Because I got lazy for awhile, which was the catalyst. Then I started working 20+ extra hours a week, leaving me with little (read: no) time to go. Now, my last day of gym membership was yesterday b/c I’m moving and it seemed silly to pay $75 just to be able to go for one week, when I probably wont’ have much time anyway because I have to pack.
I’m not feeling lazy today, so I may walk home from work. It will take a few hours, but I can also put off packing, and I have to stop at the store on the way, so I might as well. If it’s not too hot out.
No shit. It’s stale, it’s smelly, it clanks, the people either look miserable or insufferably smug, and even with my iPod blasting away my favorite big band tunes, I’m assaulted by the smarmy visuals of daytime network TV and the inescapable thumpa thumpa thumpa of cheap-ass 80s club music.
Face it, gang, the gym is a plebeian place. And not in the good old fashioned rib-joint or day-baseball sense. It’s a tacky temple to superficial appearance, brute strength, and (if they offer “spa” packages) fake luxury. It’s like a Burger King that’s out of everything but energy bars and grotesque flavors of premixed smoothie (“Peanut Butter Burst”?!)
Sort of. My gf is a gymnastics coach and can go to the weights room of her complex for free and get me in really really cheap. I went a few times with her. So I feel I’m making an informed descision for myself when I say that definately not something I’d pay $750 a year (the going rate at the closest gym) for.
Noise. They tried to call it “music,” but at the decibel levels I measured, and with the choice of shrieking, whining, thumping and pounding sounds emanating over the PA system, sorry, it’s NOISE. It made my blood pressure go UP, and put me on the verge of a panic attack twice. Not worth it.
I have joined another gym, more expensive, but at least the “music” is not so loud that I can’t drown it out with my own headphones & real music. But I didn’t go for about 6 weeks because (1) I had to have surgery and the doctor currently forbids any of the machines except maybe the treadmill, which is tough on my bad knees and arthritic spine, and (2) we had a death in the family so I was out of the state for about a week and (3) I had a vacation.
Of course, now that I’m out of work I should have plenty of time.
Oh gosh yes, the noise. It was awful. Blaring, goofy, dance type music that all sounds the same to me, because I’m a crabby middle-aged person. It’s so loud that you can’t listen to your own headphones.
That was more of the straw that broke the camel’s back. The music aside, the other thing I realized was that I sit indoors in an office all day, and then I seemed to be going to gym so I could be indoors some more. That was depressing. When I stopped going to the gym, I started getting my exercise out-of-doors, and I love it! I’m out walking or riding my bike at least three times a week, usually four, and I can use my headphones and listen to my own goofy music. Once I started getting my exercise outside, I realized how distracting the gym was – not just the music, but all the people, the noise of the machines, keeping track of time, etc etc. Now when I exercise, I feel like it’s also my time to meditate* – previously, I was a person who exercised because I had to, not because I enjoyed it, and it’s really surprised me how much I look forward to exercising now.
*Not deep thoughts, but my own personal mundane thoughts. Like the other day, I spent my whole bike ride making up names for race horses that were also puns. You know, just in case I ever decide to get a race horse.
It was closed for a week for cleaning and repairs.
But I went back today (it’s re-opened now). I go about five times a week, two hours per session. Weight training, coupled with a six mile bike ride to and from the gym for cardio. Man, I love going to the gym!
I haven’t been in years, it’s just more convenient to work out at home (I’m 10 miles from civilization, and more like 20 from a decent gym), plus the only sweat I have to deal with on the equipment is mine and my husband’s.
But I’d go if I lived closer to one, if only 'cause I positively hate jogging/biking/walking in my neighborhood.
I spent most of my life eschewing all things jock-like (I own NO sneakers, for example), but decided after many years of gentle urging from a friend to give it another chance (she’s an aerobics instructor). So she set me up with a routine, etc., etc. But I don’t like being around lots of people that much, really, and I don’t much like “exercise”, either. I’d much rather walk (quickly) somewhere I actually want to go and then walk back. In my combat boots. And look at stuff on the way. I’m pretty strong and liked the way working with weight machines felt, but ultimately, I didn’t like my body more for doing it. I felt bulkier and I like being leaner. I actually wouldn’t mind bigger shoulders and arms, but I didn’t want bigger legs, or calves. I like my body best when I eat less, not exercise more, as I found out while I was pining away for my lived-400-miles-away girlfriend. Ah, 120 lbs. was nice while it lasted…now I’m much, much happier…and a little more than that . So I guess there just wasn’t enough motiviation to overcome all the things I disliked about it. Maybe a combo of “think the gym’s the coolest place ever” and/or “really hate the way l look” would work better.
Two kids. But I didn’t ‘leave the gym’, I took it home.
I used to scoff at the poor swouls that’d show up for the 5am spinning class at the Rec center…WTF were they doing slogging away the miles in the dark?
Then I discovered the only way I could stay in shape was 4:15 am, twice a week, lifting weights in the basement. I bought an olympic set and paid an additional $50 for a better weight bench and haven’t regretted it. Now, the $250 I spent on the recombant was wasted as the sucker has less than 400 miles on it and a busted bottom bracket.
Do I sometimes workout only once a week? Ya. Does the Tuesday thursday routine occasionally become tuesday Friday? Ya. Do I love being able to toss my kids in the air so their shores are even with my chin? Absolutely. It’s purely selfish, but I want my kids to think dad was the strongest guy ever, and I wanna be able to play catch and run around with them in 10-15 years.
So, I didn’t stop, I just dialed it back a bit and changed venue.
Because their so-called day care was a joke (an old lady who spent most of her time yakking and didn’t notice escapees.) and the other parents did not follow the rules of ‘no sick kids’.
One visit a month resulted in 6 weeks of sickness with my kids. So my monthly membership of $20 was around $100 with doctor’s visits and meds.
Don’t you think I didn’t write a strongly worded email to the people that matter in that place.
I stopped because I got fired, moved interstate and the gym I was signed up with didn’t have any branches over here in Adelaide.
Now I’m trying to find a new gym, but I can’t find any that are close enough to be convenient (I don’t drive, and the closest actual gym is a 40 minute bus ride away. Not an option if I’m working stupid shift hours). I think there’s one near work, but it’s a ‘Fitness Management’ style gym, with small groups of hardcore people, working from a room in one of the office buildings around here. It scares me.
I should have plenty of time.
. So I guess there just wasn’t enough motiviation to overcome all the things I disliked about it. Maybe a combo of “think the gym’s the coolest place ever” and/or “really hate the way l look” would work better.