In the 3rd installment of “Indomitable.Fitness.Athletics and Heroics” with guest contributor Bill Walker, he gives his opinion on how to choose the perfect gym for you.
What gym should I go to?
Where do you train?
How much does it cost?
Can you bring guests?
Yes, the infamous start of your journey towards your quest for fitness and excellence. This is jiah of a big deal.
Why, because depending on your code, this place will determine how you start your fitness career.
I was fortunate, and I’m willing to say put on by GOD to be around a real hardcore gym environment. From the people I met to what I’ve accomplished looking back…it was a great thing. Stan Lee couldn’t have written a better story. This environment at the time matched and forged my gym character. It’s not just a place where you lift weights.
The gym is your temple.
Your sanctum.
Your battlefield.
Your Danger Room.
It will be where you spend a big part of your life. There is a war saying about how you do not know a person truly until you served in combat with them. Well I believe you will understand a person’s character when you workout with them.
So how do you pick a place?
Factors include…cost, is it feasible and affordable to pay this per month?
Location? Is it worth the drive or is it close? How is it during traffic
How is the equipment?
Is it clean?
How are the people?
What is their guest policy?
For the parents…is there a kid’s corner?
For the initiated…do they allow chalk, have deadlift platforms, ample squat racks and bumper plates?
The big thing popularized by the age of suckerdom is intimidation.
“I’m too intimidated to go here because they’re a lot of big monsters and I don’t know what to do.”
“The woman there seem real tough.”
I’m telling you now to abolish that type of thinking right now! Go somewhere where it looks like you’ll be challenged.
Are there a lot of giants in there lifting some heavy weights? Are there some Athletic shield maidens in there lifting ferociously?
Are there some cats doing amazing stuff on the pull up bars? Are people in there giving it their all? Does this spot resemble the inner atmosphere of a Roman Colosseum? Well!
Welcome home, you’ve found the place for you. It is here you will be challenged. It’s OK to not know how to do something, to be a rookie in exercise. Everyone is a beginner at something. You’re here to go to war not to reaffirm safe feelings of mediocrity. I myself…coming from physical therapy..It took me eleven months to do a burpee well. I was so uncoordinated. By the time I did one, the whole class did 4 or 5. However I didn’t care.
I’ll tell you a secret. The people there aren’t really tripping off you that much. Honestly they’ll cheer you on for being consistent. If it’s a cool spot they may even offer you advice or help you out. THAT to me is the mark of a dope gym. Not every place is like this I know.
Unfortunately in comparison to what I see online, the gyms here in this area are not that great to me. They’re basically cardio machine warehouses with a small section of weights akin to that of a glorified hotel gym. An endless cornucopia of treadmills boasting the newest fanciest technology. You may have to drive a bit to find a dope spot, and you may go through your share of gyms. That is life.
With that being said, go to many gyms and look around. Ask for the tour. Look online. Sites like yelp will give you many reviews, both good and bad. Ask the people in the shopping center how they like it. Is there a store next door? Ask the individuals if they frequent that gym and what they think of it. Research the company and all that.
Don’t be fooled by big chain gyms. Some of them are cool. I think the best gyms are small chain aka mom and pop gyms with hardcore strength equipment. Don’t be lulled by sirens of endless cardio machines. Look at the weight room. Is there a turf? Some kettle bells? A sled? Is there a boxing area and so forth.
Each gym will probably have it’s own type of atmosphere. Look at the neighborhood. Are break ins rampant? Yes there are some places where lockers and cars get broken into. Not to scare you at all but this is just life.
Check the contract. Read it. Don’t get pressured. Know what you want and go for it.
Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions. Enjoy your journey!
And since I noticed we try to be brief here in CiTLR. I’ll end it here for now.
More topics coming soon.
I’ll also host another Boot Camp on Saturday July 9th. Details coming soon.
