So is fitness officially out of fashion?

I'm another one who prefers to work out at home. I have no desire to go to a gym and I don't think it's necessary. I don't see any reason why I would have to use the machines, I'm perfectly happy with my free weights and my Cathe DVDs. :)
 
Don't you think it might be the record amount of snow we've had this winter? My Mom is in NJ and she said the walls of snow are over her head! She has been limiting her driving to mostly "necessary" trips.
 
amybajamy said:
I'm another one who prefers to work out at home. I have no desire to go to a gym and I don't think it's necessary. I don't see any reason why I would have to use the machines, I'm perfectly happy with my free weights and my Cathe DVDs. :)
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<sigh> Why is it any post I make about a health club turns into "working out at home is so much better than the gym?" IMO anyone who's had a serious weight routine at a gym would NEVER make a statement like the above. Is it necessary? No. Is it necessary to have a body like Cathe's? Or even coming close to having a body like Cathe's? Unless you're born with amazing genetics, yes.

Joanie, that's a very interesting article. I think it's true technology has kind of killed the social atmosphere at gyms. While I've made an awful lot of friends at my club & consider it a social outlet, it's nothing like it was before the mp3 player hit the scene.

Also good points about the cost of all the bells & whistles that's passed on to the members. I knowI probably don't use 75% of what my club offers. I don't use the pilates studio, the boxing studio, the karate studio, the yoga studio, the massage rooms, the shake bar or the pro shop. I really don't use their cardio equipment either since I do it at home. Really all I use are the free weights & the machines. For $85 a month. I sure would love a hardcore gym with just weights & machines for $10 a month! :eek:;):)

That said, I really do love my gym & my friends there. I'll never give it up, but it'd be nice to have some kind of a la cart membership like this article suggests.
 
Laura,

My daughter just turned 18 in December. Right before her birthday she got a letter from our Health Club/Gym that she could no longer be on our plan because she is 18 but she could procure her own membership and get a student rate of $50-something per month. But she doesn't work out consistently, in fact, she will go weeks and months without a workout so that money would be a waste.

However, the other day, she wanted to work out and couldn't go to our club but a friend of hers belongs to some gym 10 minutes from our house that only costs $10 per month. Yes, it is smaller, doesn't have all the bells and whistles that my club does, but that is a huge price difference.

This fitness center she went to the other day is one of many smaller, much, much cheaper centers opening up in our area that are a fraction of the cost so for my daughter it is a no-brainer.

And for anyone else in this bad economy - $10 a month is a small fee to pay for a fully equipped center. Even the Y can't compete with that cost.

So I think it is those two things, the economy and the smaller, cheaper fitness centers that are driving people away from your larger gyms.

As for me, I'm not working out at home or the gym. I just cannot find the motivation these days.
 
Laura - I actually miss my old gym. I work out at home now, but that's primarily because my neighborhood gym (which is literally next door to my apartment) is not "compatible" for me. I'm kind of a gym snob and that gym caters to treadmill walkers and folks who have no idea what their doing. I used to go to a gym in another state that was full of regulars who were serious about why they were there. I LOVED it. It was social, but not chatty. Everyone was there for a reason and the socializing was an added benefit. I enjoyed the environment of the gym, as well - the sounds, the sights, the music, the focus I could achieve. Everything. The gym next door cost $800-1000 per year, which is just too much to spend when I don't enjoy the environment. Thus, I now work out at home. Should I ever move, I'll likely be right back in the gym.
 
LauraMax said:
<sigh> Why is it any post I make about a health club turns into "working out at home is so much better than the gym?" IMO anyone who's had a serious weight routine at a gym would NEVER make a statement like the above. Is it necessary? No. Is it necessary to have a body like Cathe's? Or even coming close to having a body like Cathe's? Unless you're born with amazing genetics, yes.
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Or you could have piles of money and lots of space to build an awesome at-home gym. :)
 
LauraMax said:
<sigh> Why is it any post I make about a health club turns into "working out at home is so much better than the gym?" IMO anyone who's had a serious weight routine at a gym would NEVER make a statement like the above. Is it necessary? No. Is it necessary to have a body like Cathe's? Or even coming close to having a body like Cathe's? Unless you're born with amazing genetics, yes.
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Because you asked why people aren't going to the gym.
 
bonvivant said:
Or you could have piles of money and lots of space to build an awesome at-home gym. :)
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You know, I actually know a few people who've done that. And their equipment is covered with at least an inch of dust. ;)

Actually Amy, my Q was "is fitness going out of style?"
 
LauraMax said:
You know, I actually know a few people who've done that. And their equipment is covered with at least an inch of dust. ;)

Actually Amy, my Q was "is fitness going out of style?"
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But it was in relation to people not going to the gym and one of the reasons mentioned was that maybe more people are working out at home. That naturally evolved into people's preferences for working out at home or working out in the gym. I was just stating my preference. I did make a comment earlier that related more to your original question.
 
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