24 Hour Fitness? About to sign up.

[fuzzybabybunny]

So I live in a city, in an apartment, and I don't have any access to weights, kettlebells, or a pull up bar. And I don't feel like purchasing these, plus there's no room inside to work out anyway.

I'm wondering if I should join a 24hr Fitness place. Anyone have any input on them?

I figure that I can do practically everything I need with a rowing machine, weights, kettlebells, and a pull up bar.

The thing that bothers me is apparently it's not allowed to drop your weights... when I was a member of my Crossfit gym being able to drop weights meant I was able to push myself more and not fear the repercussions. Does each 24hr location have a shower, or even a place good enough to do a mini Crossfit-ish workout?

24hr Fitness to me seems like a place where people go to predominantly watch TV and run on the treadmill, do a few barbell curls, and a couple bench presses. A really "metro" gym.

 

[Baked]

Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar + TKO Doorway Sit Up Bar + Harbinger 340100 Durafoam Exercise Mat = All the equipment you need to workout at home.

 

[Awkward]

Pretty much all large chain gyms are awful

 

[dmw16]

If you are coming from a crossfit gym I can't imagine being satisfied at a 24 hour fitness place.

Since I've started crossfit about 2 years ago I couldn't imagine working out somewhere else.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm looking for a nice alternative to a CF gym.

I don't need the $150+/month fees of CF.
I don't want the restrictive schedules.
I don't want to pay so much for working out in a glorified garage.
I can't stand working out in such oppressive heat.
CF is very expensive considering all you get is basic equipment and a padded floor to work out on.

All I want is some place like a 24hr Fitness where I can do workouts anytime I want. Basically, an air conditioned room with a padded floor and basic equipment and a shower at the end. Come to think of it, why is this so hard to find? I'm going to the gym to sweat, throw weights around, and work hard. Easy access, climate control, and a shower would be great.

Living in a small apartment kinda sucks sometimes.

 

[airdata]

The thing that bothers me is apparently it's not allowed to drop your weights... when I was a member of my Crossfit gym being able to drop weights meant I was able to push myself more and not fear the repercussions. Does each 24hr location have a shower, or even a place good enough to do a mini Crossfit-ish workout?

Dropping weights is more about people realizing they're sharing the gym w\ alot of other people. Alot of which don't need the sound of some meathead throwing weights around interrupting their focus.

The location I frequent has shower, pool, sauna and hot tub.

 

[wheresmybacon]

It's very difficult to do CF workouts in most regular chain gyms. I did it for a while, but you literally have to plan each workout to a T and go at off-hours in order to make sure no one takes your spot.

 

[blackdogdeek]

i don't think you will be satisfied with 24 hour fitness.

but i propose that you look into becoming a cf coach. i know someone who worked out a deal with a local cf gym. they sponsored his cf certification and he agreed to work for them to pay it back. so he teaches a few classes a week and gets to use the facility for free. after he works off his debt then he makes money just as the other coaches do but still gets to use the facility for free.

 

[dmw16]

Dropping weights is more about people realizing they're sharing the gym w\ alot of other people. Alot of which don't need the sound of some meathead throwing weights around interrupting their focus.

The location I frequent has shower, pool, sauna and hot tub.

Dropping weights, IMO, is about safety. When lifting heavy weights there is no real to try and lower it down gently. All that does is increase the risk of injury.

I don't think I could lift at a place that had an issue with dropping weights.

 

[preslove]

Are crossfit gyms really ~$150 a month? I see people doing crossfit in my campus gym all the time.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Are crossfit gyms really ~$150 a month? I see people doing crossfit in my campus gym all the time.

typically it depends on the number of classes you take per week and the number of months to which you've committed for the membership. the cost goes up with the number of classes per week and the smaller the commitment.

eg - at my cf gym, an unlimited membership paid month-to-month costs $185. at another one closer to home (instead of to work) is $199 for the same membership.

 

[dmw16]

Are crossfit gyms really ~$150 a month? I see people doing crossfit in my campus gym all the time.

They range in price depending on where you live, but the gym I belong to now and my last one were both in the $120-$150 range.

It's expensive for a garage with weights, but at a good gym with enough a good coach to student ratio you essentially get a personal trainer. And good coaches make it totally worthwhile.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

You won't be able to do something like the filthy fifty, but you can manage couplets and triplets pretty easily in a 24h fitness. It won't be as fun, but it'll get the job done. Don't bash things around because they likely won't have bumper plates. Just get in, do your thing, and get out. Nobody said you have to love your gym to get fit.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

i don't think you will be satisfied with 24 hour fitness.

but i propose that you look into becoming a cf coach. i know someone who worked out a deal with a local cf gym. they sponsored his cf certification and he agreed to work for them to pay it back. so he teaches a few classes a week and gets to use the facility for free. after he works off his debt then he makes money just as the other coaches do but still gets to use the facility for free.

I'm not really interest in becoming a coach. I've got enough other stuff going on in my life. And spending all that time just so you can use a glorified garage for free...

It's very difficult to do CF workouts in most regular chain gyms. I did it for a while, but you literally have to plan each workout to a T and go at off-hours in order to make sure no one takes your spot.

Yeah, that's what I'm getting the feeling of. Squat racks for example can be taken when you get there. Did you end up going back to a dedicated CF gym?

Dropping weights, IMO, is about safety. When lifting heavy weights there is no real to try and lower it down gently. All that does is increase the risk of injury.

I don't think I could lift at a place that had an issue with dropping weights.

This is the number one thing that I'm worried about. If I'm doing a heavy clean and jerk or towards the end of multiple reps and I'm tired, it's too risky to try and baby the whole thing down. Consideration for the noise I'm causing? Is a gym supposed to be a library or a place to talk on your cell phone?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

You won't be able to do something like the filthy fifty, but you can manage couplets and triplets pretty easily in a 24h fitness. It won't be as fun, but it'll get the job done. Don't bash things around because they likely won't have bumper plates. Just get in, do your thing, and get out. Nobody said you have to love your gym to get fit.

Why not the filthy fifty? They might not have medicine balls or a box to jump on?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Are crossfit gyms really ~$150 a month? I see people doing crossfit in my campus gym all the time.

Yup. They are not cheap, especially if you want to go unlimited times per month. They get a little cheaper ($100) in my area if I only want to do like 2 times a week.

And at my last CF gym, even with a couch, it didn't prevent me from screwing up my back doing deadlifts for time. Deadlifts for time - what a dangerous combination for a newer CFer.

 

[dmw16]

Yup. They are not cheap, especially if you want to go unlimited times per month. They get a little cheaper ($100) in my area if I only want to do like 2 times a week.

And at my last CF gym, even with a couch, it didn't prevent me from screwing up my back doing deadlifts for time. Deadlifts for time - what a dangerous combination for a newer CFer.

Yeah, we are supposed to do Diane tonight which is 21-15-9 with deadlifts. I hate deadlifts for time.

Who's programming were you going to follow when you go out "on your own"?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Yeah, we are supposed to do Diane tonight which is 21-15-9 with deadlifts. I hate deadlifts for time.

Who's programming were you going to follow when you go out "on your own"?

I was just going to use the CF website and do their WODs each day.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Why not the filthy fifty? They might not have medicine balls or a box to jump on?

Most of the time, they don't have the appropriate weight med balls and they sure as hell won't let you throw them up 10-12 feet. In addition, they likely don't have boxes, let alone the specific 20 or 24 inch boxes. You can modify everything, but it won't be exactly to par. To sub wall balls, you can do explosive thrusters or goblet squats with the med ball or DBs. You'll get fitter overall, which is the point, but your time won't really be comparable to those who do it in a CF gym.