Onslaught of New Gym Members
jazzy550
Posts: 264 Member
I am getting anxiety thinking about all of the new people at the gym. It's already crowded. Does anyone else have issues working out in crowded gyms?
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Replies
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I tend to go at times where there isn't anyone but the die hard regulars. That helps.9
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Yes--try and go on off hours, if that's possible. If not, you just have to grit your teeth and get through it. A large percentage will drop out after January. I usually just tell myself that I prefer this to the gym closing for lack of customers--it's just a necessary evil.22
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I'm not in love with crowded gyms for sure, but I've gotten better about asking someone to work in with them if they are using a machine I want to use. I've never had anyone say no or give any attitude to it.
But like Chef, I prefer to workout on off hours, especially weekends, when there are less casual gym goers. No "resolutioner" is gonna be there at 6pm on a Sunday.12 -
I tend to do things at the gym the noobies don't touch. Deadlifts, goblet squats, pushups on rings, etc. Virtually nothing on a weight machine except hang rings from smith machine and the cable towers.
The noobies will be on the machines.
Have a Rogue Echo bike at home so no gym cardio.4 -
I don't go to the gym now but a couple years ago I took a break from the gym in January and worked out at home for a month and a half or so. Lol. Mine in particular was insane. It was so crowded, there were tons of people just standing around waiting to use something. I need to get in and out quickly, I don't have time for that. Or try going early in the morning, it might be less crowded then.3
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Being retired now, I have the option of going at off times. However, sometimes it's not any better. You don't get the crush of newbies, but you have a bunch of doddering old people who do the exact same thing every workout and who "protect" certain machines like it was their lucky seat at bingo.
And they NEVER clean up after themselves. Worse than the kids.23 -
The gym I go to is crowded now. Not anxiety but it will be a pain in the neck to have even more people. But a few weeks and it will pass.2
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It's not too crowded at 4:30 AM
I missed a couple of early morning workouts last week and had to workout mid morning and late afternoon. No thanks.
As for the inrush of new members, that was me last year. It happens every year just stay patient or have your alternative workouts ready to go incase a machine or bench is occupied. It also serves as a good exercise in patience and stress management.10 -
Yes, that's why I bought all of the equipment I need to be able to work out at home alone9
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When I went to the gym, I would usually take January off from the gym and do things like ski (if I was in Canada) or cycling (here in Australia).
Now I've got my own equipment and work out at home.2 -
Think of it as an exchange programme. Many "gym" types make their only visits to bars in December and the "bar" types make their only visits to gyms during January.21
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Another one who uses Off Peak. Bit busier in January but 95% are gone by February....."too much hard work". 1
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Yes, that's why I bought all of the equipment I need to be able to work out at home alone
I had a garage full of equipment and used it but had to sell it all due to economic issues. I live in a small apartment and have some kettlebells and such. I work out with a trainer at the gym after work during the busiest time! 😥 But at least we have first dibs. I just hate working out on my own.0 -
Thanks everyone!0
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Theoldguy1 wrote: »I tend to do things at the gym the noobies don't touch. Deadlifts, goblet squats, pushups on rings, etc. Virtually nothing on a weight machine except hang rings from smith machine and the cable towers.
The noobies will be on the machines.
Have a Rogue Echo bike at home so no gym cardio.
I use mostly free weights too! Just, as a girl, there's not many of us in the free weight section. 🤔3 -
I don’t love the crowds either, especially because my Y isn’t usually super busy when I go. I remind myself that I’m always happy to see people trying to better themselves. And the crowds in Jan help they gum pay the bills the rest of the year.
The thing that annoys me the most is newbies using their phones in the locker room, right next to the “No Cell Phones 🚫” sign. 😬7 -
Just keep in mind that the folks who pay dues and stop coming allow for you to get more than your money’s worth from the gym year round. Gyms would go out of business if only the regulars paid dues. The more annoyance you take now, the better upkeep you will enjoy latter on. I say bring in as many as we can.9
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Mine is a tiny little coop gym in a town of 600 and a full municipality of 1200. Given the percentage that actually come to the gym I have maybe 4 people tops in there at “prime time”. That is sometimes too many for our 1200sq foot space. There is enough cardio equipment to handle people but if we all happen to be needing the racks it gets sketchy. Some don’t like to rotate through. On days I don’t want to see people for whatever reason, I have a decent setup at home. I just can’t go doing things that require safety bars when my fam isn’t home to spot me. So I have to go moderate weight, and use some moves that are not top of my list. Surprisingly, my workouts following these often are the times I get a new pb. So I do it less grudgingly now and just appreciate my options.
For cardio I do online videos, or go for a run or hike in whatever the outdoor conditions are. -40C is not a big deal, but rain makes me angry.0 -
I like it when the gym is crowded and high energy with folks training hard.
If the newbies want to join in, great.
If they want to sit on the equipment looking at their phones, there's a couple of guys in the gym who have no problem in mentioning that there is a coffee shop just across the parking lot.16 -
Think of it as an exchange programme. Many "gym" types make their only visits to bars in December and the "bar" types make their only visits to gyms during January.
Brilliant. I've done both. This year it's probably neither. (I'm attempting an alcohol free holidays, and I'm on a running outdoors kick)1 -
Motorsheen wrote: »I like it when the gym is crowded and high energy with folks training hard.
If the newbies want to join in, great.
If they want to sit on the equipment looking at their phones, there's a couple of guys in the gym who have no problem in mentioning that there is a coffee shop just across the parking lot.
Agreed. I have no issue with a crowded gym. But I take great personal offense when a machine I use regularly is being held up by someone scrolling facebook on their phone. This happened to me the other night - a weight machine I usually use first was being used, so I did something else. Over 20 minutes later, the same person was sitting there still on his phone. He finally left after 30+ minutes.
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Yay for keeping my gym in business another year!4
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Motorsheen wrote: »I like it when the gym is crowded and high energy with folks training hard.
If the newbies want to join in, great.
If they want to sit on the equipment looking at their phones, there's a couple of guys in the gym who have no problem in mentioning that there is a coffee shop just across the parking lot.
Agreed. I have no issue with a crowded gym. But I take great personal offense when a machine I use regularly is being held up by someone scrolling facebook on their phone. This happened to me the other night - a weight machine I usually use first was being used, so I did something else. Over 20 minutes later, the same person was sitting there still on his phone. He finally left after 30+ minutes.
Why didn’t you ask him if he was almost done to speed things along. Most people aren’t rude, they are just clueless. If you say you want it, they will normally move...6 -
Fact from the internet: 80% of people who join a gym in January will quit going within 5 months. If your gym has a annual contract, the gym will receive dues from 5 times the people who actually go after June0
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We have a gym at work, I'm curious to see if any new people start to come after the NY...
So far since I started going, like 5 or so people have come and gone... The other 2 still there in the morning with me are pretty consistent tho0 -
January does tend to suck from an overcrowding/lack of machines/yoga mat place standpoint but it also can be entertaining if you accept it for what it is knowing its mostly 2-3 weeks and over and they are helping to fund a reasonable membership for the rest of us the remaining 11 months.
I just make it a spectator sport in January while doing whatever I can to start the year:
2016: The person that weighed themselves 4 times in 30 minutes like some miracle was going to happen. I did enjoy the large bottle of coke they were drinking with how many calories was in that thing.
2017: I got to see the person texting and taking the tumble on the thread mill that was going way too fast for their skill level let alone their lack of concentration.
2018: There was the person that put 50 pounds on one side and 25 on the other without locking the plates in. That didn't end well for many reasons.
2019: My personal favorite was the multiple sobbing people around the room in a brutal hot yoga class. Hot yoga studios know how to get rid of the newbies after collecting the fees after just 1 visit.6
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