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livingdebCartaufalous and indigo rose talked me into joining them at World Gym several years ago. We walked on the treadmill and used weight machines. Boring, but I went for the socializing. They were paying $200/year; I somehow got in for $160/year. And we were allowed to renew at that price forever. Nice inflation hedge--almost an investment.
Then our World Gym was bought by Gold's Gym. At first they respected the contract and let us all renew at our usual price. We tried some exercise classes. We got sucked into pilates and, even better, Body Flow, inspired by tai chi, pilates and yoga. I really liked it because although it wasn't aerobic (well, I was panting during some parts), it did help with strengthening and balance. I didn't hate it (most of it) while doing it, but then I was all rubbery afterwards.
Then they started adding a clause that they were allowed to raise the rates. For a while, I talked them into striking that clause for me. Then one year, they wouldn't strike it. Then the next year my cost was going to triple. I quit, and the others quit soon after when their contracts expired.
This is when we started with the mall walking as a form of social exercising and watched Highland mall dying. Then we switched to the trails at the old airport until it started getting hot again. We tried several times to negotiate a good price at Gold's, but only indigo rose succeeded. Maybe because she's the cutest. Probably because she was doing her negotiating at a different home gym.
I looked around, I did some research, I proposed Planet Fitness. They don't have classes, they don't have a pool, just the basics: aerobics machines, weight machines, and a few weights. But it's only $10/month (plus taxes and a start-up fee and an annual fee). It was going to be far cheaper for cartaufalous and I to each get a membership there and pay for half of indigo rose's than to rejoin Gold's. Another option would have been for someone to go with the $20/month plan which lets you bring a guest (always) and use another location as well (sometimes), and then just getting one more $10/mo membership, but we decided we preferred the freedom of having any combination be allowable. Even though it was pretty clear who should have gotten the $20/month version (indigo rose).
So last week we came to the location I could get to on a bus from work and checked it out. Although we like to go at the most crowded times (which I know because they give out a usage chart), there still seemed to be plenty of room. And we took their deal for $199 for 18 months (plus taxes). I liked this plan both because it's cheaper and because it's a one-time charge--their regular plans let them yank money out of your checking account or credit card until you can talk them into stopping.
Another good surprise is that they have a section for circuit training. There are 10 weight stations mixed with ten step stations (to keep your heart rate up) and a red light/green light system for telling everyone to switch. We tried it out, and we like all the machines (except the broken one, which we expect to like later, once it's fixed). It's so nice to do a whole workout without having to hope that various people get off the machines you want. Especially with indigo rose gleefully educating the rule breakers.
I deliberately tried to go easy, because I'm always aching the next day if I just look at my muscles funny. Also, I had no energy after work yesterday. So I just walked quickly on the treadmill (instead of trying to jog) and did light weights on the circuit. Although I did feel a bit rubbery, today I only feel my upper arm muscles, and only barely. So tomorrow it will be safe (and not painful) to work a little harder.
Their air conditioning there isn't great, but it's better than even the shaded parts of the outdoor trails even this early in the summer. That air conditioning is the main thing I'm paying for. But then the actual workout is going to be good, too.
Cake of the Day
Pandas were around long before the Middle Ages, and they're still around today. So, they fit the theme just fine, right?
Then our World Gym was bought by Gold's Gym. At first they respected the contract and let us all renew at our usual price. We tried some exercise classes. We got sucked into pilates and, even better, Body Flow, inspired by tai chi, pilates and yoga. I really liked it because although it wasn't aerobic (well, I was panting during some parts), it did help with strengthening and balance. I didn't hate it (most of it) while doing it, but then I was all rubbery afterwards.
Then they started adding a clause that they were allowed to raise the rates. For a while, I talked them into striking that clause for me. Then one year, they wouldn't strike it. Then the next year my cost was going to triple. I quit, and the others quit soon after when their contracts expired.
This is when we started with the mall walking as a form of social exercising and watched Highland mall dying. Then we switched to the trails at the old airport until it started getting hot again. We tried several times to negotiate a good price at Gold's, but only indigo rose succeeded. Maybe because she's the cutest. Probably because she was doing her negotiating at a different home gym.
I looked around, I did some research, I proposed Planet Fitness. They don't have classes, they don't have a pool, just the basics: aerobics machines, weight machines, and a few weights. But it's only $10/month (plus taxes and a start-up fee and an annual fee). It was going to be far cheaper for cartaufalous and I to each get a membership there and pay for half of indigo rose's than to rejoin Gold's. Another option would have been for someone to go with the $20/month plan which lets you bring a guest (always) and use another location as well (sometimes), and then just getting one more $10/mo membership, but we decided we preferred the freedom of having any combination be allowable. Even though it was pretty clear who should have gotten the $20/month version (indigo rose).
So last week we came to the location I could get to on a bus from work and checked it out. Although we like to go at the most crowded times (which I know because they give out a usage chart), there still seemed to be plenty of room. And we took their deal for $199 for 18 months (plus taxes). I liked this plan both because it's cheaper and because it's a one-time charge--their regular plans let them yank money out of your checking account or credit card until you can talk them into stopping.
Another good surprise is that they have a section for circuit training. There are 10 weight stations mixed with ten step stations (to keep your heart rate up) and a red light/green light system for telling everyone to switch. We tried it out, and we like all the machines (except the broken one, which we expect to like later, once it's fixed). It's so nice to do a whole workout without having to hope that various people get off the machines you want. Especially with indigo rose gleefully educating the rule breakers.
I deliberately tried to go easy, because I'm always aching the next day if I just look at my muscles funny. Also, I had no energy after work yesterday. So I just walked quickly on the treadmill (instead of trying to jog) and did light weights on the circuit. Although I did feel a bit rubbery, today I only feel my upper arm muscles, and only barely. So tomorrow it will be safe (and not painful) to work a little harder.
Their air conditioning there isn't great, but it's better than even the shaded parts of the outdoor trails even this early in the summer. That air conditioning is the main thing I'm paying for. But then the actual workout is going to be good, too.
Cake of the Day
Pandas were around long before the Middle Ages, and they're still around today. So, they fit the theme just fine, right?
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no subject
on 2012-06-06 03:43 pm (UTC)That would be cool
on 2012-06-08 07:37 pm (UTC)Was I really GLEEFUL? ....Perhaps. It was really nice to insist that they get off our next machine... Especially when I looked around and realized how busy the rest of the non-circuit machines were...