Anybody else hate the gym?

[kthomas]

Personally, I can't stand gyms.

Anybody else here hate gyms? And if so, what do you do to get your exercise in?

Looking for some ideas on how to get more in shape, but in ways I would actually enjoy. I do enjoy doing bodyweight workouts at home or at the hotel (travel lots), I occasionally do yoga with the wife, and I'm looking at getting a cheap road bike.

Looking to get some motivation and ideas from you guys that also hate gyms.

 

[--BLACKOUT--]

I hated the gym for multiple reasons... too many people that clog up racks or machines, wanna talk not workout, don't have a clue what they are doing and fat personal trainers trying to tell people how to get in shape.

I built a garage gym with a squat rack, pulldown machine, adjustable bench, 1 bar with some rubber plates, a trap bar, bands, a TRX and an aerodyne bike. Almost everything I need to never go to the gym ever again. Wish I would've done some research first before I bought the rack but that's how you learn. Looking to upgrade some equipment to cover what I'm lacking and I'll be done.

Now I can workout at 5am or 10pm. No waiting and no bs'ing with anyone. Just sucks that no hott chicks come in spandex to workout. ?

 

[pmclaine]

Necessary evil.

Hate the walking in but the feeling of accomplishment and health when leaving makes the day.

 

[ForgeValley]

Yes, hate them, or probably more accurately the people in them.

Depends on your goals. If swole is the goal, going to have to buy the plates. If cardio, you should be outside doing that anyway (running on the treadmill is our punishment for everything we ever did wrong in life).

I've settled somewhere in the middle. I use kettlebells to maintain strength, flexibility, and cardio, while still getting out a lot to hike and ruck in the mountains.

None of which helps too much when you are traveling.

 

[BullGear]

I don't hate the gyms, I hate their practices. When you only have equipment for say 100 patrons, why would you sell 10,000 memberships. There is 1 gym in my area that is so busy during the evening, there are folks waiting at the door. I bet some wait longer to get into the gym than the time spent on their workout.

If I had the space, I'd love to have all the equipment in my house.

 

[Xander3Zero]

I rent an apartment so I don't have the option of putting in a nice home gym, but I think when I am a homeowner it will definitely be something I look into.

That said, even though I don't have a "gym" at home, I have done plenty of home-workouts (bodyweight/limited equipment) and I do find that sometimes it is harder to focus or do a complete workout. The mentality of being at home sometimes subtracts from your workout quality because you know you can just stop whenever you want and call it a day. When I get to the gym, I can find laser focus and get a solid workout. This is probably more of just a mental boundary though, and nothing you can't overcome with some practice.

 

[JRaven]

First off, I hate commercial gyms. The reason I built my own gym. I like having nice bars, plates and speciality bars. Makes a big difference. I do still keep a membership at Gold's incase I need a reminder of how good I have it.

Second, from banging weights for 30 years and getting paid to do it for a large portion of that time the reason people dislike the gym is they dont have plan when they walk through the door.

Have to have a game plan and mission - if you don't and just freelance and "use the force" you get burned out quick.

JR

 

[Matches Malone]

My opinion, (with the exception of having a home gym) is that after being consistent in a year of training that it’s really hard to progress without going to a gym. Hiit is really the best thing to lose weight, not so much lifting and definitely cardio alone. You can do hiit alone at home but, once you are ready to progress or are getting ready to get on a new program, let’s say for weight training for muscle mass, it’s pretty hard to accomplish that at home without equipment.

 

[atepointer]

Personally, I can't stand gyms.

Anybody else here hate gyms? And if so, what do you do to get your exercise in?

Looking for some ideas on how to get more in shape, but in ways I would actually enjoy. I do enjoy doing bodyweight workouts at home or at the hotel (travel lots), I occasionally do yoga with the wife, and I'm looking at getting a cheap road bike.

Looking to get some motivation and ideas from you guys that also hate gyms.

If you live in good climates and just want overall outdoor fitness join a Masters swim group. Guaranteed you will lose fat if that is your goal and won't have beach muscles, but will be functionally strong from head to toe swimming uses it all. U.S. Masters is about 70k strong full of ex-collegiate swimmers too and there will likely be some smoking hot women in your group which is a nice bonus

 

[Flatwater77]

I really benefited from Athlean-X. They have different programs that are challenging but doable when you are traveling. They also have a lot of free resources on YouTube that will give you an idea of types of workouts.

 

[JRaven]

Check out TrainHeroic.com.

They have a marketplace where coaches deliver different programs. Pretty much training for any environment.

I subscribe to a few different programs and really enjoy the delivery and the community around each program.

JR

 

[E. Bryant]

The question is: do you hate gyms, or hate working out? I'm not trying to be a dick; there's an important distinction and my response is going to be different depending on the answer.

What do I do for motivation? Simple - I'm trying to be better than yesterday. And since I'm rarely satisfied with anything in life, it's easy to look in the mirror or consider what I ate yesterday and say that it's time to get after it.

Goals are important, but I don't get too specific. At this point in my life, it's not about setting a new one-rep max or hitting a particular point on the power curve. I'm in it for the long term, and I look at my fitness as a several-decade science experiment. I've learned some stuff that works, some stuff that doesn't work, and hopefully I'll keep on learning until they put me in the ground.

The specifics of the workout don't matter; what matters is going through the motions on a regular basis. In terms of functional strength, lift some things off the ground, push on some things, pull on some things, and do some twisting and curling with your torso. Get in some metabolic conditioning in the anaerobic and aerobic modes. Stretch - do a lot of stretching.

It doesn't matter where this happens. I don't mind going to the gym because my local place has good gear and isn't crowded with bozos. I can go two hours without speaking to anyone, or I can do a bit of chatting if the mood strikes me (I'm an introvert, so that is rarely the case). If I need a spot, help is usually available, and I return the favor whenever possible. But mostly, I stick to myself and get my business done.

If someone doesn't want to hit the gym, a few hundred bucks spent on Craigslist iron, some resistance bands, an inflatable balance ball, a pull-up bar, and running shoes is enough gear for most people to destroy themselves if they are motivated and creative. I have a set of the Bowtech adjustable dumb bells, and they are excellent for home workouts.

TRX is a great alternative for traveling. Use that for maintenance on the road, get in 1-2 killer workouts per week when home, and that puts you ahead of 98% of the people around you.

During the summer months, I'll usually reduce my indoor workouts or skip them altogether in favor of spending more time on the bicycle. Most of my muscle is still there come late fall, and I'm usually excited to switch things back into strength-building mode over the winter months. If you're in this for the long haul, you'll probably need to make similar adjustments as you go to avoid boredom.

I have no idea if any of the above is helpful or addresses your questions and concerns. Hopefully someone reads it and finds it useful. I'd normal conclude with a cheerful "good luck", but this has very little to do with luck (well, other than the fact that you're still alive and breathing, which takes some amount of luck) and almost everything to do with one's head and heart. Take advantage of the fact that you're not dead yet, and make something happen... today.

 

[Arc Light]

Yeah I dislike gyms too. But I've realized it's a necessary evil.

I stopped going to the gym I was a member of for almost 5 years. The main reason was it is a 25 mile drive each way for me to get to town. It was a pain in the ass, especially in winter. I figured I'd buy some equipment and work out at home and get the same results. NOPE, not even close. Within 2-3 months I noticed my body was regressing back to my pre-work out days. So I'll be going back to the gym. Lesson learned.

 

[Timo Turl]

Bud you are doing it all wrong. Hire a really hot instructor, that will motivate you LOL.

If you don’t like the gym, look for something completely different like hiking. You’ve got some seriously amazing mountains not too far from you. Check out Arizona Outdoor Adventures. They do 1-day to multi-day trips and with the elevation they can offer it will be a serious workout that the Mrs can join if she wants and you’ll meet people from a wide variety of backgrounds and learn a lot of new skills in the process - you won’t event think of it as exercise with the views you’ll have. I know you already own a good pack so you are halfway there !!!

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

Personally, I can't stand gyms.

Anybody else here hate gyms? And if so, what do you do to get your exercise in?

Looking for some ideas on how to get more in shape, but in ways I would actually enjoy. I do enjoy doing bodyweight workouts at home or at the hotel (travel lots), I occasionally do yoga with the wife, and I'm looking at getting a cheap road bike.

Looking to get some motivation and ideas from you guys that also hate gyms.

I hate the gym too.

Here is a list of things I like that are also exercise but not in a gym.

-fucking, it’s like cardio.
-skateboarding, it’s also like cardio
-rock Climbing, the worse you are, the better the workout.
-bike riding, it’s like cardio
-playing w my kids, it’s also like cardio
-hiking, it’s a great way to wear your kids out
-taking the stairs, it’s like cardio
-house chores, they are like a full body workout. Ever change a sink faucet? It’s yoga too.
-car maintenance, one part yoga, one part bloody knuckles, blood loss account s for most my weight loss here.
-parking at the back of the lot, it forces me to walk, no door dings and I get great spots.

Fuck the gym. I did that for far too long. Pay money to sweat in a building. Still have all that other crap to get done.

My opinion is this now, you get fit or fat in the kitchen (or the drive-thru) of you can figure out what your body needs and show some self discipline then you can stay fit w my silly list. If you want to build muscle then you still gotta loft heavy things. If you want a sculptured look, you just have to put in the work.

All I want is to be for enough to play w my kids, play w my wife and be a pretty respectable deterrent to anyone who wants to harm them.

 

[kthomas]

Bud you are doing it all wrong. Hire a really hot instructor, that will motivate you LOL.

If you don’t like the gym, look for something completely different like hiking. You’ve got some seriously amazing mountains not too far from you. Check out Arizona Outdoor Adventures. They do 1-day to multi-day trips and with the elevation they can offer it will be a serious workout that the Mrs can join if she wants and you’ll meet people from a wide variety of backgrounds and learn a lot of new skills in the process - you won’t event think of it as exercise with the views you’ll have. I know you already own a good pack so you are halfway there !!!

There's awesome hiking in the area, me and the wife have gone on a few hikes. Just a 15 minute drive from my door and I'm at some really good trails! Some people probably saw on national news the three mountain lions that were killed because they were found eating human remains - that was 15 min from my house.

I'll check out the Arizona Outdoor Adventures! My wife kicks ass in staying busy and exercising, she's a nut about. She probably exercises ~2 hours a day, and on weekends does runs, bike rides and hikes.

 

[kthomas]

I hate the gym too.

Here is a list of things I like that are also exercise but not in a gym.

-fucking, it’s like cardio.
-skateboarding, it’s also like cardio
-rock Climbing, the worse you are, the better the workout.
-bike riding, it’s like cardio
-playing w my kids, it’s also like cardio
-hiking, it’s a great way to wear your kids out
-taking the stairs, it’s like cardio
-house chores, they are like a full body workout. Ever change a sink faucet? It’s yoga too.
-car maintenance, one part yoga, one part bloody knuckles, blood loss account s for most my weight loss here.
-parking at the back of the lot, it forces me to walk, no door dings and I get great spots.

Fuck the gym. I did that for far too long. Pay money to sweat in a building. Still have all that other crap to get done.

My opinion is this now, you get fit or fat in the kitchen (or the drive-thru) of you can figure out what your body needs and show some self discipline then you can stay fit w my silly list. If you want to build muscle then you still gotta loft heavy things. If you want a sculptured look, you just have to put in the work.

All I want is to be for enough to play w my kids, play w my wife and be a pretty respectable deterrent to anyone who wants to harm them.

I like a lot of the options in here. I'm thinking about getting a cheap road bike and bike with the Mrs. We are also toying with getting into more mountain biking.

I use to Boulder when we lived in Houston, was actually half decent at it, I certainly have the frame for it. It was a good workout, I should see if there's anything like that close to where I currently live.

 

[kthomas]

The question is: do you hate gyms, or hate working out? I'm not trying to be a dick; there's an important distinction and my response is going to be different depending on the answer.

What do I do for motivation? Simple - I'm trying to be better than yesterday. And since I'm rarely satisfied with anything in life, it's easy to look in the mirror or consider what I ate yesterday and say that it's time to get after it.

Goals are important, but I don't get too specific. At this point in my life, it's not about setting a new one-rep max or hitting a particular point on the power curve. I'm in it for the long term, and I look at my fitness as a several-decade science experiment. I've learned some stuff that works, some stuff that doesn't work, and hopefully I'll keep on learning until they put me in the ground.

The specifics of the workout don't matter; what matters is going through the motions on a regular basis. In terms of functional strength, lift some things off the ground, push on some things, pull on some things, and do some twisting and curling with your torso. Get in some metabolic conditioning in the anaerobic and aerobic modes. Stretch - do a lot of stretching.

It doesn't matter where this happens. I don't mind going to the gym because my local place has good gear and isn't crowded with bozos. I can go two hours without speaking to anyone, or I can do a bit of chatting if the mood strikes me (I'm an introvert, so that is rarely the case). If I need a spot, help is usually available, and I return the favor whenever possible. But mostly, I stick to myself and get my business done.

If someone doesn't want to hit the gym, a few hundred bucks spent on Craigslist iron, some resistance bands, an inflatable balance ball, a pull-up bar, and running shoes is enough gear for most people to destroy themselves if they are motivated and creative. I have a set of the Bowtech adjustable dumb bells, and they are excellent for home workouts.

TRX is a great alternative for traveling. Use that for maintenance on the road, get in 1-2 killer workouts per week when home, and that puts you ahead of 98% of the people around you.

During the summer months, I'll usually reduce my indoor workouts or skip them altogether in favor of spending more time on the bicycle. Most of my muscle is still there come late fall, and I'm usually excited to switch things back into strength-building mode over the winter months. If you're in this for the long haul, you'll probably need to make similar adjustments as you go to avoid boredom.

I have no idea if any of the above is helpful or addresses your questions and concerns. Hopefully someone reads it and finds it useful. I'd normal conclude with a cheerful "good luck", but this has very little to do with luck (well, other than the fact that you're still alive and breathing, which takes some amount of luck) and almost everything to do with one's head and heart. Take advantage of the fact that you're not dead yet, and make something happen... today.

Great post!

I definitely don't like gyms for a multitude of reasons. But I also have a hard time working out just for the sake of working out - it has to serve a purpose, if that makes any sense.

That's why things such as hiking, biking, bouldering, etc are more interesting to me then just spending time indoors in a cramped and stuffy gym.

I'm pretty lean, so I'm not looking to lose fat. I eat pretty damn healthy, and do a lot of home cooking (I love to cook), so I wouldn't call myself an unhealthy individual. Ideally I would like to spend more time outdoors, and gain a bit more "functional" strength and fitness, rather then bulking up and getting "beach muscles".

It looks like I will probably be helping my brother in law with some commercial salmon fishing for the month of June in AK, so that will definitely help achieve my goal of gaining "functional" strength and fitness coupled with a lot of time outdoors

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

I like a lot of the options in here. I'm thinking about getting a cheap road bike and bike with the Mrs. We are also toying with getting into more mountain biking.

I use to Boulder when we lived in Houston, was actually half decent at it, I certainly have the frame for it. It was a good workout, I should see if there's anything like that close to where I currently live.

My bike is a fun workout. I have a road bike but it felt more like punishment. I didn’t like 100psi tires, ultralight stiff saddle and long boring rides almost getting killed by every car that passes. I know they were not that close but it doesn’t feel safe to me.

I still ride the roadie but not as often as the mt bike.

 

[roostercogburn98]

I despise the people in the gym. Bought a home gym and treadmill for the house. I don’t want to hear grunts and groans.

 

[47guy]

Great post!

I definitely don't like gyms for a multitude of reasons. But I also have a hard time working out just for the sake of working out - it has to serve a purpose, if that makes any sense.

That's why things such as hiking, biking, bouldering, etc are more interesting to me then just spending time indoors in a cramped and stuffy gym.

I'm pretty lean, so I'm not looking to lose fat. I eat pretty damn healthy, and do a lot of home cooking (I love to cook), so I wouldn't call myself an unhealthy individual. Ideally I would like to spend more time outdoors, and gain a bit more "functional" strength and fitness, rather then bulking up and getting "beach muscles".

It looks like I will probably be helping my brother in law with some commercial salmon fishing for the month of June in AK, so that will definitely help achieve my goal of gaining "functional" strength and fitness coupled with a lot of time outdoors

if your looking to improve functional strength take a look at some of the strongman and or cross fit type exercise/training and not so much the weight training but more the sand bag carry..tire flipping..rope exercises ect...the type of exercises that you basically do everyday..bending...pulling...pushing...walking and all can be done outside in your back yard if you have a little room.

the thing with exercise you need to find something that you like to do or like most everything else you wont do it or youll do it half assed and loose intrest. you also need push your self to the limit every time and try to improve on your last W/O...if you walk away from a set and know you could have done 5 more reps well then the returns are going to be minimal.

 

[E. Bryant]

if your looking to improve functional strength take a look at some of the strongman and or cross fit type exercise/training and not so much the weight training but more the sand bag carry..tire flipping..rope exercises ect...the type of exercises that you basically do everyday..bending...pulling...pushing...walking and all can be done outside in your back yard if you have a little room.

Strongly agree with this. There are many good ways to build functional strength without stopping foot into the weight room - YouTube probably has a hundred thousand hours of videos showing exactly how to do this. It simply requires motivation and creativity.

the thing with exercise you need to find something that you like to do or like most everything else you wont do it or youll do it half assed and loose intrest. you also need push your self to the limit every time and try to improve on your last W/O...if you walk away from a set and know you could have done 5 more reps well then the returns are going to be minimal.

Agreed with the first part (doing what you like) to certain extent. Unfortunately, some work (maybe even the majority, time-wise) is going to be the exercise equivalent of eating vegetables or doing paperwork. The best one can hope is that the results are worth the payback (and they are).

I strongly disagree with the second half for nearly anyone who is taking exercise advice from a shooting forum. If a youngster takes this advice, they will suffer the consequences 20 years later (or if they are lucky, maybe just mentally burn out before they do physical damage). If a middle-age person does this, they'll suffer immediately.

For those not training for short-term reasons (such as competition), goal #1 is to... keep training. That means not getting hurt, and not burning out.

Most will be best-served by frequent workouts (daily is best) at low intensity, with occasional self-inflicted ass-kickings. Following an 80/20 or even 90/10 rule (80% of workouts at ~60-75% of maximum capacity, with the remainder at 100%+) is going to lead to sustainable improvement, assuming that one has good technique, follows a proper diet, does some stretching, etc.

The above holds true wherever we're taking strength or aerobic fitness, BTW.

 

[E. Bryant]

My bike is a fun workout. I have a road bike but it felt more like punishment. I didn’t like 100psi tires, ultralight stiff saddle and long boring rides almost getting killed by every car that passes. I know they were not that close but it doesn’t feel safe to me.

I still ride the roadie but not as often as the mt bike.

In the past three seasons, my gravel bike has gotten more mileage than my other 7 bikes combined. It's a great way to put in low-stress time on the saddle.

My road bike spends most of its time strapped to the trainer, or leaving against the garage wall awaiting the infrequent (and usually unsuccessful) Strava segment attack.

 

[Romeo458]

I love it when its empty. Had a shit day, hit the gym and I'm better. I'm in a tiny town so that's not hard to do. I need to people more, but I prefer to unwind at the gym.

I have a workout room in the house too. It was a dojo for a while, but my brother is a bitch and all my training partners are 2 hours or more away. Kettle bells, bags, and a chin bar at home.

 

[E. Bryant]

Great post!

I definitely don't like gyms for a multitude of reasons. But I also have a hard time working out just for the sake of working out - it has to serve a purpose, if that makes any sense.

That's why things such as hiking, biking, bouldering, etc are more interesting to me then just spending time indoors in a cramped and stuffy gym.

I'm pretty lean, so I'm not looking to lose fat. I eat pretty damn healthy, and do a lot of home cooking (I love to cook), so I wouldn't call myself an unhealthy individual. Ideally I would like to spend more time outdoors, and gain a bit more "functional" strength and fitness, rather then bulking up and getting "beach muscles".

It looks like I will probably be helping my brother in law with some commercial salmon fishing for the month of June in AK, so that will definitely help achieve my goal of gaining "functional" strength and fitness coupled with a lot of time outdoors

If you've got your diet and weight under control, congrats - that's 80% of the battle, and indicates good self-discipline.

You can roughly break down functional strength into a few basic motions:

Push
Pull
Lift
Twist/curl

Any 9-year-old child knows how to perform those moves with body weight - push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and variations on squats. Doing those same moves with sufficient number of reps can wreck an adult.

Throw in some yoga/pilates, some wind sprints, and a few hours per week of low-intensity cardio, and you've got a nice routine. Add in some weight with iron, sand bags, tires, cement blocks, wood posts, whatever. Do all this on top of a good cycling routine, and then you are really rocking.

Commercial fishing is a whole 'nother level of physical fitness that I cannot comprehend. Go do that for a summer and then you can come back to lecture the rest of us on what it means to be in shape

 

[47guy]

Strongly agree with this. There are many good ways to build functional strength without stopping foot into the weight room - YouTube probably has a hundred thousand hours of videos showing exactly how to do this. It simply requires motivation and creativity.



Agreed with the first part (doing what you like) to certain extent. Unfortunately, some work (maybe even the majority, time-wise) is going to be the exercise equivalent of eating vegetables or doing paperwork. The best one can hope is that the results are worth the payback (and they are).

I strongly disagree with the second half for nearly anyone who is taking exercise advice from a shooting forum. If a youngster takes this advice, they will suffer the consequences 20 years later (or if they are lucky, maybe just mentally burn out before they do physical damage). If a middle-age person does this, they'll suffer immediately.

For those not training for short-term reasons (such as competition), goal #1 is to... keep training. That means not getting hurt, and not burning out.

Most will be best-served by frequent workouts (daily is best) at low intensity, with occasional self-inflicted ass-kickings. Following an 80/20 or even 90/10 rule (80% of workouts at ~60-75% of maximum capacity, with the remainder at 100%+) is going to lead to sustainable improvement, assuming that one has good technique, follows a proper diet, does some stretching, etc.

The above holds true wherever we're taking strength or aerobic fitness, BTW.

i agree and should of been a little clearer in my post...im not saying you should go as heavy as possible and to failure every time but i am saying that you need to push yourself every time or you will be stuck and the gains will be minimal and at some point stop...our body's adapt quickly to what we do.
i do not claim to be an expert on fitness but ive put my time in and do know a little

 

[E. Bryant]

So I was out in my shop yesterday setting up some new workbenches and catching up on Joe Rogan podcasts. His guest on this particular episode was Paval Tsatsouline ("father of the kettlebell"), and what he says about periodization fits well with what I've studied elsewhere, and with my own experience:

Strength Training, Kettlebells, And Ditching the "One More Rep" Mentality - Pavel Tsatsouline on The Joe Rogan Experience #1399 • Podcast Notes

Summary of Joe Rogan's interview with Pavel Tsatsouline. Joe and Pavel discuss strength training and the effectiveness of kettlebell training.

podcastnotes.org

Lifting Advice

• “The optimal number of repetitions are one-third to two-thirds of your maximum” – Pavel Tsatsouline
  • So, if you’re able to max out with 10 reps at a certain weight, you should only be training with 3-6 reps
    • Why this formula? – If the reps are too low you won’t get stronger and if the reps are too high, you might get hurt, or you’ll compromise on technique and have bad form.
    • “This particular method is purely empirical. It worked for decades, it still does and that’s one of the ways you can get strong.”
• For both strength and endurance training: “You’re going to find that your gains are much more stable if you take some time off, which is important for anybody” – Pavel Tsatsouline
  • “It’s possible to build muscle fast, but it’s not necessarily very quality muscle. So yes, take your time.”

Forget the One More Rep Mentality

• Pavel is against the “one more rep” mentality, as is Joe
  • Pushing yourself to do one more rep when you hit your limit is great for you mentally, but not physically
  • “It’s okay to push your body to the max, but you must do it periodically for a short period of time, and not too often. That’s very important.” – Pavel Tsatsouline
• If you’re constantly pushing yourself to the limit, you’ll likely destroy your body
  • Ronnie Coleman, an American bodybuilder who was known for pushing incredible weight, now has serious back problems and has to walk with crutches in his fifties
    • Hard work does matter, but you must also work smart
• Top powerlifters max lift only twice a year
  • “Meanwhile they train hard to push themselves to do everything right, but they do not try to squeeze out one extra rep” – Pavel Tsatsouline
  • Keeping your max lifts to a minimum will help your performance and longevity as a lifter

I'd really recommend listening to the whole podcast - it's just under two hours long - less than two workouts - and covers a broad range of fitness topics.

 

[kthomas]

I'll have to check that out, I enjoy listening to JRE so I'll put that episode on the list!

 

[atomic41]

Yes, hate the gym. I hate it so much it was killing my motivation and after many years of going 5x a week, I got to where I was only going 1-2x and the whole time I was there I was just angry LOL. The people, time wasted commuting, and cost finally got to me. So I built a home gym and I'm happy again.

No jackasses, no waiting on equipment, no cleaning up after other lazy jerks, no commute, no one breaking into my locker and stealing my credit cards (yes that happened), no monthly dues, I play whatever music I want to.

It's not for everyone or at least that's what I hear because apparently some people are motivated by monthly dues. I don't get it. I'm way more motivated now. Maybe I have the right self-discipline. But be aware that this is an issue for some people, they quit exercising if they drop out of a gym.

 

[AZ_Spot&Stalk]

I prefer the gym. It motivates me more then working out at home. Because I'm spending monthly dues plus spending the time out of my day, I go in with a better attitude. I don't try to talk to many people because it isn't my social hour. I also don't spend any time on my phone like half the crowd. I'm all business. I don't spend lots of time in between sets either. I can usually be done with a workout in about an hour so I can carry on with the rest of my day.

I get to distracted when I workout at home. Kids or wife come in needing something. Realize I forgot to do something. Plenty of things that distract my workout. My mentality is so much more focused when I'm at the gym. Different strokes...

 

[EastCOYotes]

Personally, I can't stand gyms.

Anybody else here hate gyms? And if so, what do you do to get your exercise in?

Looking for some ideas on how to get more in shape, but in ways I would actually enjoy. I do enjoy doing bodyweight workouts at home or at the hotel (travel lots), I occasionally do yoga with the wife, and I'm looking at getting a cheap road bike.

Looking to get some motivation and ideas from you guys that also hate gyms.

i don’t like gyms much since they’re a fashion show.

I installed a punching bag in my garage on a sliding ceiling rail so it’s easily moved out to use or slid to the wall to store. That along with some dumbbells and a pull-up bar meet my needs for a home gym.

 

[EN2722]

I don’t hate the gym, I hate the people in the gym.

If you’re one of them with knee high socks, fashionable cloths, and beats by dre...please go be cool somewhere else.

 

[missed]

The thing I hate about the Y near me is everyone's kids that have to be on both sides of there parents clogging up machines and equipment as a toy.

I built my home gym which has a lifting rack, pull up bar, flooring for floor exercises, couple of the duffle bag weights, rubber bands, the tugofwar rope, plyo boxes, and have the mountain bike. I put a lot of miles on the bike. Actually my Garmin connect app has significantly helped on motivation. Workouts scheduled, tracks workouts, tracks intensity minutes. Makes it real hard to cheat there.

 

[EN2722]

The issue with a home gym is it's so convenient that I find myself wandering towards my gun safe and making the decision to do more dry fire than lifting

 

[EastCOYotes]

The issue with a home gym is it's so convenient that I find myself wandering towards my gun safe and making the decision to do more dry fire than lifting

heard that

 

[ChadL]

Personally, I can't stand gyms.

Anybody else here hate gyms? And if so, what do you do to get your exercise in?

Looking for some ideas on how to get more in shape, but in ways I would actually enjoy. I do enjoy doing bodyweight workouts at home or at the hotel (travel lots), I occasionally do yoga with the wife, and I'm looking at getting a cheap road bike.

Looking to get some motivation and ideas from you guys that also hate gyms.

I am a gym rat. However, I hate the gym this time of year. The New Years Resolutionaries drive me nuts. While I appreciate that they are trying to make a change in their health situation. They completely muck up the gym while there. Thankfully in a few more weeks they'll be gone.

 

[Paul1262]

Hate the gym or love the gym, it's something we all should do especially as we get older. I go to the gym three days a week and start at 5 am when it opens. Not many people at that time and all equipment is available for use. I don't know anyone who really enjoys a hard workout until it's over.

 

[shields shtr]

I hate traditional gyms. I have a home gym, do some crossfit stuff, hike, tool around on a mountain bike, and just generally stay active. I am admittedly terrible at adhering to a certain program, so I like to do stuff where the exercises are already formatted and programmed for me. There are tons of youtube channels now and a whole slough of internet resources to help you with programming. Pick your poison and try to stick with something you can adhere to over the long haul.

 

[buffalowinter]

I do crossfit and pilates

 

[Dyholcom]

Might check out Jiu Jitsu, especially if you have any wrestling/grappling/combatives background. One of the best aspects of the sport is that it is becoming quite popular, so drop ins while on trips/traveling is very welcomed and enjoyable.

 

[jinxx4ever]

 

[beenjammin]

my take is this: If you a the new guy at the gym, then yea... you wont like it at first because you dont know anyone and everyone else there probably sees you as the new guy on their turf. Once you are there a few weeks and you see familiar faces, you get to talking to familiar folks and it turns out they are not the ass holes you first thought they were. I have made some life long buddies at the gym. It takes time... Afterall you are all in there for the same reason. Should be some eye candy to look at in the men time.

Give is a month or two and you will make some buddies and then you will feel like to HAVE to go and will give yourself hell if you skip. Its gets addicting and you look forward to going (except on leg day)

 

[E. Bryant]

I'm almost starting to miss all the lazy fucks at my local gym. And I'm definitely missing leg day (which is most days).

 

[W54/XM-388]

I have a great little Gym I go to.
Plenty of great equipment, not too many folks and it's mostly for people that actually want to do a lot of weights and some cardio. It's mostly middle aged and older folks and not much in the "social" type hanging around.

They have a pretty good selection of knowledgeable trainers, the main thing about them is if you are a bit lazy like me, they work you a lot harder than you'll work yourself.

That being said I find I work best with the male trainers, I had one female one once, but the male trainers tend to be a bit better at helping you achieve goals and such.

 

[Rayyeti]

I miss the gym not just for the workouts but all the entertainment that I’m missing out on. So many characters at my gym. I even saw one guy doing kunfu retard moves between sets. I can’t wait for it to open again

 

[RRW]

I hate the gym as well and also despise lifting weights. I used to box at a competitive level when I was much younger but still do circuit type stuff, lots of skipping and running and bag work etc. Very little equip is required to get a good sweat going. Being from Canada I also did Biathlon competitively which was extremely hard but you also get to shoot to so that's a bonus. I have family and a place in AZ as well and most of my workouts there consist of running, hiking, skipping and hitting the bag in the garage etc. Not much Biathlon in AZ though so that's out of the question. lol

 

[BikePilot]

I really don't like the gym or indoor exercise generally. I stay in ok shape by running, biking, and skiing (down hill and AT) a lot. I get a bit flabby in mud season though

 

[OXN]

Personally, I can't stand gyms.

Anybody else here hate gyms? And if so, what do you do to get your exercise in?

Looking for some ideas on how to get more in shape, but in ways I would actually enjoy. I do enjoy doing bodyweight workouts at home or at the hotel (travel lots), I occasionally do yoga with the wife, and I'm looking at getting a cheap road bike.

Looking to get some motivation and ideas from you guys that also hate gyms.

I see the gym as a tool- it's useful for a certain kind of training, but not necessary. I usually lift twice a week, but have basically just shifted that effort towards more endurance training and body weight work since this panic has been in the air. I hear a lot of people blaming the degradation of their fitness level during quarantine on the closure of gyms; this seems to be a great microcosm of how our society conditions people into dependency on a single tool to maintain a normal quality of life. Not to get to deep on a fitness thread, but I think that entire mentality will be forced into change in the not so distant future.

 

[kthomas]

I see the gym as a tool- it's useful for a certain kind of training, but not necessary. I usually lift twice a week, but have basically just shifted that effort towards more endurance training and body weight work since this panic has been in the air. I hear a lot of people blaming the degradation of their fitness level during quarantine on the closure of gyms; this seems to be a great microcosm of how our society conditions people into dependency on a single tool to maintain a normal quality of life. Not to get to deep on a fitness thread, but I think that entire mentality will be forced into change in the not so distant future.

Agree 100%.

It will be very interesting to see what sort of short term and lasting behavioral traits come out of this "pandemic". I think it's going to re-shape the world in certain ways, certainly from a behavioral economic standpoint.

 

[OXN]

Agree 100%.

I think it's going to re-shape the world in certain ways, certainly from a behavioral economic standpoint.

I'm really hopeful that a side effect of this whole thing will be a realization that our society as a whole is pitifully self insufficient. Like, thousands of people completely giving up on staying in shape because their gyms are closed. Or people literally having existential panic attacks when they can't get to a grocery store for more than a few days. Or grown ass adults having panic attacks when they can't access social media. Not saying we all have to become Bear Grylls, but hopefully it's a wakeup call that knowing how to keep your own life together isn't a bad idea.