Does anyone else here use the gym?

[Sentience]

I started gyming for the first time in my life at the start of 2021. I have to say, for a few months I was really into it, going three or four times a week, getting fit on the treadmills and bicycles, and pumping the weights. Overall, I feel it made quite a bit of difference to my general feelings of wellness, happiness and optimism, and my sense of self-worth. I increased my mussel, but was careful not to get too big (which I had the potential to do). I also lost weight (I was overweight on my stomach) and improved my fitness, which will be useful next year if I return to playing cricket after a few years off.

Expensive, but well worth it. Does anyone else here have a gym experience to share?

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

I just returned today after two weeks of lockdown. I try and go every day, but most weeks there are some days when I haven't been. I generally have a routine that I do. Start with the rowing machine, and then the bike, before doing different weight machines. I generally mix it, as there is a variety of machines that I like to do. Finish off with the walking on the treadmill. Most days I'm there for a hour.

The cost isn't bad as it's similar to a large meal at a fast food restaurant - plus my gym is rather close to where i live and it's open 24 hours a day. I returned to the gym earlier this year for the first time in over 20 years. So good workout each day.

 

[tomalak301]

I used to, but then the pandemic happened, the lockdowns happened, and I decided to get a set of Resistance Bands and work out at home. Also, the Gyms I went to were nasty, and if we're all worried about germs, going to a Nasty gym is not a good thing. I also recently lost my membership. I do know I need to get in better shape, but I walk every day and I need to do more with the Bands that I can't justify the Gym anymore.

 

[BillJ]

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[JirinPanthosa]

Besides rock climbing gyms, mostly I only use it when it's too slippery outside to run.

But when I'm training for traithlons I have to use it for biking when I can't get out during daylight hours and the pool.

During the pandemic I held out on using one for a while but then when I started training for another Ironman I had no choice.

 

[XCV330]

 

[krsplat]

I don't, I go to the playground.
A lot of the kids there aren't n'sync with reality, and need to improve their skills.

Frankly it's probably going to be several years,
until younger players will have enough time of day,
to not just prove they understand the fundamentals,
but to actually demonstrate --
-- that they are able to execute those fundamentals in a game,
it requires a lot more of a time commitment,
compared to the amount of time that's actually available.

It looks like there are players who think they have something to prove,
except they don't have enough time that they had the opportunity to prove it,
and that's probably one of the most badly frustrating things,
conceptually, to deal with.

 

[There Be Whales Here]

The gym is my temple and lifting weights my religion. I've been working out for about a decade now having cut my teeth on a spartan home set-up till I outgrew it and got a gym membership going on maybe four years now. I go on average every other day though sometimes it's varied from daily when I am in a cutting phase to every three days when I had to work 12 hour days.
Most of the time I bring the wife along, even though she is no where near as serious about it as I admittedly am. So many guys I see there are more into socializing and sitting on machines staring at their phones it's a wonder they make any progress. When I work-out I am all about the concentration and all business and I like to get in and get out.

As I said, most of my activity consists of weight-training with a 10-15 brisk walk on the treadmill both to warm up and get in my minimum Fitbit steps. When I'm trying to slim down I usually add in 30 minutes of HIIT on the treadmill on the off-weight training days.

Out of the gym I'm fairly active as well and I hate sitting still for extended periods of time both at home and on the job. To me, fitness with all accompanying movement, motion and dietary discipline has become so ingrained it would seem inconceivable to ever stop putting in the effort.

 

[Aragorn]

I used to but stopped when the pandemic started. They were completely closed on a couple occasions because of all the shut downs, so I didn't have to pay anything, but every time they started back up, they charged $10 per month for a membership that's in away mode, so screw that.

 

[Commander Troi]

Hi! I've started going recently. I'm going to use the Fitness Check In thread to, well, check in. I want to keep myself accountable and some cheerleading wouldn't hurt either.

I've never been athletic or really even healthy. I was going to the gym fairly consistently about 15 years ago and felt good. But then stuff happened, and I find myself 53 years old and no longer just "chubby" or even "fat" but morbidly obese. And it sucks.

About a year ago, I was told I needed knee replacement surgery BUT that I had to lose weight first. I was referred to a specialist and lost about 45 pounds just with diet and prescription appetite suppressants. I started doing low impact cardio at home to a YouTube video in August.

Surgery is scheduled for December. I joined a gym close by at the start of this month and am paying for a trainer so I don't hurt my knee and have someone to help me in concert with PT after surgery.

I *loved* the head trainer at my gym, but they transferred her to another location. I've only met my trainer once - he gave me some knee stuff to do then went on vacation - but will see him again tomorrow. So right now I'm doing knee exercises, stationary bike, and some weights, because I know I can't lose & keep off weight without more muscle tone. I'm also trying not to scream when I see myself in the mirrors.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Exactly one year since the last post! It's legal right?!

I have been lifting now for the past 6 years after losing like 120 pounds. I found that lifting weights just makes me feel great every morning. The strength and muscle increases are the main reason I do it, but overall, it just helps me feel better. It also helps keep my weight in check. It also points up how different scale weight is.

My weight fluctuates though. Right now I've got Kirk's "third season girth" but I'll be back down to mid first season by spring. Bulking and cutting....