One thing is certain; the last thing you want is to be a member at
a "subpar" gym. Finding a gym can be difficult, especially if you
don't know what to look for. Well listen up, these tips will allow you to
choose a gym to meet your every bodybuilding need.
For one, the music must be good. There is nothing worse than
walking into a gym and hearing a Yanni album blaring and then trying to take
your workout seriously. You could bring a walkman if push comes to
shove, but it tends to be a hassle. Just go to a gym that you are
interested in and either ask a person working or walk around and take note of
what they play. Bottom line, if the music sucks, it could throw you
off mentally, which could throw your workout for a loop. Next, free
weights are a must. If there are no free weights, move on. This might
seem trivial, but the weight plates should all match in brand. You'd be
surprised at how many gyms carry different brands of weight plates and
even dumbbells. Dumbbells are another issue. I would avoid joining a
gym with dumbbells that only go up to 100 lbs., try looking for the
150's or if possible the 200's. If you're wondering, yes, they do make
dumbbells this heavy. Personally, I think that rubber dumbbells suck;
they're extremely bulky, hard to balance, and tend to get caught on your
clothes. Also, if the dumbbells are chipped in many places, it could
cause you to think you're doing more weight than you actually are. The
barbells should all weigh 45 lbs, unless you are some badass
powerlifter who uses special competition barbells, and the width of the bar
should not be much thicker than that of the dumbbells. My former gym had
thick barbells, and it really made training with them difficult.
Machines are unimportant for bodybuilding purposes. Before I go
on, remember that machines are usually computerized and do not include
pulley/cable setups with free weights. For pulley systems, you need to
look for a lat pulldown, seated row, leg curl (one-legged and
two-legged), leg extension, Pec Deck, and a cable station (for cable crossovers,
pushdowns, cable curls, etc.). Keep in mind that all of these listed
setups should be on a pulley system; no computerized machines are needed.
Try out all of the pulley setups that I have referenced and make sure
they are smooth and really target in on the working muscle.
Certain benches and equipment are certainly needed. One or more of
each is crucial:
- Squat rack
- Leg Press
- Hack Squat
- Standing Calf Raise
- Seated Calf Raise
- Flat bench for flat bench press
- Flat bench for dumbbell work
- Incline bench for incline bench press
- Adjustable Incline bench for dumbbell work
- Smith Machine
- Adjustable Decline bench for abdominal work
- Dip bar for hanging dips
- Pull-up bar
- Preacher Curl
- EZ (curl) Bar
- Shoulder Press bench (looks like a regular upright chair)
Personally, I think that you need to find a gym with more than one of
each of these pieces of equipment. The reason is that most gyms have a
"prime time" in which there are a lot of people trying to workout at
once. If there is only one of each (from the list above), you could turn
an hour workout into a three hour workout. This should come as no
surprise; typically, the flat benches, incline benches, and preacher curl
benches are the most popular among members. Kind of ironic, don't ya
think? Believe it or not, the squat racks and hack squats tend to
collect the most dust. The equipment listed is extremely important for a
thorough workout.
As far as cardiovascular equipment goes, look for properly
functioning, and smooth operating treadmills and stationary bikes. I'm not big
on cardio, and only do it during precontest preparation. I think that
the stairmaster and elliptical machines are unnecessary. Running and
biking are the best forms of cardio. However, if you prefer the
stairmaster and elliptical machines, then by all means, look for them also.
Now that you know what to look for in a gym, I'm going to tell you
what type of gyms to avoid. Are televisions in every room and on
cardio equipment really necessary? Hell no, if you can't peel yourself away
from the tube for an hour, then don't even bother getting off the
couch. "Well it keeps my mind off of the pain, and makes time go by
faster." Tough shit sissy, go home if it hurts. I think that a gym with lots
of televisions has its priorities somewhere other than on its quality
of equipment and training. I can understand televisions in the locker
rooms, but come on, do we really need people standing in the middle of
the gym floor staring at a television? Your goal in joining a gym
should not be free cable and TV, it should be whipping your butt into shape.
I can do without the gyms that contain a lot of people who stand
around and run their mouths about the days events or whatever people find
to talk about in order to avoid working out. These people are a real
pain when they lie on the leg curl, or on the leg press, or on the flat
bench and talk with their buds between sets. I've said it once, and
I'll say it again: I don't go to your pow-wows to workout, so don't come
to my gym for a pow-wow. Worst of all, once these people finally do
their sets, they'll ask you to spot them.
Finally, avoid dirty gyms. There is a really good reason for this;
it's called disease. You wouldn't believe the viruses and bacteria
that can be found on an unkept barbell or bench. It's really disgusting
when you walk into a gym and see sweat puddles on all the equipment and
it reeks of human body odor. It's like a huge germ bath, go in to
workout, and come out with herpes!
dknowles@alltel.net
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