Physical Exercise Do you belong to a gym

[Freesia]

and if so what sort of gym is it? Do you do classes? Do you have a personal trainer? And how do you stay motivated to keep attending it?

 

[kazyeeqen]

I'm at the gym now, actually. They offer video classes in a special room and it's open 24/7. No personal trainer. I keep going because Paid for it and am too cheap to waste it. Also I feel much fitter since I started.

 

[Freesia]

Sounds great. I am looking at a couple right now. They are kind of far from me but I dont want to go to local ones because of Fear of Bumping Into People From My High School.

Also, these ones look cool.

 

[SummerRain]

I belong to a gym for about half of the year, because from Christmas until summer generally I'm so busy with exams and coursework going to the gym either becomes a chore, or doesn't happen, or completely wears me out, so I generally just don't re-new until after exams.

But I love the gym. I'm a gym kind of person, I hate sport, I like running on one spot in a synthetic environment. That way I can just focus on exercising.Gosh I sound dull. I don't find it difficult to go, but I tend to go more often if me and my fiance are both members because if one of us is a bit like "maybe we should stay in bed?" (we tend to go first thing in the morning) the other goes "NO WE ARE GOING TO THE GYM" So having a gym partner can be good, as long as you're not tempted to chat while you exercise or distract each other, or to get competitive. Unless you like that, but I've had competitive friends I've gone to the gym with and it's awful, they always had an eye on what settings/etc I was on and I just felt self conscious.

Gyms aren't for everybody, if you do join my advice would be to vary what you do, and use equipment to its full potential. For example, don't just stick the machine on the same setting every time, or you get used to it and you don't work as hard. I tend to do a combination of weights and cardio, and then a good 15 miniutes of stretching at the end. I can't believe how few people stretch, it's the best bit, it feels like "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah".

 

[kazyeeqen]

Stretching is very nice. I do mostly cardio and stretching. I like the cardio cause I can watch movies.

 

[Kasandra]

i use to belong to a gym for many years cause I was lazy or not motivated enough to exercise at home or by myself. I enjoyed the group classes and getting out a bit.

However I cancelled my membership due to having a little girl and time is limited.

Before you join a gym ask yourself :

Is it easy to get to and from the gym
Am I a morning or evening exercise person
What type of exercise do I enjoy, do the gym offer these

Find an exercise you enjoy and a time that suits you best and stick to those. To get into a routine.

Maybe go for a visit at the gym, ask if you can attend some classes. Get a feel for the gym.

 

[Freesia]

I belong to a gym for about half of the year, because from Christmas until summer generally I'm so busy with exams and coursework going to the gym either becomes a chore, or doesn't happen, or completely wears me out, so I generally just don't re-new until after exams.

But I love the gym. I'm a gym kind of person, I hate sport, I like running on one spot in a synthetic environment. That way I can just focus on exercising.Gosh I sound dull. I don't find it difficult to go, but I tend to go more often if me and my fiance are both members because if one of us is a bit like "maybe we should stay in bed?" (we tend to go first thing in the morning) the other goes "NO WE ARE GOING TO THE GYM" So having a gym partner can be good, as long as you're not tempted to chat while you exercise or distract each other, or to get competitive. Unless you like that, but I've had competitive friends I've gone to the gym with and it's awful, they always had an eye on what settings/etc I was on and I just felt self conscious.

Gyms aren't for everybody, if you do join my advice would be to vary what you do, and use equipment to its full potential. For example, don't just stick the machine on the same setting every time, or you get used to it and you don't work as hard. I tend to do a combination of weights and cardio, and then a good 15 miniutes of stretching at the end. I can't believe how few people stretch, it's the best bit, it feels like "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah".

I dont think you sound dull, there is something soothing about the gym and just using the pieces of equipment. I used to go years ago. It was ok but I stopped going for some reason.

 

[Freesia]

Stretching is very nice. I do mostly cardio and stretching. I like the cardio cause I can watch movies.

Yes stretching is great. I hope there will be yoga classes at the gym but I am not sure if there will be

i use to belong to a gym for many years cause I was lazy or not motivated enough to exercise at home or by myself. I enjoyed the group classes and getting out a bit.

However I cancelled my membership due to having a little girl and time is limited.

Before you join a gym ask yourself :

Is it easy to get to and from the gym
Am I a morning or evening exercise person
What type of exercise do I enjoy, do the gym offer these

Find an exercise you enjoy and a time that suits you best and stick to those. To get into a routine.

Maybe go for a visit at the gym, ask if you can attend some classes. Get a feel for the gym.

Great advice! I like exercising at all times. The 3 gyms I have thought about are a bit far away, but I kind of live in the middle of nowhere in a sense so that is the case with most things i go to, there are local places but I feel really weird going to them.

I might go and ask for a tour of any gym before I join and ask about its services.

 

[yakherder]

Anyone who has seen my posts back on veggieboards probably knows my take on gyms already They're definitely the best choice for some people, but not for me.

Ironically, I came across this thread about 2am last night just before it started pouring down rain and storming a bit. For some reason I'll never be able to explain to most people, the elements draw me out as if being in them were an addiction. I immediately threw on my running pants and trail shoes and took off on a middle of the night stormy jog with my gym rings slung over my shoulder just in case I came across a good tree branch and felt like doing some pullups along the way.

Nothing against gyms, but being in them demotivates me. I've belonged to gyms mostly for the swimming pools, but now I live in a place with plenty of lakes within a short jogging distance so I don't even bother with that anymore.

 

[thefadedone]

Maybe you could get a free limited time trial for the gyms? I know a lot of gyms offer those type of deals here . Although usually it's at the beginning of the year for all the New Year's resolutioners , but I still see some offers throughout the year as well. Membership usually declines around this time so they might be looking for a way to gain new clients.

 

[Digger]

I've been a member of countless gyms over the years... some paid for by employers and some by me... and I've always felt uncomfortable there. It just seems like the people who frequent these establishments are already in great shape and fat slugs like me are frowned upon.

 

[ledboots]

Hai Digger.

 

[kazyeeqen]

I didn't love the university gym for that reason. The gym I currently go to isn't bad though. Normal people.

And hi digger!

 

[Poppy]

I've belonged to various gyms for decades, and go regularly. We've been at this one for almost 20 years. In any given week, I might do elliptical machines, weight machines, Les Mills classes, yoga and zumba, too. We also live on a very large reservoir, so I run/walk outside as well. For some reason, since last fall, I've really been into the Les Mills classes. I think I must like having somebody else tell me what to do, while not being as focused as having a personal trainer.

We have all ages and sizes of people at our gym. And a huge variety of possible activities.

 

[PTree15]

I love the gym. I've been a member of one on and off for years. Right now, I have a gym at work, so I don't have to pay. There is also a small gym at my apartment complex that I use once in a while. I love hiking and cycling, too, so I use the gym to keep in shape for that. I like the treadmill, spin bike and rowing machine. I do miss classes, though. I used to love step aerobics and just regular aerobics, but I seem to never be able to get to classes when they offer them. I would do videos at home, but I live on the second floor, so I don't want to subject my neighbors to my jumping about.

Yakherder, I'm the exact opposite of you when it comes to the elements. I like good weather when I'm doing stuff outside. I don't mind if it starts raining during a hike, but I won't willingly go for a hike if it's pouring outside. Lame, I know, haha.

 

[Envy]

I live and breathe for the gym.

 

[Clueless Git]

I've been a member of countless gyms over the years... some paid for by employers and some by me... and I've always felt uncomfortable there. It just seems like the people who frequent these establishments are already in great shape and fat slugs like me are frowned upon.

You'd be surprised Digger ..

There's a lot of quiet respect amongst the best at most fitness venues for those who are out of shape but are actualy doing something to rectify that.

 

[Oasis]

You'd be surprised Digger ..

There's a lot of quiet respect amongst the best at most fitness venues for those who are out of shape but are actualy doing something to rectify that.

Agreed. Whenever I see overweight people on the trail with me, I'm definitely not looking down my nose at them. In fact, there's a bit of a camaraderie if nothing else; we're all there with the same goal.

 

[Clueless Git]

Just in case it makes makes any of the 'bendy-wendy's' smile ...

I have some of my vending machines in colleges and keep getting asked for a freebie by some of the cheekier students.

Came up with the 'vending machine man challenge' anyone succesfuly copies my two 'tricks' they get their choice of one free item from any machine ..

1. Stand up, knees fully back, both palms flat on the floor.

2. Link index fingers, fold arms into loop, put head through hole so formed.

Scores have tried and it only cost me two cans of pop so far.

Worth it just to see the looks on the faces of the teens and twenty somethings who see a wrinkly old man fold himself up while they can't even reach their own toes

 

[Clueless Git]

Agreed. Whenever I see overweight people on the trail with me, I'm definitely not looking down my nose at them. In fact, there's a bit of a camaraderie if nothing else; we're all there with the same goal.

Exactly what I was talking about!

Good for you Oasis