Making gyms “inviting”.

Posted on | December 11, 2008 | 5 Comments

So there was a thread on a forum I frequent about working out shirtless. The original poster asked if we thought it would intimidate new people, or make people uncomfortable, since it’s not something that’s commonly seen (and generally allowed) is most commercial gyms. This got me thinking. My initial, rather callous response was “If it makes you uncomfortable, get over it, you’re there to workout. You will sweat, you will get dirty, it will hurt, it won’t be pretty.” Now, almost as soon as I wrote this, I realized what a cheesy affected macho sentiment it sounded like. I started to wonder why I had such an irate reaction and it got my thinking.

I’ll fully admit to being a bit type-A in my training and my pursuit of my goals. I’ve always had a bit of the “harder, faster, stronger” approach to things. I sincerely feel that some of my finest moments have also been my most difficult. I’ve always felt like a gym should be a little dirty with the acrid smell of old sweat and suffering still in the air. Now, I do know that this isn’t for everyone

I think the reason the original question evoked such an annoyed response from me is that I associated this as one more artifact of people wanting everything to be neat and tidy and in turn with the entailment of a lot of society at large. Everything is clean and polished. It’s carpeted, you’re expected to wipe your sweat off weights after spraying them off with disinfectant. As if the sweat was something to be avoided rather than embraced.

How many people refuse to workout out because its too difficult, the same way they go through their lives not expecting to work for anything? Then these same people get a hint of motivation. They decide to go to the gym, to make a change, and they walk into a cozy environment the encourages them to take it easy. That is what gets me. In the attempts to make things inviting and avoid intimidating people these facilities foster an environment that discourages work. Not only do they cater to people wanting everything to be handed to them, they encourage it. In my opinion this is the exact opposite of what they should be doing. I am not in any way saying people should push the way I do, I do that for my own (sometimes questionable) reasons. I’m not saying that everyone needs to be a serious athlete either. I am saying that everyone needs to come to training with the expectation of work.

For some people, walking on the treadmill is a challenge, the range of motion to do a bodyweight squat isn’t even there. I get that. Everyone needs to start somewhere. The point is that you need to work and the gym should support that, not discourage it. I understand that you don’t want to scare new people off. At the same time, by encouraging people to continue going through the motions in ease and comfort, by making it overly inviting, you’re robbing them of the very results they want. I say, take your shirt off, make a sweat angel on the floor, enjoy the moment.

Thoughts are welcome here.

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Category: Critiques and Rants

Comments

5 Responses to “Making gyms “inviting”.”

Tom Parker - Free Fitness Tips
December 11th, 2008 @ 10:07 pm

I’ve never thought of it that way but now that I think about it there are some people who take it too easy at the gym. Still I suppose it’s better than them doing no exercise at all.
cmason
December 13th, 2008 @ 3:24 pm

It all depends on the person. I mean I fully recognize that not everyone has the desire to really push themselves. I lifted with my mother before, and had her back squatting 85lbs. Completely OK – she was working, and she did make progress.

My concern is that in an effort to avoid making gyms seems intimidating to new people, the allow people to continue with the expectation of not working. I think from the beginning, a good trainer should frame things as “Whatever shape you’re in when you start is fine, we’ll work with you and improve in small steps. But it WILL take work, and it WILL be hard”.

I think plenty of trainers DO say that though – and people are naturally drawn to the ones who tell them what they want to hear, i.e. that it will be easy.
MizFit
December 16th, 2008 @ 9:51 pm

could it be as simple as different gyms for different people. Me? i love the hardcore no a/c even in the summer dirty facilities (can they even be called facilities then? )but for so so many curves is the answer.

as long as they are moving…
Amy
December 26th, 2008 @ 5:35 pm

I love my gym because it’s older and the people who work out there seem to be more serious. I would not say it’s dirty or gross, though, I think they keep it clean for sanitation more than anything, but it definitely doesn’t have a lounge or smell like roses. It’s very utilitarian, and it works. But I guess we can’t nitpick if people are working out, hey, at least they’re moving. Too many people I know get winded just going up stairs or walking on a slight hill on the street, so if some make the effort we should commend them. Mizfit, I didn’t find Curves to be challenging enough. I think it can be good for someone just starting out, but the equipment can only take you to a certain fitness level, and I usually want to exercise for more than a half hour. But hey, some women would never exercise if it weren’t for Curves…
Jeremy
February 26th, 2009 @ 1:36 pm

Schwarzenegger once said that, after winning the Olympia (in London), he trained for a couple of months at a posh gym that was carpeted, had chrome-plated weights, and served tea. He said his motivation dropped off sharply as he found it hard to concentrate with so many people standing around discussing their retirement funds and such and eventually switched to another, more suitable facility.

I don’t think liking a gym to smell like sweat and old iron is machismo; I think it’s actually a more primal feeling that we get when we go inside such a place. For me it’s like turning a switch from normal everyday mode to blood-guts-sweat mode, all the more important in a society rife with distractions. We need focus when we workout, and the right setting is paramount for this.