Gym Wish List...

[stuward]

For the aerobic section,

whoa, let me stop you there.

I hope I didn't stumble on a forum taboo. You guys go to gyms that don't have aerobic section?

Most have cardio sections but we just make fun of the people wasting their time on the treadmills. There is a bias here towards more effective exercises like strength training and high intensity, short duration cardio. That's better done by running up hills, pushing sleds or doing complexes. That's why I recommended the strip of astro turf running up the side of the gym.

[Oscar_Actuary]

I hope I didn't stumble on a forum taboo. You guys go to gyms...

Well, I could have stopped you there..

ps. You can pretty much take me with lots of grains of salt.

cheers

[josh60]

You can pretty much take me with lots of grains of salt.
cheers

No, I'm afraid I can't (kidneys) .

[Jungledoc]

Why would a gym need an "aerobic section"?

Why does a aquarium need a shoe department?

My present gym has a broken treadmill, a stationary bike and an elliptical thingy. A "dream" gym would have none of those things.

[Jebus]

But you guys, every gym needs an aerobic section. How else are you going to attract the customers who spend 30+ month to use an elliptical twice a week? This aerobic section should be well isolated from the anaerobic section of the gym though. Which will prevent any new customers from being scared by the stereotypical meat-heads (who actually train for something).

[Jungledoc]

Yeah, but it would be a lot easier to just have a collection box with a sign: "Gullible people please deposit your money here." You'd make more because you wouldn't have to actually buy machines, electricity, etc. Or you could have a door with a sign reading "aerobics department" that would actually lead to the great outdoors with streets, sidewalks, jogging trails, etc.

[robertscott]

thing is, some crazy people just like cardio, and don't like lifting weights.

It's baffling, but it's just the way it is. The gym'll have to cater to them too

[Oscar_Actuary]

But it cant be all things to all people
Catering to some, may deter others. It's like the way no fancy folk go to CiCi's Pizza

Cardio bunnies have there gyms. Prowlers yes, cycles maqchines nah. If cycel machines, make them shut down after 6 miuntes, that long enough for warm up. Or make them Tabatas style only.

.

[Jebus]

Everyone is a minority. If you try to cater to everyone, you end up with 451.

[josh60]

Yeah, but it would be a lot easier to just have a collection box with a sign: "Gullible people please deposit your money here." You'd make more because you wouldn't have to actually buy machines, electricity, etc. Or you could have a door with a sign reading "aerobics department" that would actually lead to the great outdoors with streets, sidewalks, jogging trails, etc.

Well, well, well. I, for one, use both aerobic and anaerobic sections of my gym, and I'm not the only one doing it. Gullible? maybe, but I'm happy to report my HDL seems to be gullible too, and I surely prefer getting your ridicule than a heart attack (I hope that by assuming a link between HDL level and cardio health I don't open another hornet's nest here). I don't like doing my aerobics outdoors, and, again, I am not unique in this respect.

The main thing is that aerobics section is a must for many potential customers, so it has economic importance for the gym owner.

[robertscott]

sounds like this gym's getting pretty elitist. Loads of people use the aerobic section. Not having one will lose you loads of business

[hoosegow]

There's nothing wrong with a cardio section. It is a convenience/motivation thing for a lot of people. I can't speak about the cold, but I know for dang sure I'd rather run -er walk/waddle - on a treadmill in aircondtion than in 110 degree heat.

Also, I think we can all agree that just getting to a gym is half the battle. There are countless times I've said that I didn't want to be there, but because I was there, I'd lift. Then I'd have a pretty good session. If I was at the house, I'm sure I'd find several other things to do.

And yes, aerobic training isn't the best thing to do, but it helps and if someone likes it, more power to them. Most of us can't fathom training for a marathon or a triathlon, but many people like it. Don't knock it and if there is a market for this aspect of a gym, put it in.

[stuward]

sounds like this gym's getting pretty elitist. Loads of people use the aerobic section. Not having one will lose you loads of business

That goes back to the business model and what we were talking about earlier. The money in fitness is in cardio studios, fitness classes, bootcamps and so on where you can get a bunch of people in a small area that will get in and get out so you can get a new group in. Halfbreed has never said if that was what he wanted for his gym or not, just that he was looking at ideas of stuff that we would look for in a gym.

[Oscar_Actuary]

^ what he said

[Jungledoc]

Does DeFranco have an aerobics department? He has a big treadmill that he hooks ties people to with tension bands and performs some sort of horrible torture, but I don't think it's aerobics. Cardio, yes. I didn't mean to say anything against cardio per se. But it doesn't need a "department". If it's important, it can be where everything else is. Barbell complexes. Kettlebells. Prowlers. Tires to flip or pound with a sledge hammer. "Cardio" doesn't mean "squirrel cage machine". Out doors or indoors or a little of each. Halfbreed doesn't want to make a better Golds Gym. He wants to make something that will be different from what experienced corporations are already doing several times over in his community.