Over the years, I have witnessed health clubs morph into social clubs. These change has been precipitated by health club owners. This is neither a good or bad thing, just a transition. Unfortunately, for seasoned Personal Trainers like myself, it is a difficult to watch the decline of form, function, discipline, and gym etiquette.
I trained at home for four years before joining Roma Health Spa in Bohemia in 1974. The owner was in great shape, as was the gym trainer. They truly were an inspiration for me to join the club. It wasn’t long before I began making substantial progress towards my goal as a competitive bodybuilder. Over the years, I ventured out to other gyms, meeting new people and learning more about training and nutrition. The common denominator with all these health facilities was the gym management. Every person that worked there was either a bodybuilder, powerlifter, or Olympic lifter. Going into a gym in those days was like going to college; you were there to learn. Period. If you didn’t know what you were doing, you were taught or asked to leave. I quickly learned that before I walked into a gym, I had better be prepared mentally and physically, and ready to train hard! Today, I still prepare myself mentally and physically to train hard. I go into the gym knowing what body part(s) I am going to train, how to warm up and stretch properly, and then train to my full potential. But something is different…
As I walk through the gym, things seem quiet. Occasionally I’ll see some weights or machines being used, but for the most part, the members seem to be “resting”. Upon closer observation, I noticed that most are using mobile devices to text, listen to music, or just waste precious time. Training has taken a backseat to socializing, watching the TV, and using cellphones. It has been this way for years now, and it is not going back the way it was. As I said earlier, it’s not a good or bad thing, it’s just a transition. Most gym owners are now business people, and they run the businesses to cater to today’s generation. I just feel bad for some of the members who never seem to make any progress. As a personal trainer, I vow to continue teaching people how to achieve a healthy, quality of life, with good nutrition and daily training.
Iron Guru 