Thoughts?

[Drakon]

Okay, so a bit later down the road, I'm going to get a gym membership. I told a friend of mine this, and he told me that I should instead just get a Bowflex and work out while I'm watching a movie or something, which I told him wouldn't work for me. My reasoning for that is because I'm the kind of guy who, if it's right there, I probably won't be very motivated to do it. Add that to the fact that I know that if I go to the gym, I'll do it because I don't wanna look like a loser in front of the people there. He called me "weird".


Does that, in fact, make me weird, or is it actually pretty common, like I suspect it is?

 

[Logan's Runt]

Okay, so a bit later down the road, I'm going to get a gym membership. I told a friend of mine this, and he told me that I should instead just get a Bowflex and work out while I'm watching a movie or something, which I told him wouldn't work for me. My reasoning for that is because I'm the kind of guy who, if it's right there, I probably won't be very motivated to do it. Add that to the fact that I know that if I go to the gym, I'll do it because I don't wanna look like a loser in front of the people there. He called me "weird".


Does that, in fact, make me weird, or is it actually pretty common, like I suspect it is?

I'm only motivated to do things if I feel I have an obligation to. A gym membership may or may not do that for me, but a bowflex certainly wouldn't.

 

[Dark Donnie]

....I know if I had a Bowflex I probably wouldn't use it either. I'd keep walking by saying "I'll start tommorow," or something like that.

I don't think its weird

 

[Immortalfire]

I think that most folks get a Bowflex with every intention of using it, but rarely do. Go for the gym.

 

[Drakon]

Poll added. Thanks so far, everyone.

 

[Logan's Runt]

Why does the 'no' option come with a sad face? Would you be sad if it wasn't weird? That makes the angry face next to yes confusing as well.

 

[jaguarr]

Everyone has to find what will work for them. Personally, I'm more apt to work out if it's easier for me to do so, so I have all my weight gear at home. If I have to drive over to the gym, get changed, work out, get a shower, drive home...I'm likely to bag it and do something else. But, I hate the gym atmosphere and the people that tend to hang out in it. I'd rather work out and get it done than stand around and talk, like most people at gyms seem to be there to do. Do what's going to work for you, dude.

jag

 

[huskerwebhead]

It can go both ways really. I've done both...gym membership and inhome gym.

Having a gym at home is way more convenient. You can listen to your music, watch TV, DVDs, whatever. You never have to wait for a machine, etc. But, it's easier to fluff off working out.

A gym usually has more machines and more exercises you can do. You can vary your workout and cardio better. All the people there add a little motivation since you don't want to look like a "loser" or slack off cause someone else is waiting for the machine. However, you have to actually GO to the gym. Any amount of bad weather or time constraints (i.e. I can only work out till 7 cause I have to go to work) was enough reason for me to postpone going.

You'll find an excuse to not work out no matter what you do...and the other way around. Whatever works best for you.

And when I bought my home gym I was making payments on it...which were about equal to what I would have paid at a gym...so that's a wash.

 

[knowsbleed]

For me, the gym works if I have people to go with. If I'm the lonesome gym attendee then I lose motivation and would rather hit my freeweights at home. When I have people with me, either to give advice or to help motivate...or hell, just to shoot the **it, then I have a much more enjoyable experience at the gym.

Plus its more fun to ogle the toned gym cuties with a buddy to talk smack with.

 

[DV8]

whatever motivates you man . . . plus having a bowflex and watching TV while doing it would seem counterproductive; at least to me . . . I have to concentrate on working out when I work out . . .

 

[amazingfantasy15]

A gym membership is the way to go, gets you out of the house to a place where the sole purpose is to work out. One suggestion though, wear your work out clothes there so you don't need to use the locker room, for some odd reason old men just walk around the locker room naked, it's very disturbing. I've been a member of three different gyms and this is always the case.

 

[Hole Shot]

It's still gets hard even with the gym membership. You'll do the same thing: "alright I'm going to start up tomorrow." Once you start and make it a regular practice it becomes easy, but if you slightly fall of the wagon you'll fall right back into the hole. If you have the money set-up a few personal training sessions just so you have an actual appointment that you've committed to and you may learn some things along the way - some trainers are good, some are putzes that won't even remember from the prior session you had with them, but the whole is just to develop the practice.

The best thing is too have a good friend that's in excellent shape that wants to take you on as a partner. That's how I lost weight.

 

[DV8]

I would be all for the Bowflex thing too, as long as you don't watch TV while doing it . . . that's just kinda silly . . .

 

[PLAS]

I don't find it weird at all

but as you can see from the replies you've gotten so far, what works for some, doesn't work for others, so try what best suits you

if we had the equipment at home, I'm pretty sure me and my fiance would not go to a gym, although we're currently not going due to some ****ed up schedules we have

so it's your choice

 

[DV8]

I actually prefer not to go to the gym . . . I used to, but it's so fuackin nasty there . . . old men w/ bad hygiene, and then some a lot of the time you have to wait for people to get done w/ the machines you want to use . . . not to mention I ended up getting a HEINOUS case of athlete's foot . . . it seriously lasted for almost a whole goddam year!! then it spread into ringworm That and the gym is just too far a drive from where I live now . . . wasn't worth it anymore . . .

sorry for the horror story . . . I don't want to discourage you, but I have a pretty nice bench in my home now, and if you can motivate yourself properly, that's the way to go IMO

 

[PLAS]

I would be all for the Bowflex thing too, as long as you don't watch TV while doing it . . . that's just kinda silly . . .

I've never worked out to tv either, but I do like to listen to music I like while working out

last gym I went to, had reggeton music all the time, yes, there was a fair amount of nice assed wimmens around to keep you interested, but the damn music was a huge turn off

 

[knowsbleed]

DV8's right. I HATE nastiness at the gym. I get so pissed when I see people not wiping off the machines they just used...its nasty. Use a damn towel!

Plus having to wait for my fave ab machine is annoying as well...but its actually been better for me because I just do weighted crunches while I wait.

 

[PLAS]

I actually prefer not to go to the gym . . . I used to, but it's so fuackin nasty there . . . old men w/ bad hygiene, and then some a lot of the time you have to wait for people to get done w/ the machines you want to use . . . not to mention I ended up getting a HEINOUS case of athlete's foot . . . it seriously lasted for almost a whole goddam year!! then it spread into ringworm That and the gym is just too far a drive from where I live now . . . wasn't worth it anymore . . .

sorry for the horror story . . . I don't want to discourage you, but I have a pretty nice bench in my home now, and if you can motivate yourself properly, that's the way to go IMO

I've never been a fan of gym showers either, unless it's absolutely necessary for me to do so, and when that happens is because I have to be somewhere else smelling nice after gym, usually work

 

[DV8]

I've never worked out to tv either, but I do like to listen to music I like while working out

last gym I went to, had reggeton music all the time, yes, there was a fair amount of nice assed wimmens around to keep you interested, but the damn music was a huge turn off

LOL! hell yeah, I can't watch TV when working out, because you're not really concentrating . . . that's why there are so many people you see at the gym all the time but never lose weight . . . YOU'RE AT THE GYM TO WORKOUT!!!! YOU CAN WATCH TV AT HOME! :rolleyes"

but I can't workout w/o some good, pump-you-up jams . . . Rage Against the Machine, and some good hard-hitting hip-hop always get me going

 

[jaguarr]

DV8 has ringworm! Unclean! Unclean!

jag

 

[DV8]

I've never worked out to tv either, but I do like to listen to music I like while working out

last gym I went to, had reggeton music all the time, yes, there was a fair amount of nice assed wimmens around to keep you interested, but the damn music was a huge turn off

hahaha! every raggaeton song is like exactly the same I could see that being nice for maybe 2 songs worth, for the ass-bouncing factor but that shyt would get tired pretty quick . . .

 

[knowsbleed]

DV8 listens to reggaeton? What?

 

[The Squirrel]

No, I think it is pretty common.

If most of america would join a gym instead of buying all this work at home equipment I think the country would be a lot less fat.

 

[PLAS]

LOL! hell yeah, I can't watch TV when working out, because you're not really concentrating . . . that's why there are so many people you see at the gym all the time but never lose weight . . . YOU'RE AT THE GYM TO WORKOUT!!!! YOU CAN WATCH TV AT HOME! :rolleyes"

but I can't workout w/o some good, pump-you-up jams . . . Rage Against the Machine, and some good hard-hitting hip-hop always get me going

in a very interesting (and weird) note, I've found that Madonna's Immaculate Collection to have the perfect tempo for working out

 

[Mister J]

I've found going to the gym to be a pain. I prefer the in-home setup, but I'm in the minority of people I know. Some find motivation in going to the gym because they want to get their monies worth or they just like the environment. That doesn't make you weird, Drak. Designing that Pink Panic skin? That makes you weird.

Although, I will echo something amazingfantasy15 said. I've had an existing member at a gym, who happened to be an older guy, come over, introduce himself and welcome me to the gym ...while naked. It was disturbing. I didn't know whether to shake his hand and play it off, ask him to put on some ****ing clothes or tell him he had a little johnson. I just closed my locker and left.