I have a dilemma.
Sometimes when making a decision, there’s no clear answer.
I’m beginning to create a framework for 2nd50strong, and there’s a choice I need to make.
Well, actually there’s a lot of choices.
A lot more than I originally thought.
But for now, let’s talk about just one.
Does our framework include weight lifting at:
A gym?
Or at home?
Ultimately, you all make your own decisions, and do what’s best for you.
But when I’m talking about our 2nd50strong program, I need to have a place where I’m coming from.
Otherwise I’m going to sound vague and confusing, especially to me. I feel the more specific I get, the more we all understand each other.
So here are some of my thoughts about doing the Core 4 in a gym.
Let’s see what we come up with.
Pros:
It gets us out of the house and gives an opportunity to make like minded friends.
There are less distractions at a gym, and once we’re there, we can get our workout done.
Most gyms are a bright and open spaced, and a nice place to be in the dark winter months.
We can get a trainer at the gym, some of them are really good and know what they’re doing.
It’s much cheaper than buying our own equipment.
There’s a huge variety of equipment to use, and different classes to take.
Finding a workout partner at a gym is incredibly motivating, and keeps us working out even when we don’t want to.
When you build a community at a gym and stop showing up, you may get phone calls from them as they check in on you. This is rare, but when it happens it’s a beautiful thing.
Cons:
The muscle bound gym “Bros” can be intimidating.
We may feel self conscious with our bodies not fitting in with the other people in the gym.
We may feel silly not knowing what we’re doing as beginners.
This makes us prime targets for unwanted teaching and advice from people who aren’t doing it correctly themselves. I see this all the time. Look up gym fails on YouTube.
Most gym trainers have no idea what to do with a barbell, but they’ll tell you they do.
The drive and effort it takes to get to the gym can be time consuming and daunting.
Oh yeah, with this pandemic, all gyms shut down - for months. A lot of 2nd 50s still don’t feel safe going back to a public place like that. I don’t blame them.
Thunderstorms, heavy snow.... bad storms of any kind, all could mean missed work outs. Different parts of the country have their own weather problems.
There actually can be distractions at the gym. Some people are there just to socialize and talk. They may be wonderful people, but they’ll turn your 30 minute workout into 90 in a blink of an eye.
I’m sure I missed a bunch for both sides, but it’s a good start.
My passion is getting people excited and committed to weight training, so I feel this list is a little superficial. They’re very important points, and need to be considered, but.........
It just scratches the surface.
There are deeper reasons why we stay committed to, or fall away from, having regular workouts for life.
In the next post let’s talk about the pros and cons of working out at home. Let’s see what we come up with.......
Get strong as hell,
Coach Ken