There has been a flurry of gym openings in my city recently, a development I approach with a mix of optimism and trepidation. An established gym, by its very existence, discourages competitors from opening nearby; a gym in operation also (tries to) dominate the membership market in a three to five mile radius. Bottom line:…
I worked out at a gym today that recently fastened this sign to the front desk: In case it’s a little hard to read, it says: LIFE TIME FITNESS BANS GUNS ON THESE PREMISES. Whoa. Now I get the prohibition of guns around locations such as bars and courthouses. And certainly any establishment has the…
I admit there’s one part of the gym experience with which I have no experience: aerobics classes. I’ve always figured that my own training is far more intense than whatever workout the instructor regresses to the mean. I’d also rather control my own pace and intervals of rest. Regardless, I do spend a great deal…
Anyone who makes exercise a regular part of his or her routine has to acknowledge Jerry Seinfeld’s point about the circular logic of the gym: “The only reason that you’re getting in shape is so you can get through the workout. So we’re working out, so that we’ll be in shape, for when we have…
Many years ago, before cable television, I remember seeing an amazing contraption at the house of a family friend. The dad had connected his television to his exercise bike so that the bike powered the TV. He could watch television only while converting calories into literal energy. The timing of his workouts determined what was…