Best Gym?

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Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
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Do not be impressed with all the fancy crap. Look for the basics like a good, organized free weight room with properly labeled weights and dumbells and good selection of cardio equipment. You'd be surprised how many of the foo-foo gyms lack these basic things because they don't draw in the couch potato who joins, and never comes. Those folks are impressed with all the other crap like pools, saunas, eye candy and fancy locker rooms.

If you have Golds as a choice, I would look at them first over all the others you have listed. I have tried to work out in 24 Hour and LA Fitness in CA and was FAR from impressed. They look nice, but ain't worth a sh!t to a muscle head.

Look at all the gyms, and go where the muscle heads go. Don't be intimidated by them... they don't care if you're just starting. Just understand that they will go to the gym best suited to your needs as well.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,406
19,791
146
Originally posted by: Descartes
IMO, for a man there's only one way to go: A power rack. Supplement with a good set of dumbbells and you have everything you need. There's no need for having 30 different machines for each type of exercise.

I hate gyms, and I especially hate popular gyms. I'd much prefer to work out at my own pace without interruption or distraction.

Crowded gyms suck. Totally agreed on that point. But some people need the inspiration a gym offers. It's too easy to short yourself on a home gym. To me, home is about relaxation and comfort. So I like keeping my workouts away at the gym.

Plus, I like having spotters so I can lift to failure on a consistent basis.
 

FallenHero

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2006
5,659
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0
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Descartes
IMO, for a man there's only one way to go: A power rack. Supplement with a good set of dumbbells and you have everything you need. There's no need for having 30 different machines for each type of exercise.

I hate gyms, and I especially hate popular gyms. I'd much prefer to work out at my own pace without interruption or distraction.

Crowded gyms suck. Totally agreed on that point. But some people need the inspiration a gym offers. It's too easy to short yourself on a home gym. To me, home is about relaxation and comfort. So I like keeping my workouts away at the gym.

Plus, I like having spotters so I can lift to failure on a consistent basis.

Lifting to failure and negative presses are pure gold in my mind. I don't feel like I'm making progress or actually pushing myself until I do that (About once a week.)