30 posts
My little independent gym closed two months ago. I had been a gym member for 9 of its 13 years. It wasn't fancy, but it was convenient. I could walk across the street and be there. And it rarely got...
Read more →Three years ago I posted Millennials Have Killed the Glitter Gym. > People are staring at their phones between exercises. Between sets. Sometimes during the set itself. They are looking at their...
Read more →In December 2020, I posted Muscle Interrupted. > It has been 10 months since I last stepped foot in my gym due to the COVID lockdowns. Although my gym did reopen for a period during the late summer...
Read more →It has been 10 months since I last stepped foot in my gym due to the COVID lockdowns. Although my gym did reopen for a period during the late summer and early fall, I didn't return. I had concerns...
Read more →In my last post, The End of Gyms? Part 1, I covered some of the macro challenges gyms are facing in a post-Coronavirus world. I suspect many gyms are going to fail for the reasons cited in that post....
Read more →We are all trying to guess what life will be like when society reopens from the coronavirus lockdowns. One area that I have been thinking about a lot is gyms. Is the Business Model Now Broken? I fear...
Read more →In the post Why I Don’t Measure My Workouts, I explained why I no longer keep data for my workouts. Just because I have my reasons for not tracking workouts, that isn't a blanket recommendation for...
Read more →One of the core principles of high-intensity training and many other fitness programs is to record your workouts. I remember reading years ago that strength coach Charles Poliquin wants to see at...
Read more →Yesterday was the first day that could be described as a perfect spring day for Seattle. Because of the cold temperatures and rain, it had been over a week since my last Outdoor HIT Workout. Instead...
Read more →You absolutely do not need a gym to gain strength. This book is full of exercise ideas that only require your own body weight. !You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises You Are Your...
Read more →I just got back from a very cold day at my gym. My gym is a neighborhood playground where I do a workout that I describe in the post Escaping the Glitter: Taking High Intensity Training Outdoors. It...
Read more →I thought I would post a 2 month progress report on my outdoor High Intensity Training program. I outlined my playground workout in the post Escaping the Glitter: Taking High Intensity Training...
Read more →My membership to the Northgate 24-Hour Fitness has ended. During my 2 year relationship with them, they upgraded their facility from a small gym (Express) to a monstrosity (Super Sport). The fair...
Read more →I was just thinking today at the gym on how I no longer worry about catching some germ during my workouts. For a few years it was a concern of mine. From the post My 10 Gym Tips For 2010: > 2. Don't...
Read more →Due to my headache struggles this summer, the intensity of my workouts hasn't been as high as I'd liked. However, this morning I felt great. The gym wasn't crowded or too warm and an idea for a...
Read more →How can you tell without any prior knowledge which members of the gym are good or poor role models? Look for the successful survivors. Success is someone who is both lean and muscular (drug-free)....
Read more →While at my Glitter Gym, the gym paused the soccer mom workout music for an important announcement. It was a professionally made audio clip encouraging members to sign up for some nonsensical aerobic...
Read more →It just pains me to see well intentioned people enter the gym just after the New Year and make the same mistakes year after year. Some last a month or two. Most will fail and sadly, most will blame...
Read more →Of all the gym exercises, the bench press is the one that has been the most challenging. Tall ectomorphs have long arms and small wrists. Getting under a decent amount of weight and pushing it...
Read more →I set some new personal records today at the gym. My bodyweight (BW) today is 189. - Weighted Dip = 3 x BW+70 , 1 x BW + 80 - Weighted Pull-Ups = 3 x BW + 60, 2 x BW + 70 I use the 3 rep number...
Read more →For the past month, I haven't done a single weighted dip or pull-up. Instead, I've been focusing on volume. I've lowered the weight and greatly increased the number of sets. The reps ALWAYS stay in...
Read more →A month ago I decided I would not renew my membership and stop lifting weights. From the rather cryptic post Glitter Interrupted: > The things I need to do to improve my fitness level dont require a...
Read more →I have three points from previous posts on cardio that I wish to clarify. In the post Health Goals - Last Year and Today, I state that I got leaner despite doing no cardio. > I did not spent a single...
Read more →I was at dinner with some friends recently when one of the girls told me about a scientific fitness program. The girl was young, healthy and appeared quite fit. I also know from her very unique...
Read more →Back when I had a home gym, I kept records of each workout. After a few injuries and the move, I stopped recording my numbers. Well I've had some good progress this year, so I revisited the article...
Read more →Even though I no longer workout at a Glitter Gym, sometimes elements of glitter rear their head. On a recent trip to the gym I was doing sit-ups when I overheard an older couple arguing. The woman...
Read more →My prison sentence with the Glitter Gym has finally ended. The last month was unbearable. Expect to see a final Tales From the Glitter Gym installment soon. Yesterday I found a Rust gym. I didn't...
Read more →A little over a month ago I decided to leave the glitter gym and work out from home. On paper it seemed like a brilliant idea. My weights are in my office. I work from home. Why I could knock out...
Read more →Joining 24 hour Fitness is a lot easier than leaving. When you go to cancel your membership they remind you of two things. 1- You must give them 30 days notice. This means they can squeeze in one...
Read more →There are two types of gyms. Glitter gyms and Rust gyms. A majority of men and almost all women are only familiar with Glitter gyms. Glitter gyms are workout facilities with bright lights, mirrors,...
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