by Todd ‘Oly’ Olsen, posted 23 September 2013
According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, there are more than 50 million gym members in the United States. How many gym members are actual gym ‘goers’ is much less. In fact, statisticbrain.com reports that 67% of gym memberships go unused. Even if we believe that dismal statistic, it still leaves us with around 16 million gym goers. So, what do these gym goers actually do in the gym? Based on my experience as a personal trainer in conventional gyms, I have identified 5 categories of gym goers:
CATEGORY #1 LOST
These are the gym members that sign up with good intentions but really don’t have any knowledge of what to do in the gym now that they are there. They wander around for a while and then try out the cardio equipment and then over to the group exercise room for some stretching and then over to the weight room for some quick bicep curls with light dumbbells. One has to figure that these are the gym members that end up being the 67% that don’t use their gym memberships.
CATEGORY #2 CARDIO ONLY
The gym members in this category joined the gym with the idea that all they need to do for fitness is cardio. They come in the gym, head over to the magazine rack and then hop on to their favorite piece of cardio equipment for an extended period of time. These gym members are either doing what they enjoy or they are doing what they ‘think’ they should be doing for fitness. They are getting cardiovascular benefits but they are missing out on the full picture of fitness.
CATEGORY #3 EXERCISING
The gym members in this category come into the gym and go through some kind of routine. They may have some knowledge of proper exercise selection and technique and will usually combine cardio and light resistance training. Everyone in a gym should at least be in this category. However, while these gym members are ‘exercising’ they are usually not upsetting homeostasis (the normal) in the body which is what leads to adaptation and progression.
CATEGORY #4 WORKOUT
You may have noticed that I have yet to use the word ‘workout’ in this article. Well, now is the time. Gym members in this category are ‘working out.’ They know proper exercise selection which will always include free weight full body compound movements. They also know good technique and are working hard to get stronger and increase their fitness level. They are not doing anything fancy. They are structured and stay strong with their consistency.
CATEGORY #5 TRAINING
Gym members in this category not only have the knowledge of exercise selection and technique but also know how to program for progress. They are coming into the gym each workout with a goal. Their goal for the day may be to lift more weight on a certain exercise or add one more repetition or even to make each repetition more efficient. These gym members are ‘training.’ They are trying to upset the normal. They keep a log book and when they reach a plateau, they figure out how to break past it. When they look back on their log book, they see a story of progression.
SUMMARY
It is my hope that by identifying these categories, readers that go to the gym may be able to categorize themselves and see if their goals are being met. Some gym members may be a mix of different categories. There are some who work really hard and try to progress but don’t really know how. These gym members would be a mix of the ‘exercise’ and ‘workout’ categories. My focus as a trainer is to keep my clients in the ‘workout’ and ‘training’ categories. Except for category #1, whatever category works for you, getting yourself to the gym is the most important thing. And for the category #1 people, help is available in most gyms.
About the Author: Todd ‘Oly’ Olsen is a Certified Personal Trainer, CPR/AED/First Aid Certified, Former Competitive Bodybuilder including a 3rd place finish in the very first Emerald Cup Contest in 1983, with a 15-year career in Professional Wrestling, and a record as one of few Americans inducted into the Slam Sports Canadian Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. Contact Olsen at 425/319-0476 or www.toddolyolsen.com
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text ©2013 Todd ‘Oly’ Olsen
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