Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with gym

I'm looking for a good set of free weights for my apartment. Any suggestions?

decrescendo — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:15:21 -0800

I'm looking for a good set of free weights for my apartment. Any suggestions? I'm looking to buy some free weights to use in my apartment. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I've seen PowerBlocks advertised before but I've never seen them in person.

Anyone have any ideas?

Or should I just finally suck it up and go to the gym? I seem to be avoiding that for some reason. I feel like I want to be a little more in shape before I take the gym plunge. Is that stupid?

I need to find a short-term gym in LA!

paultopia — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:47:26 -0800

How to find a short-term (holiday) gym membership in LA? I'm in the midst of a major self-transformation campaign that involves lots of trips to the gym. Normally, I'm attached to a university with a lovely gym that I don't have to pay for, so I'm not a member of anything. But over the holiday, I'm visiting family in LA, where there is no such thing.

Last year, I recall calling 24-hour fitness and asking if they had holiday memberships available, and them telling me that it would cost me hundreds of dollars to use their facilities for a couple weeks. That obviously won't do.

Does anyone know any gyms in the LA area (preferably toward the south bay, i.e., San Pedro, Long Beach, Palos Verdes, etc.) that offers short-term memberships for this kind of situation? Thanks!

Cross/elliptical trainer buying advice

thelost — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:34:46 -0800

Help me find a Cross/Elliptical trainer for a budget of £250-£300 I am looking to buy my first cross/elliptical trainer for home use. Researching on the web isn't very useful, as there seems to be no useful information on the web (unless someone can point me to it) giving reviews of home gear, so I was wondering if you could give me some advice.

As noted above I have up to £300 at a push to spend. I don't really mind about the size or portability, but anything that makes the machine easier to move would be welcome.

I've been looking at york and reebok machines, but if anyone can recommend other good makes, and/or good places to buy them as I'd prefer to order over the web if the best deal is to be had there.

Self-conscious perfectionist wanting to change so she can train better

Chrysalis — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:24:38 -0800

Please help me be less self-conscious at the gym This is really sabotaging my workouts. I've training for 4 years now (various gyms) and am still ridiculously self conscious about it. The gym I'm currently at is both a normal fitness and a boxing gym, and I use both sections every day. In my boxing training, if any of the pro boys are training at the same time as me I get self-conscious of my technique and fitness, despite the fact that they've all been lovely and helpful. I'm currently trying to get my conditioning back after a bit of a lay-off from injury and I'm so embarrassed about my fitness/strength at present. I find I sometimes avoid working on my weaknesses or doing exercises that are difficult for me or unfamiliar (even when I totally need to do them) because I'm embarrassed about how bad I am at them and don't want anyone to know - which is totally self-defeating. Or I'll try to do them at home rather than at the gym so no-one else sees. Because there's only one other girl boxer at the gym (and she doesn't train with the same group as me) people sometimes really *are* looking at me, more for curiosity than anything else, and when it happens it throws me off a bit.

Also, when my trainer puts me through a really tough workout sometimes I waste energy being afraid that maybe I won't get through it and will have to stop - which is my biggest fear. This is even worse when other people are there but even when I'm training by myself I'm always terrified that I won't be able to complete a challenge I've set myself.

I want to stop being so self-conscious and feeling like I have to be really good at everything cos I can actually feel it lowering my energy levels and it's not what I should be focussing on. And I know if I keep doing these things I will eventually become good at them, but how can I stop feeling like an idiot in the mean time? Even when I was using the weights room I was self-conscious of the fact that I wasn't lifting much weight, I know everyone has to start somewhere but I felt embarrassed and it put me off doing it.

I guess my main concern is being bad at something/failing, especially in front of other people. How can I get past this?

Help locating ideal iphone gym case

ranunculus — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:26:25 -0800

What's a good iphone case that will keep the phone safe and out of the way while I workout but will allow easy access to the screen and phone functions? I'm using one of the many iphone fitness applications at the gym and so I need to consult the screen fairly regularly but find it awkward storing the phone in my pocket or tethered to my arm while I preform the exercises.

Workout tops for short girls?

catesbie — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:23:31 -0800

Are there brands that make workout tops suitable for short girls? I'm 5'1" but reasonably curvy. All the fitted workout tops I own are too long and therefore too tight on the hips, so they ride up on my rather short waist and require constant adjustment. Buying a size up doesn't solve the problem - then they're just too baggy everywhere else. Can anyone recommend a brand - online or otherwise - that sizes tops for petites? (Lots of places seem to offer pants with shorter inseams, but not tops.)

This would be for the usual gym stuff, but also needs to be suitable for Pilates and yoga, where t-shirt+sports bra+headstand simply will not do. Thanks in advance.

Workout classes near Fort Greene?

zoomorphic — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:46:23 -0800

Brooklyn folk: Are there any affordable gyms in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill area that offer strength training classes? Anything nearish to Atlantic Center would be excellent. I'm not interested in yoga or pilates, and I'd like to keep it near the 11238 zip code. Google turns up very little promising leads. Thanks!

Slim, but fat at the same time?

neworder7 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:03:52 -0800

Slim, but fat at the same time? I have a slim appearance, but I realize I am lacking the body mass that it matters the most, bone and muscle. I have very thin arms and somewhat weak upper-body. I am 35, male, 5'10" , 152lbs. As an adult, I know it is not possible to gain bone mass. How can I improve my physique so I can maintain decent fitness level when I get older? Here is a bit of history:

When I was in my teens I was very slim/weak and in my early 20s due to unhealthy diet in college, I put on some weight up to 180lbs and it was mostly fat (although not too fat, looked kind of flabby) .

In my late 20s I learned about nutrition (yes that late...) managed to get myself into reasonable shape. I have been eating well and exercised in moderation since then (I can bench press 120lbs).

But I see some people similar to my frame, but they weight at least 20lbs more and look more solid, stronger upperbody and healthier.

As a late starter of exercise and eating well, I feel my body has not picked up to a decent level yet. Maybe it is because I have thin arms and cannot build enough muscle on that. Could this be possible?

How can I develop more solid physique, stronger upper body? I am not in rush but I really want to build enough foundation so I maintain a decent fitness level as I get older.

I just don't want to be slim but fat any more.

Barcelona Gyms

yellowcandy — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:33:41 -0800

Where can I work out during a week in Barcelona? I'll be in Barcelona for a week and need to find a decent gym where I can get in a few workouts to counteract the debauchery. What I'm looking for in particular is simple: a clean facility with good elliptical machines and decent isolated exercise machines.

I want to hear from people with first-hand experience only, please.

Rage Against the Elliptical Machine

Parasite Unseen — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:57:45 -0800

What am I not getting about the elliptical machine at the gym? I've recently started going to the gym, and I've fallen in love with the elliptical machines. Even on days when I don't feel like working out, I can at least find the strength to spend some time with the ellipticals. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that I understand what they're doing.

I normally do about 45 minutes on the machine. I don't flat-out jam, but I keep a pace that I think is pretty respectable. According to the computer screen for the machines, my 45 minute "run" (plus the 5 minute cool-down) burns around 650 calories. It's not just one machine that tells me this; they all give roughly the same result.

This sounds great to me, but whenever I've mentioned it to friends, they tell me that it's flat-out impossible that I'm burning that many calories during a 45 minute elliptical session (they've suggested that it's probably closer to 300 calories). Are they right? If so, what is happening that's causing the incorrect reading on the elliptical machine's computer, and how can I get a more accurate picture of how many calories I'm burning?

Recommend me a gym

sailoreagle — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:42:27 -0800

Brighton-UK-filter: recommend me a gym. I've recently moved to Brighton, UK, and I would like to start going to a gym; but I have honestly no idea where to begin picking one. Google's turned up a bunch of options, with varying reviews, but I'm interested in personal experience - I'd rather not waste my money on something that looks good on paper but is vastly different in reality.

If it matters any, I'm female in my late twenties, and my boyfriend (obviously male, also in his twenties) is also interested. We'd both prefer something more than "just" a gym - ie. something more like a fitness center, with a gym, a swimming pool, etc.

Too lazy to google, not too lazy to go to the gym.

Oktober — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:28:19 -0800

Where do I buy gym shoes in the (Chicago) Loop? I trashed my Nikes at Lollapalooza over the weekend, and I don't want to show up to my "Personal Fitness Assessment" tonight with busted kicks. I'm at Monroe & Franklin, so the closer to there the better.

Day-pass for cash Chicago Gym near the Loop

MattD — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:04:12 -0800

I am looking for a cardio-and-weights gym, with towel service and showers, in or near the Loop in Chicago, which sells an honest day pass. The guest pass / free workout thing is not for me because I don't want to mislead about my being a prospect for a full membership, or subject myself to the hard sell concerning same.

I could deadlift that weight if I could just bend over that far....

Vorteks — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:43:37 -0800

Adding Pilates or other stretching to a weight training routine - how? After asking my previous question about barbell/dumbbell routines, I've taken the punge. I've joined a gym, picked up the barbells, and started the Stronglifts 5x5 program. I've been at it for a little more than 3 weeks now.

One thing I've noticed since getting serious about my weight training routine - I'm not flexible. At all. It's probably even preventing me from doing some of the exercises with 100% good form. So I'm thinking of adding some Pilates to my routine to help with that. Specifically, I was considering buying this book, based on the reviews it's received. The thing is, I'm afraid that trying to do 2 types of exercise routines at once could cause problems, perhaps with insufficient rest or too much strain on the body. Does anyone have any tips on how to combine Pilates (or alternatively, any other flexibility training that you recommend) into a weight training routine? Should stretching and flexibility exercises be done on the same days as weights? On alternating days? Every day? Is there some kind of limit I should observe? 10 minutes per session? 30? Should I be doing something other than Pilates in these circumstances? Bottom line: how can I make myself more flexible while still maximizing muscle gain from Stronglifts, and without hurting myself?

Possibly relevant data: I am male, 26 years old, and just starting serious weight training. I am moderately overweight, but not obese by any means. I have good leg strength, and am in good enough shape to run for 30+ minutes at 5.5mph without stopping. But I have relatively little upper body strength, and have thus far been unable to do any body-weight exercise involving my arms (chin-ups, pull-ups, push-ups, I can't even do the easy variations).

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

Is there a gym at JFK?

Danila — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:29:59 -0800

Is there a gym at JFK Airport? Asking for a friend: She is flying to Poland from Charlotte and will be having a nine hour layover at JFK on Monday. Is there a gym at the airport or very close by that she can use (i.e. an airport hotel with a shuttle)? She would be willing to pay a fee to use it.

How much is not enough?

amethysts — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:56:21 -0800

How often should I go to the gym to have it not be a waste of time? My main goal is just to get acclimated to the idea of fitting this into my day so it's something I can continue to do, without going so easy that it's not showing any results after maybe a month or so. I just bought a membership to my school's gym. I've never done anything fitness related before other than the bare minumum to graduate, so this is a big step for me! I'm going to try to go during a long break that I have between work and school in the afternoon.

I don't want to lay out a bunch of money for a trainer yet because I just want to show myself that going to the gym is something that's doable. My plan is to spend about 45 mins each session either in the pool or on the elliptical machine and try to get my heartrate up, see what I can do. I do have plenty of pudge to lose but I'm not like OMG I MUST SHRINK MY MASS NOW.

However if I go too easy and only go once a week or something I'm afraid I won't notice any improvement and I'm not gonna feel like it's worth it. I'm gonna give it a month to show some kind of improvement whether in my stamina/endurance/how much i can do, my energy level during the day, or how i look (i know, unlikely without weight lifting but i'm definitely getting a trainer for that so that's down the road)

So how many sessions should I schedule in a week and does my plan seem reasonable to you?

Also, do I really need to buy new sneakers if I set aside a pair that I won't wear outside anymore?

Dumbbells vs Barbells

Vorteks — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:18:05 -0800

Is there any reason that barbells would be indispensable from a serious stength-training program? Or are dumbbells just fine? I've been wanting to get serious about building strength for a while now, and after reading a question about workout routines yesterday, I've pretty much decided to try the StrongLifts 5x5 routine. One question though: it seems a lot of these programs pretty much assume that when you're doing squats/deadlifts/bench press/etc that you'll be using a barbell. I don't have barbells, but I *do* have dumbbells. I've always thought that dumbbells would be better. Especially since I'll be lifting while alone in my apartment, if I run out of strength while doing bench presses or something, it seems like I'd be less likely to kill myself using dumbbells than barbells. But at the same time, if barbells are necessary to get the full effect of the exercises, I don't want to be shooting myself in the foot. Does it make a big difference? Why would one use barbells over dumbbells, or vice versa?

Thanks Mefites.

Sitting On Air

nam3d — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:48:40 -0800

I've been sitting on a swiss ball (gym ball) for a few weeks and whilst I've found it's improved my pousture I like the look of the Isokinetics Fitness Ball Chair and the Gaiam BalanceBall they both don't ship to the UK. Could someone please point me in the direction of an alternative product which has stockist's in the UK?

Shorter and More Often or Longer and Less Often?

scrump — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:17:33 -0800

Personal training: three times a week for 30 minutes, or two times a week for an hour? I'm going to be engaging in 10 weeks of personal training at my gym. I basically have the budget to either go twice a week for an hour each time or three times a week for 30 minutes each time. I'll be working with a trainer who's ACSM-certified and has a bachelor's in exercise physiology.

My end goal is to inculcate the habit of working out/exercising, and achieve some or all of the following:

Weight loss
Being able to do 2 or more bodyweight pullups (I can do 0 now)
Being able to do squats with proper technique
Being able to do pushups with proper technique.

What are the pro/con arguments for 3x/week at 30 minutes versus 2x/week at 1 hour?

Searching for an attractive laptop/gym bag.

metamush — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:55:44 -0800

This public transit commuting young woman needs a bag that will fit her 15 inch Macbook Pro as well as gym clothes/sneakers. This public transit commuting young woman needs a bag that will fit her 15 inch Macbook Pro as well as gym supplies. Duffel bags are out of the question. Would prefer it not to be a backpack.

The first session was free, but are the next ones worth it?

filthy light thief — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:45:39 -0800

FitnessFilter: how should I evaluate options for a personal trainer at a local gym? Lots more discussion inside. I recently joined a local gym with my wife, and I was told we received an evaluation or something of the sort with the membership. We're both gym novices, so I was glad to be shown around the gym and given help figuring out how things worked.

I went to the evaluation-type session today, and it was basically to get me to pay for personal training sessions. The work-out was good, and I'm sure I'd benefit from the sessions. I signed up today, after the initiation fee ($99) was waived, and I was given 5 free sessions ($35 per half-hour session).

It's $280 for 8 sessions per month, which doesn't sound that much right now, but we'd have to be tied into a year of training, or we have to pay a cancellation fee. I'm skeptical of gyms in general, and the sales pitch with fees that weren't disclosed up front today ($49 for processing, and the waived $99 initiation fee) didn't help.

I have a few days to try out the personal training set-up, and figured others would have some insight. Could I refer to training books or websites and come out fine? Or is it a good idea to invest in a trainer for a year while we get into working out at a gym? We're not looking to get bulging muscles, just to get fit and start some good work-out regimes.

My desk at work needs a hammock.

zennoshinjou — Sat, 02 May 2009 05:22:20 -0800

Energy.. I need it. How do I keep my energy levels high while keeping calories low and working out hard? My trainer has me working out pretty aggressively in the gym. It's been going fine for 3 months but the past week I have hit a wall with my energy levels. I feel tired all the time. Currently I am eating ~1800 calories a day and working out 6 days a week with 3 days of cardio and 3 days of weights/strength training. If it matters, I'm 5'8" and currently weigh 226.

What can I do to get my energy levels back up? should I be eating more? Sleeping more/less? I don't really ingest caffeine frequently and would prefer to continue avoiding it.

My training goal is the ever elusive lose fat/gain muscle balance until I get rid of the blubber. I'm aware I am less efficient at both by doing them at the same time but that's fine.

Help us design a fair exercise competition!

bristolcat — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:27:46 -0800

Help us design a fair exercise competition! My cousin and I have both decided to put an effort into incorporating more exercise into our daily life. Instead of working toward some kind of tangible reward, we agree that competition would be a good motivating factor.

We are both women at nearly the exact same age (27) with very similar physical builds and goals. Our chosen exercises include a variety of things including bicycling, running (C25K), strength exercises and "leisure exercises" such as golfing or walking the dog.

In the past, we have tried doing a competition based on cumulative minutes spent at the gym, but this turned out to be somewhat lopsided when we found we had different levels of activity going head-to-head, such as forty minutes of walking and light strength exercises versus thirty minutes of intense cardio.

We like to record our efforts on a shared Google spreadsheet. How can we "score" our activities fairly? Would it make sense to have different tiers of exercises worth different points? What would the tiers be based on - something such as calories burned per hour?

In summary, we are looking for a way to compete for fitness based on effort, rather than weight-loss or achievements. Have you had a similar plan that was successful? How can we make this as fair as possible?

Thanks in advance!

Cheating on the Stairmaster

cast4321 — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:06:40 -0800

Why do some people 'cheat' (i.e., use their arms to take weight off their legs) while using exercise machines at the gym? At my gym, it's very common to see people leaning on the rails on elliptical or stair climber exercise machines. Typically, they're hunched over with arms locked and it seems they've got the machine going faster than appropriate for their fitness. It seems the most fit and least fit people don't do it, but otherwise people of all ages, gender and fitness levels do it.

To me, it seems uncomfortable, potentially a source of injury, and (more than anything) self-defeating.

Why do they do it? Greater sense of accomplishment going faster? Real or perceived better workout? Something else?

Machine Workout Plan

Citizen Premier — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:19:40 -0800

Please provide me with a twice-weekly gym machine workout so I can fill out this form (pdf). I had a great workout schedule last year when I took weight training classes at college, but I don't have the sheet any more, and I'm looking for a replacement.

Don't worry about cardio, I've got that figured out.
Thanks!