spinning bikes have computers that tell stuff about you, which I am not sure I like. I don't want to share my information. The salesman said the first 2 rows of bikes have hard core, competitive people on them. That sounded a bit intimidating.

I stopped going to spin classes at my gym for exactly this reason. There are monitors that have performance/ranking by bike number. I'm not motivated by competition so this does nothing for me and I find it very distracting.

Now I just go use the spin classes with my phone set on SSOD outside of class hours so I don't have to be subjected to that.

You might be surprised how good some of the classes are, at least at my gym. Give different instructors a try and you'll quickly discover the talented ones.

[frosty]

Like Pat, I also go to a bare-bones gym (Blink). I usually only get there once a week or so and I use it as an alternative to my usual mountain biking or doing videos at home. I will generally use the either the elliptical or open stride machine for 30 minutes or so and then use some of the weight machines. I haven't been brave enough to go to the free weights area, but I've been considering it lately.

Even though my gym is only a couple of years old, they don't have the computers on the machines yet (which is fine with me). I'm not there to be in competition with anyone else, I do my work and move on.

I really wish I had access to a pool at my gym. But I'm too cheap to fork out the extra money and move on to a different gym.

[TracyQ]

I was a gym member of various gyms for decades. At one put I had two gym memberships (one close to home and one close to my office). I used to love taking live classes. When my last gym replaced my lunch hour classes with Zumba I gave up my membership.

The only thing I really miss is the leg press machine.

[Sue B]

I belong to a Lifetime gym that has all those computerized, screened cardio machines. Many of them require you to download an app and register on their site, which I don't want to do.

I've been doing Strong (the book) at the gym. I'm up to stage 6 and have lost several sizes so far. Since Crossfit became huge, they have put in more squat/deadlift racks (now 6 of them!), bumper plates, kettlebells, TRXes and a large area for floor exercises. They also have a pool and hot tub that I like to lounge in if my knee starts hurting. I rarely take classes since they don't usually have them late in the evening when I go there.

[athompson10]

I go to gyms when I'm traveling. As far as computer screens go, you definitely do not need to use them. Cardio-machine time is my time to zone out on my music or do a Cardio Coach. I use an extra towel to drape over the screen so I'm not distracted (truth be told, I do this with my home treadmill readout monitor so I don't clock-watch and make the time drag).

[Pat58]

Hmm, Sue B thanks for the tip about Strong.