is joining a gym worth it?
- Thread starter triplestation
- Start date
- Status
Yep. Have a metro membership that allows the family to use any Y in the area (there are about 6 within 30 or so miles).
Is it worth it? Recently, yes. I've started working out more and we use the pool during the summer. Long term, not sure. We have definitely gone months without going to the Y.
jossueinacoma
Member
yes definietly. MAkes you look and feel good. Ladies love a good looking man. Ive been going to thr gym since November feels good man. I got one of those 2 year pre-paid deals. Worth every penny.
I'm in decent enough shape and yeah over my years I never really lifted to failure. On days I did it those muscles seemed to go out of commission for way too long for it to be effective. So I'd just have a set number of reps I'd do and do that 4-5 times a week. Maybe not the absolute most effective strategy but it worked for me.
Also something important but I feel is often times overlooked is find a workout that you enjoy. I wouldn't stress too much about min/max your workout doing exercises you don't really enjoy doing. Find a way to stress those muscles in a fashion you enjoy. Simply going to the gym is far more important than doing some workouts you hate for a few weeks and then abandoning the entire thing.
Lolol
I think I'm joining a new gym. Gold's Gym close to my current one is like 20$ a month apparently. Too good of a price not to switch. It's probably always packed though.
theechrisfox
Member
Going to the gym is hard, man. Especially if you work full time. The last thing I want to do after my commute is stop off and smell other people's sweat and breath their germs for half an hour or more. My gym has plenty of TVs and equipment, but working out there is boring as shit. I like to diversify my exercise by doing the gym only a couple times a week, and do running outside or workout videos at home the rest of the time.
That is actually very good advice in my experience.
1. You aren't going to get big unless you want to and you try hard for years (my goal)
2. Girls don't care as much as you think they do. They care about you being in shape but most don't care about big muscles...some awesome girls appreciate it though.
StickSoldier
Member
Come on man, breathing germs and smelling bad people is a part of life.
People use the jerk excuse a lot. Has anyone ever really been a jerk to you in the gym? I've never seen this happen even once. Sure I guess it's possible but I think people assume that jacked and fit people are laughing at skinny and fat people and that's not the case at all.
CitizenCope
Member
Haha You always crack me up. Fuck the gym, let's go get a beer.
Don't ever go to a convention, play magic the gathering(lol), go to a concert, best to just stay in your house I guess.
theechrisfox
Member
Lol. Yeah, the people I surround myself with in my personal time do not smell like armpits. I dunno how you're living tho.
Livin like a hustla cuz.
I once got too bulky. It was hell. I had to walk through the door sideways and I could t wash my own back.
I have a treadmill and weights at home, but I also joined a gym because it's ridiculously convenient for me in DC.
I wake up at 0430 and catch the first Metro into town. There's a Gold's Gym right next to the metro stop I get off at, and it's great! I work out for 1.5-2 hours, and then walk the 7 blocks to work. I get done with work around 1540, and then I head home.
Waking up early sucks, but leaving work early is awesome. And I don't have to deal with the massive influx of people coming to DC during normal hours.
I use the stuff at home on the weekends and after work if I'm feeling up to it.
I wake up at 0430 and catch the first Metro into town. There's a Gold's Gym right next to the metro stop I get off at, and it's great! I work out for 1.5-2 hours, and then walk the 7 blocks to work. I get done with work around 1540, and then I head home.
Waking up early sucks, but leaving work early is awesome. And I don't have to deal with the massive influx of people coming to DC during normal hours.
I use the stuff at home on the weekends and after work if I'm feeling up to it.
D
Deleted member 47027
Unconfirmed Member
People surely don't believe it, they use it as a half-ass excuse for why they haven't tried to be in shape though.
I got pretty bulky through going to the gym a couple of years back. I didn't enjoy it much, but found the need to raise the amounts i was lifting kind of addictive.
freenudemacusers
Member
yeah I feel you, I lifted heavily for a month when I started and got huge. Like, 18" biceps etc. Had to start doing cardio to curb all my gains.
18" biceps? Bro you didn't even lift. They should have been 22s.
freenudemacusers
Member
I guess I'll toss in my two cents, based on my personal experience.
I was a typical skinny Asian kid who grew up to be a chubby Asian guy. I thank years of fast food and video games for that. Still love video games, though.
From ages 13 to 18, I had one of those all-in-one home gym benches with rubber resistance bands. That's what my father got for me and my brother. I had no prior knowledge of how to train or understand the proper definition of diet.
At around age 16, I got introduced to real weights in HS. My weight class would sometimes share the weights with some of the football team and some of these guys were jacked. At this point, the idea of being fit didn't even cross my mind.
Fast forward to about age 22, I got some new friends in college. A few of them were really well built. One of them asked me to if wanted to train with him. I worked out with him for a good portion of one semester and I learned a lot. I noticed some definition forming. I thought it was cool, but I pay too much attention to it.
From then on to the age 26, I did nothing in terms of fitness and I really ballooned up. At that point, I decided to join a gym because I realized that weight training seemed to yield the best results.
It seemed like a lot of money at the time, but I didn't really have any alternatives. Regular calisthenics workouts weren't going to cut it. I didn't have the space or the knowledge of how to set up a home gym. Personally, I felt that I needed weights to kick start my life, so I joined a gym.
First few years were a bit bumpy. I practically had no idea what I was doing, but I made some friends at the gym and I got some good advice. Eventually, something just clicked.
Now, over 13 years later, joining a gym was definitely worth it for me.
I was a typical skinny Asian kid who grew up to be a chubby Asian guy. I thank years of fast food and video games for that. Still love video games, though.
From ages 13 to 18, I had one of those all-in-one home gym benches with rubber resistance bands. That's what my father got for me and my brother. I had no prior knowledge of how to train or understand the proper definition of diet.
At around age 16, I got introduced to real weights in HS. My weight class would sometimes share the weights with some of the football team and some of these guys were jacked. At this point, the idea of being fit didn't even cross my mind.
Fast forward to about age 22, I got some new friends in college. A few of them were really well built. One of them asked me to if wanted to train with him. I worked out with him for a good portion of one semester and I learned a lot. I noticed some definition forming. I thought it was cool, but I pay too much attention to it.
From then on to the age 26, I did nothing in terms of fitness and I really ballooned up. At that point, I decided to join a gym because I realized that weight training seemed to yield the best results.
It seemed like a lot of money at the time, but I didn't really have any alternatives. Regular calisthenics workouts weren't going to cut it. I didn't have the space or the knowledge of how to set up a home gym. Personally, I felt that I needed weights to kick start my life, so I joined a gym.
First few years were a bit bumpy. I practically had no idea what I was doing, but I made some friends at the gym and I got some good advice. Eventually, something just clicked.
Now, over 13 years later, joining a gym was definitely worth it for me.
Been working out for give or take a year now. Sure I took a couple of months off here and there due to injury or just generally life, but one thing I can say for sure:
Becoming more serious about my fitness and health was the best decision of my entire life. Lifting has genuinely changed me and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Becoming more serious about my fitness and health was the best decision of my entire life. Lifting has genuinely changed me and I wouldn't have it any other way.
triplestation
Member
guys i got a 7 day guest pass for bally !!!!!!!!
i think im gonna start going to the gym its $500 for 3 years thats like $170 a year thats not bad !
i think im gonna start going to the gym its $500 for 3 years thats like $170 a year thats not bad !
I pay $300 for 2 years @ 24 Hour Fitness, so yeah your deal doesn't sound bad at all.
Never been to a Bally, but I'd imagine it isn't much different than 24 Hour Fitness...?
triplestation
Member
it is the only one near me, and it's got plenty of bad reviews so what am i gonna do yanno
i gotta make the best of it
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
Absolutely!
Run three miles a day, six days a week on a treadmill, and you'll look fantastic.
If you actually pay the money for a gym membership, you might as well lift, too. It's hard at first because
A) It's difficult to stay motivated, partially because
B) You won't see results right away
C) It's initially a painful experience
D) The effort put in won't seem worth it at first
But if you keep at it, once you start seeing results, you will really appreciate it. You'll feel better about yourself from a purely aesthetic standpoint, but it does wonders for your mind and overall health, as well. I highly, highly suggest bringing a music player of some sort with you, especially for cardio activity.
Run three miles a day, six days a week on a treadmill, and you'll look fantastic.
If you actually pay the money for a gym membership, you might as well lift, too. It's hard at first because
A) It's difficult to stay motivated, partially because
B) You won't see results right away
C) It's initially a painful experience
D) The effort put in won't seem worth it at first
But if you keep at it, once you start seeing results, you will really appreciate it. You'll feel better about yourself from a purely aesthetic standpoint, but it does wonders for your mind and overall health, as well. I highly, highly suggest bringing a music player of some sort with you, especially for cardio activity.
Gym is great for variety. I did Planet Fitness ($10 a month) for a couple of years to use weights, and we recently moved up to the YMCA so I have access to a pool and basketball court. Exercise equipment takes up a lot of space, and I like working out to be a somewhat social activity.
Jellycrackers
Member
I was kind of wondering how true the whole "gym jerks" thing is myself. I've been going to a gym 4 times a week now for 6 months. Seen lots of improvements and my self confidence has skyrocketed.
I pay $35 a month for my gym, which is probably pretty high. But I always go on weekdays around 12 or 1 pm and there's never more than 2 other people there. They're all super nice, too. Everyone says hi when you come in, chats a little in between sets, and says bye before you leave.
I think having a gym membership is totally worth it. I love it.
I pay $35 a month for my gym, which is probably pretty high. But I always go on weekdays around 12 or 1 pm and there's never more than 2 other people there. They're all super nice, too. Everyone says hi when you come in, chats a little in between sets, and says bye before you leave.
I think having a gym membership is totally worth it. I love it.
Majima Everywhere System
Member
I needed a pool to train. The gym was the right solution for me.
In instead if a cable subscription or sitting in a bar, I can watch sports while I run or sit on the stationary bike.
In instead if a cable subscription or sitting in a bar, I can watch sports while I run or sit on the stationary bike.
As odd as it sounds, yes it would have better to leave that rep in the tank.
Or better yet split your sets and reps up a little differently.
Let's say that you are planning on doing 3 sets of 8 reps at a weight of 200lbs.
3 sets x 8 reps - 200lbs
That's a total of 1600lbs lifted each set and 4800lbs lifted total.
The bad part is the energy exerted and muscle damage that occurred on that final rep. There is no mathematical equation to work out how much worse that rep was for your progress. But science has shown that strength increases occur best when you stress the muscle tissue to just short of max exertion. You take it to the peak over and over without ever falling off the edge.
Ok let's try to split your reps up differently.
Instead of:
3 x 8 x 200lbs = 4800lbs
Lets try :
4 x 6 x 200lbs = 4800lbs
Ok easy switch. But now that's likely too light.
So lets add 5% to the lift.
4 x 6 x 210lbs = 5040lbs
Maybe that's even a bit too light now.
4 x 6 x 220lbs = 5280lbs
That is 480 more lbs lifted. And if that was a good weight for you and you avoided lifting to failure you will repair quicker, gain strength fastest and save your joints.
Another comparable switch is doing 5x5 instead of 4x6.
Understand that the point of this though is to avoid lifting to failure or past point of best/ideal recovery.
Train your muscles to succeed, not to fail. And increase your time under tension.
Just food for thought.
triplestation
Member
i am super excited about joining the gym
i start tomorrow
im gonna turn my life around!!!
i start tomorrow
im gonna turn my life around!!!
GodParticle
Member
I could never work out in a public place. Too awkward for me. You can do everything at home as long as you have a little space
Hey, since we're talking about workouts...I'm starting to notice that my wrists aren't growing in strength like the other muscles. So it's starting to hurt my wrists when doing chest presses, inclined or declined. Bicep curls too, to a lesser degree.
You ever encounter that sort of disparity in strength?
triplestation
Member
i used to feel the same way
but you know what i realized
there are just too many distractions at home so the focus isn't as strong as when you'd be at the gym !
i also needed something to get away from home anyway since i stay inside all day....
thanks daffy i feel real good about this decision
FallingEdge
Member
triplestation
Member
thanks falling edge!
I've thought about joining a gym but decided I don't need to.. Instead here is what I do;
I think doing lots of push ups has seriously increased the look of my arms and shoulders. My girlfriend likes the results. No gym needed.
Work out with two 25 lb dumbbells at least 4 times per week. I have multiple things I do with them
Hike and run at least 5 miles at least twice per week on rugged trails and hills
do pushups during the day for a total of at least 200 push ups at least 4 times per week
I eat no junk/fast food and very little restaurant food. I focus on local produce and lean meat
Sit ups, leg lifts, bicycle kicks
I have a bench press at the house that I use at least twice per week
I think doing lots of push ups has seriously increased the look of my arms and shoulders. My girlfriend likes the results. No gym needed.
Facism
Member
i am super excited about joining the gym
i start tomorrow
im gonna turn my life around!!!
shit is hard at first, even if you're relatively fit. Realise that eventually you'll come to enjoy the challenge of the exertion and revel when you notice the eventual fitness gains you make.
The mind is the first thing you have to overcome. You let yourself think you can't be bothered, or you make excuses for why you didn't do what you wanted to knowing full well you have gas in the tank. Beat that and you'll be set.
triplestation
Member
this the kind of stuff i would do if i didn't live in inner city new york
i can't find any open places to hike or jog and jogging past so many people makes me feel so awkward
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked