** DISCLAIMER ** I'm not a health professional, certified trainer, or even employed by any gym. I'm simply a fitness enthusiast who has been going to the gym for years, been involved and acquainted with physical fitness since 5 years of age, and am dedicated to my workouts. None of these comments are intended to hurt anyone. If anything, it's more like humor, or something you would find in any newspaper or journal across the country. I do have fitness tips and advice, but few are being provided in this blog. Remember these are just pure observations. Yours may vary, they may not. And one does not need to be seasoned in the gym to necessarily understand or get these gym types. This is a general audience type of blurb.
OK with that said, on with the blog.
When one goes in the gym, it can be for several reasons. One of the main reasons folks go in the gym is to improve their body types and shapes. Whether this be through cardio exercise or weights, one wants to shape the body. I will present 11 of the most common type of gym members.
1. Novice
These folks are usually brand new to the gym and possibly a workout routine. They may either stay less than 30 minutes (or even a couple of hours) because they are still figuring out what to do. Many even will hire a trainer or simply join an aerobics class and/or work out with simply partners to get their feel in the gym. You may not see much of the Novice as they are trying to establish a routine. One may be quick to criticize, but these folks are simply getting started and could improve if they stay with it
2. Play-it-Safers
I've been here before. These folks, whether based on their overall goal (short or long term, weight loss or muscle-building, etc), may be timid to do even more, even less in their workouts. They may not go too intense, do heavy lifting, or even use all that the gym has to offer. Their workouts are basic, vanilla, and they simply get in and get out. These folks may even come 3-4 times day and work out for an hour. But sometimes their workouts will be the exact same that it was the day before, just for the fact that they may have no interest in a trainer, further advice, or maybe not even a set goal. They know what they want to do, and just do it.
3. M*A*S*H Unit
I dub folks in this category such because of some of the unorthodox, unsafe things that they may do in the gym. Examples includes lifting waaay too much weight that they may not can handle without a spotter, not properly warming up, getting enough water, working out way too long, or even simply not consulting a physician before beginning a workout plan/program. These are health risks waiting to happen. You can see these folks going, going, and going hard. However, look closely and they are not working out smart. They are basically killing themselves, and have zero to no balance in their lives or workouts. Basically they are accidents waiting to happen. However, they always have excuses and explanations to back up what they're doing and saying it isn't right. Common sense is a must here.
4. The Natural Athlete
This is the person, male or female, that can do everything so well, catches on so fast, and has had a good healthy build since childhood. They vary in workout times, routines, etc. Some are very lax, and rarely come. Others come all the time, basically living in the gym. In short, these are the ones that irregardless of their workout regime, they always seem to have banging bodies. Their health may be a mystery, but what the eyes see based on body and the things they can do physically are breathtaking.
5. Caffeine Fiends
Energy drinks and energy supplements are becoming more and more popular in the gym. Heck some folks may just drink a Mountain Dew (although sodas aren't very healthy) before their workouts. Caffeine fiends feel they always got to have the latest energy drink in them, and they are super CRUNK and hype about working out. Think Richard Simmons' energy. They are going 100 mph in their workout, ALL INTENSITY. Most of this comes from the energy supplements though.
6. Dabblers
These folks can't stick or adjust to a certain workout program. While it is good (and necessary) to change up your workout routine every few weeks to avoid burnout and to achieve maximum results, these folks often can be frustrating. It's almost as if they have workout ADD. They do ALL sorts of different things, but nothing seems to be working for them. They follow the fitness programs, DVDs, and magazines, etc, trying to duplicate those programs and such. They do not tend to have a definite goal. More than anything, they want to be trendy and just try out the new workout craze just to try it out, not caring about the benefits or even the pitfalls.
7. Juiced Crew
Thanks to Jose' Canseco and several athletes being banned from sports and having medals and records stripped, this one is not foreign to most. I wasn't even going to discuss it but here goes. These are the folks that one minute have little to no build. In almost no time, they are looking like Hercules or the Hulk. They can also mirror Caffeine Fiends or M*A*S*H unit members with their enthusiasm and disregard for safety. The "roid rage" also comes out, as you are lifting weights and you see and hear a "Juicer" grunting, yelling, and gesturing. Safe and FDA approved supplements are good and Juicers use these as well. But they will pretty much inject anything in their bodies if it means achieving the results they desire.
8. Holiday Hoppers
These are the folks that ONLY use their gym membership (or even buy one) right after New Year's Day, or at the beginning of the summer, when beach season is upon us and they are making last minute adjustments to their bodies. These folks crowd the gym during these times, but around non-holiday months (working out wise) such as March or October, you cannot find them in the gym. The New Year's resolutions folks that pack the gym between January and March and then never come back also fall in this category.
9. Bogarts
Bogarts (or even hogs) take up equipment, machines, weight benches, for unnecessary amounts of time. These folks stay on the treadmill barely walking for an hour or more, spend an hour on the same weight bench, or has about 5 partners that use a particular piece of equipment their entire workout. In short, they can impede the workouts of others, especially during the busiest times in the gym. Many gyms have rules, especially in regards to cardio machines such as treadmills and bikes, that you have to be on and off in 30 minutes or less. Whether or not you want to report a "Bogart" is up to you. But these folks can often hurt themselves, and even others, maybe with not even realizing it.
10. The High and Mighty
Just as in church or the workplace, you always have the "holier than thou" or the folks that think they're better than you b/c they can run faster, do more, or because they lost X amount of weight, etc. These folks achieved their fitness goals and are now trainers and instructors in the gym. If not that, they are basically well-recognized but NOT well-respected. They are extremely arrogant and even mean. They are NOT willing to give any useful fitness advice for free. They may give you tidbits that are unhelpful, or may not work for what you're trying to do. These people honestly disgust me. They have let the positive opinions from others turn them into a very negative person. They can make one almost NOT want to go to the gym. When I dropped my weight this last time, I was VERY careful not to turn "High and Mighty" and I'm still staying true to that
11. Gym Rat
I'm borrowing this term from a certified trainer and virtual friend of mine. This person lives and breathes fitness. They possess many of the positives traits from the previous ten. They have achieved success in the gym in various ways. They have definite goals and detailed plans on how to reach them. They are always asking questions and observing. They are always in the gym, sometimes twice/day, for 2 hour sessions. They are often trainers. They may or may not work out every part of their body, but they are dedicated to the parts they do exercise. They also are very helpful and humble to others, quick to lend a helping hand or advice on something fitness related. They love to see others do well in the gym as well, and are their harshest critic. They are also always looking for ways to challenge themselves, and will try new techniques, tricks, and workouts to achieve this. Everyone knows a Gym Rat, and they are the easiest folks to respect in the gym. They often keep you coming to the gym and serve as moral inspirations.
I plan on doing more fitness related blogs but right now I wanted to stay away from being preachy or offering a plethora of tips. Those will come later. I just wanted to post some observations from my many years of research and experience in working out and chopping it up with trainers and such.
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