exercise equipment

[masterofsparks]

It depends on which gym you join, yesno. The best advice is to visit the gym and look at the folks who are working out. If everyone is a well-toned workout bunny, you're likely to encounter the sorts of things you fear. If, however, you see a room full of out-of-shape slobs (not judging!), you probably won't have too many problems. My gym is definitely the second type and the folks who work there are nice and don't try to pressure you.

[Gilly]

Scope out the YMCA before you join at least a few times on different days at different times. My family joined the YMCA when I was in high school and from 3-6 pm you couldn't do anything but run on the track because they let buses of community kids programs in to use the facilities. My dad said he couldn't run in the morning before work or use any equipment because of how many people there were. I guess membership is always open. But, I'm sure not every YMCA is the same. We lived in a highly populated lower middle class suburban area.

[namethebats]

Get a rowing machine.

You work everything in, like, 1/2 the time it takes with stationary bikes, stair climbers, etc.

It's fairly low-impact, too. I have a kind of bad right knee (it's been slowly healing over the past few years since I switched from riding a heavy-as-a-mother Schwinn Cruiser to a light and speedy road bike) and I have no problems with rowing.

It gets a tad tedious after a while but you can set it up in front of the TV or something and time will fly.

Seriously.

I've considered this - the fitness coordinator at one of the local hospitals is a big proponent of these, and it got me curious. How much does a good one cost?

[courtney]

I think they're a couple hundred to a thousand (!) bucks. I use one of the 2 at my campus rec center but I've been looking around so I can have one at home. It would save me time and give me the knowledge that multiple sweaty asses wouldn't be on it daily. Plus I could watch movies and whatnot whilst rowing and that would be rad.

I really wish I could take up running but my bad knee just won't let me. I've tried for 2 weeks or so a couple of times and the knee pain is just too much to ignore. That sucks. But the rowing machine has been no problem.

[Gilly]

I decided to take up swimming last night, trying to take advantage of the indoor pool at our apartments and because I get so bored running. Here I am the next day rubbing Ben Gay all over my left arm....

[yesno]

About this, I realized that my knee problems were caused by just not running enough.  I've been running 3 to 6 miles a day, 7 days a week since September and my dumb knee problem started in again but then went away.  It's only when I used to run every other day that my knee would really act up.



The point is, who the hell needs equipment?

[Sarah]

People who can't walk, or run, or even hop in place without falling over?

[Martin]

People who don't wanna go outside in the punishing rain/snow but rather stay inside on their exercise bike and watch a movie at the same time?

[yesno]

watch a movie on your iPod while you run. You can even take your laptop with you.

[Sarah]

That doesn't address the falling-over question.  Or the weather.

[yesno]

Army FM 21-20 is full of calisthenics that do not require equipment, but you should really consult Trembling Eagle.

[Bryan]

People who don't wanna go outside in the punishing rain/snow but rather stay inside on their exercise bike and watch a movie at the same time?

I don't really exercise at all these days, but I remember that when I used to run there was a satisfying feeling of camaraderie that I would share with other runners during horrible weather. Winter running is not so bad - you heat up very fast. And you feel very macho - something that I rarely get in other circumstances.

[Sarah]

Army FM 21-20 is full of calisthenics that do not require equipment, but you should really consult Trembling Eagle.

Calisthenics--other than those carried out in a chair or on the floor--don't cut it if one's sense of balance is shot.  And exercises performed chaired or floored don't usually get the heart pumping.  Or keep the muscles in one's legs from atrophying.

But I'm caviling.  I actually mostly agree with you (although I'm favor walking more than running, because of knees).  Yard sales are littered with abandoned exercise equipment.

[yesno]

I'm going through one of my periodic kicks where I try to get rid of as much junk as possible.  (Is it cheating if I count the contents of 4 7 foot tall bookcases as 1 item?) So I'm biased against big heavy thingies.

Elliptical gliders are pretty great.  But running allows me to explore weird-ass corners of town, while also taking my dog on his big adventure of the day, while listening to H.L. Mencken's translation of The Antichrist.  Win-win-win!

[Sarah]

(Is it cheating if I count the contents of 4 7 foot tall bookcases as 1 item?)

Yes.