Gyms in January

IronSmasher

Suck. The plague of people trying to fix 5-30 years of abusing their bodies by standing around in a gym for a month decends soon.

Every year it seems to last a little longer.

ninerbuff

Suck. The plague of people trying to fix 5-30 years of abusing their bodies by standing around in a gym for a month decends soon.

Every year it seems to last a little longer.

It's tough, but an annual thing. Maybe change your workout time for a month? 11:00am-3pm seems like the biggest lull in just about every gym I instructed in.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

cramernh

Suck. The plague of people trying to fix 5-30 years of abusing their bodies by standing around in a gym for a month decends soon.

Every year it seems to last a little longer.

Lets add to that one...

When YOU grab the last available treadmill and the people standing around the gym FINALLY decide they want to jump on and get pissed off at you for grabbing the only one available - they think they can bully you off by saying "I was about to get on that treadmill you know!" - I just have this compulsiveness about me to blurt out right back "Im not waiting for you to shut your yap, first come, first serve now go bug someone else to talk with for another hour!"

kyrstensmom

Ugh. I hope this doesn't interfere with my 5am run....thankfully I don't do it on a treadmill very often since I run outside if at all possible, but it would suck to go to the gym that early and not find an open treadmill! That being said, if only a few of those people actually make a healthy change that lasts past New Years Resolutions, then I'll glady wait my turn for a treadmill.

wbgolden

Good thing none of us have EVER EVER EVER been on the short side of good intentions. Because all of us are here based on completely perfect decisions over the course of our lives.

IronSmasher

Suck. The plague of people trying to fix 5-30 years of abusing their bodies by standing around in a gym for a month decends soon.

Every year it seems to last a little longer.

It's tough, but an annual thing. Maybe change your workout time for a month? 11:00am-3pm seems like the biggest lull in just about every gym I instructed in.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I don't have the luxury of choosing a time due to work. I used to have access to a 24hr, swipe card access gym where I could avoid them. There's none of those around here either though.

christine24t

It's gonna be interesting. I started getting fit last January, but I waited until the second week of January and I was at the school gym. I'll be interested to see what's up at my gym.

My gym is usually pretty busy but it is less so around 10 am when I go. Super busy after work, but it dies down around 7 or 8 PM.

RoanneRed

Didn't happen in my business last year but I'm desperately hoping it does this time round - I need to get on top of some outstanding bills! Of course, people maintaining the effort would be extremely helpful as well.

gdr1976

Yea it's going to be busy. I usually go before work and the gym is busy, so It's going to be interesting to say the least. Hopefully a few of the newbies will stick with it and make a difference in their life.

ninerbuff

Good thing none of us have EVER EVER EVER been on the short side of good intentions. Because all of us are here based on completely perfect decisions over the course of our lives.

While there are some that stick with it past 3 weeks, statistics show that 85%+ of newly signed gym members don't return after 3 weeks. And this has been going on for a couple of decades now, so it's a consistent trend.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

wbgolden

Good thing none of us have EVER EVER EVER been on the short side of good intentions. Because all of us are here based on completely perfect decisions over the course of our lives.

While there are some that stick with it past 3 weeks, statistics show that 85%+ of newly signed gym members don't return after 3 weeks. And this has been going on for a couple of decades now, so it's a consistent trend.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

please quote your sources. it's just good form.

and if 15 out of 85 people choose to continue, how is that bad? but let's, please, continue to judge. that's just what good people do, right there.

IronSmasher

It's gonna be interesting. I started getting fit last January, but I waited until the second week of January and I was at the school gym. I'll be interested to see what's up at my gym.

My gym is usually pretty busy but it is less so around 10 am when I go. Super busy after work, but it dies down around 7 or 8 PM.

I've nothing against people starting January, or people that are in a gym in January.

But you will see them, this time around.

Standing chatting, hogging machines, leaving weights out, on their phones
It's just every conceivable gym crime, with double the normal population, and all squeezed into one month of frustration and annoyance.

The fact that they all (nearly) disappear again is both a relief and salt in the wound

IronSmasher

Didn't happen in my business last year but I'm desperately hoping it does this time round - I need to get on top of some outstanding bills! Of course, people maintaining the effort would be extremely helpful as well.

Doesn't help you now, but DW Fitness ran a deal, 12 days for £12. It had to be bought in December, and redeemed in January. I think it will pack out the classes.

tsh0ck

I'm second-shift. I prefer to go beforehand, from 1-2:30 or so. not many people usually, but figure that to jump. my alternative is to go after work, which is what I'm doing tonight. so guessing my midnight-1:30 a.m. slot will be fairly open.

IronSmasher

I'm second-shift. I prefer to go beforehand, from 1-2:30 or so. not many people usually, but figure that to jump. my alternative is to go after work, which is what I'm doing tonight. so guessing my midnight-1:30 a.m. slot will be fairly open.

Lucky

wbgolden

nevermind....

waskier

I hear you on the bad decisions thing, but that isn't what we're talking about. We're talking about the woman that showed up the other day wearing chainsaw ear protectors (how did I know they were for chainsaws, you ask? They were bright red and said STIHL), walked up to my bench (the one i was SITTING on, not the other 4 on either side), set her water bottle and assorted other items on it, and then proceeded to grab some weightts and do some sort of contorted movement directly in front of the rack, preventing anyone else from getting any weights from that section until she was done. Her ear protectors worked really well. She couldn't hear me asking her to move her stuff, or herself.

Or the guy today using the only leg curl machine in the gym, who "only had a little more to go" before he was done. Could I wait? Yeah, for 30 minutes! I honestly never saw him actually using it. He just kept walking around it, but wouldn't remove his sweaty, smelly towel from it so someone else could use the machine.

Or how about the OTHER guy today who loaded 20 plates (900 lbs) on the incline leg press and then proceeded to do "leg presses".......of 3 frickin' inches! (I'm not kidding. 3 inches) I guess he at least got a good workout loading it up. Too bad none else could work in.

The problem is not that people choose to come in at this time of year to try to make a change. It is the idiots that think they own the place because they pay dues. So do the rest of us, yet we at least show consideration to others.

wbgolden

The problem is not that people choose to come in at this time of year to try to make a change. It is the idiots that think they own the place because they pay dues. So do the rest of us, yet we at least show consideration to others.

This transcends the January crowd

IronSmasher

I guess little consideration is all I'm after.
There's very little to gym etiquette. Once you know about 'working in', the rest is 'don't be selfish'.

adjones5

IronSmasher I know what you mean...in the past the crowds have died down a bit by mid feb...I'll be excited to get back to my usual gym routine without tripping over a bunch of people.

Elzecat

Good thing none of us have EVER EVER EVER been on the short side of good intentions. Because all of us are here based on completely perfect decisions over the course of our lives.

This.

Wow...way to support all those folks who, frankly WERE/ARE us. I started my journey in mid-February...but I was still a new person, god forbid, taking up valuable space at the gym (with my rather large and inexperienced rear) from the "real" people who have the right to work out because of course, they've never started something and not finished it.

GEEZ.:huh:

Honestly, some of the "less polite" (read: people who chat on cellphones while sitting on my desired piece of equipment and NOT working out, etc.) people at my gym are LONGTIME members who are way more fit and have been there way longer than me...it's not anything to do with being "new" or just starting your fitness journey.

I run outside alot so I don't use the gym that often...but this January/February when I do, and when it's a little more crowded with all the new folks trying to be healthy and fit...I will be patient with them and encourage them to come back. That's what people need.

Head explodes from how mean people can be...oy vay...

ninerbuff

please quote your sources. it's just good form.

I can't quote statistics that are aren't available online. But I can quote what is basically said about any New Year's resolution when it comes to follow through:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201001/life-new-years-resolutions-why-they-dont-stick

and if 15 out of 85 people choose to continue, how is that bad? but let's, please, continue to judge. that's just what good people do, right there.

That's not the point. The point made was that every January the gym is full of "New Year's resolutionists" that won't be around for after a month. So it's about the INCONVENIENCE of having to deal with longer wait times for equipment.

kittytrix

During this time I try to find alternatives including at-home workouts and outdoor activities like hiking and snowplay!

I hate how full it gets but it usually dies down by mid Feb. Hang in there.

shasha_84

I agree! I HATE going to the gyms for the month of January. It is PACKED can barely find a machine. I usually try to go at a different time or run outside till Feb when they all give up for the year.

PepperMan98

I am hoping my 8-10pm slot is still fairly empty. I joined mid-year, in June, but didn't start going regularly until September. Sort of the opposite of the NYR people. I signed up, then never returned, then showed back up later, lol. Either way, as long as people understand etiquette, and are not on my machine (Because, of course, since I pay dues, it's mine...but I really do love this elliptical/stair-master/treadmill thingy), we should get along just fine. That's why the EVO has a volume up button...

IronSmasher

I agree, and I've nothing against people starting fitness.

I'm against gym crimes.

The majority of the january crowd aren't new. I see them every January, the first sunny day of the year, sporting events, and when I was in the forces there would be the two weeks before the fitness test.

MFPfriend

Suck. The plague of people trying to fix 5-30 years of abusing their bodies by standing around in a gym for a month decends soon.

Every year it seems to last a little longer.

I'm quoting this to point out some exact words that you said so others will notice.

Please be sure to note that it was said, "... by standing around in a gym..."

This is where I completely agree with the OP (I just got flamed for saying the same thing).

It is frustrating, when you're trying to go to the gym and just get your workout in, but there are 10x the amount of people, and most of those people have no manners in the gym (sitting on a machine for 2 hours during rush hour, not wiping down the machines, etc).
That's what frustrates me.
If you're a newbie, and you're trying to get healthy in 2012, by all means, please come to the gym. Ask me questions, I'll help you to the best of my ability. But don't act like you own the place. And don't think that by just coming to the gym and sitting on a machine you're going to get healthier. You're just frustrating the people who want to work out fast and get out.

My opinion.
Let the flame war begin.

wbgolden

I'm against gym crimes.

Fair enough

ninerbuff

For those that think it's JUDGING, it's not. It's an annual event that happens every January and disrupts many regulars workouts. Unless you've actually worked at a gym, you don't get to hear some of the crap that goes on around this time of the year. As a trainer, I posted a thread about it, I get inundated with "New Year's Clients" who don't show up after week 2 or 3 and I spend a lot of time writing individual programs and working on their BMR's, calorie deficits, and taking stats (bodyfat%, weight, measurements, etc.) so it's frustrating when all that time could have been spent on my daughter or wife instead. Should I just not do all that work? No because I DON'T know who will stick with it so I have to just treat all exactly the same.
Luckily again it's only once a year it happens.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

wbgolden

For those that think it's JUDGING, it's not. It's an annual event that happens every January and disrupts many regulars workouts. Unless you've actually worked at a gym, you don't get to hear some of the crap that goes on around this time of the year. As a trainer, I posted a thread about it, I get inundated with "New Year's Clients" who don't show up after week 2 or 3 and I spend a lot of time writing individual programs and working on their BMR's, calorie deficits, and taking stats (bodyfat%, weight, measurements, etc.) so it's frustrating when all that time could have been spent on my daughter or wife instead. Should I just not do all that work? No because I DON'T know who will stick with it so I have to just treat all exactly the same.
Luckily again it's only once a year it happens.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Completely understandable. We all spin our wheels at our chosen profession. But we chose it, for some reason.

None of us get to guess at who will listen to our professional advice. Yet we continue to do it because it's our profession and passion. Right?

healthyliving_girl

I completely forgot crowded the gym gets in January. I've been working out at home about 95% of the time. Fortunately, I have a set of kettlebells and an elliptical at home. So, only recently have I gotten back into the classes at the gym...which I think I'll take a break from come next week and re-start classes in February.

THanks for the reminder. I hate crowds - not just the rude people at the gym, but rude people everywhere. Or maybe I just hate people? haha jk....sorta.