How things have changed

Talking to and old powerlifter the other day and the topic came up about how gyms are now called fitness centers with more cardio machines etc and less weights .Sure thats where the money is and lots more people use them witch is fair enough they got to pay the rent and pay the staff.Thats why all these people starting up strength gyms have found a nitch in the market place .How things have changed cheers and good lifting

First gym I ever walked into had no cardio equipment.
It had a multi station universal machine, benches and squat racks.

I can't remember if i had any cables, it was 22 years ago.

probably a liability issue too, probably less chance of injury with cardio equipment

stupidlikeafox said:

probably a liability issue too, probably less chance of injury with cardio equipment

Click to expand...

There's 100s of those treadmill vids.
Matched only by benching fails

Ever tried selling space to use a prowler or do some Burpees?

It sucks but you're right. Its just business.

I can say in the last 12 months there has been a LOT of real gyms pop up, IE PTC in Melbs & Brisbane. Firas is working on a gym in Adelaide. Plus all the crossfit gyms....

hrm, my Gym has 1,000,000 treadmills and bikes...cardio takes up about 70% of the floor space. and are always full...

the gym i hit up whe visiting my folks has 2 bikes, 2 treadmills, and an elliptical, that dont see much use
Unfortunaetly, 80% of the weights section is machines...only one squat rack, no real platform, one bench, and awkward pullup/dip tower thingo....and wait for it...3 smith machines...wtf

Shrek said:

First gym I ever walked into had no cardio equipment.
It had a multi station universal machine, benches and squat racks.

I can't remember if i had any cables, it was 22 years ago.

Click to expand...

http://images.imagestate.com/Watermark/9155-105.jpg

theres a gym on parramatta road where the odyssey jeans outlet was (across from godfreys) and they dont even have benches... in fact youre not allowed to use them because "you can get the same work out in a smith machine and its safer." homos.

Proper strength training seems to be getting alot of coverage on the internet lately and I think the number of people wanting to use real gym equipment is just going to keep increasing. The myth of spending hours on a treadmill to get cut is starting to be broken and decent information is getting out there.

gumbs said:

Proper strength training seems to be getting alot of coverage on the internet lately and I think the number of people wanting to use real gym equipment is just going to keep increasing. The myth of spending hours on a treadmill to get cut is starting to be broken and decent information is getting out there.

Click to expand...

your on the money there thanks to the internet people can now make a choice go to a real GYM or to a Fitness centre

It helps that lifting iron actually gets results.

The handful of people I train have been amazed that in a couple of months they've done more just from lifting a few KBs and a light BB than would take them at least a year walking on a hamster wheel (treadmill).
They still do the hamster wheel though for some reason lol

The Hamburgler said:

They still do the hamster wheel though for some reason lol

Click to expand...

ego booster perhaps??

I dont like tredmills
next time if you go for a run, run outside, see how far you get, then run home.

Treadmills are so damn boring.

In my opinion, if you want to do cardio then go for a run in the park.

You join a gym to lift IMO.

Most gyms make their money by churning people in and out. The less time people spend there the more people they can sign up.

If you can fit 2 squat racks or 4 treadmills , then it makes sense to keep 4 people busy instead of 2 doesn't it?

My "fitness centre" runs the usual gammut of classes - from Zumba to Pilates, Yoga to Spin classes, aerobics jam/combat whatever. They have 2 squat racks (with safety bars) which rarely get used. If they are both being used well then your next in line, which suits me fine. Same with the benches, they have 3 and there's always one spare. So I understand why they don't put more squat racks/benches in, when all of the machines and treadmills etc are busier.

I guess the problem is that people go into a gym wanting to get fit, look good, whatever, but they aren't really consulted about what they want. People don't really even know what their options are. I told them I wanted to get stronger to make me a better runner. No worries they said, and gave me a standard machine circuit and said to go for it.

At no point did they ask me if I wanted to use free weights or machines, or ask me why I didn't want to get strong, or even show me a couple of different workout templates. Why? Because they want to push people in the direction of the activities they want them to use. Im sure if the guy doing the boxing classes needs a few more clients they'll recommend boxing classes, and they'll recommend stretching and ab exercises if the mats aren't being used.

Anyway, X-fit has probably gotten people more interested in powerlifting and BB exercises which is great (unless my squat rack gets busy) as hopefully people will start getting better results than just doing what the gyms force feed them

Hirdy said:

I guess the problem is that people go into a gym wanting to get fit, look good, whatever, but they aren't really consulted about what they want. People don't really even know what their options are.

At no point did they ask me if I wanted to use free weights or machines, or ask me why I didn't want to get strong, or even show me a couple of different workout templates.

Click to expand...

Man I nodded and sighed reading this. I went to 3 different gyms between 17 and 18 and got put on BS programs.
...I didnt squat until I was 21 and didnt deadlift until 22 !!!!

Luckily i got some good advice from other sports but i have only done proper weights this last year. I am now 12 kgs heavier at roughly same bf%