Help me choose a gym

[IronFist]

Ok, I have two choices. I have Gym A, my current gym, and Gym B, the new gym I'm considering.

Gym A
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Good things:
Has awesome deadlift platforms and bumper plates
Has 1kg kettlebells (not that it matters, cuz I could buy my own with the money I'd save by going to the other gym)
Is NEVER crowded

Bad things:
$71 per month
Plays the easy listening radio station
Has the thin barbells, and doesn't have ANY thick (normal) ones.
Full of old people

Gym B
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Good things:
$41 per month
Has thicker barbells

Bad things:
Has those stupid ass **** rubber-coated triangular plates with the holes in the sides to make carrying them easier but you can't deadlift properly with them cuz they're freaking triangles, and doesn't have ANY normal plates. I hate those pieces of ****!
Everything so so freaking close together. I almost hit someone while I was squatting and almost bumped into someone who was bench pressing.
Full of quarter-ROM-squatting frat boys
Everything is black and brown in there. All the metal on the machines and benches and stuff is black, and all the pads are brown. I know it doesn't matter, but it's UGLY.
Is more trendy and full of people who think machines are superior to free weights

I think the weights might be off, here, too. The bar felt light, and I squatted 250 like it was nothing. Do they make full size barbells that weigh less than 45lbs?


Both gyms are open the same hours, gym A is like 2 minutes away, and gym B is like 5 minutes away, so neither of those is a real advantage over the other.

Both gyms have weighted chinup/dip belts, which doesn't matter, cuz I have my own anyway.

Both gyms only have one squat rack, which is ok, cuz it's not like anyone ever uses it (except for curls).

Neither gym has heavy bags. Well, gym B has those ones that are on the sand-filled base, but I don't like those, so I consider this as neither gym having a heavy bag. Gym A supposedly used to have one and they're getting a new one, but they've been "getting a new one" for the past 2 months now.

I'm going to try and work out a deal with gym A... if they'll give me a cheaper rate AND buy a GOOD heavy bag (a 6ft Thai bag... hehe), then I'll stay. We'll see if I can negotiate that.

But if I can't, which gym should I pick? It's almost worth the $30 per month I'd be saving to go to gym B.

[Toby]

I'd definitely choose B or C. C is buying your own setup, but you don't have the room for that, do you? You could get a power rack and nice barbell etc for the price of a year's membership at A.

D is finding another gym that's slightly further out than 5min but is more plusses than A or B.

I like it when everyone likes the machines. That means you don't have people getting in your way.

Lol at triangular plates. Never heard of those before. I'd be asking them if they can get normal ones. At least a few hundred pounds worth. They shouldn't argue with that.

Anyway, I'd still go with C.

[Ford Prefect]

Wow, Iron. Tough choice. BTW, yes about the bar. I got my wife a full sized olympic bar that weighs 15lbs because it's made out of an aluminum alloy.

Personally, I don't care about the state of equipment or how small the place is. The thing I care about is how c rowded the gym is. If I have to wait for a bench, squat rack, or any equipment on a regular basis then forget about it. It completely ruins my tempo and my state of mind. When I'm in the gym I want to attack attack attack. I don't want to attack... sit around for 10 minutes for bench... attack ... sit around another 6 minutes for this equipment... It'd be worth the extra money for no hassles. Plus you can Oly lift!

I dunno how much space you have at home, but Toby's suggestion is the best. I couldn't possibly be any happier than I am with my current set-up. I have dumbbell handles, 10 lbs plates, and a glute-ham raise bench on the way too. I can listen to my own music. I can go at my own pace without waiting or having other people wait for my equipment. I can grunt and swear without feeling like a tool. I don't have anybody trying to talk to me. I can workout anytime I want. If I feel like ripping out a set of squats or cleans, I can just walk downstairs and do it. I can use my own shower after rather than wondering who's pee I'm standing in. It's great.

[abobo]

The atmosphere in gym A sounds a lot better. $71 dollars sounds expensive to me though. Maybe you could bring an old student ID and ask for the student rate...

I currently go to a gym that is like gym B. Young guys in wife beaters, big guys who wear belts for everything, everyone doing curls - the usual commercial gym.

I do most of my work in the power rack though, so I haven't had to put up with the crowds so far.

[red5angel]

from what you said, I'd say decide where the money is important. Do you need to save the 30$ a month? Currently your basicly paying for convenience. I'd prefer proper equipment, and less people to a lower monthly payment.

[IronFist]

I'm in my first job out of college and I could use $30 per month.

I live in an 800 sq ft apartment on the top floor which means no home equipment (at least nothing big like barbells or squat cages).

I'll have to ask at gym B if they'll let me deadlift in the middle of the gym. Cuz they might be one of those stupid "no deadlifting" gyms.

[red5angel]

the other thing you can try ironfist is request they get some of the proper weights for you. Sounds like our reasons are legitimate enough that they may go for it.

[IronFist]

I don't think they'd care. I'm in the minority. The majority (read: the people who need to be pleased in order to make a profit) don't care about things like iron weights or deadlifting. They care about their weight machines and 50,000 different ab machines and swiss balls and dumbell curls. There's no reason for a gym to listen to me, from a profit standpoint.

[red5angel]

thats not necesarily true. I used to go to this club and I wanted a particular piece of equipment. I talked to a few people, kept pestering them for a few months and voila, it appeared miraculously one day. All I'm saying is if you want to save some money, it may not hurt to try.

[fa_jing]

I'm getting crap at Bally's about deadlifting. They don't have a problem with it, but they have a problem with me letting the weight fall like you're supposed to. I can do sort of a Romanian deadlift though.

[Toby]

I always put the weight down, even for heavy lifts. It crashes down and makes a sound, but not loud. I certainly don't drop it from waist height. I don't try and do a negative deadlift, but I do control it on the way down. Probably with 1/4 effort (rough guess). Plus if you hold the bar when it lands it seems to help muffle the sound.

[fa_jing]

What I heard was to let it fall, but keep your grip on it and go down with it, braking the fall only slightly.

Iron - join Gym A. BTW, I'm doing deadlifts with the octagonal weights or whatever, and it works fine. are the weights that you mentioned actually triangular on the outside?

[abobo]

I've deadlifted with the octagon shaped Iron Grip plates also. The starting height will be a little lower than for round ones (unless you put some plates on the ground). The bar also rocks a bit after you lower it to the floor. Otherwise, no big deal.