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Article: "Why 90% of You Will Quit the Gym in Early 2017"
Replies
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Carl_Carlson wrote: »We see this every year. There is a surge of new gym attendees every January. New faces everywhere using equipment as a kind of lounge furniture and impeding the flow of people wanting to get a meaningful workout. Groups misusing and abusing expensive equipment, like using the power racks to squat with "weights" that are so light the user must actually pull the weights down to overcome friction to get the rack to return to the down position. This is entertaining for only a short time. Then, as if by some act of providence, they disappear on or about the second week of February. Hang in there, just bite the bullet for a few weeks and these people will disappear.
Can anyone tell me why people use this legs machine this way? In the past I have had bad issues with lower back pain and when I see this I am shaking my head even if I am not physically doing it.
I have had gym memberships for so long and I have been on again off again. The first month is the hardest for you to get into that gym rhythm.
Now you have reminded me of what is to come at my gym. There is going to be so many people for the first 3 months, but hang in there they will fade away.
To be fair, she may be doing something daft at this exact moment, but her glutes and hams suggest she does a pretty effective workout at some point!5 -
Ironandwine69 wrote: »All I know is that I'm not looking forward to the crowded gym in January.
I used to think like this, but love all the newcomers. Keeps my rates down.4 -
rheddmobile wrote: »Carl_Carlson wrote: »We see this every year. There is a surge of new gym attendees every January. New faces everywhere using equipment as a kind of lounge furniture and impeding the flow of people wanting to get a meaningful workout. Groups misusing and abusing expensive equipment, like using the power racks to squat with "weights" that are so light the user must actually pull the weights down to overcome friction to get the rack to return to the down position. This is entertaining for only a short time. Then, as if by some act of providence, they disappear on or about the second week of February. Hang in there, just bite the bullet for a few weeks and these people will disappear.
Can anyone tell me why people use this legs machine this way? In the past I have had bad issues with lower back pain and when I see this I am shaking my head even if I am not physically doing it.
I have had gym memberships for so long and I have been on again off again. The first month is the hardest for you to get into that gym rhythm.
Now you have reminded me of what is to come at my gym. There is going to be so many people for the first 3 months, but hang in there they will fade away.
To be fair, she may be doing something daft at this exact moment, but her glutes and hams suggest she does a pretty effective workout at some point!
That's true, You shouldn't judge what people are doing at the gym unless it's clearly dangerous. They might be trying to do something specific with limited equipment. I am still in search of the perfect equipment to do a reverse hyper-extension on without a reverse hyper bench. I have tried many odd things including loading the leg curl machine up with more than my bodyweight so that I can lean over the foot plate. It turned out far to awkward and faffy to set up but it did hit the right spots.5 -
"That’s it. You just need one thing and it is social connections."
Cobblers!
Guess that's why I'm one of the 10% not the (fictitious) 90% as I don't need social connections at all - my exercise is for me, I enjoy it and the results it gives me.
When I'm choosing a gym my criteria are location, facilities and price - the only people consideration is how busy they are which might prevent me using the facilities.
I nearly always train alone and have done for last 40 years, nearly always cycle alone and will probably do 300 hours of cycling this year. Once in a while I cycle with friends and that's fun but I also enjoy the solitude of solo rides.[/list]
Heavily concur. I've run 2200 miles so far this year and biked about 700. Out of that, about 200 miles were not run alone, and 170 of that was because I was in a race. A nice group run with folks who run at a similar pace is a nice break sometimes, but for the most part, I run because I enjoy it and the results. Plus I like food. Some ice cream or a dinner out to Mexican is a nice reward for my long run, but I make the reward in line with my effort and fit in my overall nutrition goals. Where people get in trouble is thinking a sleeve of Oreos is a balanced reward for their 3 mile run.2 -
All I know is I started going to the Y in August, go at 5:30 and, while there, have spoken socially to my neighbor and one women with her foot in a cast.
I don't need or want the social aspect at 5:30 in the morning. I want to get in, get done and get home so I can still be at work at 7.2 -
counting_kilojoules wrote: »When I was going I went for an hour, five days a week. Twenty to thirty minutes wouldn't have felt worth the drive to get there.
That is why location is so important. My gym is a 9 minute walk or a 5 minute drive (lots of stop signs and drunk tourists to avoid). So even when I don't feel like going to the gym, I go anyway. If I only work out 20 or 30 minutes, that is 20 or 30 more minutes than I would have worked out at home. On those days where the weather is nice it is an extra 2 km of walking.
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This article is a pretty clear case of "well this works for me, so it must be what works for everybody! (Because I'm too narrow-minded to consider that not everyone copes with things the same way as me.)"
That said, for me social connections totally was the key - I never stuck with a workout plan until I started attending the same gym as a couple of my friends. However I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to assume that this is what will work for everybody.3 -
Carl_Carlson wrote: »We see this every year. There is a surge of new gym attendees every January. New faces everywhere using equipment as a kind of lounge furniture and impeding the flow of people wanting to get a meaningful workout. Groups misusing and abusing expensive equipment, like using the power racks to squat with "weights" that are so light the user must actually pull the weights down to overcome friction to get the rack to return to the down position. This is entertaining for only a short time. Then, as if by some act of providence, they disappear on or about the second week of February. Hang in there, just bite the bullet for a few weeks and these people will disappear.
I hope that the lady gave you permission to photograph her rear end....2 -
It's a very LinkedIn-y kind of article.
In my case it's totally wrong, to. The more people I run into the less likely I am to go or to continue to go. I'm internally motivated and hate trying to coordinate schedules, share equipment, etc.5 -
It seems that the group consensus is that this article is not in line with how most of the posters feel. But keep in mind you are almost all experienced and well into your gym routine for years now. But when you were a beginner with little experience and no routine were your thoughts the same as now?
I am a newer gym goer (as of Oct 1) so just over 2 months. But what got me completely committed was the stat itself that only 10% would make it. The stat I had heard for my area was even worse. I did not want to be one of those quitters. That number was the kick in the butt I needed. I guess everyone has their own motivation and what works for 1 does not works for all.
I started my first gym visit with a zumba class and could hardly wait for the next class 2 days later. Then I tried bodypump and bootcamp. For me I felt like I belonged when people introduced themselves and used my name. However I am 46 with little other social interaction outside of work.
I have gone to the gym alone and used equipment and got so bored. I much prefer to head outside for a walk.
Morale of the story: we are all different!0 -
I motivate my wife to go and she motivates me. If either of us has to miss a day for any reason it's significantly harder to get up and get our *kitten* to the gym. I like the accountability.
I will note that all those new folks from the start of the year, in their spiffy new workout gear have been absent from the gym for quite a while. We just had a new membership drive - free 6 months or something like that. Gym was full for a few weeks and now back to the regulars only. I don't know why they quit and in a way it does make me a little sad... but then I get happy when I see that I don't have to deal with man-bunned spider monkeys running rampant during peak hours doing giant circuits or trying to rearrange benches so they can do 5 pound dumbbell presses while balancing on a bosu ball.
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Carl_Carlson wrote: »We see this every year. There is a surge of new gym attendees every January. New faces everywhere using equipment as a kind of lounge furniture and impeding the flow of people wanting to get a meaningful workout. Groups misusing and abusing expensive equipment, like using the power racks to squat with "weights" that are so light the user must actually pull the weights down to overcome friction to get the rack to return to the down position. This is entertaining for only a short time. Then, as if by some act of providence, they disappear on or about the second week of February. Hang in there, just bite the bullet for a few weeks and these people will disappear.
I hope that the lady gave you permission to photograph her rear end....
The image is from a 2015 "Workout Fails" compilation and is saved for posterity in the interwebs.
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GOT_Obsessed wrote: »Morale of the story: we are all different!
Which is why the article is such a huge fail.
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Well sure if you have *ALL* the supports, such as personal trainers, you're more likely to succeed. But that sort of intensive and personalized focus is expensive. Most of us simply don't have that.
A quick study of psychology will reveal that humans generally are VERY resistant to change. Things that require effort, investing limited resources ($, time, energy), isn't necessarily "fun" and demands deferred gratification--all things that going to the gym can describe.
Humans will devote a lot of time on things like watching funny cat videos, not so much keen on spending 30 minutes on a treadmill.
Of course humans can and do make remarkable changes...
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Ironandwine69 wrote: »All I know is that I'm not looking forward to the crowded gym in January.
ditto.1 -
rheddmobile wrote: »Carl_Carlson wrote: »We see this every year. There is a surge of new gym attendees every January. New faces everywhere using equipment as a kind of lounge furniture and impeding the flow of people wanting to get a meaningful workout. Groups misusing and abusing expensive equipment, like using the power racks to squat with "weights" that are so light the user must actually pull the weights down to overcome friction to get the rack to return to the down position. This is entertaining for only a short time. Then, as if by some act of providence, they disappear on or about the second week of February. Hang in there, just bite the bullet for a few weeks and these people will disappear.
Can anyone tell me why people use this legs machine this way? In the past I have had bad issues with lower back pain and when I see this I am shaking my head even if I am not physically doing it.
I have had gym memberships for so long and I have been on again off again. The first month is the hardest for you to get into that gym rhythm.
Now you have reminded me of what is to come at my gym. There is going to be so many people for the first 3 months, but hang in there they will fade away.
To be fair, she may be doing something daft at this exact moment, but her glutes and hams suggest she does a pretty effective workout at some point!
That's true, You shouldn't judge what people are doing at the gym unless it's clearly dangerous. They might be trying to do something specific with limited equipment. I am still in search of the perfect equipment to do a reverse hyper-extension on without a reverse hyper bench. I have tried many odd things including loading the leg curl machine up with more than my bodyweight so that I can lean over the foot plate. It turned out far to awkward and faffy to set up but it did hit the right spots.
yep. this.0 -
I do agree with the point of not over doing it and setting a 20-30 minute time limit per session. A lot of new people come in excited and ready to get it in. Their bodies are super sore the next day or they feel exhausted and they are less motivated to come back.2
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Carl_Carlson wrote: »We see this every year. There is a surge of new gym attendees every January. New faces everywhere using equipment as a kind of lounge furniture and impeding the flow of people wanting to get a meaningful workout. Groups misusing and abusing expensive equipment, like using the power racks to squat with "weights" that are so light the user must actually pull the weights down to overcome friction to get the rack to return to the down position. This is entertaining for only a short time. Then, as if by some act of providence, they disappear on or about the second week of February. Hang in there, just bite the bullet for a few weeks and these people will disappear.
Can anyone tell me why people use this legs machine this way? In the past I have had bad issues with lower back pain and when I see this I am shaking my head even if I am not physically doing it.
Maybe an attempt at kind of a weighted standing back extension (to try to target the glutes).0 -
I agree, in general, with the article. I also think that the January flood actually starts backing off around the end of January and things are pretty much back to normal by mid-February.
AND
Those gym-newbies that are there on February 15 are probably going to make it.1 -
I've been going to the gym regularly for 5 years come January. I don't know what the statistics are, but yeah...you generally see a huge influx in January and by March you might see only a handful of those New Years resolutioners still there.
I was kinda that way on and off for years before. If I look back at those years vs when I started 5 years ago, there are definitely differences.
First and foremost, when I started the gym 5 years ago, it happened to be in January...but I had been doing other exercise since mid September, it just wasn't in the gym. I had already committed to regular exercise and was doing regular exercise...joining the gym was just the next step in my progression to add strength training to the mostly cardio and calisthenics I was doing.
In previous years, I'd just kinda be like, "yeah...I need to get in better shape...I'll join the gym." I wasn't really committed to it or committed to the process of getting fitter...it was just a seemed like a good idea at the time kinda thing. I never really put gym time on my schedule either...it was more of an "if I feel like it today" kinda thing. 5 years ago I made sure to put it on my schedule and go whether I was feeling it or not. The first month or so is the hardest...after that, you just kinda build momentum and get into a rhythm and it's just habit.
Secondly, when I joined 5 years ago, I went in with a plan. Like an actual, well established lifting program that told me exactly what to do, when to do it, when to add weight, etc. In previous years I would just go and do whatever with no real direction or purpose and spun my wheels for a month or two and then just quit. Having a plan gave me direction and rather than spinning my wheels, I saw fairly linear progression in regards to my overall fitness and my strength. When you're seeing progress and that progress is also translating to good things outside of the gym, it is very motivating.
Thirdly, I didn't do too much...I chose a plan that was 3x per week full body...that's something I can realistically make time for and just suck it up and do even on days I don't really feel like doing it...it's only 3 days out of the week and it took me about 45 minutes from start to finish. I did and still do most of my cardiovascular work outside of the gym. In years before, I'd pressure myself to go every day and usually spend well over an hour doing a willy nilly workout in the weight room and then jumping on a cardio machine for 30 minutes...it was boring, unproductive, and time consuming to the point of not being realistic long term given my other obligations.
Really though, I think the biggest thing was my mindset...I committed myself to doing what needed to be done whereas I had never really done that before.3 -
GOT_Obsessed wrote: »It seems that the group consensus is that this article is not in line with how most of the posters feel. But keep in mind you are almost all experienced and well into your gym routine for years now. But when you were a beginner with little experience and no routine were your thoughts the same as now?
I've always worked out alone and hated group exercise. So yes, my feelings are exactly the same.
Regarding the 10% statistic - I've probably tried and failed at least 9 times before I was finally successful this time.1 -
GOT_Obsessed wrote: »It seems that the group consensus is that this article is not in line with how most of the posters feel. But keep in mind you are almost all experienced and well into your gym routine for years now. But when you were a beginner with little experience and no routine were your thoughts the same as now?
Yes. I think most people fail at New Years Resolutions. I don't care what kind of reasons you make up for them.
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GOT_Obsessed wrote: »It seems that the group consensus is that this article is not in line with how most of the posters feel. But keep in mind you are almost all experienced and well into your gym routine for years now. But when you were a beginner with little experience and no routine were your thoughts the same as now?
I am a newer gym goer (as of Oct 1) so just over 2 months. But what got me completely committed was the stat itself that only 10% would make it. The stat I had heard for my area was even worse. I did not want to be one of those quitters. That number was the kick in the butt I needed. I guess everyone has their own motivation and what works for 1 does not works for all.
I started my first gym visit with a zumba class and could hardly wait for the next class 2 days later. Then I tried bodypump and bootcamp. For me I felt like I belonged when people introduced themselves and used my name. However I am 46 with little other social interaction outside of work.
I have gone to the gym alone and used equipment and got so bored. I much prefer to head outside for a walk.
Morale of the story: we are all different!
We are definitely all different, and I know that I am in a minority as far as being an introvert and a night owl is concerned, so it's not surprising that I'm unlike the majority as far as my gym habits.
I made a New Year's resolution last year and I did it. I have never made one before because I never intended to follow through and could tell that on the front end. In general I don't plan to do things unless I intend to do them.
I think one of the reasons I have been successful in sticking with the gym so far after joining is that I didn't join a gym to get fit - I got fit first, and then joined the gym because it had the equipment I needed to advance what I was already doing. I outgrew my cheapo handmedown Service Merchandise weight bench, and I needed a real squat cage with safety bars and had no room for one. I'm not at all sure it would have worked for me to join a gym until I reached a certain point of being ready enough to feel confident.3 -
GOT_Obsessed wrote: »keep in mind you are almost all experienced and well into your gym routine for years now. But when you were a beginner with little experience and no routine were your thoughts the same as now?
i didn't start out in the new year, but after seeing the lost-looking newbs of a few januaries i really agree with this point. couldn't get to the article but idk if he even addressed the extra intimidation factor of being one of the new-year lemmings.
breaking into the weight room was hard enough for me at mid-year, but in january everyone's stressed and frustrated, and new-year newbies probably see the worst side of 'us' regulars. it's the time of year when 'lifters are some of the most helpful, welcoming people around' is least true.Tweaking_Time wrote: »Those gym-newbies that are there on February 15 are probably going to make it.
yeah . . . . unless they're part of that second wave that are only there because they couldn't get laid/get a date on the previous day
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I started last August. Have not been in a gym in January yet.
I really hope the Jan 1 people are not morning people. I like my near empty Y at 5:30 in the morning. 4 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »I really hope the Jan 1 people are not morning people. I like my near empty Y at 5:30 in the morning.
oh dear . . .
ymmv but around here 'i'm g oing to get up at 5 every morning!!' seems to go right along with 'i'm gonna work out!'
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Lol I do get up at 5 am or so every morning and then promptly sit around and play video games for an hour. I don't go to the gym until after work. This probably seems weird to some people but I am happy with this schedule.2
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cbohling1987 wrote: »Lol I do get up at 5 am or so every morning and then promptly sit around and play video games for an hour. I don't go to the gym until after work. This probably seems weird to some people but I am happy with this schedule.
No. You have to do it MY ONE WAY. If you are up at 5, be at the gym by 5:30 or you will gain weight, develop a terrible disease and lose your puppy. 5 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »cbohling1987 wrote: »Lol I do get up at 5 am or so every morning and then promptly sit around and play video games for an hour. I don't go to the gym until after work. This probably seems weird to some people but I am happy with this schedule.
No. You have to do it MY ONE WAY. If you are up at 5, be at the gym by 5:30 or you will gain weight, develop a terrible disease and lose your puppy.
Did you write the original article, but under pseudonym? Something about the tone . . . just asking . . . . 2 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »I started last August. Have not been in a gym in January yet.
I really hope the Jan 1 people are not morning people. I like my near empty Y at 5:30 in the morning.
It won't be as bad as it is in the evening, but it will likely be far busier than you're used to for a month...then it'll die down a bit in February and should be back to normal by March.2
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