They yuppiefied my gym!

**Triple Threat** · 06-02-2004, 09:16 AM

Every year during the last week of May, the club where I train closes for a week for their annual “spruce up”. Everything is cleaned and if necessary, fixed, and sometimes older equipment is replaced with newer models. This year we were told that the free-weight room was going to get a major overhaul, with new flooring and new Cybex & Hammer Strength equipment replacing the older machines.

Today was my first opportunity to use the newly refurbished free-weight room. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the bright yellow wall directly in front of me, the pale green walls on either end, the blue wall behind me, and the pink arches which support the roof.

For a minute I thought that I had walked into a nursery or a kindergarten room. The only thing missing from the mostly primary colored walls was an alphabet and the numbers. So much for atmosphere. OK, so the floor was decent.

I looked around the room and took note of the new Cybex equipment, all shiny and new. Great. Now where’s the squat rack? Today’s workout was supposed to be legs and core. I looked around for the squat rack, but alas, there was none.

There WAS a sign on the wall saying that the power rack was due in by the end of the month. Wonderful. Today is the second. So no squats and no good mornings. I couldn’t even do hyperextensions, since that machine hadn’t arrived yet, either. Also missing was the adjustable height steps which I use for box squats, although without a squat rack, that fact was irrelevant.

My previously sunny disposition

was gone

and it’s not exactly easy having a sunny disposition at 5:30 AM.

Having anticipated the arrival of the new equipment, this was a major letdown.

I headed over to the leg press machine, started loading the plates, and noticed that whereas the old machine had 4 arms on which to load plates, this one had only 2. That meant a max of only 900 lbs could be loaded instead of 1800 (no, I don’t use 1800, but 900 isn’t enough). Furthermore, the seatback was not adjustable. A couple of sets later I had had enough, and headed to the leg extension machine.

Another disappointment was to follow, as this machine maxes out at 200 lbs (as opposed to 250 previously), but there was a problem with the rod that goes down through the plates, so 187.5 was it for today.

I looked around for a crunch machine, but there wasn’t one, nor was there one on the “soon to be here” list.

Hanging leg raises would have been an OK substitute, but there was nowhere convenient to place the straps. A decline bench, which some people use for situps/crunches, was also lacking.

I hate to sound like an ingrate, but I really felt like telling the owner “Thanks for nothing.”

I wasn’t alone in my sentiments either, as I heard more grumbling than weights clanging. While the new machines will appeal to the “toning” crowd, it does nothing for the serious body-builders and weight-trainers, except to chase them out and seek another gym. Besides, this facility already has a “fitness room”, complete with Nautilus and a slew of various cardio equipment. And the new machines in the "Free Weight Room" don’t have enough weight on them for the serious lifter.

Thankfully, I leave for Spain tonight. Adios, Yuppie-ville. Population : One less.

**mousie** · 06-02-2004, 09:24 AM

Well did you complain to the manager? I would suggest looking for a new gym...

**Pepper** · 06-02-2004, 10:10 AM

The problem is the gyms make little money on body-builders. The yuppie/toning crowd is where the cash is. I ain't saying it's right, but that's why the gym changed.

**Little Wing** · 06-02-2004, 10:40 AM

The gym should ask the members what they think before they make changes n spend their money keeping their clientelle happy how hard is that to figure out.

**Pepper** · 06-02-2004, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by rockgazer69

The gym should ask the members what they think before they make changes n spend their money keeping their clientelle happy how hard is that to figure out.

The thing is, they already have your money. The changes are to bring in more new money...and the yuppie crowd is where the money is for gyms these days.

**Little Wing** · 06-02-2004, 10:54 AM

I believe that. There should be a serious gym available nearby if there isn't the person disappointed in not finding one may have stumbled on a buisness oportunity. Put in a yuppie room if you must but keep the focus! OR move to Spain that'd be fun too.

**X Ring** · 06-02-2004, 10:55 AM

you sure to go to spain a lot

sucks about the gym, I would definitely have something to say about that

**animalmachine** · 06-02-2004, 02:47 PM

they don't want people in there who actually lift, they just want members who pay the rediculous and pointless "signup fee", pay for a few sessions with a personal trainer, and then get lazy and never go to the gym, but instead sit their lazy asses at home watching bad tv with beer in hand saying, "maybe i shoudn't have had the BK supersize combo... oh well, i'll start going to the gym again next week"... so they continue to pay, but still don't go, giving away $40 to the gym every month.

**Var** · 06-02-2004, 02:55 PM

I really wish I could find a "hardcore gym"/fitness center hybrid.

All the benefits of the hardcore gym, but open to guys even if they cant bench 500lbs. That would be sweet! I'm SO sick of listening to Top 40 (dont have an mp3 player yet) and fighting old ladies for equipment!

Good luck, CaptainD!

**PreMier** · 06-02-2004, 06:34 PM

Oh my god! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I hope that you bitched, and complained like your life depended on it.

**X Ring** · 06-02-2004, 09:14 PM

You should come up to CT and hit up the Powerhouse with me. Its awesome, got lots of good machines and cardio, offers spinning and all that crap I will never do but then you got guys lifting a ton over on the free weights

Originally Posted by Var

I really wish I could find a "hardcore gym"/fitness center hybrid.

All the benefits of the hardcore gym, but open to guys even if they cant bench 500lbs. That would be sweet! I'm SO sick of listening to Top 40 (dont have an mp3 player yet) and fighting old ladies for equipment!

Good luck, CaptainD!

**BUSTINOUT** · 06-02-2004, 09:21 PM

Sorry to hear the bad news Cap'n.

**Triple Threat** · 06-05-2004, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by mousie

Well did you complain to the manager? I would suggest looking for a new gym...

The manager/owner is not there at 6 AM, but I did make some comments to the trainers, not that it will do any good. Actually, I complained to anyone who would listen.

I don't think the owners really care if a few of the hard-core types leave. We're definitely in the minority, so it's not as if they're going to lose a significant amount of money.

Actually the trainers are pissed off too, since the management is raising the amount the trainers must pay for the privilege of working there. It's going from five percent to thirty percent of what they make, so a couple of them will be going elsewhere, too.

As for looking for a new gym, that process started while I was working out.
I was mentioning the situation to one of the trainers and he told me that he had just invested in a near-by gym, becoming part owner with some people he has known for a while. When I return home, I'll try it for a couple of weeks and see what the deal is. He said the outrageous jump from 5% to 30% has pretty much forced him to leave, since that's a full-time job for him.

**Triple Threat** · 06-05-2004, 03:41 AM

Originally Posted by Pepper

The thing is, they already have your money. The changes are to bring in more new money...and the yuppie crowd is where the money is for gyms these days.

That's exactly it, Pepper. The club changed hands a few years ago and the new owners are trying to make as much money as possible as soon as possible. The easiest way is to attract new members.

Originally Posted by rockgazer69

The gym should ask the members what they think before they make changes n spend their money keeping their clientelle happy how hard is that to figure out.

What is particularly irksome is that I don't think the owners even use the free weight room. The only times when I've seen them actually use the facilities they're in the Nautilus-cardio-fitness-TONING room.

**Triple Threat** · 06-05-2004, 03:50 AM

Originally Posted by X Ring

you sure to go to spain a lot

This is my fourth trip here this year and the seventh in the past 18 months. The project that I'm working on is for a Spanish company and we're now in the final phase. All equipment has been transferred to Spain for installation, so there's no testing that I can do in the US. We're scheduled to complete the work sometime late summer or early fall, so I expect a couple of more trips before we're finished.

This has been the most frequent travel that I've had to do in about 20 years, so I can't really complain. One thing I don't like is that as we head into the summer months, the weather is hot here. The past couple of days the temperature has reached upper 80's and the closest beach is about 4 hours away. At home the closest beach is about 10 minutes away.

**Triple Threat** · 06-05-2004, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by Var

I really wish I could find a "hardcore gym"/fitness center hybrid.

All the benefits of the hardcore gym, but open to guys even if they cant bench 500lbs.

I did find one once, many years ago, up in Augusta, Maine. I had been lifting for less than two years, was still pathetically weak, but the people that trained there were most supportive. I can remember getting ready to do a bench press, and without even being asked, guys would walk over to see if I needed a spot! Not knowing anyone there, I was most appreciative.

Benching 500 lbs? Only in my dreams.

**Little Wing** · 06-05-2004, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by CaptainDeadlift

I did find one once, many years ago, up in Augusta, Maine. I had been lifting for less than two years, was still pathetically weak, but the people that trained there were most supportive. I can remember getting ready to do a bench press, and without even being asked, guys would walk over to see if I needed a spot! Not knowing anyone there, I was most appreciative.

Benching 500 lbs? Only in my dreams.

That gym must still be there because I lived there 11 yrs ago n saw massive guys more than you do anywhere else in Maine it was like there was a concentration of them there.

**bigss75** · 06-05-2004, 10:05 AM

I am very happy with my gym . Usually since its new no ones there i can throw in my cd and listen to it but slowly its being taking over with weekend warriors. My only hope is to scare them with heavy mental music and my loud grunting.

**greekblondechic** · 06-05-2004, 03:17 PM

I go to a New York Sports Club, and its weird because we have everything from the big juicers to the little old ladies

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