Call for the abolition of Gyms

[jrussel]

Gyms, health spas, fitness centres, call them what you will. What I am talking about here is the institutions to be found in urban areas, where city dwellers toil away on exercise bikes that go no-where, lift weights only to put them down again and punch lifeless bags of I don't know what hanging from the ceiling. And these are are the least bizzare and meaningless activities that go on in these places.

How disgusting those neon-lit rooms filled with the evaporated sweat of the multitudinous fools within. But this is not the point. what does this do to the brains of these people?

Why can they not expend their energy in a more productive way?

I suggest that these places be outlawed or at least subject to some kind of controls, perhaps a maximum time per person per week in these places to be specified and enforced.

[bignumber5]

riiiight...

Are you rather fat and unhealthy? Or recently been dumped by an aerobics instructor? minor case of OCD in the matter of other people's sweat?

Don't be shy, talk to us. This is a safe space.

[giggirl]

bignumber5 Wrote:

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This is a safe space.

Since when?

[jrussel]

bignumber5 Wrote:

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> riiiight...

>

> Are you rather fat and unhealthy? Or recently been

> dumped by an aerobics instructor? minor case of

> OCD in the matter of other people's sweat?

>

> Don't be shy, talk to us. This is a safe space.

Why do you suspect that I am "fat and unhealthy"? I am making a comment on the societal climate that makes these places so popular. I do not see why my own weight or health situation are relevant.

[bignumber5]

Was just going for general mockery of your objecting to gyms. I don't, you see. Shall now disengage with tail between legs. (similarly, that should not be taken entirely literally as I don't have a tail)

[macroban]

jrussel has been on holiday for five months.

[bigbadwolf]

Been caught in the ladies changing rooms again jrussel? Disgusting behaviour.

[jrussel]

I wonder how many people are aware of the level of illness and injury that can be directly caused by over-use of gym facilities.

Eg

The very equipment you are using at the gym is either directly or indirectly helping you develop your muscle imbalances and setting you up for future problems.

Let me give you some examples. You cannot help but develop raw quad strength when you use the leg extension machine. As I asked you before, do you stick to exercises that you like to do? Let's face it, everyone hates to work the hamstrings because they are weak and it is hard to do. So most people overwork their quads and under-work their hamstrings.

Another example is the calf raise machine. Again, the calf muscle will always be stronger then the muscles in front of the shin, but when you blast your calves and do not work the muscles in the front of the shin you are setting yourself up for planter fasciitis, heel spurs, Achilles tendonitis and even knee problems.

Let me recap. Working out with gym equipment puts enormous unnatural force through the joint, restricts movements to linear motions and can very easily overdevelop muscle groups. This combined with the development to muscle imbalances?is a hidden root cause of most if not all physical injuries at the gym.

http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/gym-workouts.shtml

The fact is that societal pressures are forcing people to go to these places in desperate attempt to conform to the perfect body image that they will never attain. They overstretch themselves and bingo, they do their back or leg or arm or foot or neck or toe or goodness knows what else a chronic injury.

If they had taken their excercise in a productive natural way like gardening or voluntary wall building or this sort of thing they would be happier healthier and ultimately more useful to society as people.

Someone

[????]

I'm more sympathetic on this than trees

[Jeremy]

Being fit and healthy is not necessarily related to body image.

It's also incorrect to suggest that gardening can have equivalent benefits to an hour of intensive exercise.

[giggirl]

Jrussel - I would disagree and say that your own general health is pertinent. I'm trying to get some insight into why your attitude to gyms is so negative and I'm failing. Also, because you've lumped gyms together with spas (and I would place them at polar opposites), I'm wondering if you know that much about the subject.

From a personal point of view, gyms are a necessary evil. I want to be fit and healthy - that requires some effort on my part ? therefore I put in the work. Yes there are other options, but none of them as convenient as going to ESPN, which takes me about four minutes door-to-door. It would be marvellous if I never had to lift a finger, but that?s never going to happen.

Gardening! Are you joking, really are you taking the pi**.

If your post is aimed at those few people who are gym-junkies, then you should clarify. Otherwise, 3-4 40 minute sessions a week is hardly over-tasking for the average person.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

jrussel, I have plantar fasciitis and heel spurs but I never go to gyms. I walk too much, though - should we be banning that?

[Huggers]

I would like to have a pub called 'The Jim'.

It would be a place of sanctuary and alibi.

[Kells]

jrussel, I agree with you. The last time I went to a gym was a guest with my sister - I did what anyone sensible would do and went and sat in the jacuzzi for an hour (using the excuse that I'd broken bone in my foot at the time, but if it works, why not?!)

[Applespider]

I agree with you to a certain extent as regards the majority of weight machines in the gym which do nothing for functional use of the muscles and I'm not keen on mindless cardio staring at crap on the TV - I'd rather run round Dulwich Park in the fresh air.

But, I do still go to a gym several times a week especially in winter when it's dark and the weather is chilly. It's mainly for the studio classes that they run, which can be fun and sociable, and free weights.

[woofmarkthedog]

I think it is a necessary & enjoyable evil if you want to keep strong and agile as you get older. I don't know what facilities you have been to but they don't sound very inspiring. Me the W**F family get great use out of our membership ,the boys have clubs like tennis,swimming & football at the weekends all year round. Mrs W**F & I also go in the week & work out, as we both run our own companies it gives us a chance to talk things through with out the distraction of phones & e-mail. I had a meeting last week with our accountants, we sat in the steam room, used the jacuzzi, had a thoroughly nice time and set ourselves up for the coming tax year. As for sitting aimlessly on an exercise bike well that doesn't happen either all the machines have flat screen t.v so you can plug in watch Sky & keep up with current affairs, all this in a large well lit air conditioned space.

However I did search around for a such a good facility for quite a while,seeing some dross along the way.

Really I don't think I could operate with out it now,I'm one happy dog so no Gym abolition vote from me.

W**F

[Keef]

I'm with you- gyms suck, as does everyone fitter than me, which pretty much includes you all these days :-S

[woofmarkthedog]

Oh Keef I used to feel the same, but when my boys came along,well they expect you to be bl**dy superman & you have to get fit to be a good parent cos it knocks the sh*t out of you. I have 2 boys 8 + 4, they are full on & because I don't have T.V or X-box all week I have to go and play out with them every night and most w/ends

I do however benefit from the training to keep up with them....arghhh

W**F

[Mick Mac]

When I first had children, I was so unfit just changimg nappies was hard work, walking up and down stairs, bathing babies, running after toddlers, you soon get fit (ish).

[woofmarkthedog]

Exactly.....

[LegalEagle-ish]

Cross training - doing other activities other than weights is a good way to ensure you minimise overwork injuries on any particular muscle groups and weight training is really beneficial to older people whose muscles start to atrophy with age. You just need to make sure you do the whole body equally.

I always work on the opposing sets of muscles when I do weights, plus cycling, some fitness classes, a bit of running, occasional swimming and I've just gone back to Taekwondo once a week so I think overall I am not overdoing any one set of muscles in a way that will cause injury.

My body is far from perfect, but I feel healthier and more energetic when I excercise, and I feel very sluggish when I don't, especially now I'm in my 40's.

[Cassius]

I've never injured myself in the gym and I've just done my knee in digging the garden..................

[Asset]

I don't like Gyms

[Brendan]

So, so far we have had a call for the abolition of urban greenery an assertion that there is no reason to acknowledge the separate national identities of New Zealand and Australia and now a call for the abolition of Gyms. I can?t wait to see what this chap comes up with next.

jrussel, are you actually the similarly named ex-England wicketkeeper known for his floppy hat, moustache wearing, painting and for generally being a nut job?

[bignumber5]

Oh, come on Bren, sporty people from countries with an abundance of nature: it's all part of the same rant. You saffers are next up against the wall. Presumably a precursor to nuking the entire southern hemisphere before the global takeover by the jrusselites (an unstoppably lardy army in manmade fibres, hailing from urban fortresses across the clearly distinguished nations of the northern hemisphere)