Resolutioner Season
cyndit1
Posts: 170 Member
Its just about that time of year soon where the gym is taken over by resolutioners. Although I am thrilled when new folks join the gym and want to improve their fitness and health, I get a kick out of the newbies that go all out for the first few times and then you never see them again. I know it only lasts a few months but I can't be the only one that cringes every January.
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Just wait til you see what happens here on the forums!
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My suggestion to any gym goer who is bugged by newbies crowding the gym come January is to use it as a chance to become more flexible in your workouts. Learn and be ready to use different variations of your standard exercises. Change the order in which you do your exercises. Consider whether a different time or day at the gym would be less busy than your normal time/day. Dial your bloated workout back to one or two must have core exercises and then pick any other exercises you do on the fly for a few weeks.
Bottom line, the crowds taper off fairly quickly. Around here it's generally by Valentine's Day, which means six weeks. That's a nice block of time that could be spent learning something new and trying new things.25 -
My advice is to assert dominance. Hoard all the weights to yourself like a jacked Gollum from lord of the rings.
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They first join in January and disappear in February only to reappear in March to get a beach body. By June they are gone again. Rinse and repeat.5
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One of the numerous reasons I enjoy my home gym. I hate most other people on a good day, let alone around the holidays.16
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bitcoincat wrote: »I have grown fatter in the stomach all year after several sleepless nights of snacking and trading cryptocurrencies. It’s like a disease. When I close my eyes to sleep all I see are numbers. I am planning to buy membership to a new gym for new year’s resolution and will definitely try to piss off as many regulars as possible.
Haha! Good for you! However, if possible, I'd say join NOW. That way you can get familiar with the gym and the equipment while it's fairly empty since people are busy or out of town this time of year. It's easier to do that now than in Jan. when it will be full of people.7 -
"Resolutioners" (and I hate that word, btw) subsidize our gym memberships. Gyms rely on a lot of people joining at a few points during the year, then not attending the rest of the year. If we were being charged by usage, in order for the gym to make the same amount of money, regulars would have to pay a lot more. So be nice. Resolutioner money is what keeps the lights and AC on in the gym in August.56
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Its just about that time of year soon where the gym is taken over by resolutioners. Although I am thrilled when new folks join the gym and want to improve their fitness and health, I get a kick out of the newbies that go all out for the first few times and then you never see them again. I know it only lasts a few months but I can't be the only one that cringes every January.
I don't. That means something went wrong for them. I'd much rather see them succeed and continue to be there regularly and enjoy it.
I don't (nor have I ever) give unsolicited advice, but there are times I'd like to chat with the new folks just for a bit of encouragement or helpful hints to keep them going.13 -
Try to be positive about them because we were all there at one point. Help them out. Maybe they will become regulars too!12
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I don't. That means something went wrong for them. I'd much rather see them succeed and continue to be there regularly and enjoy it.
I don't (nor have I ever) give unsolicited advice, but there are times I'd like to chat with the new folks just for a bit of encouragement or helpful hints to keep them going.
That raises an excellent point. A lot of people say, "Make friends with the resolutioners! Offer to help them out so that they'll keep coming back."
This is terrible advice. DON'T offer to help them out. Unsolicited advice is considered very poor gym etiquette. By and large, it should only be done if someone is likely to injure himself or herself.
Besides, when the New Year's resolutioners fail, it generally isn't because they didn't make a lot of friends at the gym. It's because they didn't have the proper resolve in the first place, and there's not much you can do to make up for that.12 -
For me, resolutioners increase my income. So I welcome them with open arms.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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We all had a first day. Generally, it’s best to treat the new folks with kindness. It’s not up to we regulars to pass judgement on their worthiness to be there.
I did ask my gyms manager about the financial impact to New Years resolutionists. He didn’t have that number. But what he does know is that 15% of his annual revenue comes from people that buy and pay for a full year membership, and NEVER come back.
Welcome the new folks and wish them well. If nothing else, we all benefit from the incremental revenue.10 -
Theres always a line of one in my garage.5
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Its just about that time of year soon where the gym is taken over by resolutioners. Although I am thrilled when new folks join the gym and want to improve their fitness and health, I get a kick out of the newbies that go all out for the first few times and then you never see them again. I know it only lasts a few months but I can't be the only one that cringes every January.
I just don't go to a gym or fitness facility in January.
It's summer, so I exercise outside.
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My advice is to assert dominance. Hoard all the weights to yourself like a jacked Gollum from lord of the rings.
LOL
Today at gym I scared a few of the newbies. Rack pulls at 515 made them stare like I was a circus side show. Wait until they see the guys that are actually strong!
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bitcoincat wrote: »I have grown fatter in the stomach all year after several sleepless nights of snacking and trading cryptocurrencies. It’s like a disease. When I close my eyes to sleep all I see are numbers. I am planning to buy membership to a new gym for new year’s resolution and will definitely try to piss off as many regulars as possible.
Hate to say it but you will most likely buy the membership go a couple times and not go back. IMO, if someone wants to start training the will do it now rather than wait until some certain day because. "Resolution".7 -
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Gotta say it again... there is almost nothing you can do to help them stay. People who wait until an arbitrary date don't have much resolve to begin with. You might be able to motivate them to stick around longer, but I wouldn't count on that. Not by a long shot.2
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That was hilarious.
I hope those that join the gym actually find their way to a healthier lifestyle. I'm at the gym at 0430 hours. Pretty sure I'll be able to get my workout done just fine.4 -
This is the kind of post/attitude that had me scared to step foot in the gym for a long time...
Being overweight and taking those first steps to work out is hard enough...then add worrying about those avid gym-goers making fun of you as you take your first timid steps into the gym. I was an athlete growing up, continuing into my first years of college, so I am lucky enough to be familiar with the equipment...I didn't feel like I was fumbling when I came back to it. But I am still a "fat girl" in their gym, working on their equipment (at least that's what it feels like). But I'm bullheaded, so I am sticking around and doing it for myself...but That's not everyone, and that means plenty of people could be intimidated right out of the gym...and for what?
Honestly, it's like going to a bakery every day/week/whatever for a treat, and then being mad when someone comes in for a cake on their birthday or for their wedding. That doesn't mean they are taking the cake from your hands, so just be excited that they also get to enjoy the bakery and leave them alonnnnee (or better yet, make new friends).34 -
fritch_gets_fit26 wrote: »This is the kind of post/attitude that had me scared to step foot in the gym for a long time...
Being overweight and taking those first steps to work out is hard enough...then add worrying about those avid gym-goers making fun of you as you take your first timid steps into the gym. I was an athlete growing up, continuing into my first years of college, so I am lucky enough to be familiar with the equipment...I didn't feel like I was fumbling when I came back to it. But I am still a "fat girl" in their gym, working on their equipment (at least that's what it feels like). But I'm bullheaded, so I am sticking around and doing it for myself...but That's not everyone, and that means plenty of people could be intimidated right out of the gym...and for what?
Honestly, it's like going to a bakery every day/week/whatever for a treat, and then being mad when someone comes in for a cake on their birthday or for their wedding. That doesn't mean they are taking the cake from your hands, so just be excited that they also get to enjoy the bakery and leave them alonnnnee (or better yet, make new friends).
Gym goers have NOTHING against committed newbies who are working hard to improve themselves. I think most people respect them a great deal, I know I do. What frustrates some posters here are people who come in all gun-ho, increase gym traffic for a few weeks, then disappear. They are just venting their frustration at having to share. I'm sorry you have to read about it. Frankly, I'm glad to see anyone try to better themselves.14 -
That was hilarious. He's got a good point. I love his assessment of his Taco Bell meat
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People at my gym this week probably think I was a early resolutioner LOL - just joined this gym a month ago, but got a cold this week so haven't been in (don't like to share if I can avoid it) - but I'll be back tomorrow.
I tend to stick to morning workouts, like 5/5:30am, even with the "resolutioners" that time is still fairly quiet, doesn't get tooooo crazy.1 -
Its just about that time of year soon where the gym is taken over by resolutioners. Although I am thrilled when new folks join the gym and want to improve their fitness and health, I get a kick out of the newbies that go all out for the first few times and then you never see them again. I know it only lasts a few months but I can't be the only one that cringes every January.
See, I might be that person this year. But that's because we are due to get a cold snap right around Jan 1 and I'm training for spring races. So as soon as it's above -20C I'll be back to running outside... Just debating on whether I should pay as I go or spring for the monthly pass for a couple of months.
So don't judge the people who only show a few times right around winter. They might just be driven indoors by the weather and counting the days until they can get outside again...7 -
And the winner today is YOU! Lol you are funny!
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Meh- I don't care. I think stuff like this thread is more annoying to me than the actual gym being busy- yes it's annoying but I know it's coming and they are people trying to improve themselves- can't be mad at that- no matter how annoyed I get whilst lifting.
So- meh. Just keep doing you- you know it will die down- and maybe you'll make new gym friends when they stick around.7
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