A few days ago a friend of mine (who's a workout fiend like me) posted on F@cebook about how she hates this time of year at her gym because the resolutionists are gumming up the works. She got some pretty stern replies back, which is understandable.
I think she was misunderstood though, because her rant really wasn't about newbies, it was about folks who already belong to the gym and never go, only to show up all repentant on January 1st and proceed to make everything harder just by being in the way. That sounds bitchy but I know most of them will disappear by the end of February. The whole thing is just so frustrating.
And look, I know we all have to start somewhere, by why does it have to be all at the same time? I came up with an analogy that I hope will better illustrate my point:
Say you have a favorite local coffee shop that you go to every single day. You get a parking space easily and get your usual coffee and muffin after standing in a very short, quick line. You sit at your usual table, which everyone knows is "your" table. It's comfortable, it's your everyday routine.
Now, lets say on January 1st you show up and the parking lot is full. And the street parking is full. You have to park two blocks away. The line for coffee is out the door and after waiting 30 minutes you're told they're out of muffins. You settle for something else and when you go to your table, people you've never seen before are sitting there and have spilled coffee all over it. You try another table but they're all full and nobody is moving. You go home and vow to try again the next day. Unfortunately the entire month of January is like that. And maybe February too.
So, really, it has nothing to do with new exercisers, it has to do with annoyance at the whole THING. Having a place you love and are comfortable with being swamped for an entire month or two. Every year I hope that some of them do stick it out and make it a routine so they don't have to become part of the problem next year.
PS. If your resolution this year was to hit the gym more often, STICK WITH IT. Don't make me write in my blog about you.
I was just thinking this morning that the resolutionists had returned when I saw the disarray on the weight training floor at my gym. Cannot wait until the new people realize that the signs asking for things to be returned to where they live are there for a reason.
ReplyDeleteI changed my mind. I hate newbies. Also men. Especially the men in the weight room @ my gym. I hate everyone.
ReplyDelete