I have been pondering what defines a "real" gym. I think most of us would agree that shiny chrome plated 24 hour corperate gyms are not the ideal place for real strength training.
Some might think of a Crossfit gym, with it’s minimalist set up. That’s pretty hardcore, ok.
Others might think of Metroflex, or Westside barbell, a place with more freeweights than machines, and where the Rowing machine is a barbell and a hole in the concrete.
That’s hardcore too.
I often think of the gyms that sprung up at the height of the classic physical culture movement. A huge building where people swung clubs and ring weights, heaved barbells, giant dumbbells, and kettlebells, climbed ropes, and maybe wrestled or boxed.
I have tried every gym in town and have yet to work out in one that has all of what I consider necessary. Not one has climbing ropes.
Even the formerly musty and iron filled Y has been rebuilt and filled with fancy cardio and fake Nautilus machines and a tiny freeweight corner (although they do have a trap bar and a cool pivoting floor thing to stick the bar in for rows and twists.)
I think some of the bigger MMA gyms are closest to those vintage gyms. There seems to be a good mix of strength endurance mixed with the MMA. (And how ironic that wrestling and jiu jutsu, popular in the days of Saxon, have come back into prominence through MMA. Another example of how they already had it right before we messed it up with "innovation.") Unfortunately, not all of us live near an Xtreme Couture.
Of course, having to travel to a gym to workout isn’t really practical if one is following a GTG type schedule anyway. Maybe we should all just pick up a weight set and KB’s and swim at a public pool?
Some might think of a Crossfit gym, with it’s minimalist set up. That’s pretty hardcore, ok.
Others might think of Metroflex, or Westside barbell, a place with more freeweights than machines, and where the Rowing machine is a barbell and a hole in the concrete.
That’s hardcore too.
I often think of the gyms that sprung up at the height of the classic physical culture movement. A huge building where people swung clubs and ring weights, heaved barbells, giant dumbbells, and kettlebells, climbed ropes, and maybe wrestled or boxed.
I have tried every gym in town and have yet to work out in one that has all of what I consider necessary. Not one has climbing ropes.
Even the formerly musty and iron filled Y has been rebuilt and filled with fancy cardio and fake Nautilus machines and a tiny freeweight corner (although they do have a trap bar and a cool pivoting floor thing to stick the bar in for rows and twists.)
I think some of the bigger MMA gyms are closest to those vintage gyms. There seems to be a good mix of strength endurance mixed with the MMA. (And how ironic that wrestling and jiu jutsu, popular in the days of Saxon, have come back into prominence through MMA. Another example of how they already had it right before we messed it up with "innovation.") Unfortunately, not all of us live near an Xtreme Couture.
Of course, having to travel to a gym to workout isn’t really practical if one is following a GTG type schedule anyway. Maybe we should all just pick up a weight set and KB’s and swim at a public pool?
