Back in the Gym

[eytonxav]

Finally after ~ 1 year Covid hiatus, I started back at the gym this week. Everyone at home is fully vaccinated and the trainer I have been with for 13 years opened a brand new gym. I like his new facility because it's not overcrowded, and all my friends from his previous gym are back at the new one. I definitely have lost a lot of muscle and packed on 10 lbs, so it may be a slow process to regain strength and trim down, but I will ramp up and shoot for 4-5 workouts a week to get there faster. When I was in shape, I used to work out 3x/week. It really feels good to be back at it and I am getting an improved sense of well being.

 

[PageTwo]

Congrats! Endorphins are a powerful thing

And especially if you were in good shape before the pandemic, you'll have muscle memory going for you so you'll bounce back quickly.

Just trust the process and start light at first - you don't want to injure yourself as soon as you get back!

 

[Amethyst]

Congratulations! I am venturing to the gym (just a Planet Fitness, the best within reasonable driving distance) for an hour 3 days a week. Far less than the old habit of nearly 3 hours 4 times a week, but I developed some home routines and just lacked weights and a stair climbing machine.

My weight stayed the same, but shoulders and glutes distinctly less muscular than before. Strength really fell off during the hiatus, and is not returning quickly to previous levels. Don't want to get an injury.

 

[W2R]

Congrats, DFW_M5!! What a terrific, positive thing to do right now.

I kind of went in the opposite direction, quitting my gym a week or two ago because I have been reluctant to go there with all the restrictions, and almost never went there during the past year. Like you, during that year away from the gym I have lost muscle and gained weight (12 pounds in my case. Ugh!) Got to do something about that.

I am hoping that quitting will spur me on to engage in other fitness activities. Who knows, time will tell.

 

[Nick12]

That's great! Commit to be fit!

 

[bolt]

Outlier here...

You only get one *body* these days AFAIK
Some do purchase livers, eyes, fingers, arteries, hearts, etc. YKWIM.

Since the 60s, I've lived realizing I'd only get one body.
I lived my life as such. Trying to eat right and exercising daily by one means or another.
I've noticed elderly aged folks(over>70)that physically shut down prior lifestyle pursuits, rarely do well otherwise.
Resources always have financial concerns. Thats life!

Life, ...It seems its all about its rewards, primarily cash based.
Use it or loose it comes to mind.

Good luck & best wishes.....

 

[ohyes]

I started back to gym a couple weeks ago and it feels wonderful. It is a Planet Fitness location and everything feels safe. DH is still on the fence about returning. We both are fully vaccinated.

When we joined, we got 18 months for the price of 12 because we paid up front instead of monthly. I was bummed we had lost some of that incentive with COVID/our fear of returning, so talked myself into going back...really glad I did.

Regrettably, I gained 13 lbs over the past year. Those 13 lbs are gone, as of a couple weeks ago, so now I can focus on the 30lbs I already needed to lose.

While I exercised at home/walked at neighborhood park during the last year, I push myself more at the gym.

 

[1242Vintage]

Congrats on getting back into the gym routine.

Love the gym. Mine put a big tent in the parking lot, moved equipment outside and stayed open with limited hours through the pandemic. Working out there gave me a sense of normalcy through this last year.

 

[athena53]

I wish I could go back.

Early this year all 3 Planet Fitness gyms in my area were lax about enforcing local laws requiring that members wear a mask 100% of the time, even when working out. Not comfortable, but I complied. Many did the "chin diaper" thing with the mask below their noses. Staff ignored it and if I called someone on it they'd either roll their eyes, ignore me or put it up and then slip it down after I left.

So- I wrote to HQ expressing my concern and suggesting that they needed a policy that empowered the employees to suspend or terminate membership for those who didn't comply. They suggested I contact the 3 clubs. I sent them all the same tactful message. Two weeks later my home club e-mailed me a PDF of a document terminating my membership.

I posted a copy of it with personal details blurred out on FB- one friend said, "Well, now you know who they want as members". I'm getting great results with a TRX workout and my bicycle and treadmill. I really liked PF but I'm done with them.

 

[Nick12]

I wish I could go back.

Early this year all 3 Planet Fitness gyms in my area were lax about enforcing local laws requiring that members wear a mask 100% of the time, even when working out. Not comfortable, but I complied. Many did the "chin diaper" thing with the mask below their noses. Staff ignored it and if I called someone on it they'd either roll their eyes, ignore me or put it up and then slip it down after I left.

So- I wrote to HQ expressing my concern and suggesting that they needed a policy that empowered the employees to suspend or terminate membership for those who didn't comply. They suggested I contact the 3 clubs. I sent them all the same tactful message. Two weeks later my home club e-mailed me a PDF of a document terminating my membership.

I posted a copy of it with personal details blurred out on FB- one friend said, "Well, now you know who they want as members". I'm getting great results with a TRX workout and my bicycle and treadmill. I really liked PF but I'm done with them.

That's retaliation! I would post on social media your incident.

 

[Aerides]

So- I wrote to HQ expressing my concern and suggesting that they needed a policy that empowered the employees to suspend or terminate membership for those who didn't comply. They suggested I contact the 3 clubs. I sent them all the same tactful message. Two weeks later my home club e-mailed me a PDF of a document terminating my membership.

wow... I also hate PF, mainly because they don't have much in the way of free weights, and because of the no grunting rules. If you exert yourself, sometimes noises will happen!

I haven't gone back yet because I made a gym in my garage last year, but I'm looking at a dude-bro type of gym if/when I do go back. All gyms are gross, so I might as well go to the one that will make me strongest.

 

[Amethyst]

When our PF (the only gym within reasonable driving distance) posted a mask requirement (from their HQs, not individual franchises) back in August they got a lot of threats to cancel memberships if masks were required.

So ours started requiring a mask when entering/leaving and walking around, but not when exercising - which is exactly when you are putting out and taking in the most viruses. Since this is stupid, we stayed away.

We waited till fully vaccinated to return, for only 3 hours a week and only to do weights. Virtually nobody but staff, and a few sickly-looking customers who probably have immune disorders, are masked. I don't enjoy jogging on the beach, but I'm not doing indoor cardio when nobody around me wears a mask.

I wish I could go back.

Early this year all 3 Planet Fitness gyms in my area were lax about enforcing local laws requiring that members wear a mask 100% of the time, even when working out. Not comfortable, but I complied. Many did the "chin diaper" thing with the mask below their noses. Staff ignored it and if I called someone on it they'd either roll their eyes, ignore me or put it up and then slip it down after I left.

So- I wrote to HQ expressing my concern and suggesting that they needed a policy that empowered the employees to suspend or terminate membership for those who didn't comply. They suggested I contact the 3 clubs. I sent them all the same tactful message. Two weeks later my home club e-mailed me a PDF of a document terminating my membership.

I posted a copy of it with personal details blurred out on FB- one friend said, "Well, now you know who they want as members". I'm getting great results with a TRX workout and my bicycle and treadmill. I really liked PF but I'm done with them.

 

[MBAustin]

I went back to the gym last week for the first time. It's a Fitness Connection (most locations are in TX) and they are still requiring masks at all times. There weren't a lot of people there, but everyone was masked with only a few hanging out below the nose. I did a short routine to assess how much strength I had lost (not as much as I feared, but noticeable) and now will start to ramp up reps and weight. Unfortunately, I aggravated my problematic right shoulder so gave it a break this week. Feels much better today so back to the gym (without shoulder presses).

 

[audreyh1]

A lot of residents leave by May when it’s getting really hot outside. So I’m hoping to go use the treadmill in the gym here and have the room all to myself. This because it starts getting too hot for long outdoor bicycle rides or walks. I can try the Apple Fitness + treadmill workouts.

They have a decent combo weight machine, but I have been quite happy using dumbbells at home with Apple Fitness +.

Most of the resident here got vaccinated based on the furious group Facebook activity for our 55+ community, but still I’d rather have the room to myself.

 

[Ready]

There are a few guys at the 24 Hour Fitness who show up without masks all the time. They claim they have a medical exemption that requires them to stay unmasked. They could probably bench press 200 pounds and run circles around me at the track but the staff says they are not allowed to question anyone who says they are medically exempt from wearing a mask.

I stopped going because I don’t like wearing a mask when I work out so I just try to do primarily outdoor exercises.

 

[Nick12]

wow... I also hate PF, mainly because they don't have much in the way of free weights, and because of the no grunting rules. If you exert yourself, sometimes noises will happen!

I haven't gone back yet because I made a gym in my garage last year, but I'm looking at a dude-bro type of gym if/when I do go back. All gyms are gross, so I might as well go to the one that will make me strongest.

I estimated with Planet Fitness serving free bagels and coffee and pizza night , 1X a month, I saved approx $200 per year by not eating elsewhere. After a good workout I have an appetite and free is free!

 

[mistermike40]

wow... I also hate PF, mainly because they don't have much in the way of free weights, and because of the no grunting rules. If you exert yourself, sometimes noises will happen! ...

PF really has a no-grunting rule? I've never been there, but that's like having a no-burping rule at Olive Garden... or a no-"other noise" rule at La Fiesta

 

[Nick12]

PF really has a no-grunting rule? I've never been there, but that's like having a no-burping rule at Olive Garden... or a no-"other noise" rule at La Fiesta

PF has a no grunting rule and if you slam the weights or grunt, the PF employee sounds the lunk alarm. Also PF doesn't allow guys to wear muscle T shirts. PF do have massage chairs and massage water beds which are very relaxing.

 

[athena53]

That's retaliation! I would post on social media your incident.

That's what I've been doing at every opportunity- as I mentioned, I posted my redacted Termination of Membership notice on FaceBook and have mentioned it on several Boards, including this one now. It's unfortunate- I liked the local gyms and the people who worked there were nice. It was never crowded so distancing wasn't an issue and they were always cleaning.

As for grunting- back when you didn't have to mask while actively working out, there was one very tall, very muscled guy who would work out on the stair climber with his headphones on, grunting loudly in time to the music. "Hunh! ...Hunh!...Hunh!..." A young lady about a foot shorter and 100 lbs, lighter said something to him tactfully and his response was pretty much "That's the way I work out".

I estimated with Planet Fitness serving free bagels and coffee and pizza night , 1X a month, I saved approx $200 per year by not eating elsewhere. After a good workout I have an appetite and free is free!

I never touched either the bagels or the pizza. I try to watch carbs and neither is particularly healthy,

 

[Aerides]

As for grunting- back when you didn't have to mask while actively working out, there was one very tall, very muscled guy who would work out on the stair climber with his headphones on, grunting loudly in time to the music. "Hunh! ...Hunh!...Hunh!..." A young lady about a foot shorter and 100 lbs, lighter said something to him tactfully and his response was pretty much "That's the way I work out".

I get the original idea, the bro-dude types in the weight rooms can make for an intimidating atmosphere. But now that I've started lifting heavy, I find there are plenty of times where those noises are necessary, it just comes out!

 

[Amethyst]

That surprised me, too. They discourage ostentatious yells and screams, but "Uhs" and "Umps" are certainly heard from time to time, and nobody makes an issue of it.

Another thing I haven't heard (yet) is the clang of massive weights being ostentatiously dropped to the floor. I used to hate that in my previous gym.

PF really has a no-grunting rule? I've never been there, but that's like having a no-burping rule at Olive Garden... or a no-"other noise" rule at La Fiesta

 

[Amethyst]

So far, the most distracting noise has been some people's habit of singing along tunelessly with their headphones. They can get quite loud, although probably not intentionally. My beef is that they are always so, so off-key!

As for grunting- back when you didn't have to mask while actively working out, there was one very tall, very muscled guy who would work out on the stair climber with his headphones on, grunting loudly in time to the music. "Hunh! ...Hunh!...Hunh!..." A young lady about a foot shorter and 100 lbs, lighter said something to him tactfully and his response was pretty much "That's the way I work out".

 

[eytonxav]

Speaking of PF and the lunk alarm, I can't find the youtube right now, but the cure for lunks is to send the elderly lady (80+ yo) who was a power lifter into PF. She could put a lot of very fit men to shame.

The thing with my layoff that made me disappointed in myself was that I could have done more body weight stuff and stretching at home, but I did very little and went on the snacking bandwagon. I just could not get motivated, so I'll just blame it on Covid related stress. While I did play softball and pickleball over some of that time, there will be no more couch potato syndrome for me.

 

[zinger1457]

PF has a no grunting rule and if you slam the weights or grunt, the PF employee sounds the lunk alarm. Also PF doesn't allow guys to wear muscle T shirts. PF do have massage chairs and massage water beds which are very relaxing.

I've been a member of PF for going on 2 years now and have never heard the 'lunk' alarm, just assumed the lunk sign was more of a gimmick to remind people to show some courtesy to other members. Don't really understand some of the bad press PF gets, it's one of the better gyms I've belonged to, always clean and workers friendly and willing to help out. Since Covid hit they have blocked off adjacent cardio machines to increase social distancing, plenty of cleaning stations spread out throughout the gym with kindly reminders to wipe off machines before and after use.

 

[Nick12]

I've been a member of PF for going on 2 years now and have never heard the 'lunk' alarm, just assumed the lunk sign was more of a gimmick to remind people to show some courtesy to other members. Don't really understand some of the bad press PF gets, it's one of the better gyms I've belonged to, always clean and workers friendly and willing to help out. Since Covid hit they have blocked off adjacent cardio machines to increase social distancing, plenty of cleaning stations spread out throughout the gym with kindly reminders to wipe off machines before and after use.

Ask the PF staff person to sound the lunk alarm. It is loud. Also PF has tanning beds which I am not interested in. PF is also popular with long distance truckers in my area. For 22 dollars a month one gets national membership in any USA location. The truckers park nearby and take showers and use the bathroom facilities. I've seen some do a quick workout also.