Basically, do I or don’t I? I have an employee discount (a school district partnership thingy) available at one of the local gyms. I’m thinking about joining mainly because I figger if I’m paying to go there, I’ll get off my lazy butt and get my money’s worth. (We’ll see if it holds.)
I used to powerwalk/jog, but this is not the safest area and I am not comfortable jogging in the dark (and it’s dark at 5pm here in winter–basically, when I get home from work, which is when I jog). I’m thinking a gym might be a safer environment, I dunno. Plus, if I can draft my boyfriend into joining with me, we’ll have that whole accountability thing going.
FWIW, I’m mainly wanting to get in shape. Weight wise, 10-15 pounds is all I’d want to lose; I’m not overweight (6 pounds over ideal weight). Mainly, I want to be a little more toned and a little less squishy, and I want my cranky back to be more capable of coping. I threw it out last October just doing sit-ups at home–wound up in bed for three days, and I haven’t done a single sit-up since out of fear of it repeating.
Boy, if this isn’t my night to ramble. Anyway, someone around here said joining Bally’s is akin to selling your soul. Experiences? Comments? Suggestions?
I go to college right now and I joined a local gym when I first got here (I’m freshman right now). Anyways, I enjoy it enough, I do have to pay $40 a month, so that sucks, but if you get a discount, I’d go for it. What’s it gonna hurt?
“The idea of a walk-in closet sounds frightening. If I’m ever sittin’ at home and a closet walks in, I’m gettin’ outta there.” ~George Carlin
Count me in as one of those who pays but never goes. However, I joined my gym pre-construction, so I got locked in at 18 dollars a month. That was about 2 years ago and they have never raised my dues, not even when the gym was bought out by different people. I am also not tied to a contract, I can quit whenever I want. I hold on to my membership because it is nice to know that if I want to go back, I can. If I stopped my membership and re-enrolled, I am sure I would get charged an arm and a leg.
I USED to go to the gym all the time. I stopped going when I got injured at work, and after my injury healed I had lost all my motivation. I need to try to get back into the swing of things, because really, when I worked out, I felt great. Hauling myself to the gym was the hardest part. once I was finished with a workout, I felt much better. I can honestly say that even though I didn’t LOOK much different working out all the time, the fact that I felt so much better made it worth it.
You may need to think abut whether or not you want your SO to work out with you. I am one of those people who does much better working out alone. Working out with other people tends to slow me down. You spend too much time chatting or spotting the person you are with. If you spend 10 minutes in between exercises, waiting for the other perosn to be done, you aren’t getting an effective workout. If you bring your SO just to know he is there, nd you each go your own way, that’s different.
I think I am going to head over to my gym today and see what the new aerobics schedule is like.
If there’s a local YMCA with a gym facility, I’d look into it Ruff. I have a membership at the Y, $55.00 for 3 months, they are open til 11:00 pm, and have all the equipment I need. Nothing long term, not too expensive, a very laid back environment. Maybe go that route, and if you find you do actually go on a regular basis, upgrade to a real gym.
Always be ready to speak your mind and a base man will avoid you.
-William Blake
Ruf, I mentioned in a different thread a new workout I’m doing. I too usually run in the nice months but don’t in winter (cold, dark, snow etc). I bought a book called “Power Yoga” and have started doing the workout in it. I really like it! No special equipment, no memberships, no undressing in front of strangers etc. The book is very detailed, and despite the oxymoron that the name is (as Eve so accurately pointed out), it really is a workout. It’s not aerobic but definately strengthening and flexibility. The author recommends you read the book through first and then start slowly. Check it out - maybe it’ll work for you.
Well, Ruff, sounds like you’re in the same boat I am.
I find the gym useful—I paid a FORTUNE to join, though (I cannot spend ONE CENT for the next month or two). But I do go three times a week, at lunchtime, and either do “the circuit” or swim. It’s the best way to really work out all of you—just walking or running won’t do that.
I find I go because, a) I spent all that goddam money and it is not going to waste! and b) I really do have to get Mr. Metabolism up and going again and get back into shape.
So I say, yeah, join—does one near you have a try-out type of membership?
Gyms make there money buy selling year memberships & the people only go for a month. Ours pays you back if you come in, so in a year you can get all your money back, which is kinda ironic.
Anyway, a nice walk around the bay is cheaper & you get fresh air, instead of used air people pump out.
Seconding that; I was on the whole very happy with my local Y. You get a nice diverse group of exercisers, thongs are outlawed and they don’t hassle you to sign up your friends, extend your membership, sign away your firstborn child, etc.
The one I went to did moronically refuse to stop people from doing their little water exercises in the lap lanes of the swimming pool, but that was the only problem I had.
I had a membership a couple years back. The reason I got the membership was because I worked nights and had days free, and the club was right across the street from where I lived. I went a few times a week for over a year before I found out (somebody grumbled at me) that you were supposed to sign up, on a timesheet, for the stairmaster machines to take turns - I didn’t know. Usually when I went, there weren’t ten other members in a place made for two hundred. I never had to wait in line for anything - whatever I wanted to do, there was always at least one machine open - it was great. I have school during the day so that’s out, and I have seen these places in the evenings; lines for everything. I wouldn’t pay for that: a thirty minute workout in two hours. I just barely have the thirty minutes. ----- I bought a stair machine but I am cutting back down on my work(job) hours before I start that up again this year; I’m too tired as it is. I’m about 25 lbs extra. - MC
Ruffian, by all means join a gym. It’s great for stress relief and after riding shotgun on a herd of kids all day I bet you can appreciate that. As for sit-ups, write 100 times on the blackboard, ‘I will never do a sit-up again’. As you found out they are terrible if you have any back problems and if you don’t, just wait. Do crunches instead–flat on back, knees bent, feet on floor, arms crossed on chest, roll torso up, hold a beat and release. That’s one. Don’t jerk. Try to work up to 15-25 per set and 2 sets. Abs like rocks before you know it.
I worked out this morning – before work – for the first time in a long time (the “before work” part, not the “working out” part). I didn’t have to wait on anything, I got it out of the way already, and I feel refreshed.
The last place I worked at was a large corporation that frequently got discounts at various places for its employees. They also had an on-site fitness center that I used. My second to last day there, I took my soon-to-be-surrendered badge with me and signed up with LA Fitness. Even though the offer had expired the week before, they gave me the corporate discount - $400 for two years and $200/year thereafter, no start-up fee. This works out to $16.67/month. The $400 up front could be a rip-off, but I had worked out consistently for 3 years before that and knew that I would stick with it.
etc. The book is very detailed, and despite the oxymoron that the name is (as Eve so accurately pointed out), it really is a workout. It’s not aerobic but definately strengthening and flexibility. The author recommends you read the book through first and then start slowly. Check it out - maybe it’ll work for you.
and they don’t hassle you to sign up your friends, extend your membership, sign away your firstborn child, etc.