zerafa

Where do you go for a heavy / power workout (bench, squat, deadlifts, etc.)?

I am tired of the fu-fu gyms in hotels. So I end up searching for a place to move some metal. Where do you go?

Birmingham, UK - Temple Street Gym
New Orleans - Elmwood - $15 for a day pass

aztimm

Welcome to Flyertalk zerafa!

If you travel extensively in the US, I'd suggest joining a multiple-location gym where the locations mostly match where you'll be going.

I've heard that Gold's Gym is one of the best for serious lifting, but I haven't been to one for many years.

MoreMilesPlease

I find that many Gold's Gym smell like testosterone, lots of heavy lifters there.

gj83

Add Planet Fitness to your list of "Do not lift here" gyms

Planet Fitness has strict policies about the types of equipment they will have. They have a no grunting policy.

techgirl

24Hour Fitness always seems to have a lot of "lunks" hanging out around the free weights.

whlinder

I get that grunting, flexing in the mirror and slamming weights down can be annoying, but no CrossFit/P90x? What makes that a "Lunt"? I guess they ban all plyometric exercises then?

Life Time Fitness has a large selection of heavy weights but I believe a day pass is $40 so unless you're a member it's pricey.

TrojanHorse

seriously???

I find that they are now catering to families and women more than ever; its far from what it was 10 years ago

aztimm

I go to 24 Hour Fitness. In the average week, I'll drop by 3 or 4 different locations in the PHX area. It really varies wildly by location and time of day. I've seen some crazy lifting in the cage thing in early morning and on the rare occasions I go on weekends.

As I commented on another thread though, when I go to the Mesa Riverview location after work, it is more of a nightclub atmosphere. But I've heard there's some serious heavy lifters there in the early morning.

The best thing about 24 Hour Fitness is the price. If you're a member of Costco, they've had (maybe still do?) certificates for a 2-year membership for $299.

Oh, and the, "lunks," can be pretty nice people. Took me a while, but after I was going for 3-4 months, some of them started to give me advice, and they'll always spot for me if I ask. But it is rather annoying when I'm swimming in the morning, the pool at the Tempe location is beneath the area on the 2nd floor where the heavy free weights are. I've been startled by the sound of sudden dropping of weights, felt like the roof would come down on me.

Silver Fox

I go to the gym that my hotel has a deal with. I will say that gyms in the USA seem way cheaper than in the UK.

TrojanHorse

I hear ya, I use one right by the Earls Court station and its 10 GBP per visit and its a dump. However it does the trick when I'm in that part of town

gj83

I thought the whole point of CrossFit or P90x was to not go to a normal gym anyway. I don't understand the ban on gallon jugs. You can have smaller bottles, but not gallon jugs. They also have an interesting dress code compared to the Y. At the Y a lot of women would just wear sports bras. Planet Fitness requires the stomach to be covered.

whlinder

Agree for the most part, but I know of people who do their P90X or Insanity or whatever at a gym. (yes they pop DVDs in a video player and do it at the gym)

But those workouts aren't exactly unique and I don't understand why they'd be banned.

techgirl

Oh, I totally agree! I used the word "lunks" because of the quote someone posted earlier from Planet Fitness.

I actually have one of those increasingly rare "lifetime" memberships that 24Hour no longer sells - I pay $19.99 a year - and I've worked out at numerous 24s over the 9 years I've had my membership.

You are absolutely correct that they can vary wildly depending on location and time of day. The one by me is heavy hard-core lifters and triathletes in the mornings, a pick up spot in the late afternoon/early evening hours, and a lot of hard core cardio buffs later at night. Because of the proximity to the military base, we also get a lot of true 24 action. I've been in at 2 am to run when I had insomnia and was shocked at how busy it was. I've been in other 24s where the place is a ghost town after 10 pm.

Silver Fox

I think I can speak for the rest of broken Britain and say that we are now sobbing in our breakfast.....

TrojanHorse

I bought my Ballys in 1990 and pay $60 a year to renew for my lifetime membership; I think my original payment was $36/yr for 36 mo at the time,no cash down

the only cavet, is that I can't go to those specialty gyms they havebut I can go to 95% of the ballys out there