rockyroller
Guru
- Location
- 20 miles northwest of Boston, MA
yes, do it
GYM’s .... are they worth it ...
- Thread starter Landsurfer
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Gyms are really bad value if you pay for them but don't go. But if you can get into a habit of going to the gym, and enjoy it, then it's worth it. (Provided the price is right, and only you can answer that)
I was a regular gym goer for many years, decades even, until Covid came along and changed my place of work and closed my gym. I now do regular sessions with a trainer over Zoom and do weights and stuff at home. I do miss having access to a rowing machine, I used to enjoy that.
Covid has changed a lot.
I was a regular gym goer for many years, decades even, until Covid came along and changed my place of work and closed my gym. I now do regular sessions with a trainer over Zoom and do weights and stuff at home. I do miss having access to a rowing machine, I used to enjoy that.
Covid has changed a lot.
Peter Salt
Bittersweet
- Location
- Yorkshire, UK
ANY exercise is better than no exercise. Spin, row, swim, lift - whatever you enjoy - just do it. The more the better.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
Basically it comes down to what is best for you
I reckon I could cope with an exercise bike once or twice a week while watching something like The Chase
but since my 'now wife' moved in my exercise bike got moved out of the lounge and then got sold on
In my case I am always better off with riding a real bike (OK ebike) around for an hour or so because there is more stimulation
even an ebike uses more energy that sitting on a sofa!
and doing it several days week build up generally increased levels of fitness
So - for me - I would be better off finding local quietish roads to ride around locally and going out on my ebike
or going for a brisk walk to Mc Donalds and getting a coffee to drink on the way back - anything that gets your muscles moving increases metabolism
In think
I reckon I could cope with an exercise bike once or twice a week while watching something like The Chase
but since my 'now wife' moved in my exercise bike got moved out of the lounge and then got sold on
In my case I am always better off with riding a real bike (OK ebike) around for an hour or so because there is more stimulation
even an ebike uses more energy that sitting on a sofa!
and doing it several days week build up generally increased levels of fitness
So - for me - I would be better off finding local quietish roads to ride around locally and going out on my ebike
or going for a brisk walk to Mc Donalds and getting a coffee to drink on the way back - anything that gets your muscles moving increases metabolism
In think
T.M.H.N.E.T
Rainbows aren't just for world champions
- Location
- Northern Ireland
Love the machines in my gym, they have mars bars, crisps and kitkats
Time Waster
Veteran
Interesting viewpoint about not seeing the point of rowing machines. There's been a lot of cross over between elite rowers and elite cycling. There's been a few nearly made it rowers who got recruited by their nation's cycling federation. The endurance nature of rowers suits a lot of elite cycling events. Even pro cyclists will use a rowerg and rowers use a good bike erg. Indeed there's been a lot of interest by elite cycling coaching with elite rowing coaching techniques I heard or read once.
Rowerg will give you the same cv effect of a bike on a turbo or a spin bike in a fraction of the time. I used to do 20 to 25 minutes on a concept 2 rowerg in the gym and was wasted with the effort. On the static bikes, spin bikes, I would do a hour and hardly feel the effort in the same way. Closest kit to the rowerg for training is the stepper or the climbing erg things like steppers with arm action too like the versaclimber.
I got one but broke my arm straight away then had a few other minor injuries that kept me off it. I never got into it so need to again. When I used it the little niggles like back twinges I used to get disappeared and only came back after I stopped. You need to know how to use them which means setting the drag factor at 100 to 130 depending on whether you're a beginner or not and increase it as you improve. You also need to know how to row with correct form to get the power out and get maximum benefit. It's not easy to get right straight away and rowerg takes time to get into it.
Gyms are good if they have or do what you want. Mine had a freedom machine that was designed for disabled people in rehabilitation. I used it on a gym ball for instability to recruit more muscles and the arms such that I replicated kayaking strokes. It was amazing exercise for arms, shoulders but especially almost all my core muscles. I would like one of those machines in my garage gym when I get one set up. Rowerg is in dining/ living room right now.
If you go enough they're great. If you pay yearly or monthly work out cost per visit. If it's high enough you'll be better off on a pay per visit with a council run gym I think. Of course only if they have what you need or want from a gym. If you can't get there enough to make it worthwhile then don't go or sign up. Find your own home gym kit instead. There's a fair few options for home gym kit but you can go mad with it too. A lot of people make their own kit too. Check out reddit or other online forums for ideas what can be made cheaply.
Rowerg will give you the same cv effect of a bike on a turbo or a spin bike in a fraction of the time. I used to do 20 to 25 minutes on a concept 2 rowerg in the gym and was wasted with the effort. On the static bikes, spin bikes, I would do a hour and hardly feel the effort in the same way. Closest kit to the rowerg for training is the stepper or the climbing erg things like steppers with arm action too like the versaclimber.
I got one but broke my arm straight away then had a few other minor injuries that kept me off it. I never got into it so need to again. When I used it the little niggles like back twinges I used to get disappeared and only came back after I stopped. You need to know how to use them which means setting the drag factor at 100 to 130 depending on whether you're a beginner or not and increase it as you improve. You also need to know how to row with correct form to get the power out and get maximum benefit. It's not easy to get right straight away and rowerg takes time to get into it.
Gyms are good if they have or do what you want. Mine had a freedom machine that was designed for disabled people in rehabilitation. I used it on a gym ball for instability to recruit more muscles and the arms such that I replicated kayaking strokes. It was amazing exercise for arms, shoulders but especially almost all my core muscles. I would like one of those machines in my garage gym when I get one set up. Rowerg is in dining/ living room right now.
If you go enough they're great. If you pay yearly or monthly work out cost per visit. If it's high enough you'll be better off on a pay per visit with a council run gym I think. Of course only if they have what you need or want from a gym. If you can't get there enough to make it worthwhile then don't go or sign up. Find your own home gym kit instead. There's a fair few options for home gym kit but you can go mad with it too. A lot of people make their own kit too. Check out reddit or other online forums for ideas what can be made cheaply.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Not just "nearly". Rebecca Romero won silver in Athens as a rower, and gold at Beijing as a cyclist.
Time Waster
Veteran
Yes I couldn't remember the details so kept it a bit vague. I did recall someone missed out on gold in Olympic rowing only to get it in cycling. Seems to me that rowers can become top cyclists but I don't recall any cyclist becoming a top rower. Look at how hard wiggins found indoor rowing!
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Consistency and frequency produces results . Gym membership doesn‘t produce results. Going regularly will.
vickster
Legendary Member
My gym is £38 a month, has a pool, sauna, steam, jacuzzi plus all the cardio and gym machines, weights, a good area for stretching etc. I find rowing excellent for general fitness as someone unable to run (I do 500m/1 min rest x 4 as fast as I can), also use the crosstrainer, treadmill for walking. There’s a skillmill too, leaves me in a sweaty mess in about 5 minutes!
At the mo, I’m swimming twice a week / using the spa facilities, did an aqua class last week too, all in the cost
The weather has been ok for cycling lately so I’ve not been in the gym that much, maybe once a week but it still represents very good value for me, at less than a tenner a week is rather cheaper than any other facility with a pool around here.
As above, it’s far better than doing nothing, gets me moving having sat all day at work and off the sofa and away from snacking in the evening
At the mo, I’m swimming twice a week / using the spa facilities, did an aqua class last week too, all in the cost
The weather has been ok for cycling lately so I’ve not been in the gym that much, maybe once a week but it still represents very good value for me, at less than a tenner a week is rather cheaper than any other facility with a pool around here.
As above, it’s far better than doing nothing, gets me moving having sat all day at work and off the sofa and away from snacking in the evening
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
my gym
inside i have a total gym that folds up that i use in the winter months
outside for the summer months
set of dumbells and the kids swing
inside i have a total gym that folds up that i use in the winter months
outside for the summer months
set of dumbells and the kids swing
Badger_Boom
Veteran
- Location
- York
As an ex amateur rower I heartily second the rowing machine. it exrecises almost everything in a relatively low impact way.
Your post is also the first time I’ve seen anyone outside of a rowing club mention setting the drag factor which is also essential if you’re trying to be consistent with your workouts.
A regular weightlifting routine has many benefits. Has with many forms of exercise, start light and develop good form from compound lifting.
I setup my home gym with free weights and a squat frame.
Strength, bone density, stronger joints and more toned physique from regular heavy weight lifting
rockyroller
Guru
- Location
- 20 miles northwest of Boston, MA
I can not work out at home. some kind of mental block. I need to be at a place where there is no other option but to exercise
Time Waster
Veteran
C2 nerd here. I sync with my phone, tracker and chest strap so I record what I do. I think I use the WiFi and BT connections between phone, rowerg and tracker/ chest strap on transmit.
I'm still perfecting technique though. My catch is a little Jerry and the drive stage isn't great. I'm not consistent neither. Then again I think I over extend and lean back too far before the recovery stage. My stroke rate gets too high too at times. I'm also poor at keeping it consistent. I've a lot to learn. Rowergs like c2 look simple but there's more to them if you get into it.
Great machines and the best for water rowers too.
