WEEK FIFTY-SEVEN :: How Do You Prepare For The Gym? [Archive]

no_strain_no_ga

12-29-2005, 07:33 PM

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

I always bring a doufel bag so I can carry my clothing, waters, protein shake , towels and bathing products. I somwtimes forget something, so I always check it before I leave.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

Clothing should be light and comfortable. No heavy shirts, like sweaters or wool shirt, go with a normal t-shirt or even a sleeveless shirt. I always wear my swim trunks, as i said, this is very light and comfortable will I workout. Never bring pants, espicially blue jeans, not a propen workout clothe. Always wear socks and shoes, mostly running shoes. Don't go with flip flops or some worn down business shoes. Everything must be confortable for you. If you would like, I do this, wear a head strap. I get sweaty sometimes and I have sweat pouring down my face and if I wear a head strap, it catches all the sweat. Rinse out in awhile too.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

My gym has showers, so when I'm done with my workout, I always take a shower. So I bring a towel and shampoo and deodarent too. I barely have time to take a shower during my workout days so I always take on there. I would also bring aextra towel. Sometimes the people who just came off the bench was sweating and now the whole bench is covered with sweat. Groos, right. Luckily my gym has some paper towels to help us clean up. I bring my protein shak powder with. My gym has bottle slim milk, so I always mix it up. But if your gym doesn't, Bring a canten or a bottle of slim milk so you can mix it. Also bring a bottle or 2 after your cardio and on the drive home.

Please don't bring junk food or soda, why are you even going to workout anyways if you are going to bing on that. I don't bring any MP3 player or Ipod to the gym, because if I do, it always comes off and gets me distrated sometimes, and no I don't have ADHD.And NEVER, I say NEVER bring your girlfriend, just kidding. Yeah, I like to see my girlfriend workout too.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

My gym has everything basically, restrooms, all the equipment to do cardio and workout, basketball courts, vending machines fiilled with protein bars and slim milk, tanning salons, child care, and a rock climbing wall, yes you heard me right, a ROCKCLIMBING WALL. The reason that my gym has vending machines stckpiled with protein bars and slim milk and steroids, just kidding again, is because I advised it. They just had water and Gatorade and I asked if they could afford it and said yes and about 4 weeks wee had 2 vending machines with the new stuff. But, no one knows that I'm the reason that we have it :(. I would also encourage the basketball courts, One-on-One action against anyone working out is just so much fun, sad thing is I'm 5'6". I haven't gone to th tanning salons, but people come out golden.

***BONUS***
What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

I'm 15, so I have no kids to worry about, buy yes my gym provides child care for the mothers and sometimes fathers who have to bring their runt/s to the gym. It is pretty good actually, they have the thing that they have McDonalds, the balls and slide and have play houses and a room for nap time and provide with juice and milk and snacks. So I wouldn't bother bringing my children there when I have some of my own

Thanks

Mike Kramer

tails

12-31-2005, 04:32 AM

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TOPIC: How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

For the week of: Dec 29th - Jan 4th
Wednesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive.

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

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How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive.

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

I first make sure I have everything I need, protein shake, lifting straps, bottled water, supplements, mp3 player etc....then on my way to the gym, I already plan ahead of what exercises I have to do, how many reps, how many sets. I also try to pump myself up by listening to hard rock in the car.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym? Comfortable clothing, I usually like to wear long sleeve jordans and a pair of jordan shorts. Also Under Armor is very comfortable.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

Mp3 player, my journal log, water, protein shake, lifting straps/belt.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

I think my biggest pet peeve that my gym members do is when they either a) dont put away the weights in the right spot or b) dont put away the weights at all.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?
n/a but yes my gym (life time fitness) does provide services for children.

kev2005

12-31-2005, 09:52 AM

Not to sound too negative but this weeks topic aint gunna have people rushing to find out what others do before they workout. It could give an interesting discussion on pre w/o meals but after that? It dont take years of reading and training experience to put a training bag together and get your ass to the gym! Credit well deserved too anybody that makes this one worth reading!

Shaolin Monkey

12-31-2005, 12:24 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive.

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

I first make sure I've eaten a big meal with lots of carbs and protein at least a half an hour before the workout, so that I'll have the energy I need to get the best workout possible. I don't want to get tired half-way through the workout.

I also make sure to stretch before (and after) my workout, to avoid any injuries.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

I wear my gym shorts and a thin T-shirt. My gym shorts look like basketball shorts, and are very lightweight and breatheable. This is so I don't overheat. I also wear my lifting gloves, because I like the padding they provide.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

I make a list beforehand of the number of sets and reps I'm going to do for the specific exercises I pick for that day, and I bring this list along with me. In addition to the list I bring my clothes, a towel, a protein shake and a couple of protein bars, and my lifting gloves.

You shouldn't bring things like bags of McDonalds or candy into the gym. Also, if you bring a duffel bag, leave it in the locker room. Too many times guys carry their belts/straps/water/what have you in a big bag and leave it lying in the way in the gym.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

Gyms have the weights, treadmills, and all that jazz, but many also have things like tanning booths and saunas.

The thing I see the most is: people not putting the weights away after they're done. I'm no babysitter, and as such I shouldn't have to clean up after the other members of the gym. This issue should be enforced more, if it is at all.

Another issue that should be enforced: people should wipe up the benches when they're done with them. There is nothing more gross than lying down in a puddle of someone else's sweat. This ties in again to the fact that I am not anyone's babysitter, and shouldn't have to be.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

I do not have kids to bring to the gym. It wouldn't matter even if I did, however, because my gym does not provide services for children. I think this is, at the same time, a good and bad thing. It's a good thing because it keeps your home life and gym life separate, allowing for more concentration and focus in the gym, and then also at home. However, it means, if you do have kids and don't have someone to watch them while you'd be at the gym, you might have some difficulty in making it to the gym.

tazB

12-31-2005, 01:12 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive.

-

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?
...First I pack all my needed stuff, for the gym. Like, water, protein shake, my routine schedule just incase.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?
I personally wear, light clothing, sweat pants, t-shirt. My shoes are running shoes also known as air force ones.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?
I bring my, MP3 Player, and my Routine schedule. I try not to bring my cell phone and any other thing else that can interupt me while working out

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?
Well, I always wanted a gym that has like trainers, or experienced BB'ers to walk around or anything just incase someone needs a spotter or any help on there exercide. My gym is trying to do that, its getting harder with all the new members joining. The main problem I would say is the dumbells more of one weight like 30's there should be atleast 3 sets cause that is a major area, I hate waiting for people to finish.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?
Not that old.

Charged

12-31-2005, 02:07 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

I eat a banana and drink a glass of milk before I warmup.

Phase 1: General Warm-up. The main goal is to get you're core temature up i do this by doing bodyweight squats, crunches, back extensions, and pressups, not many, 10 of each.

Phase 2: Mobility Drills. Mobility training increases the blood flow to the joints, lubricates them, and keeps their surfaces smooth and healthy. I use different mobility training depending up on the situation.

Phase 3: Dynamic Flexibility. Once the athlete's core temperature has increased and the joints are lubricated, we move onto dynamic stretches. It's important to start each dynamic stretch with a limited range of motion and then gradually increase the range. If you force a muscle into a new range of motion it will back fire and actually contract the muscle and not relax it.

Phase 4: Frequency Drills. Before moving into your competition or workout, you want to excite your nervous system. I use exercises or drills that are overspeed-type movements. Low jumps in place for speed and quick steps are some of my favorites.

What do you wear?

I wear what ever i find comfy, Be it a vest and tracksuit bottoms or a shirt and jeans. Aslong as you can move in it and can't see why you shouldn't wear these clothes (dangers) then you should definatly wear what you like. Although if you sweat alot i recommend a dri-fit top as these help take away the sweat from you're body. As for footwear I personally wear asics tiger trainers as these are flat and very comfy.

What do you bring with you?

Water, obvious reasons I dont want to dehydrate. Water is very important when working out. Other then that i don't take anything else because the gym provides the rest (chalk ECT.) I dont take gloves, straps or belts because I dont feel truely strong in them and I personally feel you are cheating you're self and to do some farmers walk if you have a weak grip.

How do gyms accommodate their members?

Well as in life you get good things and bad things, gyms are no exception to this rule. I do think alot of the members with attitude should be kicked out and also I think the gym staff should really make sure peole don't hog the machine, I once saw a guy lie down resting on the bench press for 5 minutes between sets.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym?

I do not have kids (I am 16) but they have a kids area on the other side of the building i workout at which is fun for the kids, they let children as young as 12 workout. But betwen 8-10 i guess there is nothing to do which is a real shame, an arcade wouldn't go a miss.

Then after my workout i drink a Whey Protein Shake, Have a hot cold shower and sleep for 3 hours then i get up and strech, I strech 3 hours after because if you do it straight away you're CNS (central nervous system) will be fired up and you will not make any flexibility gains.

Dave.

mrob231

12-31-2005, 03:10 PM

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

As preperation for the gym there are some things that I make sure I always do. First I will take a premier nutrition 30 gram protein bar before I go to the gym. I make sure that I don't take it too close from when I go to the gym because then I get stomache aches. Next, I bring my duffle bag with these items: Boxing gloves, water bottle, lanyard with member tag on it, iPod Mini, swimming trunks, towel, lock, and a basketball depending on the day. On the ride to the gym I will try to go over what I will do for the day, reading over my fitness log. Pop in some rap to pump me up and I am ready.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

I usually wear a loose, comfortable, T-Shirt and basketball shorts, and some basketball shoes that give me good support for running and other activites. There isn't really a certain shirt or lucky shorts that I wear, rather its whatever's available to wear and will do the job.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

I bring (like I listed above) my duffle bag with these items: Boxing gloves, water bottle, lanyard with member tag on it, iPod Mini, swimming trunks, towel, lock. I never bring any necklaces or extra pieces of clothing that could interfere or get in the way of my workout at all.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

My gym provides many items neccesarry for a proper workout, although there are some items that they are missing.

First off, they provide basketballs for the basketball courts if you ask the front desk, and the same with vollyballs (they put up a vollyball net from 8-10 on saturdays) They have punching bags, but as expected don't provide any boxing gloves. One feature about my gym that I really like is, they have alot of waterfountains, which can be really handy in between sets if you need a drink. Also they provide lots of lockers for free, as long as you have a lock.

Although likewise they are flawed in some parts. They don't provide towels, which can be a big problem if you forget one and are in the pool. There are also no supplements or shakes to be found anywhere in the gym.

A trend that I see at my gym is people never seem to wipe thier sweat off with the paper towels and spray that the gym provides. Multiple times I have sat down after another bodybuilder has finished thier reps and I find a pool of sweat. That has to stop. Another trend that I have noticed is that people never seem to return the basketballs or correctly put the weights back into the right spot.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

As I am only 13 years old I do not have any kids, although my gym does have a pretty nice daycare type place for the kids, equipped with playplaces and video games to keep them entertained. I think that they have a small fee though for the childcare.

Whomper107

12-31-2005, 03:46 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive.

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?
One of the most forgotten and important pre-gym steps that I see people avoid is a good preworkout meal eaten 45 minutes to an hour before working out. This meal should be light, but provide some good quality carbohydrates for energy in the gym, and also give you a shot of protein. One example of such a meal is a peanut butter or lunch meat sandwich on wheat bread with a piece of fruit for additional carbs. Another possibility, my personal favorite, is of my own creation which I have deemed a "yogurt surprise." Take 2 cartons of yogurt, half a cup of oatmeal, a handful of raisins, and a banana. Mix it all up in a bowl and you have a great high carb, high protein meal that won't stuff you before a workout, which is never a good thing. A preworkout supplement such as NO2 can also be taken one half an hour to an hour prior to working out if you can afford it, or choose to take one.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?
I myself usually stick with a t-shirt, sleeveless shirt, or wifebeater (all of the bodybuilding.com variety of course), thin, nylon basketball shorts, and a good pair of running shoes. Whatever you wear should be comfortable, light, and nonrestrictive so it does not get in your way while lifting. A good pair of shoes is particularly important on a day when you will be working legs, as damage can be done to them without proper support.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?
Always make sure to bring a water bottle, all postworkout supplements in a ziploc bag, a shaker with skim milk (unless of course you use water for your shakes), an MP3 player if you enjoy music while you workout, lifting gloves and straps if you wear those, and last but not least, deoderant, the most important of all postworkout supplements.
Although it is ok for some supplements, mixing more than an hour before drinking it can sometimes cause them to begin to decompose, such as the transformation of creatine to creatinine, a far less beneficial subpart of it. So be sure to seperate the supplement and milk/water until you're ready to drink it. Perhaps the most valuable piece of equipment is a good training partner to act both as a spotter and a motivator.
In my early days of working out I found I would unintentionally surround myself with distractions such as cell phones, which should be left in your car or locker, and non training partner friends or girlfriends, who not only distract you, but often cause you to resort to bad form so as to use more weight in the hopes of impressing them.
How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?
Gyms, just like most everything in life, follow one rule in my experience: you get what you pay for. If you are willing to pay the big fee that comes with a big gym, then you will get all the good features that come along with that. If you skimp and go to the little one room shack of a gym, then you cannot expect to get the same variety and quality of equipment that you would find in a large club.
What makes a good gym is fairly obvious... good, well maintained equipment, a knowledgable and helpful staff, preferabely with many certified personal trainers to help new members with exercises and training, amenities such as basketball courts, tennis courts, raquetball courts, saunas, and tanning beds, and of course enough equipment to where you do not spend ten minutes waiting between sets. I have even seen some gyms provide vending machines with milk, protein powders, energy drinks, and waters for those who come unprepared.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?
Being 16, I do not have kids of my own yet, so need not worry about this. However, my current standpoint is that a gym is a place for working out and fitness, not young children. The best thing would be to keep your kids at home if at all possible. If not, then a babysitting service would be a big plus in a gym.

GMH

01-01-2006, 12:09 PM

Well, I'm only just two months in bodybuilding & really keeping it simple.

I make sure I have eaten before training but have given 1 hour to digest my meal. Before I begin my warm ups I have a good drink of water.

Before I leave home for the gym, which is only a 15 minute drive, I have a long hot shower. It aids my warm ups & removes fatigue or cold that might have set in. I think this is as important as drinking & eating & training!
----------------------------------------
I'm one of the 'over 40' crowd & loving it!

nextteenamateur

01-01-2006, 03:29 PM

Here is mine:

PitzaPapa

01-01-2006, 06:58 PM

spell check ladies

Pecasaurous

01-01-2006, 08:02 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive.

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

The battle with the iron begins at home. The most crucial thing I do before hitting the gym is to ensure I am well rested. After a long days work I need nothing more then a power nap. A quick 10-15 minutes nap guarantees me I will have the energy I need to set new personal bests. Next I make sure I eat a good meal, a meal that contains a fair amount of complex carbs and protein. I feel a meal with a good amount of carbs gives me that extra boost to my workout. Finally before leaving I make sure my gym bag has all the items I will need for my workout.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

What you wear to the gym says a lot about you and a lot about why you are there. Like the men in jeans and button up shirts laced in cologne just looking for a date or the stick like teen guys with –2% body fat in tank tops trying to show off there definition and lack of fat. I guess we all feel comfortable in different outfits and that’s what it comes down too. Wear what feels comfortable to you. Personally I stick to loose fitting sweats. In my sweats I am free to sweat and not worry too much about it getting on the equipment. For my footwear I usually stick to a light flatfooted wrestling style shoe, it gives me great stability when squatting or any other exercise where I need a good base.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

Do’s
Before hitting the gym I always make sure my gym bag has the following items:
protein shake (for post workout),
large bottle of water (to prevent dehydration),
lifting straps (only on back day),
mp3 player (with good heavy beats to keep me pumped),
training log,
and a towel (I sweat like a pig).
I think everyone attending a gym should bring a bottle of water and a towel to practice good health and hygiene. I also believe that having my routine planned before hitting the gym makes sure I keep to the game plan, don’t slack, and give it my all every set to achieve what I planned to do. I would recommend everyone bring a training partner, which is as motivated as they are, with him or her to the gym. They will help you break through plateaus and will give you that push to the next level.

Don’ts
There is nothing that steams me up more then when I see some guy holding up a machine because his cell phone rang. A cell phone has no place in a gym. LEAVE THEM IN THE LOCKER. The only other thing that bothers me and has no place at the gym is my girlfriend. When I bring my girlfriend to the gym, she doesn’t shut up. Between sets she’s talking, during sets she’s talking, every chance she gets she’s ruining my, “screw the world” gym mentality. She is nothing but a distraction to me and often causes me to cheat and use bad form. So if your other half is like this, leave them at home.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

Trends that should be emphasized
In my four years of bodybuilding I have attended three different facilities, a well known popular chain, a five-star health club, and a run down hole in the wall. I am currently training at the health club and wish nothing more then to be able to return to the hole in the wall. Unfortunately it has closed. The reason I want to return there is it was for hardcore athletes, we slammed weights, grunted, sweated and had more then 100lb dumbbells. The people here didn’t care how much you lifted, stank or screamed. Everyone there was there for the same reason, to lift.

Trends that should be addressed
Every wall in my gym has a sign asking members to put away weights when finished, but to no avail, I sit down to row and Mr. poor form before me forgot to take off his 20 45lb plates. If you’re strong enough to use the weights you are strong enough to put them back. This should definitely be enforced.
Gym trainers should be looked up to and aspired to because of their bodies and strength. So how come is it that all of the trainers at my gym are out of shape no it alls who could be corrected on their form for more then one exercise. Trainers should be in top shape and practice what they preach. It’s a joke when a trainer can be out lifted by my little sister.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

Kids? I am only 19 so this question does not apply to me. If it did, however, my gym has a great play place and babysitters to look after the kids. There is also a closed circuit camera that displays on a television over the cardio equipment to keep an eye on your child.

falloutpat

01-02-2006, 02:29 AM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive.

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

Before going to the gym, I always make sure I've had my pre-workout meal and a lot of rest. Pre-workout meals consist of high carbohydrates, protein, and minimal fat. But it all depends on what type of workout I am going to do, or what I'm going to do in the gym.

1. If I'm going to do cardio in the morning, I usually have a protein shake before hitting the gym. Then I pack a carb+protein+creatine shake to take after my cardio, if I'm going to lift weights after that. I usually bring a shake with me instead of packing a meal to save some time since the shake will digest faster.

2. If I'm just going to lift weights, I have good carbs+protein source. If I lift around 2 pm, I have brown rice and chicken/fish for lunch. Then at around 1 pm, I take my 5g of creatine. I pack my protein+carb+creatine shake.

3. If I'm going to do some type of sport (I do rugby and boxing) which requires endurance, I have a lot of slow digesting carbs, such as wheat bread. I also often have an apple for some simple carbs. I pack my protein+carb shake.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

I usually wear just a t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers. I'd rather save my money on supplements rather than buy expensive gym clothes. I say, wear whatever you are most comfortable in, but if you are willing to spend on some expensive gym equipment, buy some good shoes you can work out in. Generally, running/crosstrainers should work well for you.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?
I always bring an extra shirt and my post workout shake. The gym I go to provides me with a hand towel, so I don't bring a towel with me when I go to the gym. You may opt to bring another protein shake, so you've got something to sip on during your workout. You may also opt to bring your own jug of water, but I don't find this too necessary if your gym provides you with water. If you use the showers in your gym, bring extra clothes (shorts, underwear, shirt, and socks/slippers) and your own towel so you can dry yourself off. You can bring your own soap/shampoo if you wish, or if your gym does not provide this for you. You may also bring a brush/comb, if your hair is long enough. And of course, deoderant. You could also bring your mp3 player, to pump you up during workouts. Bring your lifting gloves/straps, your workout/training log, and of course you should bring your determination and willingness to work out hard in the gym!

You should not bring anything too bulky to carry around. If you are going to bring your cellphone with you, leave it in your locker. It won't interrupt you or others during your workout. I would also suggest not bringing anything too expensive to the gym. You should always look after your belongings.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

It depends which gym you go to. If you go to an average commercial gym, they usually provide their members with the essentials and a bit more. Towels, water, good gym equipment, the service of trainers, plus others like punching bags, pilates/yoga equipment. I have only been to two gyms, one in a country club, and the other is a commercial gym. What I have noticed is that there are more people in the commercial gyms, they provide you with better and more equipment, and the trainers help you out more. In the gym in a country club, (if you are a member of the club), there is no fee because it is free, but the equipment is a bit outdated, and the trainers don't really help you out as much.

Something that should be addressed in every gym is that gym trainers should adjust to what their clients want and not the other way around. Trainers should tell their clients about proper nutrition, the importance of weight training and cardio, and the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, especially if that client is beginning a workout program. It will avoid all newbie mistakes.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

I don't have children .. I'm only 17! But I have seen children (8-12 years old, average) in the gym, they usually go there to do cardio, and not to lift heavy weights. If ever they do lift weights, it is under the supervision of a trainer (and SHOULD BE under the supervision of a trainer) and the weights are at a light/moderate weight, simply for gaining strength.

Another type of service would be a play place/or a sort of day care center, where gym members can leave their child for a few hours as they work out. This would allow members to have more time to work out. But I think parents should be parents FIRST and then fitness buffs/bodybuilders. While a play place is a great addition to a gym, they should also remember to take time out and play with their kids.

Dallas68

01-02-2006, 07:15 AM

EN: How Do You Prepare For The Gym?
________________________________________

Preparation (according to wordreference.com)

The activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose

Basically it means that it is the actions that are set out before an event or as they say purpose. Something of importance to which must be done right with ones own planning.

The idea is to be totally at rest and to know what is to happen before the event is even to take place.

It is all very important to prepare. For the power lifter looking to win his meet, to the bodybuilder who needs that extra few reps to truly bring out a certain lagging body part.

There is a difference between pumping out a 200 pound bench press or being mentally prepared and doing a 230 pound bench. This could in turn really help your chest and front deltoids grow more than usual.

So do you want to be prepared? Or be like 75% percent who go in throw weights around and wonder why they don’t grow?

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

You should make it simple. There is no point trying to keep long lists in your head. Keep it simple as if you’re looking at key cards.

First I want to emphasize for you to remember it’s not hard to prepare for gym and think about this: Remember it is said that an activity takes 3 weeks to become a Habit.

These are examples of habits which you do without thinking

• You get up every morning for work or school

• You greet your family, friends or spouse everyday.

• You groom yourself

• Eat food and drink water

• Educate and communicate with people daily.

And here is the overview on what feelings and ideas should be floating around your head around gym time

• The need
• As the idea of wanting to be in the gym creeps up, that is your moment to get up and start preparations. You either do it now or you don’t.

• The reason
• First you must know what you should be training on that day, go find that out. Preferably should have something on the wall to keep track of your workouts.

• visualization
• Go through the motions of what your going to do, the best way to prepare is to know what you’re going to do. Specifically what exercises which will help you achieve maximum muscle growth.

• The feeding
• The aggression from work, school, and colleagues use it to your advantage. It’s the time to not be timid and you must be able to unlock that beast inside. That fire which will send you to powerful levels.

• Another plus is to have all your kit together. Example:

• Gloves if you have I recommend them as you’re able to handle more weight, plus if your lifting hard enough you will still get calluses. The mark of a bodybuilder.

• Light shirt which makes you mobile, your not trying to look fancy you’re there to lift.

• Shoes such as running shoes or any comfortable shoes. You’re going to have to put a load of pressure on your feet.
• Short pants, not the kind that make you look spastic. But ones that come to about knee level. Easy mobility once again.

• A small but usable hand towel. Most gyms have it as a rule for members to bring their towels for sanitation purposes.

• A easy to carry bag for your change of clothes and to put your towel and any other essentials such as a wallet with money in case you need to buy a chicken for supper.

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

I did provide an overview of how to prepare but personally these are the emotions I go through

• Firstly I train at home so I can prepare as much as I please and take my time.

• My mind says I need to go train intensive.

• I get up

• Go to my room

• Find my gloves put them on tight

• Find my Animal chain that I have made I always have it on for gym

• These words flash in my head like “shut up and train” or “pay your dues”

• Put on the necessary lighter and easily mobile clothes on

• Find a large jug fill it up with 1.5 liters water

• Walk to the room with my gym

• Turn on the lights

• Look at the mirror and shout at it once

• Walk inside the gym

• Put my jug down

• Ok so im doing back today

• Awesome and then I have a brilliant workout.

Here is a saying from one of the most motivational places on the earth. AnimalPak.com and from the rep on here G diesel it’s his personal blog of thoughts

“Immerse yourself in the process. There is no time as valuable as the present moment, no mission more crucial than the task at hand. With this approach, and a solemn internal pledge to never let your dream die on the vine, you can be unstoppable. Stuff all the disappointments of the past. The day is here. The time is now.”

That alone will get me to think about my soul mission what I want to achieve for myself, no one else that’s why bodybuilding is such a good sport. It’s a personal journey.

There is no time like now go out and be involved, don’t be scared with anything you do ever.

KEEP IT IN YOUR HEAD AND IT WILL MAKE SENSE!

Dallas68

01-02-2006, 07:16 AM

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

It doesn’t matter usually to me as most of the time I wear as I have stated light clothing, plus your not there to win over people or look pretty. However on Days that I do legs, I always wear certain pants as it’s like good luck paranoia and for easy squatting. They hide my quads but expose my calves.

At gym or home I will not wear long pants or any baggy clothing as it wears you down and can catch on to the sides of barbells which is very annoying and possibly embarrassing.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

I train at home so I have anything whenever I need it. I do go to gym very scarcely but when I do all I have in my small gym bag is a

• Small gym bag ( able to hold with one hand)

• Hand towel

• Gym card ( don’t forget it)

• Gloves if you need them.

• Gym has water.

• Change of clothes

• Don’t bring

• A large gym bag that could be used to go on holiday with.

• All your bathroom kit your there to train and then go home and freshen up properly

• Do shower but as I said just shower don’t bring your grooming kit with you.

• Your ego. Leave it at the door

• Leave your flirting skills at the door. The women are there to train as well.

• Your buddies if they won’t train intensely

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

Gyms I think unfortunately that I have seen are too mainstream. They are called Fitness centers now and are where those mostly un-educated about their bodies go to train and have conversations instead of buckling down and lifting. Gyms across the board are good and of course provide what one needs to grow.

My personal thought many novices do not have the full understanding of many machines. I would like a mini poster on each machine etc to explain how to do the exercising safely.

• Good trends

• Clean
• Many machines
• Lots of free weights
• Swimming pool
• Sauna
• Helpful fellow old school bodybuilders
• For both sexes
• Many types of physical exercising portrayed I.E yoga, spinning.

• Bad trends

• People don’t change physiques. ( feel as if your in a timeless zone)
• Unmotivated people
• People talking instead of improving their bodies
• Gym trainers not helpful ( I have had only one bad experience)

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

For me right now I don’t have any kids that I know of.

Yet the gym I do go to provide a kids room with caretakers. It seems the kids have fun in there and it is very visible in case you get a bit over anxious of your little one.

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Dallas68

01-02-2006, 04:03 PM

ek se die veld is baie goed met die somer ne?

pimpgoose

01-02-2006, 04:57 PM

TOTW 57 How Do You Prepare For The Gym?
If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After a while our daily gym visits become very repetitive. But that’s something you are going to have to live with if you want to reign with supremacy up on stage. That’s what separates the true warriors from the cowards. Everyday, you will step through those doors and enter a whole new world. A world with not only metal, steel, and cables, but men swimming in their own blood, sweat, and tears. Each of which are working towards sporting the ultimate physique. But what fuels their fire? What keeps these animals motivated to go through their routine everyday. From the moment they wake up, to the time they shut their eyes and asleep, bodybuilders are working to put on muscle. But with anything in this world, if you are not prepared, you won’t have the tools you need to work on you project. So how do we get prepared for another ball busting workout? If you go up to any mortal they will give some stupid answer like “uh, well I need a friend because working out alone is boring.” but that’s not the kind of answer you get from the gods, the rulers of the weights. Bodybuilders don’t need someone to hold our hands, ****, if I could workout with no one around I would. You can’t have any distractions while you are in that hell hole called a gym.

1. We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?
How do I prepare for that next battle with the weights? I make sure that I am mentally ready for yet another balls-to-the-wall training session, another visit to the pits of hell. I make sure that I know what is expected of me when I walk through those doors. But what is really to be expected from a soldier in this lifelong war that I am fighting in order to achieve a god-like status and be superior to all mere mortals? I am expected to give it 110% in there. I am expected to leave an impression on everyone else in that gym. I am expected to burn up every last little bit of energy I have. Hell, I might even end up puking my guts out. But that is just a sign of a good workout. As I wait for my supplements to kick in I sit in the corner of the gym and think of all these things. That’s how I get prepared. That is how I get psyched up and motivated to work my ass off.

2. What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

Sure I have certain clothes I wear to the gym, but it’s nothing fancy. I’ll throw on an old t-shirt and pair of shorts, doesn’t matter to me if it’s clean or looks good. I’m not going to the gym to show off and participate in some fancy fashion show. I’m going there to get my hands dirty, bust my balls, and lift some heavy ass weights. Also my gloves are a piece of **** to. They are old and ripped, like of the clothes I wear. It sickens me to see people lifting lights weights and caring more about how they look in the gym with their fancy clothes and accessories. What do they show that off for anyways? A bunch of sweaty guys trying to concentrate on what they are doing themselves. In my mind it’s also a waste of valuable money. Why not spend that on some more chicken and tuna?

3a) what do you bring with you?
Like a soldier preparing for war, I need to make sure I have all my supplies. I only make sure I have what is absolutely necessary to help me with my journey through the depths of hell. I don’t leave the house to go the gym unless I have my sups with me. All the other little accessories I could care less if I have, but I try to keep them with me. I use my gloves for better grip on the weights, and I use an iPod to eliminate any and all distractions that will keep me from lifting. With all my supplies on me I prepare to enter the battlefield.
3b) what don't you bring with you?
There are two things right now that I can think of that are never with me when I lift. These are two things that I also have a deep, passionate hatred for if I see them in gyms. The first of which is a little piece of paper and a pen that I see people using to record every single lift and every single thing they do. These people spend more time sitting around writing useless **** down, than they spend actually lifting weights. The second thing I never take with me, and I know no bodybuilder ever wants to see in a gym, is an ego. I can’t stand all skinny little pricks that walk into a gym followed by a group of fifty people, just so he can show off a one hundred pound bench with horrible form. Or the guy that works out to impress people already in the gym. Ya, you know should know who I’m talking about. It’s that guy that grabs heavy ass weights for curls and throw all their bodyweight into a couple reps. It just makes me want to puke.

4. How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?
There is a great lifting atmosphere in my gym. There are lots of people in there for a purpose, and that purpose is to lift and get big. That’s how I feel every single person in every single gym should be. None of these jerk off wannabe’s that are in there to show off to their friends. Just everybody in there to get bigger and stronger. Making their transformation from mortal human to animal-like god. You don’t see professional athletes at practice screwing around, so why does it happen in gyms? As for the staff, they’re alright. I haven’t been in many gyms, but I have found that if they know what they are talking about, they spend more time helping lifters out or working out rather than working. If they are clueless then they stay behind the cash register and mind their own business. I like that.

Bonus: what do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?
Personally, I don’t have kids. But I do know people at my gym that do, and they do the following things: either leave the kids home alone, leave the spouse to take care of them, workout while they are in school, or drop them off at a friends house. And thank go for that because I don’t believe a gym is any place for little kids. I believe a gym is a battlefield for warriors. Not a playground for runts. The only service for kids at my gym is the pool which is in the same building.

Now with that, I hope all of you are prepared. So get off your ass, quit reading these articles, and go lift some weights.

forcefedfreak

01-02-2006, 07:40 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

One of the most important things for me is getting a good night's rest. I work out in the morning, so I don't want to try to work through an hour of lifting with no sleep. I get out of bed, give myself 10-15 minutes to wake up and become alert, maybe hop on the forums for little tips I can incorporate into my training on that day. You can always learn something new! I get dressed, make myself some breakfast, and i'm out the door. You can bet my head phones are on soon after I get out of bed, getting myself pumped up.

During my ride to the gym I envision myself lifting. I picture doing sets and reps, and different exercises. It really helps me focus on what I am going to do that day.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

I do have certain clothes! I wear tear-away pants because they let my legs breath. I also always wear a sweatshirt to help get my muscles warmed up. And I always wear gloves. I am a guitar player so keeping my hands healthy is extremely important. Plus gloves just help give you that "lifter" look, and seeing yourself as a body-builder helps you get pumped up!

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

You have to bring what you need! For me it's a bottle of water, my MP3 player, and a bottle of water. Yes I bring two. (The fountain water is gross there)

You definitely shouldn't bring your cell phone into the gym with you. When I go to the gym I'm lifting so much weight I have to really focus mentally or I'll injur myself, or just won't be able to lift. If you can talk on your cell phone while you work out, you aren't pushing yourself enough to see good gains.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

My gym has accommodated it's members by providing a very wide selection of equipment, so that you can get a very well rounded work out. I think a big problem with a lot of gyms however is they either focus on cardio, or weights. It's rare that you find a gym that has equipment for the serious lifter, and someone looking to just get a great cardio workout.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

I'm only 20 years old and do not have children. The gym I attend does not have any services for children. It is in a sense a "no frills" gym and that is how they offer such a great membership rate. I do know that when the gym first opened, a man signed his kids up for memberships, and would drop them off when he went to work...essentially using the gym as a day care.

DinoT1985

01-02-2006, 08:03 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive.

-

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?
First I need to get into the right mindset. There's no point going if prior I'm feeling lazy and not up to it. Either look forward to it or don't go. Weightlifting should never be a chore and if it starts feeling like one, chances are you're going to quit going. If I have gym the next day, I make sure I don't oversleep as that puts me in a state of lazyness once awake. I slap on some music that pumps me up and check out some pictures of other bodybuilders. Seeing the body I want to achieve and looking at the body I want is my biggest motivation to get to the gym and pump some iron.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?
Comfortable is the key word. Nothing tight and nothing fancy. I go the gym to workout, not look good. I don't care if I look fat or not, as if I do, more motivation to workout as I look into the mirror. Loose sports pants, socks, trainers and a t-shirt is my standard.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?
MP3 player for music. After all, the music they play in the gym might not be my style. I have to make sure I'm hearing clip on earphones though otherwise I'll spend more time adjusting the things as they keep falling out from moving alot. Don't bring anything that gets in your way like rings, necklaces etc and please put your mobile phones away. I don't want to watch you sit on the machines texting. The gym is for everyone, so don't waste other peoples time. So, come in the right mindset. Leave the cockyness at the door. I also bring my lifting belt, a water bottle, gloves and my PWO Shake to drink right afterwards.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?
Locker rooms are a good way to make sure nothing is stolen. My gym has automatic doors which needs to be pressed to be opened. This helps stop theft as no one can run out after stealing something. Also a private area for women can be found at my gym. This helps stop distractions that take away from your workout and also makes you feel more comfortable. After all, how can you lift heavy and not worry about looking good if theres someone you find attractive watching? There's also separate areas for cardio, upper body and lower body workouts at my gym. So no arm curling at the power rack.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?
I don't have any.

mivi320

01-02-2006, 08:10 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

Intro

In order to be successful in the sport of bodybuilding, we must make it a habit to attend the gym on a regular basis. After awhile, going to the gym becomes rather monotonous. Obviously, we all have our own styles of preparation for the gym. Some of us are more animated before attempting a big lift, while others are somewhat quiet and keep to themselves.

Below is a list of guidelines that will help you prepare for the gym!

Establish a workout routine!

I've seen it way too many times - teenagers who waltz into the gym and crank out reps on the bench press with too muchweight, having their spotter (who weighs less than the weight being used) give assistance to the bench presser. These teens then follow up their awful bench pressing form with bicep curls - where they use too much momentum and back involvement. Now the last time I checked, bicep curls are supposed to target the biceps - not the back. After these horrid sets of bench pressing and curls, the group of teens leave the weight room expecting to grow off of what they had just done.

I hate to break it to you, but a few sets of improper bench pressing and bicep curls aren't going to get you very far in the bodybuilding game. That is why it is imperative to establish an effective workout routine, which conclusively will better prepare you for the gym!

By establishing a workout routine, you can better prepare for the gym because you will have a plan of what you are to do in the gym for that particular day. Going into the gym with no plan or purpose is simply setting yourself up for failure.

The importance of pre-workout nutrition

Before even stepping foot into the gym, I make sure that I had a solid pre-workout meal consisting of predominantly carbohydrates, moderate protein, and a small amount of fat. I cannot stress how important pre-workout nutrition is in order to maximize your performance in the gym.

A good rule of thumb is to have consumed a proper pre-workout meal 45-90 minutes before your workout. This will allow for optimal digestion, and prevent any gastric discomfort.

Below are two of my favorite pre-workout meals:

Meal Option #1

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
2 scoops whey protein
1 cup skim milk
Handful of strawberries

I like this meal because it's quick, easy, and gets the job done. Preferably, I like to use Vanilla Bean Primaforce Substance WPI as my source of whey protein. I mix the oats, whey, and strawberries in a large bowl, and then pour the skim milk over the mixture and eat it like cereal! It's absolutely delicious!

Meal Option #1

2 slices whole wheat bread
1 cup cottage cheese
4 oz. Chicken Breast

I like this meal because it's light, simple, and tastes excellent. I simply toast the 2 slices of whole wheat bread, and spread the cottage cheese on top of the toast. The 4 oz. of chicken I eat separately for extra protein.

The importance of pre-workout supplementation

This aspect of preparing for the gym is widely overlooked. Often times, we don't feel like going to the gym because we're just too tired. Sometimes we fail to train with all out intensity, and need a supplement to enable us to train harder and longer. Or maybe you're just looking for a product that will give you a mind-blowing pump! Whatever it is you're looking for, my recommendations are below!

ErgoPharm AMP

This product is one of my absolute favorites. The energy and rush this product gives you is simply unbelievable. I can recall days where I felt like sleeping in and not working out, but once I took ErgoPharm's AMP I was ready to go! This product will ultimately help you prepare for the gym by increasing your energy levels and mental alertness for training!

Controlled Labs White Blood

This product is another one of my favorites. White Blood enhances blood transport, and contains a wide array of substances that all work in synergy to increase the volume of muscle cells, which in turn is very anabolic! This product will help you prepare for the gym by giving your a mind-blowing pump going into your workout - which will ultimately encourage you to train harder and more intensely!

Scivation Xtend

This product is my favorite supplement out there. The watermelon flavor is simply amazing! It tastes just like watermelon candy - it's so good! I recommend sipping on some Xtend prior, during, and after your workout for optimal recovery and enhanced performance!

Beat the log book!

If you're an organized bodybuilder, you should be keeping a log book, in which you record sets, reps, and weight for each exercise. Each session, you should prepare for the gym by establishing goals to increase in either weight or reps on a few of the exercises. This will overload the muscle each workout and force it to grow!

I personally prefer to keep my log online, conveniently located right here on bodybuilding.com's forum in the workout journal section. Doing so allows me to interact with other members on the message boards - and they're great for giving me some motivation to lift heavy and hard!

Mind over matter, always

Before heading to the gym, mentally picture yourself cranking out reps on the exercises you are scheduled to do that particular day. Lifting is almost completely mental for me - and I always convince myself that I can do it before attempting a heavy lift. So before you step foot into the gym, make sure your mentally ready to lift some heavy weight! It's mind over matter, always.

Don't forget your gym bag!

Before going to the gym to workout, make sure that you have all the essentials packed in your gym bag. This includes your lifting gloves or lifting straps, chalk, weight belt, whey protein for your post workout shake, a shaker cup, water bottle, and your MP3 player, and whatever else you may need! If you have somewhere to be after working out, don't forget your clothes to change into after training!

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

I'm a pretty intense guy when it comes to bodybuilding. I'm currently preparing for my very first bodybuilding competition for next year, so before I enter the gym, I like to make sure everything is in check including my pre-workout nutrition and supplementation. Everything has to be just so.

I usually train later in the afternoon after work or school (depending on my schedule). First, I eat a solid pre-workout meal about 45-90 minutes before working out. I take all my pre-workout supplements at this time as well. As I'm eating my meal, I look over my log book. I establish goals I want to achieve on each exercise, and say to myself I have to get those goals no matter what!

If my energy levels are stagnant, I'll watch an intense scene or two from my favorite bodybuilding videos. The infamous squatting scene featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger from the documentary, "Pumping Iron" always gets me motivated. "Ronnie Coleman : The Cost of Redemption" is another one of my favorites to watch if I'm feeling low on energy and need some motivation to lift.

I then prepare for the gym by packing all the essentials I need for the gym in my gym bag. This includes my bodybuilding.com shaker bottle, towel, lifting gloves, change of clothes, water bottle, whey protein, and dextrose for my post workout shake. I also pack my MP3 player for some hard hitting music to get me amped to lift some serious weight!

On the drive to the gym, I blast some hard rock music with powerful vocals which gets me completely pumped to attack the weights! I mentally picture myself accomplishing all of my goal lifts for that particular day.

Once I begin to enter the gym, I begin to sip my Scivation Xtend, turn up the tunes on my MP3 player, take a good look in the mirror and let out a few shouts for extra motivation. By now, I'm ready to attack the weights!

mivi320

01-02-2006, 08:11 PM

continued

What do you wear?

I usually wear athletic shorts with a comfortable short-sleeve T-shirt. Since I live in the Southeast, it's pretty hot for the most part. On days when the heat index is elevated, I usually wear a tank top or my bodybuilding.com racer-back tank top.

I also wear my athletic shoes with my low top socks since the heat is usually scorching. On days I do squats, I wear my high top shoes for extra ankle support.

Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

Yes, I often dress occasionally to the body part I'm training that particular day. For example, if I'm training my biceps and triceps tomorrow, chances are I'll wear a sleeveless shirt so I can better concentrate on the muscles I'm training. Dressing occasionally to the muscle I'm training has allowed me to increase my vision of training the particular muscle to the fullest, and conclusively has improved my mind-to-muscle connection!

What do you bring with you?

Items I bring to the gym

Gym bag
Bodybuilding.com shaker cup
Towel
Scivation Xtend or BCAA mix diluted in water bottle
Lifting gloves, straps, chalk
MP3 player
Whey protein and dextrose for my post-workout shake
Change of clothes

What shouldn't you bring with you?
[list]
Your cell phone. The last time I checked, the gym is for lifting - not for idle chatting or negotiating business deals.
Your kids. The gym can be a dangerous place for young ones. If your gym has a nursery, drop them off their. Otherwise, don't bring them for safety reasons!
Sports equipment not related to weight lifting. I see so many people bring basketballs into my gym because the indoor basketball court is adjacent to the weight room, and these people often dribble the ball in the weight room. This is extremely annoying and is a big distraction. Again, the gym is for lifting.
Your ego. This isn't the 9th grade and nobody cares how much you're bench pressing.
Your flip-flops and bathing suit. I see this one all the time at my gym too, as the pool is located right next to the weight room. Folks go for a quick dip in the pool area then come into the weight room and crank out a few sets of curls, and then proceed to the indoor pool.

How do gyms accommodate their members? A

Of all the gyms I've trained at, the gym personnel have been extremely accommodating. For example, there has been times when I've forgotten to pack my towel, and the gym accommodated me with one.

Another thing I noticed is that the gym’s staff located at the front desk are very accommodating as well. There was an instance when I had cut my finger on a piece of equipment in the gym, and it started bleeding excessively. I went to the front desk and showed them my finger, and they fixed me right up!

The current gym I train at is very considerate of their members - as several members requested for a broader dumbbell selection, and within a few weeks, the petition was fulfilled! They just ordered all new machines not too long ago, so I'm anticipating those as well!

Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

One of the biggest problems I see at most gyms is members fail to wipe down the equipment with a paper towel and provided sanitizer. This often leaves the equipment covered in somebody else's sweat, which is just plain disgusting!

Another trend I see that needs to be addressed is members using awful form for the sacrifice of using more weight. I see this mostly in beginner lifters and young teens. This problem certainly needs to be addressed at my gym, as it is way too common.

Another big mistake I see from gym to gym is folks performing dangerous exercises that place too much stress on the joints - particularly the rotator cuff. Behind the neck barbell presses and upright rows are two very dangerous exercises, as they both put pressure on the rotator cuff and may cause shoulder impingement. These exercises should be avoided, as their are several alternatives that target the shoulders much more effectively.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym?

If you have young children, you can simply leave them in the gym nursery while you get your workout in. If your gym doesn't have a nursery, you can simply let your kids play in the indoor basketball gym if they're old enough.

Another good alternative is to leave your children with your wife, relatives, or friends to watch over them while you get your workout in. As a last resort, you can always hire a baby sitter to watch your kids while you go to the gym.

Does your gym provide services for children?

Yes, and many of the gym members find it very convenient. I don't have young kids, but have talked to several of the members and they love the program the gym implements. The gym members simply drop their kids off in the nursery, get their workout in, and pick up their kids when they're done working out! Easy as that!

Good luck with all of your training goals!

Mike

no_strain_no_ga

01-03-2006, 02:55 PM

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

I always bring a doufel bag so I can carry my clothing, waters, protein shake , towels and bathing products. I sometimes forget something, so I always check it before I leave.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

Clothing should be light and comfortable. No heavy shirts, like sweaters or wool shirt, go with a normal t-shirt or even a sleeveless shirt. I always wear my swim trunks, as i said, this is very light and comfortable when I workout. Never bring pants, espicially blue jeans, not a propen workout clothe. Always wear socks and shoes, mostly running shoes. Don't go with flip flops or some worn down business shoes. Everything must be confortable for you. If you would like, I do this, wear a head strap. I get sweaty sometimes and I have sweat pouring down my face and if I wear a head strap, it catches all the sweat. Rinse out in awhile too.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

My gym has showers, so when I'm done with my workout, I always take a shower. So I bring a towel and shampoo and deodarent too. I barely have time to take a shower during my workout days so I always take on there. I would also bring aextra towel. Sometimes the people who just came off the bench was sweating and now the whole bench is covered with sweat. Gross, right. Luckily my gym has some paper towels to help us clean up. I bring my protein shake powder with. My gym has bottle slim milk, so I always mix it up. But if your gym doesn't, Bring a canten or a bottle of slim milk so you can mix it. Also bring a bottle or 2 after your cardio and on the drive home.

Please don't bring junk food or soda, why are you even going to workout anyways if you are going to bing on that. I don't bring any MP3 player or Ipod to the gym, because if I do, it always comes off and gets me distracted sometimes, and no I don't have ADHD.And NEVER, I say NEVER bring your girlfriend, just kidding. Yeah, I like to see my girlfriend workout too.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

My gym has everything basically, restrooms, all the equipment to do cardio and workout, basketball courts, vending machines fiilled with protein bars and slim milk, tanning salons, child care, and a rock climbing wall, yes you heard me right, a ROCKCLIMBING WALL. The reason that my gym has vending machines stockpiled with protein bars and slim milk and steroids, just kidding again,The reason we have them stuff is because I advised it. They just had water and Gatorade and I asked if they could afford it and said yes and about 4 weeks we had 2 vending machines with the new stuff. But, no one knows that I'm the reason that we have it :(. I would also encourage the basketball courts, One-on-One action against anyone working out is just so much fun, sad thing is I'm 5'6". I haven't gone to the tanning salons, but people come out golden.

***BONUS***
What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

I'm 15, so I have no kids to worry about, buy yes my gym provides child care for the mothers and sometimes fathers who have to bring their runt/s to the gym. It is pretty good actually, they have the thing that they have McDonalds, the balls and slide and have play houses and a room for nap time and provide with juice and milk and snacks. So I wouldn't bother bringing my children there when I have some of my own

Thanks

Mike Kramer
I fixed some stuff on my essay, so go off this on webmaster

artist47

01-03-2006, 11:05 PM

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

First and most important, I schedule time for the gym along with my other weekly appointments, and pick up missed workouts when I can or at home if I have to. Secondly, I always keep work out clothes, gym towels, music and a book in the car, so if I get a chance for an extra work out I don't have to go home first. I try to eat reasonably well and keep well hydrated so I don't have to play catchup.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

My gym wear includes a good athletic bra, a sleevless tee, sweatpant, good socks and decent lightwieght shoes. I shop forfunctionality not style and recently I also wear a zipping sweat shirt which I can peel if I need to.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

I bring gym towels, a book for cardio, otherwise I get bored and try to talk myself into quiting early, and music, becuase what they play at the gym sucks and is often too loud. I try to bring friends but they usually don't show more than twice. I also bring a water bottle becuse I don't want to catch things. I don't bring food, and I keep the phone in the car. And hair ties. This is not a fashion show and I am not there to make friends or find lovers, so I don't care how I look, but I think it is important to be clean and to leave germs at home. So I don't work out if I am sick.

Don't come drunk!

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

My gym is okay, but usually far too crowded. It is clean and they provide disinfectant to wipe off the cardio machines, but none by the weight benches. You have to bend to get a drink if you choose to use the fountains, hard on the back, and I am only 5'4! i see we now have taning, I haven't checked it out, I tan else where, there is a gear shop, a basket ball gym, a gym for classes, a spin room and a pool which is often out of order. The locker rooms are clean, but have TVs. why do you need a tv at the gym?
There are showers which I have not tried, and sinks, but benches to change are small and few. I tyr to schedule my workouts so I can shower at home. I worked with a trainer for about a year and he was polite and helpful till I could no longer afford him. The fees are tremendous and the trainer is paid by the gym. There is no incentive to help people who are not clients of the trainers and coaching by the body builders or other memebers is strictly forbidden. Penalty is loss of memebrship with no refund. So unless you already have a workout partner, I doubt you will pick one up.
There are a lot of people all the time except late at night. My feeling is that once you've paid they don't know or care who you are. I've been going three years and only one guy knows my name. Turnover seems to be a problem.

I have been to two other gyms in town and by comparison, mine is well lighted and well equipped. the one is dark with yucky carpet to work out on, the wieght machines are few, and while new, not top notch, but thier cardio machines are brand new. I have used thier wet sauna, and it was great, but not tried the hot tub. On the plus side, it is never crowded. There is not child care at all. Also the free weights are located in another part of the building. I glanced in and did not feel there was enough room for safety.

The other had newer cardio machines but they were in a small room and weight machines in a long hall like room which does seem to encourage moving on. They have a running track and basketball courts, swimming pools and a hot tub. They have excellent childcare and some classes for kids and familes. They are usually busy and they are expensive. the free weights were once again in another part of the building.

***BONUS***
What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

Child care consists of a play room with some climbing stuff, a TV and VIDEO GAMES. They have the gall to call it a kid gym! Kids under 12 are not allowed on the floor even with supervison and there are no classes for kids. Childcare is not included with the membership and hours are very limited. They are often looking for help and it makes me nervous to see such a turn over. my son, normally very active gels into a blob in fornt of the video games, so I quit bringing him. he could do that for free at home on rainy days.

MattyG

01-04-2006, 06:47 AM

OK thios aint gonna win no prizes. I'm not going to bother answering all the bullets.

Here's how I prepare for the gym:

Preparation starts the day before (sometimes even DAYS before). I think about the session coming up, and begin to plan and visualize the rouitine. If it's leg day, or another highly taxing routine I find this mental preparation vital. It gets me psyched up for the pain. I asess my body's state of recovery form the last session.
I ask myself, 'has it recovered from last session? Is my back still sore from deads? Is my mind recovered? Do I feel ready to train again?' I need to feel ready for a session. I get a good nights sleep and plenty of food.

The morning comes. I have a large breakfast of eggs, oats, fruit juice and protein drink. Depending on what time of the day I'm training I'll just eat and eat right up until an hour before the gym, making sure I get lots of complex carbs in me. I'll eat some fruit half hour before I go.

I take a shower before I go, so I smell nice.
I make sure my shoes are clean, on the soles especially. I grab a t shirt and some bottoms, making sure they are clean and don't smell.

I spray a little deodorant over me but no cologne. It's a training session, not a date.

I make sure I have all the tools I might need for the session - lifting straps, powder, some fruit incase I get hungry mid-session, etc.

I grab a water bottle and fill it right up. I like to keep hydrated thoroughly throughout the session.

I get to the gym and do my thing.

Andrew.Cook

01-04-2006, 08:33 AM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

Gym preperation is something that really depends on the individual. I'm a big fan of routine. My pre-gym routine involves mentally running through my workout, assessing any aches/pains that I may be dealing with, and how I want to work around them (or work through them). I've found that this kind of mental rehersal helps me stay in focus once I hit the gym.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

Clothing should be functional when it comes to the gym. I've found that thrift stores carry an ample supply of cotton t-shirts just begging to protect me from an old chalky and dirty olympic bar. I've found that lifting is a dirty business, and I have issues with destroying a $50 shirt when it feels so much better to wreck my "Joe's car wash" shirt for a whopping 75 cents. That being said, I find that clothing for cardio days is a totally different story. It is worth the extra coin to buy clothes that have moisture wicking capacity, and that allow you to move in a very unrestricted fashion. No chaffing, rubbing, or heavy sweat soaked cotton ever makes cardio more fun. I think someone famous once said that. Perhaps Bronson Pinchot? Generally speaking, I find that almost anything is acceptable with the exception of pants with rivets, as they tend to dramatically add to the wear and (literally) tear of benches and seats in the gym.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

I have become a bit of a gadget man in my workouts. Sleeves to keep joints warm, wrist wraps, straps, grips (not a fan of gloves because I always get pinched by them)... of course I find the most important thing I bring with me is my journal. Now, it took me a very long time to get into the journal habit, but I find it an absolute necessity for tracking my progress. I can have a great workout without any of the other "stuff", but without the journal I'm just wasting time.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

I workout in a fairly unique environment, for the most part. I am in the military, and thus I work out in military gyms. How do they accomodate the members? Well, between you and me they open the doors, and that is where the support ends. They are always staffed but rarely, if ever, by anyone that could provide a spot on squats or give you nutritional advice. All of that is fine, as I'm a motivated individual. The one trend that I see in my gym is the lack of courtesy towards the equipment. People throwing dumbells, not putting away plates... etc. Not that I've ever been directly disrespected (it is the military, there are still rules there) but it really aggrivates me to go into the gym and one of the 75 pound weights is cracked because someone wasn't man, or woman, enough to treat the equipment with respect.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

Kids at the gym... boy, that is an interesting question. At some of the family accessible gyms, there are kids from time to time. I bring my son with me from time to time to take a couple laps around the track with me, or to play some basketball, but I never bring him when I lift. Of course, at the gyms I go to there is no child care. Frankly I love the idea of the gym child care! Single parents should not have to suffer physically because they don't have a spouse around to watch the kids for an hour. Plus I think it is a great message to send to your children. Fitness is important and more than hearing that you went to the gym, they should see the gym, and see that you enjoy yourself when you are there. I think there is a strong psychological impact there. Perhaps someone should study that.

scubasteve2105

01-04-2006, 01:14 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?
For me the gym is very mental. I do things in order. T-minus 1.5hrs, multivitamin, meal w/ protein & carbs, little fat (usually chicken or turkey sandwich, mustard). 30 minutes to go, I take my dose of NOxplode thinking about pounding those weights, visualizing my whole workout from my warmup to post lifting cardio. In the car on the way the music is loud, it's leg day and the squat rack is mine. I walk in slamming down the protein shake, I think the girl at the counter said something to me but I can't hear her, all I hear is the pounding iron.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

Always sleeveless shirt and shorts. Not b/c I want the girls to oogle over my arms, I want to see them in the mirror. I want to watch the muscles swell. Loose and lightweight. I like underarmour, but I sweat a lot so the towel is like clothing for me. The shorts, Southampton College Lacrosse game shorts, that's why I'm here, I'm an athlete, it's a constant reminder that even though I graduated I'm an athlete. I play once a week, and I will be ready for that game.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

I always bring a large bottle of water. If my workout partner is there no music, I can't hear him yelling at me to get those last few reps. If not, my ipod is going in my ears, keeps the adrenaline up. Towel to wipe up my sweat. Shake for when I'm done. What don't I bring? Negativity, pessimism, a bad attitude. Try not to bring the girlfriend, I'm there to pound cold iron, not make out in the corner. No magazines for cardio, if I can read my heart rate sure isn't gonna be high enough. My bag is packed with the essentials, weight belt, straps, change of clothes, plastic bag for my soon to be soaked shirt. Don't bring any clothes that cover a body part you don't like, if Arnold can rip off his pant legs to let the world watch his calves grow so can you.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

My gym has a few fridges stocked with shakes and drinks, all healthy. A+. Skim milk too!!!! But if i forget my towel I have to pay $2 to get one??? Then you get mad when people sweat. Free lockers, awesome. Good cardio class schedules, silver sneakers program. Free day with the trainer. But most important, enough squat racks and smith machines so I don't stand around waiting and losing my pump on leg day.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

Only 22 and engaged, not married, I have no kids. I feel that my gyms day care center though is inaddequate. It is too small and not open enough hours. It's a large closet with some toys and a tv. We want the parents to be healthy and spend money on daycare, but we want their kids locked in a small room with only one person on hand. No good. Give the kids something to play on. Children need fitness too!

Squat_lt

01-04-2006, 06:57 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

My preparation for a workout starts at early morning. I know that this day is hallowed. If I can let myself to cheat a bit when I have a day off, my workout day is perfect. Everything is carefully planned since all beginning. Every time I train – I want to be sure that I reach maximum on every workout.

Generally my preparation starts with:

• Pre Workout Hydration – I try to consume most water before and during my workout. I believe it affects my gains at a gym.

• Pre Workout Nutrition – My last meal before a workout is one of biggest meals of a day. Usually I eat chicken breast with rice and sweat corn (my favorite). I like to train with full stomach, because I can’t concentrate on weights when I’m hungry. If I’m feeling tired, I drink a cup of strong coffee or two cans of red bull.

30 minutes after my pre workout meal I take 1 packet of Animal Pak. I like this product. It helps to keep my vitamins intake high and it contains ginseng and other performance enhancers, so I feel better during my workout.

1h after my pre workout meal I take a serving of Green Bulge and White Blood and after some time I hit the gym.

• Watching Something for Motivation – I like watching pictures of great bodybuilders or watching videos. It really motivates me to workout harder. I know that I can’t achieve anything if I’m lazy. Movie “Pumping Iron” with Arnold and “The Cost of Redemption” with Ronnie Coleman has really inspired me. I always watch fragments of them before my workout. The part where Ronnie is doing squats or leg presses just blows me up.

• Packing My Bag – Ok, the time has come. It's time to hit the gym. Just last step left – putting all stuff to my bag. Even when I carry many various things to gym – I don’t like big bags. I always prefer smaller ones. I hate when changing room is congested with huge and nearly empty gym bags. My gym bag usually contains:

My tank top or sleeveless t-shirt

Light, medium length shorts

Heavy athletic shoes

Towel, sponge, shower gel, deodorant (all I need for a good shower)

Pair of gloves and straps (only for critical weight)

Post workout shake (1 scoop of Optimum Whey, 50gr of Dextrose, 2.5gr CEE, 500ml low fat Milk)

Few bodybuilding.com water bottles filled with water

Extra socks, underwear, clothes

My workout log with my training routine

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

I don’t have any special prejudices regarding workout clothing but I do have some clothes I like to wear when I’m training. I usually wear:

• Tank Top – I like to wear tank tops instead regular t-shirts because I just like to see myself pumped in the mirror. It may sound egocentric, but good pump motivates me even more. I enjoy seeing my pumped biceps and if it even helps to my motivation – why not? Also it helps to control my technique when I’m doing bicep and tricep exercises.

• Light, medium length Shorts – I wear shorts instead of pants or tracksuit because I feel more comfortable when I’m doing squats and many other exercises. It’s warm enough too.

• Low Socks – Nothing fancy, I just like the way they look and I’m feeling comfortable.

• Heavy Reebok Sneakers – Yes, they are heavy, but I feel more balanced when I wear them compared to lighter shoes. Good stuff if you are true squats fan.

Squat_lt

01-04-2006, 07:14 PM

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

In my opinion, what you bring to the gym is very important. Some things can greatly boost and improve your workout, while others can distract you of training and ruin your workout.

Every bodybuilder should consider about bringing these things to gym:

Clothing: Good dressing can also slightly improve or decrease performance of your training.

• Shoes – Shoes are very important when it comes to lifting heavy weights. Good shoes will make you feel comfortable, will stabilize your feet and improve your balance. It is even more important if you are squats of deadlifts fan. In addition, do not go overboard with comfort. You do not want to wear light tennis shoes while you are squatting with few hundred pounds. Your shoes must be appropriate for your training goals.

• Clothes – You must choose proper clothes regarding the environment you train. Generally, simple t-shirt or tank top and light shorts would suit most bodybuilders, but sometimes you need to make exceptions. You must feel warm enough, to feel comfortable. Of course, there is no need to bring winter sweater to gym and sweat all the time. However, you should not be freezing too. Training in the cold gym probably is the worst thing to do. Therefore, you need to adjust your clothing wisely to bring your training to A level.

Training accessories: Nowadays there is huge choice of various accessories regarding weightlifting. Some of them helps to train more comfortably, while others are essential if you are serious about weight training. I will write about few most popular bodybuilding accessories that you can see in the gym almost every day.

• Gloves – Many bodybuilders and others who are familiar with sport wear gloves while training to protect their hands. Even when I propose to train barehanded to everyone, sometimes gloves are useful. Good gloves will help to protect hands and strengthen the grip when you are lifting heavy weights. So it’s up to you whenever to train with gloves or barehanded.

• Straps – Straps are fastened around your wrist and twisted around a bar to strengthen your grip. They might be very helpful when doing deadlifts, pull-ups and various other exercises when grip strength is important. Straps might be good aid in your back workout. However all straps and gloves keep hand strength from fully developing naturally. So it’s the matter of personal preference to use them or not.

• Wraps – Wraps are used to support weak or injured joints ant muscles. Most popular types of wraps are wrist wraps and knee wraps. Mostly knee wraps are used when doing very heavy squats. They can aid tremendously in injury prevention. Knee wrap helps to stabilize and support knee joint. Wrist wraps are used in pushing exercises. Such as heavy bench press or military press. Some gloves already come with wrist wraps.

• Belts – Belts are essential when doing heavy full squats or deadlifts. They helps to protect lower back and abs from injury. However, you can’t use belt too much. I see some guys wearing belts even when they are doing tricep pushdowns or dumbbell kickbacks. That’s certainly bad way to train. Gradually your lower back and abs strength will suffer and you will be prone to injury. So use belt only when you need to. Most gyms provide lifting belts but it’s always worth to have your own.

• Chalk – That’s the old school diamond! Most bodybuilders in 70’s and 80’s didn’t use any fancy gloves or straps. Chalk keeps hand dry for a secure grip. Hardcore bodybuilders always suggest chalk instead any other grip enhancers. If you are serious about lifting, you must have chalk in your stash!

• Manta Ray – It’s squatting accessory that’s made of soft plastic. It promotes effective load distribution and prevents bar from rolling or slipping. I didn`t try it myself but description is interesting and customer testimonials are very good. It’s not very cheap. But I think if you feel very uncomfortable while doing squats or it’s hard to keep your back straight you should try this “squat enhancer”. You can also try Sting Ray for front squats.

You can find all accessories for your workout here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/acc2.htm

Nutrition: Nowadays probably everybody knows the importance of post workout nutrition. More and more people call post workout meal as most important meal of the day and it’s definitely true! After hard and exhausting workout glycogen stores are low and protein breakdown is increased. You need to consume simple carbs and some protein quickly. Post workout meal may not be a problem if you are living few minutes away from gym, but to most people it takes much longer to travel back home ant prepare a meal. Then post workout shake comes into play.

• Post Workout Supplements – PW supplements are getting more and more popular every day. Every time you finish your workout, you see more and more people drinking protein shake or popping amino acids after a hard workout. It’s convenient and easy way to consume all nutrients needed for your body. Most popular PW supplements today are:

Whey Protein – It’s highest quality and best form of protein today. In addition, it’s digested very quickly (30min.) and it’s excellent source of protein after your workout. You get a free shaker bottle with every bigger bodybuilding.com order so it’s very easy to mix a tasty and nutrient rich shake and carry it to gym. You should get up to 50 grams of protein from whey after your workout.

Dextrose – You may ask – why I need sugar after my workout? The answer is simple – your glycogen stores are dead low after your workout and you need to replenish them quickly. Dextrose (glucose) simple sugar derived from corns. It’s cheap and has high glycemic index. It’s perfect source of carbs straight after your workout. I suggest mixing about 50 grams of it to protein shake. Some people prefer weight gainers for post workout shake, but in my opinion, it’s only waste of money. Keep it simple! Use dextrose!

Amino Acids – Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. It can be very effective way to decrease protein breakdown after a workout. There are many amino acid blends in the market today, but I would prefer BCAA for post workout. BCAA prevent protein breakdown, glutamine breakdown and muscle damage. It’s certainly an awesome product. I would suggest taking 10 gr. of BCAA right after your workout. Then drinking a protein shake after 30 minutes.

Creatine Ethyl Ester – Creatine Monohydrate arrival to supplement market nearly caused revolution. Simply it’s most popular and effective bodybuilding supplement on a market. However it’s poorly absorbed by a body and scientists attached ester to creatine molecule. It greatly improved creatine and everybody are making amazing gains with this product. You should definitely try it. You should take 2.5 grams before and 2.5 grams after your workout. After you finish your workout – it’s critical time when your body is craving for nutrients and creatine is best absorbed after a workout.

You can find all supplements for your workout here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/

• Water – Hydration during a workout is not less important than anytime. You need to consume between 1-2 gallons a day. You should consume most of your daily liquids before and during the workout. Most gyms have vending machines and provides water, but I prefer to bring it from home. I always bring a few bodybuilding.com water bottles with me. I offer to sip water after every set and exercise.

Other things that you should bring to gym:

• Hygiene Kit – Everybody knows the importance of proper hygiene so I won’t explain it in a great detail. I strongly suggest taking a shower after a workout if your gym has one. Moreover, don’t forget to choose and bring all essential things for it: towel, shampoo, shower gel, soap, sponge, deodorant, perfume, etc. It’s up to you what you will use to keep yourself clean. Of course don’t forget to bring some extra clothes and socks. You don’t want to “kill” people with a smell of good cardio workout.

• Workout Log – I would highly recommend to keep a track of your progress in gym. It’s way easier to see if you are doing a good progress towards you goals when you keep your training diary up. So keep up your training diary. Write everything you want to: training routines, measurements, weight, note of sets, reps and weights, write down even the way you feel that day or what you think. It all helps to reach your goal.

• Mp3 Player – It’s not a necessary thing in gym, but sometimes it helps to keep you motivated. Some guys might not like gym music, so it’s also worth to bring it at this case. Just make sure that you feel absolutely comfortable with your player. Falling earphones and cables can seriously distract you from primary thing in the gym – lifting weights.

Things that you should not bring to gym:

• Mobile Phone – You don’t want to be distracted with long conversations during your workout!

• Valuable stuff – There’s no need to bring all your money or jewelry to gym. You are not here to look beautiful. Leave all that stuff at home.

• Kids and pets – Bringing your child to gym can lead to disaster and leaving your barking dog outside is certainly bad if you want to concentrate. It could be an exception if your gym provides services for kids, but I would leave my child at home anyway.

• Junk Food – Keep bad food away from you all the time! Especially when you are going to gym.

Squat_lt

01-04-2006, 07:16 PM

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

Nowadays most gyms have many various facilities. Such as swimming pools, saunas, jacuzzis, tanning beds, various classes, basketball and tennis courts, etc. You should choose a gym regarding your concerns. If you are serious about bodybuilding, you should leave all fancy health centers with swimming pools and choose good gym with sufficient range of free weights, machines and cardio equipment. You don’t need anything more. Ussualy membership for this kind of gym is cheaper too.

I think one of the biggest bad trends in gyms is poor knowledge of trainers. Every gym has instructor, but we can count good ones on a fingers of a single man. I’m in bodybuilding for a while and I saw really bad trainers at gyms.

I remember one very skinny guy in my old gym. He was training for years without any progress. He was always crying that he needs to gain weight. Fat or muscle, no matter what, but gain. He was strictly following training routine made by trainer. He trained every muscle group 2 times a week and he was doing cardio for almost an hour before every workout! I tried to speak with him – how can you gain weight and muscle if you are doing almost 4 hours of cardio a week?! How can you build your muscle if you train after one hour marathon on a treadmill?! But he blindly followed that workout anyway… He supported his marathons that cardio is good for heart… sad and funny… Not mentioned that instructor was a "joke" too. He couldn’t even bench 200 pounds…

So we can see that a bad gym instructor can certainly distance and destroy goals of person who’s new to sport.

Another bad habit in gym would be free weights… I’m sick of people leaving weights everywhere. It’s always big hassle if you want to find small plates. You need to search all gym before you find them somewhere in the corner. I’ve been training in many gyms but “bring weight to it’s place” discipline was emphasized only in one. More gym trainers and owners should bring order to gyms…

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

Actually, it’s not a big problem for me because I don’t have any children yet. But services for children at gym should be essential part of every gym. It’s great to bring all family to gym. Both you and your partner could train while your child is having fun at the same time. Hassle with children would be avoided at this case.

However most gyms don’t have services for children, my gym as well. Sometimes even worse – some gyms allow little kids in training hall. It’s dangerous and it creates big distraction for bodybuilders. Gym management shouldn’t allow this!

Squat_lt

01-04-2006, 07:25 PM

oops :eek: i wrote thread of the week instead topic of a week in every title of my article. I hope it won't affect it :eek:

ho_124

01-04-2006, 07:57 PM

How do your prepare for the gym?

Intro
Although preparing for the gym isn’t the most important thing you can do, it is still a good idea to prepare properly to get a good workout, because a good workout means better results. The same thing is with anything else, for example all different kinds of sports. If a hockey team just came into a game two minutes before it started and didn’t bother to get concentrated or warm up, they wouldn’t perform too well. You sometimes hear commentators say when your watching a sport that a certain athlete or team didn’t give themselves enough time to prepare or get focused which is why they aren’t performing. The same thing is with going to the gym, if you rush into the gym with jeans and boots and start lifting right away, there’s no way you will be able to push yourself to your full potential. It doesn’t take that long at all to prepare, just dress properly and do whatever else you do, warm up, and take one or two minutes to concentrate before you start lifting. Again, this might not be the most important thing that will make your or break you in terms of bodybuilding, powerlifting or whatever your doing, but it’s still something that you should be doing because all the little things make a difference.

How do you prepare for the gym?

1. The most important – Warm up
- To prepare to start hitting the weights warm up is probably the most important thing you can do. Probably 20-40% of the people you see in the gym warm up meaning the majority of people hit the weights with cold muscles just waiting to be injured. Warming up can never be underestimated since it also prepares your muscles for the beating its going to be taking so you can push yourself to your full potential. If you lift with cold muscles you most likely won’t be able to push the full amount of reps you should be pushing had you of warmed up. Think about it, for all sports people always take as much time as they need to warm up. Take volleyball for an example, when I watched some of the school games they warmed up for at least 20 minutes. I always warm up before hitting weights, because if I don’t I wont be able to lift as well because cold muscles aren’t as effective as ones that are warmed up. There are many different styles to warming up. Some people just use weights to warm up, some people like to do a bit of cardio to warm up and so on. My style of warming up take a little longer, but in the end I feel more ready to hit the weights. What I like to do is do about five minutes of cardio. If I’m doing a back day then I might go on the rowing machine, if I’m doing legs then the bike would do. But the most important thing is getting blood flowing throughout the body. Once the five minutes of cardio is done I like to stretch and the main reason for doing this is to prevent injury and getting the muscles loosened up. I don’t stretch too long before a workout however, all I basically do is stretch the involved body parts I’m going to be working for 20 seconds for two sets. Stretching too long will hinder how much weight you can lift which is what you don’t want.

2. Getting mentally focused and concentrated
- When your sitting on the bench, or getting ready at the squat rack to do your first set or even before all of that you should take a minute or two to get mentally focused. You can even get focused while warming up, but either way pushing those last few grueling reps is all a mental game which puts your mind Vs. your body. If your body tells you to stop but your mind keeps going no matter what to complete the reps you will have a lot better chance of finishing those reps than if you just stop when your muscles are tired. To be able to push yourself mentally you have to spend at least a minute concentrating and pushing everything else out of your mind. You can’t concentrate on lifting if your thinking about work or cooking dinner. If you think about it, it’s just one minute of your time, some athletes spend hours before a match visualizing what they are going to do and getting focused. You can always, I mean always tell which people who come into the gym are mentally focused and will be able to push out those last reps even though their muscles are in pure fatigue. You can see by how they look, there’s those guys with looks that could kill you which tell you that their into what their doing. Then there’s the rest who are either nervously looking around at other guys and won’t even be able to push through a little fatigue, or those laid back guys with no goals who just come in a push a few reps and quit when they’re tired and still think they are building muscle.

3. Pre-workout meal
- Before your workout its important to be well fed or else you won’t have the optimal energy to lift at your peak. You should never go workout on an empty stomach just like any other sport. Do you think professional athletes before a big game say “Hey, I’m too lazy to eat something so I’m just going to play hungry”. You might even pass out because of the high load of stress put on your body. And since you don’t have enough energy to withstand it, you body just shuts down (But not as in dying). That’s what happened one time when I used to play badminton. I never ate for a while and I went to practice where we did training and I almost passed out and couldn’t play for the rest of the day. Plus I hardly got anything out of the training because I didn’t have much energy. So to prevent this you should eat a pre-workout meal about one hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half before your workout. It should consist of mostly slow absorbing carbs so that the energy is released gradually so that when it’s time to workout you have plenty of energy to lift. Some protein is nice but it isn’t the most important thing since right now you want energy and protein’s main job isn’t to provide energy. What I usually do is eat something with a little protein like a piece of chicken or some fish. Next for carbs I might eat some oatmeal, whole grain bread and some fruits like oranges, grapefruit and some berries. Now think, are you better prepared tired or energized?

4. Get someone to workout with you
- I usually like to get someone who is serious about lifting to workout with me. Like anything, training with someone else who is serious about it beats training alone most of the time. Since I sometimes workout at school, there are always people going to workout so I usually ask someone I know to workout with me. Be careful though, you don’t want some guy who has no clue what he’s doing and will just end up wasting your time by talking. Getting someone to workout with you helps you to prepare since you won’t have to look for someone to spot you or help you on forced reps or something like that.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?
When I go to the gym, I never wear baggy clothing, which is something you should do too. First of all with baggy clothing, you cant see what your muscles are doing. For example, if your wearing super baggy shorts and your doing squats, you might not be able to tell if your form is correct or if your knees are going over your toes. Or if your wearing a baggy shirt, you might not be able to tell if your cheating by moving your elbows up a little bit. And in general I don’t feel comfortable at all wearing baggy clothing while working out. I usually like to wear a well fitting shirt or muscle shirt with shorts that stop about the middle of the knees or some sweat pants even though its hard to tell what my legs are doing with them on. I also like to wear my old badminton shoes to workout because they are small, comfy, and give me good support. If I wore my usual shoes, they would be bulking and uncomfortable when doing legs or something like that. Right now the only things I wear to workout are a short plain white T-shirt, a muscle shirt, a pair of shorts, and some sweat pants. For some reason I just alternate between them and it’s just a superstition that I have. What do you bring with you?
These are the things I bring with me to workout.

1. Bag.
- I just bring a backpack or a small bag to store my clothing, music player, a towel and other things like water, my protein shake or whatever else. You should bring a bag with you because you can’t carry everything in with you at once. Its something that will get you more organized.

2. Music
- Music is a good thing that helps you get focused and concentrated because it pushes everything out of your mind. Generally you don’t want to have some soft classical music because that will relax you which is what you don’t really want. Get some heavy music like some rap or metal so that you will get pumped. But either way music is still a good thing to have to get yourself centered.

3. Towel and water
- Bring water because it is important to keep yourself hydrated or else you might pass out and a towel comes in handy when you need one because your squatting or something like that.

4. Comfortable shoes
- Like I said above, my casual shoes are kind of bulky and aren’t really a workout shoe. So I like to bring my own shoes for working out that are slim and provide good support. Don’t be dumb and bring sandals or something.

5. Protein shake
- After I workout, I want to start my recovery right away, that’s why I have my protein shake in my bag ready to go. All I need to do is add water and it’s ready since the whey powder and the simple sugars are already in there. Plus you can add creatine, BCAA, multivitamins and other supplements if you want.

ho_124

01-04-2006, 07:59 PM

6. Workout log
- This is important to bring to chart your gains and see what your doing. If you don’t know what exercises your suppose to do then you can’t workout. And if you don’t write in how many reps or how much weight you used, you won’t know if your getting any stronger or not or what weight you used last time. Making a workout log is useless unless you bring it with you to the gym.

7. Gloves
- I bring gloves basically so the weights don’t grind against my hands and to prevent getting calluses. If your touching a girl you wouldn’t want to be scratching her would you?

What shouldn't you bring with you?

1. Leave your gangster clothing for somewhere else
- First off for those people who like to dress that way, please don’t bring your super baggy gangster clothing in the gym for your workout. I mean seriously, one time when I was working out I saw these three guys come into the gym dressed in super baggy jeans and sweats, lugz boots with laces hanging out, oversized shirts and sweaters, and baseball caps. I mean common, friggin lugz to workout?!? And jeans and sweaters? If it was a hot muggy day they probably would have been sweating and cooking like crazy. Plus it will save yourself some embarrassment if you don’t go dressed that way.

2. Tongs and sandals
- For some reason some people try to look cool by wearing tongs and sandals into the gym. But if you think a little bit people are always dropping weight or even you might be dropping weight either by accident or because you can’t hold the weight up anymore. Imagine if you dropped a 45 pound plate or dumbbell on your foot? Never mind the pain that will be the worst pain you’ve ever felt in your foot but you probably won’t be able to walk on it for days and it will leave a huge bruise. Leave it for the beach.

3. Things that distract
- Leave your distractions for somewhere else. So don’t bring in your pager or phone with you, or else an hour workout might end up being a hour and fifteen minute workout. Also don’t bring something to read, like I said above you don’t want anything getting your mind of concentrating on weights. If you read an interesting article you probably won’t be thinking about weights and your mental focus wont be as strong, let alone you might waste a lot of time. Again like I mentioned above, you don’t want to workout with someone you know will just end up talking to for a long time and getting distracted. You don’t want to be talking a lot since you won’t be able to concentrate mentally.

4. Watch and necklace
- Take off your watch and necklace if you have one before you go workout. Your watch might get damaged or get in the way if you leave it on. Also you might want to take your necklace off if you have one. It might get in the way of squatting or other exercises you might be doing. It can also get caught on something which you don’t want.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

Good trends
There are some of the basic things a gym should provide. Then there are the gyms that go the extra mile and give you more for your dollar. I will outline the trends with the first being the most basic and the last being the things that gyms do to further accommodate their members.

1. Towels – This should be a no brainier for any gym since people sweat of course. This is a basic service that all gyms should provide.
2. Water fountain – This is a must, your gym has to have one so that people can keep hydrated just incase they forget their water bottle or just don’t bring one because they rely on their gym to have one.
3. Paper towel and cleaning agent – No one likes lying in a pile of smelly sweat or even worse putting their face into it. That’s why it’s a good idea that some gyms provide paper towel and cleaning agents for gym users to wipe off the equipment after they use it. Again this is just a basic thing that most gyms should have.
4. Fan/Air conditioning – If you ever workout on a hot day when there’s no air conditioning it can get very exhausting and you won’t be able to lift to your full potential. That’s why it’s a must that your gym have an air conditioning or fans.
5. Lots of dumbbells – The gym you go to should have dumbbells that go to at least 100 pounds and a good number of them because people may want to use the same weight.
6. All the important machines – All good gyms should have the basic machines that most people use. For example it should have a cable cross machine, squat rack, smith machine, hamstring curl machine, pec deck machine, rowing and pull down machine, calf raise machine and so on. It should also have a variety of other machines that could be useful if your trying to isolate different body parts.
7. Mats and exercise balls – Mats are good for exercises where you have to lie down and some people like to use the exercise ball for different exercise to improve stabilization.
8. Permanent locker – If your gym has a permanent locker then you store all your belongings in it and wont have to worry about having to bring all your stuff to the gym like your whey protein and shoes.
9. Cafeteria – A cafeteria is great for an example if you don’t have time to cook a healthy meal. If your gym happens to have a cafeteria that sells food then it would be easier to just pick up something there to eat. However if your cafeteria just sells fried foods and candy then it mise as well not be there because the point of bodybuilding or whatever sport your into is to diet healthy.
10. Sauna – This is also a nice thing that your gym might or might not have. If you have plenty of time and would like to relax or socialize a bit, just pop into the sauna with other people after a shower or a workout.
11. Supplement store – This is something that most gyms wont have, but there are some that do. If your gym happens to have this then it could be pretty useful since you can go in and grab a bar, or a ready to drink shake if you forgot yours or are just on the go.
12. Other facilities – Some places have gyms, pools, basketball courts, and other sports facilities. This could be a great way to get some cardio in or just relax by playing your favorite sport. Another great thing that some gyms have is an indoor track which can be useful in the winter when it’s too cold to run outside.
Bad trends

1. To many useless machines
- Some gyms have so many useless machines that just crowd up the gym. Some of the machines are hardly ever used by any gym members. The money that is spent on those useless machines could be spend on much better things that you would actually use, not just look at.
2. Too many old people in your gym
- Some gyms have loads of old people who are trying to make some last attempt to do something they should have done in their childhood. They use horrible form and old school techniques. The motivation in the gym is horrible since you would be the biggest and most fit guy there. One of the most motivating things is looking at the biggest guy in the gym and wanting to beat him.
3. Too old equipment
– This is a problem with some gyms that have been around for a while. One of the things that sometimes happens is on the machines, one pulley is harder to pull than the other so it creates uneven resistance.

What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?
I don’t have kids since I’m only eighteen. But my gym is great for people who have children. It has four pools (Pan Am pool), diving boards and other swimming accessories. It also has a running track and a cafeteria. The great thing about it is that it offers courses like swimming, water polo and it has swimming associations like Manta and Marlins which teach kids how to swim competitively. You can drop your kid off to do some swimming lessons and hit the weights. There is also a kiddy pool in my gym that has a fountain and a bunch of mats and toys. My gym has water polo that the kids could play or a huge alligator that is filled with air that children climb on top of.

InvisibleShadow

01-04-2006, 08:03 PM

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

My preparation for the gym actually begins the night before I go. Using a log I keep to track reps, sets and exercises done, I create a detailed workout plan to follow the next day. After I'm done writing my plan out, I spend the next ten minutes thinking about each exercise and I visualize myself doing each one.
Moving onto the next day, the last step before hitting the gym is eating a small meal. I eat a turkey sandwich, take one scoop of creatine with ½ a liter of water, two 500mg vitamin C and 1000 I.U. vitamin E. After waiting an hour to let everything settle and digest I head off to the gym to pound the weights.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?
When going to the gym, being comfortable is very important. This doesn't mean being a slob, just wear loose enough clothing that you can move freely. I have a couple sets of clothes that I usually wear to the gym which consists of shorts (basketball like, not levi or CK for you posers) and a couple old but still intact shirts. If I'm going to be doing something like deadlifts or chest on a certain day, I'll make sure that I wear a shirt that compliments me when I look in the mirror to keep me in a good mood in between each grueling set.

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

-towel
Yeah, I hated bringing this damn thing with me when the gym changed their rules, but to be honest, it makes sense. I really don't want to be swapping sweat puddles with someone and I don't think anyone else does either.

-water bottle w/ a teaspoon of glutamine inside
First off, I'm not in the mood to wait in a line to get a drink of water after beating myself down each set.
Second, it allows you to not have to deal with other people who want to talk while you wait in line.
Lastly, it helps to have some glutamine with you while working out. Yeah, people may wonder why the hell you water is cloudy but I'm at the gym for me, not for them and the last time I checked , they probably don't give two ****s about my nutrition program.

-gloves
If you are a guy you should know ladies don't want to feel your hard scaly skin dragging across their bodies at night.
If you are a girl, please understand that most guys do not want to feel manlike hands touching us.
So please wear gloves at the gym.

-mp3/cd player
Having your favorite music playing helps to keep you focused and to bring out emotions that you can direct towards the weight. If nothing else, it helps to keep people away from you who want to talk.

-knee wraps/belts/wrist straps etc.
Depending on the day, I'll bring one or all of the above when I'm trying to move as much weight as I possibly can. The knee wraps and weight belt are used when doing really heavy squats and deadlifts. The wrist wraps are used for deadlifts after you pass the point that you cannot hold the weight any longer.

What you shouldn't bring:

-cellphone
This really shouldn't be said, but most people don't know any better. Only bring your phone if it is an absolute must, such as if you need to call your ride or something else that cannot be avoided.

-magazine/book
Believe it or not, some people like to sit and read between sets. If the gym is almost empty and nobody is waiting for the equipment, then it isn't a problem. What usually happens there will be one goofball reading the latest muscle mag, in hopes of finding the holy grail of lifting while holding up the bench during peaks hours at the gym.

-you friends or family (that are there to watch)
While it may be enjoyable for you to bring your friends, family or girlfriend to the gym, they are just taking up space and getting in the way of the rest of us. More often than not, this will increase your workout time twice as long than you would be if you didn't bring your posse along.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?

Gyms have changed a lot over the years. They use to be dungeons where people went to sweat, grunt and swear trying to move mountains of iron. Nowadays gyms have become social gatherings where you can watch TV and talk with others while buying an energy drink from an on site juice bar.
While most people would say this shift is bad, in reality it is good. If it wasn't for the tvs, or the social atmosphere, some people might feel too uncomfortable to go to the gym at all. The gym use to be viewed as dank, dark places where behemoth sized men ruled, a place where no overweight man or woman would want to stroll into. With the trend shifting to well lit, machine ridden clubs, average people feel more comfortable showing up and trying to work out.

The bad trends that are emerging in gyms are the lack of knowledge and the use of steroids by inexperienced people. Since most people that start at the gym have little or no experience lifting weights, they do not have proper form. A smart person would ask someone that works there or ask for help from a personal trainer. Since most people are too intimidated they continue using bad form until they get hurt. What's worse is that a lot of trainers don't try to step in and offer free advice to correct them.
The other bad trend is the use of steroids by those that are too inexperienced to be using them. If you are going to consider using steroids at all, you should at least have 3-5 years of weight training under your belt and have a perfect nutrition program as possible.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

I don't have kids, but the gym I attend has a room for kids that is full of toys and games to keep them occupied while you workout.

Hesh

01-04-2006, 11:58 PM

How Do You Prepare For The Gym?

If you want to succeed in bodybuilding you must be consistent going to the gym. After awhile our daily gym visits become very repetitive.

More and more people are thinking about health and wanting to get fit. More are joining gyms. Sadly, however, many of the new faces we see in January will no longer be around come March or April.
Skipping workouts is a slippery slope. So is giving less than 100%. So is cutting back the time spent at each gym visit. Persistence, therefore, is of paramount importance.
Psychologists say that intrinsic motivation is a more powerful driving force than extrinsic motivation. That is, those who do an activity “for its own sake” are more likely to stick with it than those who dislike performing the activity, but are doing so nonetheless in hopes of attaining long term rewards.
My advice to those folks at a statistical disadvantage: create intrinsic value where none exists. Appreciate the altered state of mind. Savor the challenge. Learn from the experience. Think about how good it feels to be hoisting up more than the last time. Feel the pride in forcing yourself to transcend pain.
When the extrinsic motivation is lacking, employ intrinsic motivation, and likewise when intrinsic is lacking employ extrinsic. Do your best to up your levels of both types.

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?

Prepare mentally to give your all. On the car ride to the gym, listen to fast paced, adrenaline inducing music. Picture yourself attacking those weights with a furry never before seen. Imagine your best session ever.
If you really want to be on top of your game, though, view preparation as a constant process that takes place day in and day out. Make physical fitness a way of life.
Listen to Eye of the Tiger. Think about Roman soldiers. Throw on an inspirational movie. Tape a picture of your favorite strongman or maybe a Greek god or two up on your bedroom wall so that this is the first thing you see upon awakening each morning. Slap a couple pics on the fridge. Eat the natural foods that keep your immune system strong and your body functioning at an optimum level. Get sufficient rest. Steer clear of nicotine, alcohol, and junk food.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?

Becoming overheated while exercising is not only an unpleasant feeling, but can also keep your workout from being less than optimal. Workouts should be function over fashion. Aim for breathable, loose fitting apparel. (I like 100% cotton.) Remember too that light colored clothing absorbs less heat from the lights than does dark colored clothing.
Personally, I’m accustomed to throwing on whatever I have on hand that is comfortable and gets the job done. Some bodybuilders, however, like to wear a lucky or special article of clothing. As long as this is does not compromise safety or interfere with your ability to do your best, I say more power to you!

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?

WATER is very important. Even slight dehydration can significantly impair performance. In addition, the muscles themselves are made up of not just protein but water. Drink as much water as you can stand while working out and continue to do so later throughout the course of the day. Aim for a gallon or two daily. This is especially important if you are taking creatine, whey, or caffeine, all of which dehydrate. Failure to down enough water means you can kiss those gains goodbye. The message: Don’t forget that water bottle. (Or that gallon jug!)
H20’s not the only thing you’ll be dumping down your throat though. Oh man what was that other ingredient for making muscle? Oh right its PROTEIN.
As soon as your muscles have been worked to the max, it is important to get protein to them as quickly as possible. Have a protein shake really to go for on your way out of the gym or for on the ride home. Besides the optional creatine and glutamine, your post workout shake should include finely filtered whey protein, along with a simple carb and/or sugar to spike your insulin levels. Shoot for as little fat and fiber as possible, as these will slow the absorption of protein. (Many places of exercise sell post workout shakes, which can be helpful should you forget to bring yours. However, it is more economical to buy the ingredients in bulk ahead of time to make your own.)
During the workout, your body is placed under a tremendous amount of stress. As soon as your mission is finished you want to start to relax, to help your body be in an anabolic state rather than a catabolic state. Pack accordingly to unwind with a hot shower or take it easy in the sauna with a friend. Have an easy listening CD ready to go for the car ride home. Stress inducing items like cell phones and valuables won’t be in your bag.

How do gyms accommodate their members?

Gyms are making more and more accommodations in hopes are attracting a larger membership. Special extras include showers, pools, saunas, temperature control, massages, extended hours, contests, stretching rooms, health information, vending machines, child care, complementary towels, and refresher courses.
These extra accommodations, however, should have no influence on the frequency of which you visit the gym. Should you be financially unable to pay for the gym with all the extra frills, happily accept what you can afford. Don’t let lack of whatever special feature you were hoping for act as an excuse as to why you aren’t working out. Champions wouldn’t allow themselves to be held back by something so insignificant. If you want this bad enough, you’ll find a way to make it happen. You don’t need a fancy country club type gym to make gains.

Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?
I’ll start with the bad news first. Many higher end gyms now require prospective buyers to commit to an entire year and to also pay an initiation fee before they are able to join. The more they can get you to pay upfront, the better for them.
Have you met with a cheerful hospitality tour guide? Keep in mind that those employees who so eagerly want you to sign a contract are paid commission. Trust them as much as you would a car salesman. A healthy amount of skepticism is in order: don’t necessarily believe everything they are telling you unless you get it in writing. When buying a lifetime membership, check to see how long the club has been established to help make an educated guess as to how long they might be sticking around. Otherwise, you could find yourself in a scenario where the gym to which you belong goes out of business, thus rendering your expensive membership worthless. Don’t make the mistake of needlessly wasting money that could be better spent on supps and clean food.
Cautions aside however, I’d like to emphasize that no matter who you are joining a gym is one of the best investments you can make. Your health is worth it!
Speaking of health, did you know that older folks are now the fastest growing demographic of new gym members? What an encouraging trend!
More often than not in our society, the elderly live in heavily medicated, broken down bodies. Its almost as if we expect this and accept it to be normal. (Flipping through the pages of National Geographic, I was shocked to see pictures of Asian farmers working well into their 80’s, 90’s, and even longer!) In many ways, prosperity can be a double edged sword. Years of inactivity and poor eating choices will take its toll.
But here’s the good news: lifting weights can not only add muscle (muscle mass declines with age in seniors) but will also increase increases bone density (which can help protect against breaks). Physical exercise may also help delay or prevent the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s. In other words, weight training may not only help the elderly experience a feeling of accomplishment, but may also allow them to hold on to their independence longer.
One prominent example of this is fitness pioneer Jack Lalanne. Now age 91, his daily routine includes not only eating dinner at a restaurant and driving, but two hours of morning exercise! (My jaw almost hit the floor when I heard this.)
If I’m ever feeling not in the mood to keep working out, I think about Jack. If he’s 91 and can work out frequently then so can I. And so can you. Exercise is a healer, a valuable tool tragically underutilized.

Bonus question: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?

Children learn by example. Parents who go to a gym are being exemplary role models by setting a good example to the kids who look up to them and want to copy their behavior. What a wonderful thing for healthy habits to be ingrained in them from a young age. It is crucial to give your child (and yourself) the impression that exercise is a blessing and an opportunity rather than a chore. Should your gym not provide child services and/or exclude those under 18 (as is the case with mine and many I’ve encountered) steps can still be taken to still ensure that the child remains active during this time. Perhaps Junior could be dropped off at soccer practice while father hits the iron. Use your imagination. You have the power to shape a life for the better.

Hesh

01-05-2006, 12:01 AM

Here is the same in word document which is earier to read.

Hesh

01-05-2006, 12:31 AM

the last 5 lines (page 4) of the above essay (post #36) got in there accidentally. If you could delete them or that or this whole post, it'd be much appreciated. Thanks.

DSM18

01-05-2006, 01:02 AM

Here we go :) enjoy

dlong62969

01-05-2006, 07:59 AM

I prepare for the gym by eating small protein/carb snack.I also review that day's routine.Once Iget to the gym I do 5 min. warmup on treadmill and precede to do bodypart specific warmups.I carry a small nike clutch bag to the gym.These are smaller than regular duffle bags and do not get in peoples way.Inside the bag are lifting straps,valeo lifting gloves,small towel,and Ipod mini(you need to have a workout playlist).I also have one of the armbands for my Ipod(that's the new trend at the gym).My gym has a daycare for kids and plays good music.The only negative thing about my gym is that it doesn't have a trap bar for deadlifts.

Watch Me!

01-05-2006, 01:36 PM

We all have our own styles, how do you prepare for the gym?
I make sure that I am well-hydrated, that I have had my balanced pre-workout meal, and my workout plan in-hand for that day.

What do you wear? Do you have certain clothes you wear all the time to the gym?
I wear what I think will make me the most comfortable during my particular workout that day. If it is a lighter day, I can go with gym pants. Heavier days warrant shorts/tank top. I often pack both in case there is an inadvertant change of plans (i.e. air conditioning system breaks down, weight room to full, etc.).

What do you bring with you? What shouldn't you bring with you?
I bring a large duffel bag with extra clothing items, personal items, my post w/o shake, mp3 player, and extra batteries. What you shouldn't bring? An "I don't want to be here" attitude.

How do gyms accommodate their members? Are there any trends (good/bad) you see from gym to gym that might need to be emphasized/addressed?
The facility tours/new member help seems to be lacking. I see people come in looking lost, not having a proper introduction. A good trend is that more gyms are offering variety - at least in their "cardio" area with classes with Pilates for Men, Stretching & Flexibility, and age-targeted classes.All aspects of your health & fitness are important, not just the building of muscle mass.

Bonus: What do you do with your kids when you go to the gym? Does your gym provide services for children?
I have no children, but our gym does offer services 4 hours a day--2 in the morning, 2 in the evening. It seems to be utilized quite a bit.

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