I don’t know about other guys, but im getting sick and tired of todays modern gyms. Planet fitness, putting down, insulting those that actually built the first gyms in this country. They ridicule and mock bodybuilders. they say they want a judge free zone. what exactly does that mean, “judge free zone” anyone who looks like they workout, they don’t want you there. why, cause we intimidate the fat middleaged soccer moms.
Honestly, i feel that a nice hardcore gym could be very popular at this time. Be just the opposite of Planet Fitness. have little sayings like they do. but make fun of the average joe blow. people who join a gym a month before summer starts. or after new years. or if your idea of a strenuous workout is to do 15lb dumbell curls this isn’t the gym for you. if your afraid of big strong guys, this isnt the gym for you etc…
Try and find a power rack in these gym, good luck. i personally find it sickening.
Alright i have been to borders, barnes and noble, checked online at amazon, been to about 10 libraries etc. and i STILL can’t find this book you are talking about
I’ve seen hybrid gyms work just fine. They had a cardio machine side and then a weights side. The weights side was again divided into free weights and machines. They offered three power racks and two powerlifting platforms with all the different bars you could want (cambered, ssb, deadlifting bars, etc). They did very well for themselves and were growing.
As far as a real gym that makes money I think it needs to be somewhat in the middle of the 2 extremes. Ideal would be take a hardcore gym and add what you need for normal people to go there, even if its like a 2nd level with more cardio/machine equipment. Most commercial gyms do the opposite of this and start with a gym for the average person then maybe add a few squat racks and free weights. The people who sign up and don’t go often is where the money comes from. If a gym was full of members like myself it would either be too crowded or not making enough money. Pure hardcore gyms can work but the membership is usually more expensive and it has to be well placed in a city that has a need for it, no other ones nearby, etc. Personally I think I will always be able to find a decent commercial gym and worst case just buy my own squat rack at home and use the gym for everything else.
This one gym told me my 400 year old wife couldn’t come and talk to me when I worked out.
I’m just busting your balls.
It’s all about making money and pleasing the common demographic. Probably close to <1% of the worlds population trains hardcore/bodybuild. Hense this site and only a handful that look the part or train on a regular basis. You make a business to make money and not because you want your own gym…
A hardcore gym can be successful. It’s all about watching your overheads, knowing the ideal location to tap into the market, and understanding what the hardcore crowd really want. How successful it will be is another story. Don’t expect to start throwing around dozens across the country, and also don’t expect an insane amount of members to sign up in the first year.
It depends on the location, other gyms in the area, and a bunch of other stuff I can’t think of. You can have a serious hardcore gym that also allows “regular” people too… in fact that would be ideal. Great equipment and heavy weights, and anybody can go. Quads Gym in Chicago is like that. Big guys and pencil necks training in the same gym on real equipment. If you want to squat, there are squat racks there. But there are leg extension machines too… you don’t have to squat if you don’t want to, and nobody gives a damn. Think of it as the opposite of Planet Fitness. A hardcore gym where everyone is welcome.
[quote]optheta wrote:
Dude this really isn’t a issue, just go to a 24 hour Fitness is just fine for all your BBing needs.
Hell they have signs on how Weight training isn’t just for BBers and it talks about the benefit of weight training for Anybody.
[/quote]
Exactly, most commercial gyms are not the devil as long as the management is either very lazy or relatively cool or willing to compromise (use chalk, clean it up; fine by me).
[quote]MODOK wrote:
This has nothing to do with your topic, but you are a god damn monster if that avatar looks anything like reality. Shouldn’t you be climbing the Empire State Building or something? Good to have you around.
[/quote]
Agreed. He needs his own thread or something before he gets scared off T-Nation
[quote]MODOK wrote:
This has nothing to do with your topic, but you are a god damn monster if that avatar looks anything like reality. Shouldn’t you be climbing the Empire State Building or something? Good to have you around.
[/quote]
Agreed. He needs his own thread or something before he gets scared off T-Nation[/quote]
[quote]MODOK wrote:
This has nothing to do with your topic, but you are a god damn monster if that avatar looks anything like reality. Shouldn’t you be climbing the Empire State Building or something? Good to have you around.
[/quote]
Agreed. He needs his own thread or something before he gets scared off T-Nation[/quote]
[quote]MODOK wrote:
This has nothing to do with your topic, but you are a god damn monster if that avatar looks anything like reality. Shouldn’t you be climbing the Empire State Building or something? Good to have you around.
[/quote]
Agreed. He needs his own thread or something before he gets scared off T-Nation[/quote]
Maybe it’s just NJ, but I don’t see the need for a strictly hardcore gym here. Most of the gyms are 24 hour fitness, retro fitness, and LA Fitness. All of the gyms have multiple squat or power racks, tons of free weight, and some great HS machines. I’ve been to Planet Fitness too and that place sucks as bad as it’s reputation. But all the other gyms I’ve been to were pretty damn good and cheap. I don’t know if a hardcore gym could compete give the gyms I’ve listed only charge $20 a month and have everything I need.
I train at retro fitness and have been to 4 of their gyms. All of them are good. My local one even just got an Olympic Platform and rubber weights you can drop.