How bad do the gyms get after New Years?

sjackson310

Random question, but I know everyone says they want to lose weight for their New Year's resolution, so I assume gyms are full after New Years. This is my first time working out consecutively for several months, and so I have never seen what the gym looks like during this time.
Do you notice an increase in gym goers during this time? If so, how long does it last typically?

Escape_Artist

Amount of people doing bicep curls or sit ups in the Squat rack, grunting and weight slamming jumps significantly


It lasts for a couple of months, normally by March it starts to get better

melaniecheeks

Gyms are at their busiest in January. By the time February comes along, things have returned to normal.

sjackson310

Oh wow, i assumed it would be mostly the treadmills & ellipticals!
I also assumed it'd be more quiet by the end of January when people give up.

Amount of people doing bicep curls or sit ups in the Squat rack, grunting and weight slamming jumps significantly


It lasts for a couple of months, normally by March it starts to get better

Topsking2010

I am doing home workouts in January. Can't stand waiting for a treadmill.


Checkout hasfit.com for great home exercises.

ninerbuff

Being in the industry for decades now, January is the highest usage of practically any gym I've worked at. Although there's a bump up in almost every area, the 2 the seem to get the most are the cardio areas (treadmills, ellipticals, etc) and the group fitness classes. Byt the end of February it seems to go back to normal.

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LuLuChick78

In my experience is starts to return to normal after 2-3 weeks. It can be entertaining if you are a "people-watcher" like me (I think I hide it pretty well and try not to be one of "those" people staring).

And yes, the treadmills and ellipticals do seem to take the brunt of the increase.

Yanicka1

My new gym is 80 000 square feets...... can't wait to see what happen on january first!!! but usually it is still the same old, same old in the free weight area

mcibty

Great question, I was wondering this myself, as my gym isn't huge!

erialcelyob

I am at a private gym and even then the people who have memberships all year burst through the doors after New Year and remain until around February

saree2013

The one I go to has experienced a rush in October that has spilled over into November. Had to start going 2 hours later than normal. It's a small place so when it gets packed there is nothing (4 treadmills, 3 barbells kind of small). Same thing January and February. By March usually only the ones staying are the ones still there.

UpToTheChallenge

ahh the new year. the best time of year for people in the fitness industry. It's super busy, people working out as their new year resolution. I have worked at a gym here in Canada for 5+ years and it's our busiest time.

happysquats

i worked at a ymca in all throughout high school and we would always do weight loss resolution programs so the gym was ALWAYS packed in january. around march, though, it would be back to the just the regulars and the few who were sticking to their resolutions.

MyOwnSunshine

Oh, geez! Thanks for reminding me of the upcoming onslaught. I'll definitely shift my lifting workouts to mid-day instead of late afternoon to avoid some of the nonsense.

HeidiMightyRawr

My previous gym had barely any change, it was a basement gym catered for powerlifters/bodybuilders though, not many resolutioners. It had a few young guys join up, but barely enough to notice if I wasn't already aware of potential new members.

This will be my first new year in my current gym (a more commercial gym) and I'm expecting it to be quite busy.

saree2013

Oh, geez! Thanks for reminding me of the upcoming onslaught. I'll definitely shift my lifting workouts to mid-day instead of late afternoon to avoid some of the nonsense.

I've been thinking about changing my time to going super early before work. However, with the cold weather lately I can't seem to convince my body to get up and face the cold first thing as opposed to facing it after a day's work. I do think I would enjoy early mornings if I could wrap my head around the idea.

ThePinkPenguin

Last year, I had a hard time even getting a place to hang my coat when I went to my YMCA, so I imagine I will try to stick to home exercises for the first few weeks as well. I started getting serious about losing weight in February, though. Go figure!

eric_sg61

I usually change my routine so I am not using much equipment. Squat rack and power cage are usually still freed up.

Francl27

Bleh. Sadly it's when I'm the most likely to go too, not because I don't work out the rest of the time, but because it's too nasty out to walk outside in January and February...

CyberEd312

I go to our local YMCA and yes January is normally crazy busy with all the new years resolution goers and they are normally in group classes and out in the cardio area, not to many venture into the weight room per say... I tend to adjust my start times for that month and normal by Mid-February things get back to normal... I tend to take the late summer off from lap swimming and usually get back in the pool in January for that reason so I can get cardio in and avoid having to wait on machine in the cardio fitness area..... Best of Luck...

marielaem

After New Year, you generally have to fight through the mass of fat people to get into the gym, and there's no chance of getting on a treadmill. Then, after about a week, they all disappear until the following year.

Shan790

mine gets stupid busy, people that have memberships come back and new ones start. The classes are the hardest hit, I've seen zumba classes that were packed like a trendy nightclub. Step left instead of right and the whole room gets knocked out of sync
Luckily the weight area isn't a whole lot busier and my yoga classes stay some what less crowded. Can't get near cardio machines but Idon't use them anyway.

meshashesha2012

Busiest times I've noticed are Jan-beginning of March, May/June for swimsuit season and recently September for the slutty Halloween costumes :laugh:


i also notice that it's crazier after work. For the January rush i either change my workout to the morning or wait until later in the day after the after work crowd has left

CharRicho

It's hard not to be annoyed with the "New Years Resolution" crowd, but I just try to remember that we all started somewhere, and they are at least trying to change their lives. Most of them won't stick with it, but maybe some of them will, and I don't want to be the b!tch that discourages someone from getting healthy because I was too impatient waiting for the machines, or annoyed at not getting my usual spot in class.

uconnwinsnc

My school's gym got packed after getting back from winter break. By the time march madness rolled around, it was back to normal.

thistimewillbedifferent

This past January I was one of those New Year's resolutioners. (Resolutionists? Resolutionaries?) Long story short, it's eleven months and 65 pounds later and I'm still there. Be nice to us, as some of us do actually stick around! :flowerforyou:

meshashesha2012

This past January I was one of those New Year's resolutioners. (Resolutionists? Resolutionaries?) Long story short, it's eleven months and 65 pounds later and I'm still there. Be nice to us, as some of us do actually stick around! :flowerforyou:

yeah i dont understand the hate for the resolutioners, especially since many of them end up subsidizing gym fees for the rest of us.

IronSmasher

Bad.

2-3 months here.

Expect the forums to fill with new people, and the database/barcode scan to be rammed with nonsense too.

graysmom2005

It usually gets significantly busier. As a group fitness instructor I always use it as a time to REALLY try and grab people's interest and get them to stay as regulars and not resolutioners. It makes me sad when I see people that I've connected with fall off and disappear.

megsmom2

Yes...at my gym there are always lots more people for the first few weeks...then it tapers off. The plus side is that a lot of gyms offer good deals at that time to entice you in, so you can save some money.

kathleenjoyful

My new gym is tiny so I am not looking forward to this! I tend to go late in the evening which is not as busy though.