Gyms for BB?

[Billy Boy]

I had a day off yesterday and went into the city that i live to have a look at some gyms as I want to move away from training at home so often.I visited 12 gyms and only one of those was a hardcore gym.The other 11 were more suited to health and leisure with extensive cardio machines and weight machines with a capacity of 70kg if you are lucky.

Got me thinking that maybe the hardcore culture of bb is dying.Years ago every gym would have free weights and always be some big guy in there banging away at the weights - now it seems to be office staff who wear trackie bottoms and a vest and go for a run and a gentle play around on the weight machines.The gyms I visited just seemed to lack the raw energy I used to see in the gym I used to train in.

The hardcore gym I found was up a back street not a cardio machine in sight and a full array of free weights with well used equipment no air condtioning and it is as basic as you can get.No fancy music being pumped out just the weights.There was only one guy training but he was a big MoFo and I got speaking to him and he asked me to spot him which I did but the atmosphere was there and the passion to get big.The owner is a little guy but knowledgeable and informative.Think I,ll join this one.

What sort of gyms do you guys train in and why?

[Pete235]

When I first read the title of the thread I thought you were saying "Gyms for Billy Boy" Which actually fits as well.

I agree Billy that the gym culture has gravitated more towards health and fitness as opposed to bodybuilding. IMO the reason is quite simply....money. I worked in a succesful chain of local "Health Clubs" for a while. We were taught that our goal was to cater to the 80's and not the 20's. Here's a brief explanation, 80% of the population is de-conditioned and 20% take an active role in their health. In most cases the 80's are career and family people and have more disposable income...hence the focus on those people. When they come to join a gym it is easier to "persuade" those people to buy ancillary products such as personal training sessions. Ask DB101....I'm sure he'll be able to offer some insight as well. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this for it is a business and reality suggests that it is tougher to make money with a hardcore gym than a full fitness facility where everybody is comfortable and nobody is intimidated.

They gym that Roberta and I belong to has, I feel, a nice balence. We live in a small city (375,000 people) and we live in a subdivision just outside the city. We have a local sports stadium with 2 rinks, a pool, a suppliment shop, a restaurant, a pysio clinic, a dance room, an aerobics facity and of course a gym. The gym is partitioned...cardio and wieghts. The wieght facilty is very new, very clean and quite well stocked. DB's go up to 160lbs(70kg) and there are plenty of benches, squat racks, hack machines, hammer strength, etc...very rarely do you have to wait for equipment. It's also a good training atmosphere. I know alot of the bros and they are quick to lend a spot (and vice versa) if I'm going too heavy for Roberta to spot me. Well lit and air conditioned but at the same time you can train pretty hardcore if your so inclined. The only complaint is that they play radio...and our local stations SUCK!! Literally that is my only complaint. Oh yeah....$38/month for the family (we pay extra for our son Cullens' swim lessons).

Pete

[Billy Boy]

We have a cow 19 sheep 4 chickens a football pitch a tractor and an half eaten jar of peanut butter in our city.LOL

[dumbells101]

In our facility down south, I decided to do some similar homework and here are my findings.

1 hard core (no ac/no heat bodybuilding gym. LOTS of freeweights and only hammer strength equipment. Dozens of other "Fitness centers" and about 4 facilitys like mine just for personal training.

[MarkyMark]

Agreed ...but foretunately I have a HC Gym ... But dont you agree that the BB want to train together and the health guru's don't like being around us cause their uncomfortable with the whole deal of a 250 lb guy waiting for the 150 lb guy to get off the machine ....hehe

[partyboynyc]

i use to work and workout at a hardcore gym in nj back in the day.it was great i loved the unity of all of us gearheads.it had just what you need, nothign else.now i work out at New York Sports Club in NYC.alot of people joke because it's like a fashion show, but i like that too.i think i'm out of that stage where i don't want to have fat sweaty guys yelling and groaning all around me.i like to be able to have ac in teh summer, heat in the winter,hahaha.NYSC is full of shallow girls that are into their looks and the looks of us guys there.my old hardcore gym was all washed up strippers from atlantic city and that was weak IMO.my gym is $85 a month and i'm glad it is so i don't have alot of HS kids just hanging out and every guy who just wants to say he has a gym membership and shows up to be in my way.people work out here , maybe because for $85 their gonna get somethign done.don't get me wrong though, i miss the teamwork at the hardcore gym because these fuckers will let you die before they will give a spot.

[Full Intensity]

Originally posted by partyboynyc
i miss the teamwork at the hardcore gym because these fuckers will let you die before they will give a spot.

Thats the way it should be!

[arthurb999]

I worked out at Boston Sports Club for a while and it was not hardcore at all; however, there were tons of hot chicks there. $60/month

I now live in RI and work out at Golds Gym so the hardcore atmoshere is somewhat there. $20/month

[partyboynyc]

i'll take hot girls over juiceheads anyday.

[Billy Boy]

The way I view it is if I wanted to see a women half naked I would go to a pub or a club when I,m working out I don,t want any distractions I want to rip the muscles apart as fast as I can and get in and out of the gym and not turn it into a social event.These people who spend 2-3hrs in a gym hell an hour maybe 1 1/2 hrs tops in and out.If I wanted to spend 2-3 hrs a night in a gym I would have bought one rather than my house LOL

[Pete235]

Originally posted by Billy Boy
The way I view it is if I wanted to see a women half naked I would go to a pub or a club when I,m working out I don,t want any distractions I want to rip the muscles apart as fast as I can and get in and out of the gym and not turn it into a social event.

DAMN SKIPPY!!!!

[partyboynyc]

i'm all about getting the job done in teh gym.i throw on my house music and don't say shit to anyone.an hour and 15-30 mins and i'm out, but i like nice scenery,hahaha.i don't give those dirty bithces teh time of day.i just like to watch them sweat me,haha

[Billy Boy]

LMAO should have guessed you would have an answer like that!