My quick rant about my YMCA

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jmoney34
jmoney34 Posts: 61 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Sorry in advance if I offend anyone, because I probably will.

I work out at the YMCA in my town because I love that they have everything all under one roof (cardio, weights, track, basketball, pool, racquetball/handball, and classes). I used to pay $30/mo at Snap Fitness but was so bored with the cardio machines and tiny weight area that I joined the Y for $52/month (couples membership w/ my bf otherwise it's $63 for a single person) PLUS an enrollment fee. I can't believe how expensive it is. I know there is a lot included, but it just seems like so much. I know I could do their scholarship program and get my rates reduced because I am a broke student, but I *can* afford it, it's just a lot!!! I'd hate to take that scholarship money away from someone who really can't afford the gym.

There are also SEVERAL personal trainers and class instructors there that are overweight. I'm sorry, but if I paid money for a personal trainer (it's very expensive on top of your membership) and they were fat, I'd be PISSED! I just don't think it looks good to have overweight people teaching diet and exercise. I also paid EXTRA for a pilates reformer class that I thought would really help me. Well my instructor was overweight and everyone in the class was about 65 or older and I felt like I literally paid to sit and talk. I got absolutely nothing out of this class that I was very excited for and had to pay even more than my $52/mo for.

I found out from a friend who lives about 20 minutes away that her gym used to be a Golds Gym but now has changed its name but has all the same equipment (same things at the Y except better and newer). Guess what she pays (and her trainers and instructors are actually in shape)? $21/month!! I pay over half that for the same exact stuff!!! I was going to switch to her gym but because it's about 15 minutes away from me and I go to the gym 7 days a week most weeks, I'd pay way more than I pay now because of gas! :( I cannot wait to move closer to her in a few months so I can join that gym!

That's my rant! :)
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Replies

  • hevhoyda
    hevhoyda Posts: 146 Member
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    Maybe your YMCA is nicer but in my town it costs $30/month
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    There are also SEVERAL personal trainers and class instructors there that are overweight. I'm sorry, but if I paid money for a personal trainer (it's very expensive on top of your membership) and they were fat, I'd be PISSED! I just don't think it looks good to have overweight people teaching diet and exercise.

    So I'm guessing competence doesn't matter? You'd hate my tri club, some of the coaches are a bit overweight (but you sure wouldn't know it from their race results) and are great coaches.

    Shallow.......:huh:
  • pen_thief
    pen_thief Posts: 78 Member
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    I don't think I'd care to have an overweight fitness instructor either. We don't appreciate when hairstylists have crappy hair and dentists have a mouth full of rotten teeth. It's the same thing, really. I want to see that the class actually makes an impact, you know?

    I thought about joining my local Y when I hit my halfway point, as I just can't tolerate being around many people right now when I'm in my workout clothes - or eek! a bathing suit. But if it's as expensive at my Y as it is at yours I might reconsider. That's really steep, jeez.
  • jmoney34
    jmoney34 Posts: 61 Member
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    I don't think I'd care to have an overweight fitness instructor either. We don't appreciate when hairstylists have crappy hair and dentists have a mouth full of rotten teeth. It's the same thing, really. I want to see that the class actually makes an impact, you know?

    I thought about joining my local Y when I hit my halfway point, as I just can't tolerate being around many people right now when I'm in my workout clothes - or eek! a bathing suit. But if it's as expensive at my Y as it is at yours I might reconsider. That's really steep, jeez.

    Thank you! That's how I feel. The person above you called me shallow, but I don't care, it's how I feel. I would just immediately lose motivation if an overweight person was training me. Just like you said, I wouldn't let someone do my hair who has bad hair or anything else along those lines. I feel like in certain professions you have an image to uphold.
  • onikonor
    onikonor Posts: 473 Member
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    I pay $180/month for the gym I go to. They don't have all the fancy stuff that YMCA does (only weights and floor space) but you get instructors that know what they are talking about and there is only 6 people per class.

    So it's almost like having a personal trainer 4-5 days a week.

    You get what you pay for.
  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
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    My family membership at the Y is $58/mo. Sounds like they are bending you over.

    I would bet you could get a better deal at a gym if you went in there and negotiated with them. Most of them just want the money rolling in.
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    Wow really? I went to a core class the other day with a woman who had arm wings. She actually has a super strong core, I didn't even care about her arm wings halfway through the class. Your comment makes me never want to even try to be a Zumba instructor because I will never be "skinny".
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    I guess some would just call Mark Rippetoe a fat *kitten* too...
  • p0pr0cksnc0ke
    p0pr0cksnc0ke Posts: 1,283 Member
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    so, what you are saying is that you would rather have an instructor that LOOKS healthy... how do you know what the "overweight" instructors do outside of the great YMCA?

    My cousin is fit, and teaches many aerobic/fitness classes. She probably has a bodyfat of 10% or less.

    But she also drinks EVERYnight, pounds energy drinks, pulls all nighters, dabbles in drugs... so I would rather take a instructor thats not an hypocrite.
  • soccerella
    soccerella Posts: 623 Member
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    I don't think I'd care to have an overweight fitness instructor either. We don't appreciate when hairstylists have crappy hair and dentists have a mouth full of rotten teeth. It's the same thing, really. I want to see that the class actually makes an impact, you know?

    actually I prefer the hairdresser with the worst hair....think about it - she's doing everyone else's hair cuz shes the best, but someone else there is doing hers :laugh:
  • CHN_
    CHN_ Posts: 94 Member
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    Not going to go into the whole overweight instructor thing (mainly cause I disagree, a lot). It seems to me that the only reason your are not switching for the other gym is because it's 15 minutes away by car. Even if it is more than half as cheap?

    And if you really dislike and have so many issues with the classes and such at the YMCA, that alone should be a reason to switch gym. As for the gas prices making the other gym so much more expensive, you have to ask if it would be worth it?

    15 minutes by car isn't really that much (less than I drive to mine), not if it's the quality of the training that matters. I had options for much cheaper gyms than mine when I was a student (the student gym was about 110 dollars for a semester, my current is about 70-80 a month) but I picked based on what it offered and where my friends were. I want them for motivation, and I want the classes my current gym offers. To me, it was worth the extra money, even if it meant I was broke just about all the time.
  • mehaffeymk
    mehaffeymk Posts: 154 Member
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    i totally get what you're saying about the overweight trainers. like im some situations it might be okay. for example when i was in high school i had a softball pitching coach who was overweight. granted softball isn't total fitness image but she was overweight. BUT she used to be an Olympic softball player and coached Team USA before retiring to teach lessons. So she has game, she just got older and less active. Still an amazing coach. I digress...
    My gym (Urban Active) is $20. Some machines broken, not in the greatest condition but still usable and everything. And I have a personal trainer who i see 4 times a month for $106. Steep price, but it's what got me finally on a healthy lifestyle path so it's priceless for gaining my life back. But all those trainers are hella built. Super muscular or super toned and you can tell they go to the gym through layers of sweatpants and hoodies.
    I'm a recent nursing grad and i did a research project in school about patients taking nurses seriously about healthy lifestyles if the nurse was fat v. skinny. basically it said they didn't really want to take their advice on a healthy lifestyle if the nurse herself was fat. like who is she talking to about being healthy, shouldn't see heed her own advice? one of the biggest reasons i want to be healthy, i'm not gonna be that nurse who is fat and gross when i am a representative of the healthcare community. like seriously, why can't those fat trainers just do the workout with you or something to show that it really works?
  • ilikepandasyay
    ilikepandasyay Posts: 96 Member
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    How do you know they're overweight? You checked their body fat percentage?
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
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    I thought our YMCA was kinda crappy too for what we were paying ..... People assume the Y is cheap but its not
  • Annafly3
    Annafly3 Posts: 63
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    I hear ya ... I live in rural area and I am a member of the YMCA here because it is really the only gym close by that has everything. The classes you gotta pay extra for I do not attend because my membership costs enough!
    I am not a big fan of the YMCA I think the classes at this gym are not as good as the classes in the city. The only nice thing with the YMCA is that you can use your membership at any of there gyms.
  • CHN_
    CHN_ Posts: 94 Member
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    I don't think I'd care to have an overweight fitness instructor either. We don't appreciate when hairstylists have crappy hair and dentists have a mouth full of rotten teeth. It's the same thing, really. I want to see that the class actually makes an impact, you know?

    actually I prefer the hairdresser with the worst hair....think about it - she's doing everyone else's hair cuz shes the best, but someone else there is doing hers :laugh:

    My hairdresser is a middle-aged man who has pretty normal hair really. But as he is a multiple national and international champion I don't really care ;)
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    I don't think I'd care to have an overweight fitness instructor either. We don't appreciate when hairstylists have crappy hair and dentists have a mouth full of rotten teeth. It's the same thing, really. I want to see that the class actually makes an impact, you know?

    I thought about joining my local Y when I hit my halfway point, as I just can't tolerate being around many people right now when I'm in my workout clothes - or eek! a bathing suit. But if it's as expensive at my Y as it is at yours I might reconsider. That's really steep, jeez.

    Thank you! That's how I feel. The person above you called me shallow, but I don't care, it's how I feel. I would just immediately lose motivation if an overweight person was training me. Just like you said, I wouldn't let someone do my hair who has bad hair or anything else along those lines. I feel like in certain professions you have an image to uphold.

    For all you know the overweight trainer may have been morbidly obese at some point in his or her life and may have a great deal of insight to share with you.

    It's the pre-judging based solely on appearance that's shallow (yeah, I wouldn't go to an accountant who had just been released from prison for tax fraud.....I understand the analogy) and a bit surprising coming from someone wanting to lose weight.
  • sadiegirl32
    sadiegirl32 Posts: 181 Member
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    Wow really? I went to a core class the other day with a woman who had arm wings. She actually has a super strong core, I didn't even care about her arm wings halfway through the class. Your comment makes me never want to even try to be a Zumba instructor because I will never be "skinny".
    don't give up...my zumba instructor isn't skinny but she works my butt off!!
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
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    Good lord..just switch to the other gym....
  • crawpapa
    crawpapa Posts: 156 Member
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    I guess some would just call Mark Rippetoe a fat *kitten* too...

    All hail to the Coach!!

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