Saturday, November 18, 2006
This article was in today's New York Times (subscription required)
WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y., Nov. 13 — Albert Argibay, a bodybuilder and a state correction officer, was at a Planet Fitness gym with 500 pounds of weight on his shoulders one afternoon this month when the club manager walked over and told him it was time to leave. Mr. Argibay, the manager explained, had violated one of the club’s most sacred and strictly enforced rules: He was grunting.
“I said to her, ‘I’m not grunting, I’m breathing heavy,’ ” recalled Mr. Argibay, 40, an energetic man with the hulking appearance of a pro linebacker. “I guess she didn’t like the fact that I challenged her, because she said to me, ‘Meet me up front; I’m canceling your membership.’ ”
Here's my take on this. Gyms are for people who already fit, they should be allowed to grunt if they want to. But you see only about 10% of the population is fit, so gyms can't make enough money off of them so they have to target the unfit masses to make the big bucks. So gyms make it seem to the unfit types that they are fun and friendly and no heavy lifting or actual working out takes place inside their hallowed walls.
So in order to protect these pristine environment they kick out anyone who happens to be actually working out, like Mr. Argibay.
If you are not fit then do not join a gym. Get fit first inexpensively by walking or doing some stuff at home. then when you know what you're doing and you've proven to yourself that you will go regularly then by all means join a gym. ¶ 5:17 AM
WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y., Nov. 13 — Albert Argibay, a bodybuilder and a state correction officer, was at a Planet Fitness gym with 500 pounds of weight on his shoulders one afternoon this month when the club manager walked over and told him it was time to leave. Mr. Argibay, the manager explained, had violated one of the club’s most sacred and strictly enforced rules: He was grunting.
“I said to her, ‘I’m not grunting, I’m breathing heavy,’ ” recalled Mr. Argibay, 40, an energetic man with the hulking appearance of a pro linebacker. “I guess she didn’t like the fact that I challenged her, because she said to me, ‘Meet me up front; I’m canceling your membership.’ ”
Here's my take on this. Gyms are for people who already fit, they should be allowed to grunt if they want to. But you see only about 10% of the population is fit, so gyms can't make enough money off of them so they have to target the unfit masses to make the big bucks. So gyms make it seem to the unfit types that they are fun and friendly and no heavy lifting or actual working out takes place inside their hallowed walls.
So in order to protect these pristine environment they kick out anyone who happens to be actually working out, like Mr. Argibay.
If you are not fit then do not join a gym. Get fit first inexpensively by walking or doing some stuff at home. then when you know what you're doing and you've proven to yourself that you will go regularly then by all means join a gym. ¶ 5:17 AM
