Why Commericial Gyms SUCK ASS! (my must read article.)

[Guinness5.0]

I used to work at a place similar to 24 hr, but they were more lenient about PL/OLY stuff. Thye even had a DL platform and boxes for box squats. For the most part the members were upper-middle class treadmill trotters, but my GOD there were so many amazingly hot women there. That's the only thing I really miss about the place.

The funniest thing was they had a machine called the "Butt Blaster" and it was ~5 feet away from the men's locker room entrance (directly forward of it), so every time you came out you got a nice shot of some spandex clad hottie shoving her leg up in the air. Good times.

 

[Illuminati]

i hear ya on that. one of the best gyms that i have ever lifted at was the Local Y back in my home town

I guess I am spoiled over here.

My gym, the one about 15min drive from my house (the one closer to my house sucks) has 1 squat rack, 2 power racks, 3 bench press benches and dimbells from 5lbs to somethign like 150, and trpples of the very low weights (5-35lbs), doubles of the middle weights (40-100). There are also a few hard core powerifters working out there (that actually compete).

All this for 35.00 a month and you're not ging to believe where I am... the Y.M C.A. I guess I am lucky.

 

[harbinator]

Hmm I feel lucky after reading this thread.

I go to Gold's here in Madison, TN (near nashville), they have 4 dedicated benchs, 2 incline, 1 decline.

2 racks of dumbells on opposite sides of the gym both with their own sets of benches from 5-150lb.

Only 2 racks tho, 2 smith racks, and a sea of cardio and nautilus stuff.

All for $25/mo no signup fee, I did get 3 free months with a personal trainer at 1x a week for free through work. He was actually exceptionally knowledgeable and was showing me some shoulder routines from Charles Glass. We are good friends now even though I didn't continue to use the trainer services he still BSes with me everyday I see him.

 

[suckamc44]

I pay $100 a year at 24 hour fitness. I got in when the company had just started and was hurting for money, paid $700 up front and $100/year as long as I kept renewing the contract. I guess they expect most people to be out within two years, I've had my membership for almost seven-years now. So, I've paid ~$1400 over seven years which comes to just under $17 a month. And considering the monthly cost is monotonically decreasing towards $8.33 it's a pretty sweet deal. I think my college gym was like $20/month for alumni.

I've never had anyone tell me not to deadlift or squat. I do go to another 24hr sometimes though that has a sign that says no deadlifting, but I've done deadlifts pretty much everytime I've gone there and never been contested. I haven't done any Westside style lifting in a while, but a couple years back I did some band and chain work, and I got a lot of people asking me what I was doing, but never had anyone tell me to stop.

Overall, I can't complain. I can't believe that anyone would pay $1700 a year for membership fees. The salesman that was trying to sell you on those memberships was shitty, I know for a fact that they have at least ten different payment plans all of differing cost and usage arrangements. One thing I've found with 24hr is that the quality of their gyms is very inconsistent. Some are really nice with everything I want, new/good equipment and others suck ass. I'm fortunate enough to live near probably the nicest one I've ever been to(Quality of scenery(T&A) is very high too). However, occasionaly I stay at my Aunt and Uncle's house and the one near them is a piece of crap.

 

[tay1506]

All this for 35.00 a month and you're not ging to believe where I am... the Y.M C.A. I guess I am lucky.

I also work out at the Y.M.C.A and for the price its not really that bad ($18 a month) they have 2 dedicated benches and 2 sets of dbs from 1 - 130lbs. and every other piece of upper body equipment i can think. The only problem with it is they only have 1 squat rack besides the smith which i hate and one leg press and a few other things. Its not all that much and was fine untell after new years! Now you can't get on a machine because all of these idiots coming in there and thinking there gona get buff in a week or 2. I just hope they all leave soon, if not ill have to go to another gym called fitness connection. I heard it is awesome there and they are about to put 24 hour out of business there used to be about 200 cars at 24 hour and tonight i saw 2 on my way to the Y since they built fitness connection. It is only 24 a month with no beginning fees and the place is huge never been inside though, but i heard its almost all free weights. Oh yeah the YMCA has no physical trainers except one which is kinda cool, but i know alot more than him about lifting so no problems there!

 

[nelmsjer]

I decided to work some math (I'm a nerd). Those "free" training sessions were $39.70 each, unless there were other benefits that haven't been mentioned.

 

[silver_shadow]

The funniest thing was they had a machine called the "Butt Blaster" and it was ~5 feet away from the men's locker room entrance (directly forward of it), so every time you came out you got a nice shot of some spandex clad hottie shoving her leg up in the air. Good times.

BUTT BLASTER?!?!

OMFG! that's hilarious. sorry, but it just gives a mental image of flatulence!

 

[H_T_]

you gotta be fucking shitting me. $1700 to lift fucking weights. fuck that. i woulda capped that guy in the face for trying to rob me like that. thanks all that is holy for hardcore gyms. i pay 269.00 a year. small gym, 2 squat racks, which people only use to curl in, 2 benches and a lot of obsolete equipment, but we've got db's that go up to 180lbs. and we drink beer after 9pm.

 

[stormin67]

I know exactly what you mean. I always have to find a gym away from home, due to work travel. I can't tell you how many times I have to bargain with someone to workout there. Almost every time they want to tell you why you should be doing more cardio or lifting lighter, and the ones telling you this look like fuckin pencilneck lifting wanna be's. I have had to pay as much as 20 bucks for one workout. Let me tell you, I tried to hit every friggin muscle I could. Had to stop twice to keep from puking. I was ther for about 3 and a half hrs. So, I figure I got my money's worth.

 

[vin01]

The Gold's by my house might be the best deal. All the free weights are in the back (the gym is a restored warehouse). There are 5 walk out racks, 1 Smith, 2 power racks, 4 flat benches, 2 inclines, and 2 declines. Plus they have a load of Hammer Strength machines. They also have 2 sets of dumbells from 5-120lbs. And there are like 12 flat/adjustable benches floating around for dumbell work. There is a whole other section of just machines. It only cost me $27.00, no initiation. Pretty good deal, considering that when the gym is packed, I still don't have to wait because I'm not trying to get on the bicep curl machine or the lat pulldown..