What a refreshing experience!!

[Mr. Someday]

I have been fooling around with different gyms the past couple of months or so and keep finding that even the former Gold's and/or World's are all going soft! I fully understand the business aspect to that approach, but doesn't mean I have to like the fact that they no longer give a rat's ass about "my type". Hard to understand how someone serious about the sport can be looked down upon as such a pariah....why...because I am respectful of the equipment? Wipe down my area? Always put my weights back? Oh...right...because I lift too heavy and it scares all the little people who will only be there for a few weeks away.

Anyhow, stopped in at the place called Excel Fitness in Rowley, MA a couple weeks ago by accident as I was on my way to my gym in Danvers and came across it...thought I'd give it a try. I was really impressed that they had so much equipment in a relatively modest sized gym, and good equipment too like a power rack, squat rack, Hammer Strength deadlift, straight up and down Smith Machine (I freakin' hate the angled ones!!!) and DB's that went up to 125# (even had a lone set of 140's over in the corner). Had a great workout and really enjoyed the place, but still had a couple of weeks left on my monthly membership at the place near my office (where they will not allow me to bring my freakin' gym bag, which is loaded with weightlifting gear like straps, belts, wraps, logbook, water, chalk, etc. onto the gym floor!). So my membership is now up, so I went back to Excel this morning and joined for a month. Met the owner, a big guy in his early 50's who clearly was an old school kind of lifter and when he noticed I lived in Newburyport asked me why I wasn't taking advantage of the 4 month special. He said, "Don't tell me you go to the Fitness Factory?" (which is a pansy ass place in the center of town I used to go to years ago). I laughed and said no....and I instantly liked the guy! Anyhow, he was out on the floor lifting with another guy while I was deadlifting on the Hammer Strength. I had a dozen plates on the thing and I finish my set, which I may have been grunting during...tough not to....and he yells over from across the gym "hey Steve, need some more 45's over there?" I had used up all within 15 ft. of me. I laughed and he came over to tell me he had another 20 or so coming in this week (plates) and I told him just get 100's, and he said "you really want some?" I know he was sincere too. Then he became really impressed when I told him I got the cobwebs off of his 140's earlier in the week. Long story...but God damn was it refreshing to see a gym owner actually get excited to attract "my type" to his gym and be willing to cater to my needs. Doesn't mean you have to exclude all of the people looking to lose weight or "tone" (whatever the hell that is), he isn't dumb....but both can coexist in a real gym. Needless to say, I'll probably extend my membership tomorrow when I'm there. Love the place!

[dbx]

Cool story. I could actually picture the guy as I was reading . I'm glad I don't have to bother with going to a gym, but I can also imagine the frustrations that some of you guys go through. Hell, there's a "I hate my gym" thread every week

[ironwill2008]

You're really fortunate! If I could find a place like that, I'd go back to a commercial gym in a heartbeat! But around here, no such luck; I've been training in my home gym for years now. The last "black iron" powerlifting gym here was torn down about 5 years ago, to put in a *&#@* parking lot!

[greyhair]

Originally Posted by Mr. Someday

I have been fooling around with different gyms the past couple of months or so and keep finding that even the former Gold's and/or World's are all going soft! I fully understand the business aspect to that approach, but doesn't mean I have to like the fact that they no longer give a r...
clip..
eedless to say, I'll probably extend my membership tomorrow when I'm there. Love the place!

Making me very jealous.
Makes me want to start one of my own.

[raffim]

You know, it really depends on the owner I think and the clientele they tend to attract due to the environment they are in.

In San Francisco, the gyms downtown are basically your high priced "fluff" clubs. Then there are the 2 Gold's frequented by (95%) the gay community and then the various 24-Hour Fitness and finally one World's.

The fluff clubs are worthless for a real lifter. The two Gold's gyms have the equipment and many serious lifters (most juicing) but too social. It was also clear that the reason the majority of the big guys lifted so they would look good in the clubs, and nothing else. The 24-hour Fitnesses are mainly your medium range and young (late teens, college age) jock type lifters. The one World's gym, where I am now, I love. That's the one for real lifter. The test. and motivation level there is so high you can't help but lift heavier!! They also have more than enough equipment: a bunch of squat racks, DBs up to 200#, and everything else one would need. Also, if you go in the evening, after 9:30, that's when you see the real serious lifters (I'm guessing a standard set by Flavio who trains at that time.)

On the other hand, when I am in LA, I go to the Gold's in Pasadena (vintage Gold's) and that gym is 180 degrees different than the ones here. More like the World's here.

Anyway, I can go on... but the bottom line seems to be, is the owner a businessman/woman AND a lifter or just a businessman/woman. If they do not lift, then they will go with the path of least resistance and focus on the Cash Cow: the guy/gall who will buy the long memberships and not use the gym, and the like. But if the owner is also lifter, they will know the value of having the big guys and gals there.


.

[rpaul11]

man...that sounds like a great gym. I used to belong to a place like that here near Pittsburgh. Not that I am a heavy lifter like you are, but it had all types. I loved it. But the owner was a cheap ass and never upgraded any equipment, and never fixed the items that broke. Seems that everything I wanted to be using was broken......Upkeep was terrible and it was filthy so I just had to move on. He had a ton of potential there and a good membership base, but that has gone to the wayside because he didn't take care of what he had.

I really like that kind of atmosphere, but not at the costs that were involved there.

BTW...I hate the angled smith machines also...can't figgure out how to do a decent overhead press on one

[Fifty+]

That is a cool story and a great find. Then again, what else would you expect from an old school lifter in his 50s!

[namtrag]

Great story. You know, I have always wondered why Gold's, Planet Fitness, etc can't just have a hardcore franchise and a mainstream franchise available.

Or just allow the franchisees to build separate wings for the hardcore people.

[Hibiscus09]

Glad you found a gym you liked. At my gym hardly anyone puts their weights up and I feel like they should pay me for unloading machines. I've not noticed whether they allow people to carry gym bags around, but I know they sure as Hell allow women to carry their purses around with them as they exercise because I see them doing it a lot. WTH?!! And they definitely allow everyone to talk on their freagin cell phones while working out.

That's all. I think I'm done for the moment........

[ntrllftr]

That owner rocks!!!



I can just see it now though.
Newspaper headlines:
Steve a.k.a. "Mr. Someday" strangles "Mr. MachineHog" to death.

It appears that a gym patron "Mr. MachineHog" was asked how many sets he had left on the cable cross over machine. The reply was "about 8-12" according to the "Cardio Bunny" who was an eye witness.

Do you care to comment "Mr. Someday"?

Yes, yes I do says Steveo. It all started in Cleveland Ohi.......

[NuclearArms]

One of the dying breed of gyms. They are great when you do come accross one.

[GREENFEATHER]

Originally Posted by Mr. Someday

. I had a dozen plates on the thing.

Damned lightweight!!

Originally Posted by NuclearArms

One of the dying breed of gyms. They are great when you do come accross one.

This is true. The guy I buy my plates from runs a gym about an hour north of me. I went up to do some work for him and got a good workout in a few weeks abo and he's got some monsters lurking up there on the Susquehanna.

[GreenWave1]

That's awesome. It's great to know that you can still find a real gym.

[gbg]

Sweet, sounds like a perfect fit! used to workout at a place called Olympic sounds similar unfortunately not to many of those around anymore.

[djflex]

cool story, wish I had a gym like that near me....thanks for post brings back happy memories

[reamade]

Good gyms like that are hard to find these days. Keep knocking the dust of those 140s!!

[asleepatthereel]

Looks like you found a new home!!

[Bando]

Sounds like he's as glad you found the place as you are, nice - hope it works out. BTW do they have their own chalk? I think that's a sign of a real gym, can't imagine lugging chalk around.