I was noticing that I was feeling lethargic a lot of the time and would find it difficult to fall asleep at night time and felt that knackering myself out at the gym would help combat some of these issues. A lot of people will argue that gyms are overpriced and that going for a jog round the block and doing sit ups in your lounge is completely free and yes, I do agree with this, but I personally need to physically go to a place to workout. I need there to be repercussions if I don't attend such as wasted money and I need a variety of workout options to keep me motivated.
Since moving back to the UK I did what most people do in this country and got a desk job and therefore, compared to the physical jobs that I was doing in New Zealand, I started putting on weight quite quickly and needed to join a gym pretty pronto.
I would consider myself a regular gym- goer, attending 3-4 times a week, and during my time having a heart attack on the cross- trainer or hating my life on the treadmill I have picked up on a few key groups of gym- goers that are as followed:
The Serious Athlete: This gym- goer won't do anything less than a 26 mile run...as a warmup. They will dedicate at least 30-40 minutes to stretching pre and post workout and can often be found giving themselves a pep talk in the mirror. There will be no pleasantries with this person when they enter the arena gym as they are 110% focused on the task in hand.
The Gun Show: Usually found in packs of 2-3 and most likely of the male species, this social group will be found flexing their muscles by the water cooler or taking #gymselfies for instagram. Their regime tends to focus on the upper body which can often result in a Johnny Bravo- esque physique and when lifting their inhumanely heavy weights for their 3 reps their face will usually resemble that of passing painful wind or what I assume sitting on a cactus would look like.
The Real Housewife: Female, mid 40s- 50s. This lady will arrive and leave the gym with immaculate make up and not one part of their carefully constructed outfit will show any signs of perspiration. Annoyingly however they'll have the figure of a 22 year old...a 22 year old that works out hard...a 22 year old that was made in a lab somewhere to make us mere mortals feel inadequate. This gym- goer will always have time for a two hour post workout coffee with the girls in which comparisons of beauty cremes and the new bistro restaurant down the road will be had.
The reluctant gym- goer: The 'I'd rather be anywhere else but here' type goer. They'll give you the knowing nod when they walk past you and can see the pain etched over your face whilst you swear at the machines in attempt to blame them for your pain- it's a nod that says 'we both hate being here but we're in this together'.
The Nike Ad: This person owns every piece of sports wear that is available in sports shops- I'm talking sweat bands, iPod holders, fancy water bottles, special reinforced socks that were developed by NASA and so on. This person will be found surrounded by every piece of equipment in the gym and they'll count especially loud whilst they do their 20th spasm of activity such as their medicine ball, squat- thrust- star jump- sit up combo.
The gentle jogger: This gym- goer is stereotypically a slightly older lady who will go to the gym everyday at 10 am. They'll sit on the bike for hours at a time and yet with no resistance and an RPM of 5 they will find the time to read the newest copy of 'Take a Break' or catch up on the Doctors omnibus on tele. They'll also sometimes be found hanging on for dear life as they walk on the treadmill at a manageable pace but on an incline that defies gravity.
The Real Housewife: Female, mid 40s- 50s. This lady will arrive and leave the gym with immaculate make up and not one part of their carefully constructed outfit will show any signs of perspiration. Annoyingly however they'll have the figure of a 22 year old...a 22 year old that works out hard...a 22 year old that was made in a lab somewhere to make us mere mortals feel inadequate. This gym- goer will always have time for a two hour post workout coffee with the girls in which comparisons of beauty cremes and the new bistro restaurant down the road will be had.
The reluctant gym- goer: The 'I'd rather be anywhere else but here' type goer. They'll give you the knowing nod when they walk past you and can see the pain etched over your face whilst you swear at the machines in attempt to blame them for your pain- it's a nod that says 'we both hate being here but we're in this together'.
The Nike Ad: This person owns every piece of sports wear that is available in sports shops- I'm talking sweat bands, iPod holders, fancy water bottles, special reinforced socks that were developed by NASA and so on. This person will be found surrounded by every piece of equipment in the gym and they'll count especially loud whilst they do their 20th spasm of activity such as their medicine ball, squat- thrust- star jump- sit up combo.
The gentle jogger: This gym- goer is stereotypically a slightly older lady who will go to the gym everyday at 10 am. They'll sit on the bike for hours at a time and yet with no resistance and an RPM of 5 they will find the time to read the newest copy of 'Take a Break' or catch up on the Doctors omnibus on tele. They'll also sometimes be found hanging on for dear life as they walk on the treadmill at a manageable pace but on an incline that defies gravity.
*All jokes aside however, it might sound like I'm a little cynical at the gym but I am finding that those elusive post- workout endorphins that those healthy type people talk about actually exist! When you notice that you can go that little bit faster and do more reps than last week it genuinely is a great feeling and I applaud anyone that is taking those steps to a healthier life.*
Hello and welcome to This Ruth Is On Fire, a UK blog which is a haven for random thoughts and sarcastic observations.
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