So I joined a new gym last year and was pleasantly surprised. They gave me a smart card to get in and out, that’s it, no app, no accounts, no nothing. Well, today I got to the gym and saw the announcement that they are phasing out the access with the smart card and starting to use, you guessed it, an app.
Now, I know this is not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things. But I’m just tired of this trend of replacing perfectly functioning systems with apps (public transport tickets come to mind). Just more ways to harvest people’s data, I guess…
Ah and by the way, in my previous gym they not only required an app for accessing the place, they also incentivized people to track their workouts, meals and bodyweight using the gym’s app (of course I never used any of these features).
The only thing I want that a gym might have is a pull up bar. Other than that, two kettlebells plus cals plus running give me more than enough challenge. Gymnastics rings on a long belt plus a sturdy tree branch can stand in for a pull up bar.
Unless you are a pro and need access to a climbing gym, which is very hard to completely replace without a trip to a boulder, gyms are rip offs.
I exercise on and off all my life, with at least 20 exercising years. I did college gyms, ymca, paid gyms, and once even a bona fide body building club with a proper hulking ph. d. as a trainer. I have plenty of experience with many modalities.
My two cents, look into advanced cals, and running, and look up “dynamic tension” by Charles Atlas, and screw the gym. If you can, add some kettlebells and a pull up bar. With dynamic tension you can do pulling movements without a pull up bar.