Just venting about my new gym...

cbstewart88
cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
edited November 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Up until recently I lived in a rental community with a clubhouse with a small gym. I used to walk over to the clubhouse and use the gym at 4:00 every morning. It was wonderful. No one else was there at that hour, I kept the lights low, blasted my music as loudly as I wanted and I loved that time to myself each morning.

I recently moved and have obviously lost use of that gym. But fortunately (or so I thought) there is a YMCA right across the street from me - which I promptly joined. I am having such a hard time liking it. It opens at 5:00am and it is mobbed. All the treadmills and other machines are lined up and packed in practically on top of each other - facing a row of TVs in a brightly lit, depressing huge room that looks like something out of Orwell's "1984". Of course now I have to use headphones to listen to my music, which I hate 'cause I sweat so much.

I know, I know....a petty complaint. I'm sure I'll get used to it. Maybe I'll take a class or something to change things up. I just wanted to vent because I miss the old place. *Sigh*

Replies

  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    edited August 2018
    find a new gym that you like? build one at home? if you don't like the place it will be very difficult to stay motivated enough to keep going to it.
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
    Muscleflex79 wrote: »
    find a new gym that you like? build one at home? if you don't like the place it will be very motivated to keep going to it.

    I was concerned about that Muscleflex79. It IS hard to stay motivated when I don't particularly like going there...I like your suggestions. Thank you. Sometimes I overlook the obvious - LOL...
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    cbstewart88 wrote: »
    Muscleflex79 wrote: »
    find a new gym that you like? build one at home? if you don't like the place it will be very motivated to keep going to it.

    I was concerned about that Muscleflex79. It IS hard to stay motivated when I don't particularly like going there...I like your suggestions. Thank you. Sometimes I overlook the obvious - LOL...

    fixed the wording in my response - but glad you knew what I meant!

    even if it means driving a bit further to a different gym, I'd rather do that and love the place rather than going through what you described above!
  • 100_PROOF_
    100_PROOF_ Posts: 1,168 Member
    Honestly I would just go find a gym that you do feel comfortable in. I wouldn't want to work out somewhere crowded like that either.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    what do you typically do at the gym?
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
    graysmom2005 wrote: »
    what do you typically do at the gym?

    Treadmill, weight room, jumping rope, push-ups, planks...and sometimes I use the bathroom too - LOL
  • DoubleUbea
    DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
    Finding a gym that suits you can take a while. The one gym that I liked was probably the furthest from my house. I would drive past several gyms to the gym I liked.
  • MaddyT122
    MaddyT122 Posts: 152 Member
    Build a home gym if at all possible. I am working on that myself and absolutely love it. I have a treadmill, resistance bands, TRX cables and a Total Gym. I may add a weight bar at some point but now I get up at 5 am, do my workout and then get ready for work. So much better than having to deal with a public gym, IMO.
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
    MaddyT122 wrote: »
    Build a home gym if at all possible. I am working on that myself and absolutely love it. I have a treadmill, resistance bands, TRX cables and a Total Gym. I may add a weight bar at some point but now I get up at 5 am, do my workout and then get ready for work. So much better than having to deal with a public gym, IMO.
    Building a home gym was never on my radar - but with the posts I'm seeing on here - I'm starting to mull over the possibilities - have a nice big, empty basement....hmm-mmm. That would be bliss...
  • BattyKnitter
    BattyKnitter Posts: 503 Member
    I built a home gym in my garage and honestly it was the best decision ever! It didn't cost us any more than a year membership at the gym either. We have a pulley machine (for rows and lat pulldowns etc.), squat cage, 2 barbells and weight plates, some dumbells (need to get more of those), and a bench. That's all you really need plus maybe a cardio machine of your choice, I'm hoping to add a treadmill eventually.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    find a gym you like, and not all Y's are created equal. the first one i joined i hated, but was my only option. that was a few years ago. when we bought our house here, i did NOT want the y and joined a different gym. i did like that one, but it was out of my way and i rarely went and was pricey. so, i joined the y reluctantly. im usually there around 7. it is a VERY small Y. sometimes theres 1 or 2 other people in there with me, sometimes not. most dont stay long. I was there an hour this morning and 3 people came in and left before i finished. theres 3 ellipticals, 3 treadmills, and 4 bikes and then the weight area. ive never ever seen all the machines in use. EVER. we only have 1 tv, as long as its not on fox news (lol) i dont care whats on it. i prefer my ear buds. sometimes i talk to an old guy that is in around the same time as me. im not a big fan of working out and talking but small town, sometimes you gotta suck it up. and if its an interesting conversation, it is effective for making the time pass quicker.
  • notarunnermfp
    notarunnermfp Posts: 43 Member
    So you enjoy doing body weight work (jump rope, push ups, planks).. there's no reason to pay for a gym membership for exercises you could do at home. You might be able to find a used treadmill and weights for a good price. Sounds like you have the space!

    On the other hand- I have a home gym, and I've found I usually prefer to get out of the house in order to get a good workout in. I stay moving when I go to the gym, at home I'm more likely to sit between sets, pet the dog, etc.
    I would start small and see if you like home workouts before you spend too much on equipment.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    I built a home gym in my basement and I love working out in the privacy of my own home.
  • genpopadopolous
    genpopadopolous Posts: 411 Member
    cbstewart88 wrote: »
    MaddyT122 wrote: »
    Build a home gym if at all possible. I am working on that myself and absolutely love it. I have a treadmill, resistance bands, TRX cables and a Total Gym. I may add a weight bar at some point but now I get up at 5 am, do my workout and then get ready for work. So much better than having to deal with a public gym, IMO.
    Building a home gym was never on my radar - but with the posts I'm seeing on here - I'm starting to mull over the possibilities - have a nice big, empty basement....hmm-mmm. That would be bliss...

    I have a bench, free weights, a treadmill, bands, mats and a couple mirrors- almost all gotten from our Facebook b/s/t site for cheap.

    Took me a while, but its heaven. I just wander downstairs, crank the music- sweat, cuss, stretch and use my own bathroom. :)
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,012 Member
    Maybe you can find a gym near the office if there isn't a good one close to home?
  • GrumpyHeadmistress
    GrumpyHeadmistress Posts: 666 Member
    My “new” (since 1year ago) gym is an old fashioned sweat box on an estate. No air con, no windows, just bars and racks plus a watt bike. Seriously old skool. Took some getting used to but there’s never a queue for the squat rack.
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    Maybe you can find a gym near the office if there isn't a good one close to home?

    Great suggestion acpgee!! However, I am retired! :)
  • GOT_Obsessed
    GOT_Obsessed Posts: 817 Member
    cbstewart88 wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    Maybe you can find a gym near the office if there isn't a good one close to home?

    Great suggestion acpgee!! However, I am retired! :)

    Perhaps the home gym is for you. If I were you I would take this time to try out and shop around different gyms. You can get weekly trials cheap and free so see what is out there. Your needs may be different now than they were before.

    Best of luck.
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
    I agree that a home gym sounds like a good option for you. That's basically what you had before. Start looking on CraigsList and Ebay for equipment. A lot of people purchase fitness equipment and then rarely use it, only to sell it online to get it out of the house.

    If you have the space, go for it. Start with a couple big pieces of equipment - 1 cardio, 1 strength. Supplement with smaller items like dumbbells and resistance bands.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    It can be hard when we're forced to make changes to our fitness routine/environment. Been there, done that. Just find a way to make it work, modify it, etc.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Working out at home solves a lot of issues for me. I hate having other people in my way, waiting for equipment, getting ready and driving...I can do all sorts of cardio, body weight, and dumbbells at home. I use the weight room at work to lift heavy.
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