Joining a gym, yea or nay

[scottmandue]

I have never been a 'working out' kinda guy (except in middle school where P.E. was mandatory)... I'm sort of a loner and prefer hiking/biking for exercise.

Anyway, wifey has gotten into the gym thing (taking one of those boot camp deals).

And now wants to sign up for a gym... and hinting I should join to.

$90 start up and $25 a month (LA Fitness)

They do have a pool and at 60 YO swimming would be great exercise (however there are concerns of the hygiene of a public pool).

Pros: At 60 I am in a use or lose it mode.

Cons: Will I really use it and I'm just throwing money away?

Ideas?

[stevej37]

Prob the biggest question is..how active are you in a normal day?
Is it hard to find things to keep you moving? If it is..yes, a gym might be well worth it.
I'm 63..never been to a gym, but it seems there is always something going on to keep me from sitting too much.

[Evans, Marv]

If you & the wife think making a shared activity out of it would be fun and something you would both make a permanent thing to do, give it a try. If it doesn't work out, you can give it up & explore something else. A gym can offer a variety of activities, swimming, spinning, aerobics, lifting, whereas hiking & biking are enjoyable outside activities you could do as additional. The down side is you have to make a routine out of it by going to the same place but after you bike and hike all the trails around where you live, you end up in the same boat. I'd give it a tryout.

[impactbumper]

Go for it. Ultimately you have the answer. 3-4 times a week, you will feel better, slow down muscle loss, lower risk of other diseases. Best thing you can do for yourself. Also, couples train together, stay together lol

[Schrup]

I would try a guest pass first. I finally gave mine up because I wasn't going, the pool was the only thing I used. My wife just started again for the classes, the ones offered at her work kept getting cancelled.

[t-tom]

We had a planet fitness open up right by our house, 20 bucks a month for both of us. I've lost 18 pounds in the last 2 months. I feel and sleep so much better now. All I do is walk/ jog on the treadmill or the eliptical 3-4 times a week for 30 mins. I'm 44 and have not been under 200lbs for the last 10 years. I hit 198 today.

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

... I'm sort of a loner and prefer hiking/biking for exercise.

Me too.

The only time I signed up for a year at a local gym, I broke a couple bones (not at the gym) and couldn't use the membership for a few months.
Stuck paying every month, getting zero value.

Joining is fine as long as they do not require a long-term deal. Month-to-month only.
If you don't use it, quit paying, and go play outside.

I was on a swim team for quite a while. Excellent way to keep in shape.
I just don't like working out around a bunch of other people.

[faverymi]

For 25 bucks no brainer.

I like the pool idea

In MA you get insurance reimbursement also

[id10t]

Best deal going for a gym around here for old folks is that the community college (where I work) gives free classes to Old Folk (60+ or 65+, forget). And with a student ID, you have free access to our gym.

Personally I've only used it a few times, to shower before work when we had no power at home for an extended time due to hurricanes...

[icemann427]

LA Fitness in Arizona (and I would guess they would do the same in Cali) offers an add on thing where your wife can pay $50/month to take a guest with her. So, as long as you go, together, you could save the initiation fee and a few bucks per month...

[widebody911]

I imagine if there was some "thing" (ie legislation/magic wand) that terminated gym membership if the subscriber didn't show up for n days, 98% of gyms would go up in a puff of smoke within the quarter.

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by impactbumper

Go for it. Ultimately you have the answer. 3-4 times a week, you will feel better, slow down muscle loss, lower risk of other diseases. Best thing you can do for yourself. Also, couples train together, stay together lol

This makes sense but having said that my wife and I walk a lot. At least an hour a day.
We have no desire for an outside gym. I have some weights but hardly use them. It seems that I get more muscle strains as I get older(70). I spend more time at physio now as I overdo it in the yard. I know I should join a gym and get direction on muscle strengthening.

I have a real bike and walk in the neighborhood. We don't feel the need for an outside gym. Like the above says try a trial membership.

[Craig T]

Absolutely do it! You will feel better, and likely enjoy the energy of the environment (and hot chicks).

My only advice is to start slowly!!! If you've never been a "work out guy", you'll be susceptible to tendonitis and strains if you start too aggressively. If it hurts, you'll quit. Start with SUPER light weight and lots of repetitions. See if they have a stretching class.

[Charles Freeborn]

Try it on for size first - monthly pass for a while.
Personally I don't need the "group vibe" thing.
I bought a rowing machine over 15 years ago for about a grand - do the math and the monthly is WAY less than a gym. Fill in with some floor exercises, a fitness ball and a pair of 20 lb dumbbells and you're good to go.
BTW, I'm 60 too. Running, hard impact sports are a no-go on the knees. I still do play tennis, but mostly doubles these days.

[Craig T]

I'm lucky enough to have space for a full gym in my house, and I work out on a regular schedule, but I have to constantly remind myself that I'm 57. If I get too aggressive with weightlifting even one time, I end up with tendonitis for months (elbows and shoulders). The days of a beach body are long past.

[Rick Lee]

I'm a gym rat and am very picky about gyms. IME most have terrible cultures where the rules are ignored and unenforced. You see people putting their water bottles on a machine to sort of reserve it while they walk away, they sit on machines and play on email while others are waiting for that machine and, one of my favorites, they go to the dumb bell rack, grab a pair and then stand right against the rack to stare at themselves in the mirror so no one else can reach a dumb bell nearby. And then there's the locker room etiquette, where you can pick a locker on a wall of 100 unoccupied lockers and, when you come back, two idiots have picked the lockers on each side of yours, leaving all the other ones alone and guaranteeing you get to bump into other sweaty guys while changing. Then you have the guys who must not have showers in their homes and really enjoy walking around the locker room totally nude and making small talk with others. I hate everyone.

In my next life I will own a gym, the rules will be militantly enforced and there will be an interview process.

[masraum]

Gyms are great if you go and use them. If I signed up, I would not go and use it unless I had some sort of partner that was the driving force. Once there, I'll work out, but it's just too easy not to change, get in the car, go, etc....

If your wife is doing it regularly and you would be going with her, then it may be a good deal for you.

Some folks find that having paid, that's the motivation they need to not waste their own money. Some folks like the structure and variety of classes and equipment. We found some stuff that we like to do and got enough equipment to do it at home, which is much better for us.

It's a highly personal thing.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by t-tom

We had a planet fitness open up right by our house, 20 bucks a month for both of us. I've lost 18 pounds in the last 2 months. I feel and sleep so much better now. All I do is walk/ jog on the treadmill or the eliptical 3-4 times a week for 30 mins. I'm 44 and have not been under 200lbs for the last 10 years. I hit 198 today.

Very nice. Well done!

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by id10t

Best deal going for a gym around here for old folks is that the community college (where I work) gives free classes to Old Folk (60+ or 65+, forget). And with a student ID, you have free access to our gym.

Personally I've only used it a few times, to shower before work when we had no power at home for an extended time due to hurricanes...

Our facility offers use of the gym and Hydroworx Pool for free for employees and seniors are $5. They used to be free but we had to charge something.

That said, I have never used the gym. I have a treadmill at home and my daughter and I do Muay Thai once a week.

If all you are going to do is use the treadmill I would get one for home. For pool use it might be worth the time and money.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

This makes sense but having said that my wife and I walk a lot. At least an hour a day.
We have no desire for an outside gym. I have some weights but hardly use them. It seems that I get more muscle strains as I get older(70). I spend more time at physio now as I overdo it in the yard. I know I should join a gym and get direction on muscle strengthening.

I have a real bike and walk in the neighborhood. We don't feel the need for an outside gym. Like the above says try a trial membership.

You sound like a good candidate for yoga.