Gym and Community

The other day a friend of mine made a comment about not having a gym membership so he was going to do "The Rapture". This started me thinking about why do you need a "gym membership"...why do people join a global gym? Now, I'm probably going to get frowned upon for this post but its my blog and if you dont like where it is going, stop reading. I think when people join "global gyms" they are looking for "community". They are going to make friends with people that share a common intrest, I have been guilty of this. Just some raddling thoughts...I joined a "global gym" and alot of times it was this: 

Where I was the only one running on the treadmill...lame... no one to talk to OR the "cardio machines"/weights were so packed with people on their phones or wearing headphones that even I couldn't start a conversation other than a funky body language to ask them how many more sets they have. So I thought I would join the classes they offered. Having been an Group X instructor it is a pain in the a** when clients/members/athletes have chatter when you are trying to instruct. So in order to show respect, I kept to myself. I have joined this gym to meet people and it has been an epic fail. On top of all that, these people didn't care if I was daily or not. They didn't care that I needed the workout more for the mental that day vs the physical. In July 2009 I found a community that took me in and made me successful. When I wasn't there, it was a facebook/twitter/email message asking me where I was...and it wasn't just from my Coach. I had become part of a team, I had to be there to cheer my fellow athletes along when we suffered through things like, "Cindy" or "Angie"...heck I even paid to do stuff like "Murph" so I could be there with my teammates. My teammates looked like this...no ear phones, strong and lean, and we travled in a pack!

With all that ramble manble jumble, you can get a good workout in outside, you don't NEED to break the bank for a "global gym" membership...ask any of my athletes. You NEED a community! This can be your spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, your parents, your friends...build a community that will pick you up on the days you are low. I have always said and I will say it again:

COMMUNITY + CONSISTENCY = SUCCESS