Lets talk about YOUR GYM
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A circuit, at leadt a couple rowers, a large stretching area, calm atmosphere, friendly and actually helpful staff, clean with machines fixed quickly and preferably an indoor pool. Also being affordable and nearby helps.0
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I train at an Olympic Weightlifting gym. It has platforms, bars, bumper plates, squat racks, jerk blocks, dumbbells, KB's, mobility equipment and nothing else. I love it but do wish there was some form of cardio equipment for when I need to cut weight prior to competetion.0
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kjflaherty wrote: »I want to hear what you look for in a gym. Since I moved I've been apprehensive to join a new one. Getting out of gym contracts be like getting out of a death contract.
I like zumba, some group fitness classes, I need the weights. I love the hottub.
But I'm afraid if I hate the one I join I'm so stuck. So tell me what to avoid, tell me what you like, tell me everything. How is 24 hr fitness?
I want your opinions!
I primarily go to the gym to lift so the weight room is top priority. There needs to be all of the necessary equipment to do traditional barbell strength training as well as an Oly platform and bumper plates and they have to allow Olympic lifting (which means weights are going to get dropped).
My current gym and the one prior to that were mostly one big weight room with limited cardio equipment, etc...most people use the cardio equipment to warm up and/or cool down after a workout rather than performing long cardio sessions. Since everyone is there primarily to lift, nobody gets worked up about bumper plates hitting the Oly platform and making a bunch of noise. I like the fact that it's a gym and not a library.
My current gym is not open to the general public. Most of the customers are working directly with one of the trainers at the gym. There are a handful of us who have "executive" memberships and we can come and go as we please. This is nice because even on a busy day there might be 4 other people in the gym training. I often have it to myself, especially on Sunday.
ETA: my first gym when I started back 5+ years ago was a Jewish Community Center. It was awesome because it had a lot of amenities, including a very nice weight room. It also had an indoor track and I miss the swimming pool and gymnasium. It had a nice cardio area that was well removed from the weight room, so cardio bunnies had no need to complain about the weight lifters. It also had 2 hour child care that you paid for, but it was cheap. A family membership was only $99/month. Alas, it was clear across town and we were spending as much time commuting back and forth as we were working out.0 -
Ive never had issues getting out of a gym membership. At my previous gyms they normally charged an extra month up front and when I cancelled my membership that was the end of it, they never charged me anything again. I used to go to a place called lifetime fitness and it was wonderful. Really big and lots of equipment, good kids area and activities, locker rooms were really nice, sauna, steam room and hot tub. I also like how they provide towels, and there is an indoor and outdoor pool so we really made use of it during the summer. Right now I belong to a community center which is just ok. The workout area is kinda small so I often have to wait for the squat rack. And the locker room isn’t great. But it gets the job done and it’s very inexpensive ($15 a month). I pay for a year up front and they don’t have my credit card info, so I don’t have to worry about getting out of anything.0
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We don’t have a ymca near me otherwise I would go there
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We have a RecPlex nearby which has a pool, ice rink, several courts and like a supersized YMCA. My wife chose this due to the TRX classes and I wanted the pool. It has a great weight section and continually expanding and updating gear.
I also have a small gym at work with a Smith machine, a pulley setup, weight machines, free weights, and 9 cardio machines.
We have a treadmill at home and some free weights and a pull up bar outside. I'm thinking about adding a Salmon Ladder this year.0 -
Kilos plates, combo racks, speciality bars, 100+ pound dumbbells, bands and chains, and a cable machine for accessory work.0
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I’m in the process of building my own strength gym warehouse. It’s going to be a place to just get to work. No fluff!!! Who else would train here?2
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So my regular local gym is also where I teach. It's huge, very well equipped, clean, great music, super friendly staff and people. I love it and because I teach there I get a free membership! Then I have a small gym at work. It's small but they have all of the necessary equipment for my lifting and/or cardio sessions. It's very clean and people just go there and do there thing and head back to work. No muss no fuss. But my real gym... It's called Everybody Fights in Southie. It's rough and tough and every single work out is like the hardest workout of your life. I take heavy-bag classes there. They focus on traditional boxing, some Muay Thai and other MMA. They also have 360 Programs along with all of the regular equipment you'd find in a gym. Good weight room, etc. It's a scary place and it's expensive. Everyone there is super fit... and I love it! Not for the faint of heart lol!! I go there every morning to box, to my work gym every afternoon to lift, and to my local gym at night and/or the weekends to teach and get additional workouts on accessory muscles.0
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I use planet fitness. it's close by, open 24/7, and the only gym i can afford. It's my first gym, so i can't compare it to 24hr, but I do like it- there are a ton of treadmills and cardio machines, some free weights and a 30-minute strength training circuit. Nothing too fancy or complicated, just the basics, which is all i need really. I've never had to wait to use a machine- there's always plenty open. There's no zumba/spin/yoga/etc classes (i don't think?) but i'm fine with that. I have a Black Card membership, so i can also use the massage chairs and tanning beds. A lot of people diss PF because of the "lunk alarm"- but most of them are, y'know...lunks themselves.
I was with you until the lunks comment. Seriously?!7 -
(Edited, for the record - I have had memberships at Lucille Roberts, David Barton, The New York Sports Club, and Blink. I have taken classes all over the city to try out different places.)
I like classes and I work full time so I need a lot of options open to me. I got myself an Equinox membership several years ago and have never looked back!
My health insurance pays for some of it, thankfully.
I'd be happy to treat you to a day pass if you'd like to try it out. Everyone likes the Equinox!!!0 -
Nature, coastal bike lanes, along with podcasts and my own music are what make up my gym at present.
Not a gym person, but I quite like one gym in my city because it has a pool, sauna and steam room and it's located in a wonderful leafy setting. Major drawbacks are that their hours suck - open 7am - 11 pm on weekdays, and 8 - 6pm on Sat and Sun (!!!), classes are very limited, you can't avoid the TV screens and loud music, and the instructors and trainers do not inspire confidence. So quite sadly not of much use to me as it has distinct advantages and I would like to learn more about use of weights. Incidentally, I don't think I have ever seen women using the weights there. I like quiet spaces in gyms too - where you can withdraw and have a bit of privacy, and I have often thought that the entire experience would be transformed if classical music were played.
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We have a home gym and I love it! Treadmill, airdyne bike, elliptical, squat rack, free weights. My husband also has a pull up bar on the ceiling.
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My gym/sewing room is my dining room. Treadmill in one corner, exercise mat in one corner, sewing table in the third corner, and the ironing board in the fourth. (We use the breakfast nook for meals and clear out the DR only when we're having a large gathering.) I do body weight exercises on the mat. Going to a separate building to work out doesn't fit with my schedule (though I used to enjoy it), so I do what I've got to do.2
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I pay a lot for a “fancy gym.” Group fitness is important to me, and this gym attracts the best Zumba instructors in the area. I also use this place as a place to make friends, so I’d find a home gym isolating. I tried cheaper gyms, but they didn’t have the high-quality classes I was looking for. But, that’s just me and what’s in my particular area—everyone is different.1
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I thinking she is saying that the people at PF are being hypocritical in failing to recognize the “lunk” in the mirror staring back at them.Davidsdottir wrote: »I use planet fitness. it's close by, open 24/7, and the only gym i can afford. It's my first gym, so i can't compare it to 24hr, but I do like it- there are a ton of treadmills and cardio machines, some free weights and a 30-minute strength training circuit. Nothing too fancy or complicated, just the basics, which is all i need really. I've never had to wait to use a machine- there's always plenty open. There's no zumba/spin/yoga/etc classes (i don't think?) but i'm fine with that. I have a Black Card membership, so i can also use the massage chairs and tanning beds. A lot of people diss PF because of the "lunk alarm"- but most of them are, y'know...lunks themselves.
I was with you until the lunks comment. Seriously?!
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giantrobot_powerlifting wrote: »
I thinking she is saying that the people at PF are being hypocritical in failing to recognize the “lunk” in the mirror staring back at them.Davidsdottir wrote: »I use planet fitness. it's close by, open 24/7, and the only gym i can afford. It's my first gym, so i can't compare it to 24hr, but I do like it- there are a ton of treadmills and cardio machines, some free weights and a 30-minute strength training circuit. Nothing too fancy or complicated, just the basics, which is all i need really. I've never had to wait to use a machine- there's always plenty open. There's no zumba/spin/yoga/etc classes (i don't think?) but i'm fine with that. I have a Black Card membership, so i can also use the massage chairs and tanning beds. A lot of people diss PF because of the "lunk alarm"- but most of them are, y'know...lunks themselves.
I was with you until the lunks comment. Seriously?!
I'd like to think that too, but sounded to me like she meant the people on MFP who talk bad about PF. I hope you're right.0 -
My gym has no lock in contract. It also has free wifi so I can watch you tube videos or live sport as I am working out. Its never too busy either so I have started to enjoy going. Open 24/7 as well so fits around my shift working.0
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I love my local YMCA they actually mapped out a workout plan for me with weights and cardo. I can keep track of what I do and they give me a different workout plan each time I come in. You should look into that0
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Davidsdottir wrote: »giantrobot_powerlifting wrote: »
I thinking she is saying that the people at PF are being hypocritical in failing to recognize the “lunk” in the mirror staring back at them.Davidsdottir wrote: »I use planet fitness. it's close by, open 24/7, and the only gym i can afford. It's my first gym, so i can't compare it to 24hr, but I do like it- there are a ton of treadmills and cardio machines, some free weights and a 30-minute strength training circuit. Nothing too fancy or complicated, just the basics, which is all i need really. I've never had to wait to use a machine- there's always plenty open. There's no zumba/spin/yoga/etc classes (i don't think?) but i'm fine with that. I have a Black Card membership, so i can also use the massage chairs and tanning beds. A lot of people diss PF because of the "lunk alarm"- but most of them are, y'know...lunks themselves.
I was with you until the lunks comment. Seriously?!
I'd like to think that too, but sounded to me like she meant the people on MFP who talk bad about PF. I hope you're right.
I suppose it could be read that way too after several readings.2 -
For us the best thing was to save up the money we would have spent on a gym membership and build a home gym in our garage. We have a squat cage, pulley machine, barbells and dumbells and that's all you really need.0
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I go to a local gym. I made the mistake of signing a contract before joining though and now I can't wait to leave. Parking is abysmal and it's insanely crowded. I can never do supersets properly because the second I leave the machine for my second exercise machine someone jumps on. Waiting for a squat rack is like a part time job. Super frustrating and gives me such anxiety lol. I do my best to just get into my workout and out of my mind so that's the only thing that gets me through it.0
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I use Anytime fitness . My two main demands in a gym are small/not crowded and 24 hr access. I need a good mix of free weights and machines , but , even though I own my own , I love that mine also has yoga mats and foam rollers for stretching. The vibe of a small gym is relaxing to me and let's me work out much more effectively and enjoyably. If I was part of a large gym I don't think I'd go nearly as often because I hate when it's busy0
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Just a thought. If you have a college/university nearby, they sometimes allow people in the community to use their gym facilities. The one in my town has a punch card, so you just pay for when you go. I know they have classes, too.2
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I do cardio at planet fitness. Lol. I’m so boring and basic1
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I belong to Genesis athletic club. It's perfect for me. Plenty of free weights, machines & dumbells from 2.5 pounds to over 100. A lot of treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, stair climbers & rowing machines. They offer a lot of group classes (regular, boot camp style, spin & yoga), they have an area with 4 TRX spots & 4 heavy bags to punch, which is great for me. They have saunas but no hot tubs & really big locker room area.0
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michaelwyatt8262 wrote: »I do cardio at planet fitness. Lol. I’m so boring and basic
I do strength training and cardio at planet fitness...I love this gym
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My area has the country's largest Anytime Fitness, so I loved that because it was really nice, and since my schedule is weird, the 24-hr availability was great. They also have national reciprocity, but not all of them are very nice. I also found it pricy at $45ish/month, plus you have to sign a contract.
I like my local rec center. It's cheaper (I get a student discount), and they have nice equipment, an indoor track, a nature trail(open to the public), and a pool. But I find the hours to be a bit restrictive, and sometimes changeable due to community events. Also, there tend to be more people around at any given time, which is sometimes inconvenient if you're serious about your workout.0 -
I go to my local YMCA, and I love it.
It's got a nice sized fitness center, with weight machines, but then a HUGE weight room downstairs, and in the early morning, it's usually just me and 3-4 other people in there. It's gigantic, has everything I could ever want, and I don't think half the members even realize it's there. It's got raquetball and basketball courts, a pool, tons of free group classes, and a sauna and steam room in the locker room. $52 a month. I will never leave my Y!0 -
I love my club. It's about 150 a month but worth it. The big benefits for me - tons of equipment, regularly getting new equipment, a lot of space for workouts and never overcrowded, amazing personal training staff, friendly and welcoming environment, towel service, stocked toiletries, private over night lockers, laundry service, member appreciation events, 24 hr housekeeping.
I'm weights and cardio and I like that I never have to wait for anything. The club has multiple racks, sets of weights, barbells, platforms and a lot of cardio equipment, plus a bunch of other stuff. Going to the gym shouldn't be a hassle and my club makes it very easy.0
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