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107 Comments
- NerveBand, on 10/12/2007, -3/+80Quitting a gym is hell? Try telling that to AOL. I'm even surprised it is coming out of their mouths!
- cpbrown, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4511. it's probably more beneficial to take up cycling or running, spend a bit on weights and just have a bit of self discipline in the mornings.
cheaper too. - neoform, on 10/12/2007, -2/+29Yeah, because there aren't enough people out there who've purchased machines for their home only to *never* use it.
Gym's are a far better idea since being in an environment with people working out makes you want to work out as well. If you're at home and have to pick between the couch and getting sweaty, most people will pick the couch which is exactly why those weight machines go unused in the corner for so many. - mindsnare, on 10/12/2007, -2/+20I think this might be one dude coming up with as many excuses as he can to not go to the gym.
germs and dangerous equipment? gimme a break, take some minor risks once in your life.
Sheesh - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15"Please Upgrade Your Web Browser"
I run Opera 9.10, you ***** retards. - fauxXenophanes, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13" most gyms count on 20 to 30% dropout rate " - *****, it's more like 85 to 90%. But the cutoff is at three months, if you can hold on that long you may keep going !
- xsecretfiles, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12I must be one of those Gym whores.
I can't excercise on my own, at home with my own equipment.
There is something about the gym that gets you going..like meeting people...stare at the hot bodies. having people look at you. ...etc. I can see all the dangerous the site is talking about, but seriously open up your eyes there us danger all around you. You just gotta watch out.
My point is...Im a gym whore and NEVER had any problem with a gym...and I've been too many
FYI if you have broken however number of bones..why go back to excercising?? heal the bones, go watch TV if you can.. just stay away from a gym.. - Nougat, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11And the other 20% is transmitted by what? Spooky action at a distance?
- dagonweb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11I dont have the same problems, then again I live in the netherlands and we have way better consumer protection laws here. I can come to my Gym whenever I have money, which is most of the time. When in any given month I don't have the cash, the owner waives me the month.
- KingChango, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9"About 80% of all infectious disease is transmitted by both direct and indirect contact" .........huh?
- xbasilx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9dude, use a fake name, fake address and pay monthly and in CASH for the membership... even if there's a surcharge it's relatively small and certainly a lot cheaper if you want to bail out, cos there's no way for them to track you down
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12Better tip: cancel your gym membership and buy a simple bench and some adjustable weight dumbbells. I have a set where you slide the plates onto each side, up to 75 lbs per dumbbell.
You can do workouts on just about any body part for a very cheap amount of money compared to what you'll spend at a gym - keep in mind there are contracts and down payments. Might be $20 a month, but you'll have to pay $500 and have a 1 or 2 year contract. Boo to that.
Very practical solution for those who don't like the hassle of having to go somewhere else to work out or working out in front of a bunch of narcissistic meatheads. 30 mins a session, 3 times a week is all ya need. Day 1, chest/triceps. Day 2, back/bicep, Day 3, shoulders/legs. Seriously, that's it.
Plus free weights are better than machines ;) - elnerdo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10The other 20% just magically appears inside of you.
- BlitzFitness, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11I'm a personal trainer currently working in a community health club, and I have to say, this article needs some corrections.
For example, those germs that they are talking about. Every club I've been a member of or worked at has a setup near all machines (cardio and weight rooms) that include cleaning wipes to wipe down a machine. The real problem is that people are so tired and/or uncaring when they're finished that they ignore the opportunity to clean up after themselves.
Another example, those liability waivers have come in large part due to a lack of member cleanliness. How many times have you seen weights strewn about on the floor in a gym despite the fact that the stack holder is two feet away? People trip or over exer themselves and then feel it's the gyms fault.
Keep in mind, I don't believe gyms are innocent. I get very angry when I feel certain pieces of equipment is taking too long to get reparied and so forth.
As a side note to other commenters above me: Free weights are not, in fact, better than machine weights. That's ESPECIALLY TRUE for beginner and novice level people, and those who specific yet common health issues. You're more likely to seriously damage your body using free weights than you are machine weights (with the noted exception in the article of damaged equipment). - bbear, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Thoughts from a bodybuilder and 5 day a week gym member...
1. "If you're still here in April, it'll be a miracle."
Yeah most people quit by February. Gyms extremely oversell their membership in Jan. If most people didn't quit it would be so overcrowded that working out would be very difficult. Many gym regulars take January off from the gym because of this. Some gyms offer monthly subscription so this is a way to avoid losing a lot of money if you are a quitter. It's better to join in February after valentines day than in January.
2. "Don't touch anything -- this place is crawling with bacteria."
Use a towel to cover most surfaces that will touch your body and after the workout just wash your hands. Wear flip-flops in the shower. Germs are good for your immune system. Don't be a pussy.
3. "We're not equipped to handle health emergencies."
Well this varies by the gym. Some of them do have defibrillators and staff trained to use them. When you take your gym tour ask to see the defibrillators. Sales staff will lie to you.
4. "Our trainers don't know what they're doing."
Unfortunately this is true at many gyms. Some gyms have different levels of trainers. E.g. at New York Sports Club they have Floors Trainers, Pro Trainers and Master Trainers. Master Trainers are the only ones who know what they are doing. Master Trainers are also the most expensive trainer you can get. All trainers I've seen at least know how to operate the machines in the gym. If you are a newbie you could ask for demonstration of the popular machines and then go read a book or bodybuilding.com
5. "We won't let you quit."
Yeah, some gyms are worse than others. You can avoid a lot of hassle if you signup through your place of work. Many of the big chains have deals with companies that pays your membership via automatic payroll deduction. It's really easy to get your HR department to end the payments if you want to quit but read all the fine print on any contract you sign. Also contracts for company employees tend to be a lot better than the standard contract you will get if you walk into a gym off the street.
6. "Be sure to read the fine print on our contract."
Buying a gym membership is like buying a used car.... you pay what they can get out of you.
7. "Our equipment can be downright dangerous."
Lean to use the equipment correctly and you will be fine. You'll have to get a good trainer, a gym partner who knows that they are doing or do a bit of reading. Using equipment correctly means no behind the head lat pulldowns, where the cable breaking means you might be paralysed for life.
8. "Everything is negotiable."
Yup.
9. "If your wallet gets lifted, it's not our problem."
Don't leave anything of value in the locker. My gym was featured in the newspaper for locker robbery. Most thieves will rip the doors right off the locker. I put my clothes in the locker and everything else (cash, phone, credit cards) I take with me on the gym floor in a backpack. Some gyms have rules against taking bags on the gym floor. Don't go to those gyms.
10. "Go ahead and sue; you'll never win."
WTF? - Massif, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Direct contact: touching a person.
Indirect contact: touching something that another person touched.
I'm guessing the rest is through the air. If you want to get technical, you could say that you're touching the air that someone else touched so it's indirect contact... - fernandez, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9agreed .. look around the net & and the number one way people tone up is to use free weights, not expensive machines
if you want to lose weight, better to take up light jogging in the morning, a lot less expensive too - wallet55, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8when my brother was killed in an accident, we had few problems with his many and various contracts, online accounts and cards.... except for his health club, which demanded a copy of his death certificate, something neither his bank nor his employer did not require.
- Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I used to work at Goodwill for, uh, personal reasons, and believe me I saw a heck of a lot of exercise equipment donations.
- Timbero, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8oh, computer geeks who don't like to hit the gym. what a surprise =)
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7If I were a trainer I'd put noobs on machines. In fact, I'd put everyone on machines. 99% of people I see using free weights really shouldn't be. They use too much weight, poor form, no spotters, etc. If the person is not in a competitive sport then machines are just fine and are safer on machines. I've been weight training for...I guess almost 2 decades and it is my observation that what sets people back in almost all cases are (in descending order of importance):
They get lazy and "too busy" to go workout
They get hurt
They get married or find a steady SO and figure "why bother"
The "get hurt" part usually involves free weights. Personally I use free weights because I think they are more fun. I hate to have a spotter (which nearly always involves another man's crotch way close too my head or ass) so I rarely "get underneath" a free weight that uses a barbell. After 2 decades I also know how far I can push it (it takes a while to really build that physical awareness). I also avoid personal trainers like they are carrying the plague, no offense. - JohnnyCreepy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Las Vegas Athletic Club, refused to cancel my membership after a month, and a year later they send me a collection letter for around $600.00 for failing to make payments! It shows as a negative on my credit report to this day. Read the dotted line, and don't sign up for any monthly auto-pay programs. The less they know about you the better. In fact go out and bike and hike in the nature, you will feel better!
- Settra, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I've never had a problem with gyms..none of this pressure BS. I had a trial membership for a week, did some classes..then signed up. No-one tried to sell me anythin, I chose what time frame I wanted my membership to go for, my options, etc. Easy.
- catchneyez, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Oh for Christ's sake!
"Also, bring your own towels, since there's no guarantee that your gym's linens have been bleached or rinsed in clean water."
Cause we all know that gyms hand wash their towels in dirty water.
WTF. That guy is an *****. - kakapu4u, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8I thought free weights were better because you have to control their sway as you use them, and machines only go up and down. With a machine, you don't get any of the collateral benefit of free weights from stabilizing the bar or dumbbell as you move it.
Like if you bench press a bar, you're not just pushing the bar up with pectorals and triceps. You're also keeping it from going over your head or down to your stomach by stabilizing it with your shoulder muscles.
What's missing? Why are machines better? - FearlessFreep, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Most of this article is "yeah, that's how most business work.." and the rest is "no kidding"
- dt40, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6I do workouts both at/from home and at a gym. They each have their value, but overall I definitely prefer at home (weights, cardio machines) or from home (running or cycling).
Advantages of working out at home or from your home:
- Saves time: no need to drive/walk/run/bike to the gym.
- Never a wait for the machines.
- Can watch TV, listen to music, etc. of your choosing.
- Easy to get a drink or whatever during your workout if you want it.
- Don't have to pack clothes.
- Nobody checks out your rear end.
- All the germs are your own.
- Running, cycling: interesting scenery, and you can get somewhere (e.g. commute) at the same time you are exercising.
Advantages of a gym:
- Lots of different machines to choose from.
- Someone else washes the towels, cleans up, etc.
- More social environment.
- Gym location might be convenient to work location.
- Change of scenery. - BlitzFitness, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7It all depends on fitness level. You're right on track about the positives of free weights, however, working a muscle that's isolated (which is what machines typically do) is a positive as well. Plus, the lack of free range movement limits the potential for hazardous conditions.
In other words, when I'm working with a client, I am most likely going to use a program of machine weights. Eventually (could be after 2 weeks, could be after 6 months) I will then move them on to free weights and/or body weight exercises.
The point is, neither is truly better. They balance each other out. A good example of a strong workout that one client of mine has is a superset workout that jumps at an A-B-A-B pattern. For example, when the target muscles are you quads in this program, they will do alternating lunges (1 set), then leg extensions (1 set), Alt. lunges (1 set), and finally leg ext. (1 set). That person gets the benefit of utilizing their range of motion, synergists, antagonists, and other muscle recruitment while doing the lunges (free weight/body weight) and they get the benefit of a pure targeting exercise with the leg extensions (machine weight).
Some have already said, the best thing to do is alternate your routine for best benefits, and if you've been working with free weights for a while, take a break from those and work with machines or body weight for a bit. That keeps them challenging.
Hey! I should be getting paid for this! What the heck amd I thinking! :) - M2Ys4U, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7but... they are aren't they?
And plumbers too, don't forget. - JAKEJAX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Over generalization. It's like saying all Italians are gangsters.
- kakapu4u, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6And, "I pay for the gym every month. Might as well go get my money's worth."
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Or buy your own equipment. We have an exercise room with club quality machines. Going to the club was such a hassle. Find a place to park, change, work out in between waiting for equipment, change and/or shower again and then back to the car. Screw that. I was never sick as often as when going to a "health" club. Always amazed me the number of people who would work out even though they were obviously sick. They'd pass it around to a bunch of other people. Nice.
Good quality equipment will last decades. Jogging is good, biking is good...if you have the weather for it. You have to be pretty die hard to be a runner in the Seattle area, or in the winter in Minnesota. There are people who do it, but I think the weather defeats a lot of good intentions. But if you've got a good quality treadmill, you'll never have an excuse. We have a frig and satellite TV in our workout room, just like up town. - Kniggit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5@mcduckov:
This is to you and to everyone else that Bally Total Fitness and others foist an enormously deceptive membership application these days. Most people who go to a gym understand there's a monthly membership fee. What many people don't understand is when the contract turns into a loan or a debt note.
Bally Total Fitness is notorious for membership contracts that indicate that their membership is actually a "RETAIL INSTALLMENT CONTRACT". Well, guess what? A retail installment contract is a LOAN, as in they want your social security number so they can send you to collections if necessary. If you stop paying on it for any reason before the end of the contract term, you get sent to collections and they get 2/3 of the money up front as is standard with collections agencies. Then Bally cancels your membership and you're screwed. Many people stop paying for various reasons - poor cleanliness, poor customer service, loss of interest, and even being posted overseas. But Bally doesn't care because they'll get their money and bar you from using the club.
There is a cancellation provision in the contract, but it is notoriously difficult to use. Basically, you need to send hard documentation that you live more than 25-50 miles radius away from the nearest Bally facility of any type - even if your membership type doesn't apply there. Even when you do send them this proof, they mysteriously lose documentation unless you've sent it in a way that can be independently verified as delivered. Even after sending hard proof, some people have still been sent to collections and had their credit ruined.
The whole reason for this is that the transaction cost of retaliation is much greater than the cost of paying the membership. Bally and the other gyms know this and exploit people for it. In fact, they won't let you walk out of a Bally facility with an unsigned contract. They've been sued by various state Attorneys General and twice by the FTC, including their collections agency. They've tried to shut down complaint sites on the Internet too. In short, it is a highly unethical company based on historical actions that I would never deal with.
So, one piece of advice I give everyone here on Digg and ask that you tell others is to watch out for this deceptive language (i.e. NOTE, LOAN or RETAIL INSTALLMENT CONTRACT) on the fitness contract and to read through it carefully to see both the length of the membership as well as any cancellation provisions. And, as always, never give out your social security number to a gym.
http://www.mwns.com/btf/links.htm for more info. - macaddct1984, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7My sister was a member of a gym for a while in California, and decided to cancel around June when she had to move out of the state. She was very clear to them that she was canceling her membership, and paid the early cancellation fee.
Come October, she looked at her billing statement and saw that she had *still* been charged for the past 6 or so months between June and October.
Luckily she called the gym up and they finally reimbursed her for the payments. - TheWalkingDude, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I like Gyms not Clubs - places where you go to work out, not socialize. Clubs have creepy old naked men who sit in the sauna all day, juice bars, loudspeaker advertisements, and members who look like they're sponsored by Nike. Gyms have old beat up equipment, dust, a guy at the front counter named Tony, and members with torn up metal T-shirts. Clubs have "spin classes", whereas gyms have exercise bikes. I guess what I'm saying is that a lot of clubs seem phony - they're more about the image.
As far as their staff: it's similar to GNC. They care more about profits than self-improvement, and many of them get their knowledge from heavily advertised magazines as opposed to college courses on Nutrition, Health, and Exercise Physiology. - ricksite, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Waivers don't protect the gym from everything. They can't duct tape a piece of equipment back together instead of doing a proper repair and not be held liable when it hurts someone. You do have to prove they were negligent in making the proper repair.
- RandomGuySteve, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4It sounds more like they're telling you the downsides to a gym, which the gym would never tell you.
If the gym ever did tell you these things, they would just be downsides.
See how that works? - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+51-10: it's all a scam?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I got a VERY hard sell about a decade ago when I joined Bally's (it was Jack LaLane's back then). I paid $500 bux up front and then had no charge for 3 years. When the payments did kick in it started at $60 a year and goes up by about 10% a year. I'm up to around $180 by now which is still a hell of a deal. Given how much I use the gym it is probably been one of the better deals I've made in my life. At the time they were pretty desperate for members.
I really do wish I had the original contract because I don't remember there being a 10% per year increase built in. However, I have had trouble getting Bally to send me the entire contract. I guess if I get ambitious enough I'll make the request for ALL the pages of the contract in writing (maybe even cc: some made up legal firm). - ubuwalker31, on 10/12/2007, -0/+410 Things You Should Do Know About Your Gym (The Short n Sweet Version)
10) If you sign up for a gym, make sure to go at least once a week. At least. (Easier said than done)
9) Make sure to wash your hands and take a shower after you've used gym equipment. Bring your own towel.
8) Get a physical and see a doctor before working out. And make sure your gym has a defibrillator.
7) Don't use a trainer who spouts psuedo-scientific ***** and doesn't have an undergrad degree and certifications in training from colleges you respect.
6) Use your credit card, not a debit card, to schedule payments for a gym. Or pay upfront in cash. Know how to cancel your gym membership (most gyms allow you to cancel if you move far away) and don't get stuck into a multi-year agreement. If there is a problem, dispute with the credit card company. Worse case, hire an attorney to write an attorney letter to the gym....or sue.
5) Make sure that you read and understand the contract you sign with the gym. If you need to show it to a lawyer, do so.
4) Get help to use machines you are not familiar with. If the machine has a crack, looks ragged, or doesn't move smoothly, don't use it, and let management know. If the problem isn't taken care of, write a letter in writing, and forward it to the local department of health.
3) Make sure to take advantage of special membership offers and deals.
2) Don't leave your valuables at the gym. (Where should you leave them, then? In your car? What if I need to go to work afterwards? Make sure to get insurance, i guess...blah.)
1) If you do get hurt at the gym, make sure to get a lawyer. Those liability waivers aren't worth the paper they are written on. Don't give up without a fight. And don't trust the word of a lawyer who isn't licensed in your State. The lawyer in this article is only licensed in Washington State, and has no business commenting on the law in other States. - ricree, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@dt40
Don't forget about space when listing the advantages of the gym. I'd imagine that a lot of people just don't have the space to devote to any serious weight area. Most people could probably buy their own equipment, but without a place to put it, that doesn't help you much. - Jack9, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Dont go to a gym that claims to be a fitness center. Go to a body builder gym. You'll find most of these "facts" are not true there.
- TheNakedChef, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I should have added that for those who want to exercise with free weights and use proper form currently there's no better bible the Rippetoe's Starting Strength. Excellent book and it's impossible not to be able to bench 180lbs, squat 260lbs and deadlift 310lbs in no time. At least that's my numbers so far and they keep going up. The guy who wrote that book has more knowledge in his little toe then any personal trainer. There are lots of guys on bodybuilding and strength forums with awesome results.
- megaloid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Try kettlebells. They're the Russian Army's preferred strength and conditioning tool. They're very good for strengthening the body as a unit, and of all the fitness crazes I've seen and read about, this is the only one whose hype is for the most part justified.
- SoyLocoMoco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I though this would be good information, and I got mostly alarmist crap. I go to the gym 5 times a week and I have never had a problem. Sheesh. They write it like it's a big conspiracy: SECRETS THEY WON'T TELL YOU! I have had much more grief from being an AOL member. (Not anymore)
- isolationism, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4So click "Continue without upgrading". Content renders fine on Opera. The site didn't complain about Konqueror, so I'm assuming you're not using Safari (but if you are, it should also render fine).
- xbasilx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+31 - never join in january, it'll be packed with new years resolution bozos
2 - most gyms are meat markets, hit on everyone who appeals to you
3 - never let someone work in a set if they use super light weights cos they'll do 50 reps and you'll lose your pump
4 - use flip flops in the shower or you'll get a foot fungus that'll never go away - better yet, shower at home
5 - bring your own water - theirs is vended by coke or pepsi and tastes and smells like a sewer
6 - carry your gym bag with you, plunk it next to the machine you're using to mark your spot
7 - don't do aerobic conditioning and weight training in the same session - whatever you do last will lack intensity
8 - don't use your real name when you sign up and pay monthly in cash
9 - wear big loose sweats and gloves so the stink of the other members won't touch your skin
10 - don't double the weight and do two or three 1/4 reps, you look like a jackass - orbit1979, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4You are dead accurate.
- MateyO, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3My secret to working out:
Set a recurring reminder, twice a week. If you ignore it one week, fine, but DO NOT REMOVE that reminder. Eventually, it'll guilt you into returning.
After the kids were born, I couldn't hit the gym anymore, so I spent $350 on an olympic weight set, dumb bells, and a _good_ bench. The bench lets you do squats, leg lifts, curls, and situps along with the usual bench press stuff. It's rock solid, that equals safe.
I haven't missed the gym........much. - logic11, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I use superslowzone, which is great. The trainers have to have at least a degree in Kinestheology and the whole things is done one on one. You sign up for a set number of sessions (not a length of time) and they make a guarantee based on you putting in the time, for a goal you mutually decide on.
Now, there is no music, no mirrors, no showers, no TV's, no clocks, no posters. The whole place is clinical and cold (intentionally), and you only need to work out for twenty minutes, one or two days a week. Both my GF and myself are actually seeing results, after three months of using the program. -
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