5 Gyms to Avoid

If this image bears a negative connotation at your fitness center, leave!

1. Socialist Strength Policy-Gyms.

If the gym has senseless training policies that prohibit lifts, or establish weight limits, that gym might not truly support progress. If, when questioned about the reason for the policy, the owner uses buzzwords like inclusivity, intimidation, or judgement-free, tread carefully. We train for progress, everything we do in training should be reaching for improvement. If the gym doesn't encourage any kind of winning mentality, stay away! It’s one thing to make policies against bullying and intimidation, and rightfully so. Training SHOULD be a safe and inclusive environment. The question is, can certain lifts be intimidating? They shouldn’t be. Gyms that ban squats and deadlifts, treat noise like it’s a cardinal sin, and disparage people who seek safe, but high-intensity training. Grunting every rep is obnoxious, but if that final rep makes you let out a yelp, the gym should not freak out. If they do, they DO NOT care about your progress. Don’t train somewhere that doesn’t support your growth. Instead look for gyms with a knowledgable staff, open spaces, and a safe environment for high intensity training. When you don't want to hold back, you need somewhere that won't hold you back.

Welcome to another installment of stock Photographers and models who know nothing about technique.

2. Workout of the Day-Gyms.

These gyms and fitness studios may often find themselves to be more of a serialized exercise show than a structured workout. While, in practice, some of these gyms can progress and program their clients, a large portion of these unnamed, multi-faced box gyms entertain their participants with mindless bread and circuses known as WODs (Workout of the day.) It's not the term WOD that get's dangerous, it's the WOD in practice.  Setting up a workout of the day, every day, is great for productivity in the gym, but without building on previous WODs, how much can one improve? 

If this box or studio doesn't seem to go through phases, or periods of a certain kind of training, chances are that the instructor is just out to create pools of sweat. Sweating isn't bad, burning calories isn't bad, but exercising with potential risk of injury for unclear, uncertain goal hunting is a dangerous road to go down. Changing up the movement selection and workout structure too often can impede on the time spent perfecting technique. If an instructor gives you a C- deadlift technique assessment, how could you be ready to power clean? 

Chances are, you wouldn't be. That doesn't mean you can't be, but if the instructor fails to address this, it's a good time to walk to the front desk, and cancel your membership. If they do ask, be honest, you're concerned about the safety of their instruction. It might be the catalyst that changes their training practice. Imagine if this happened at every McDonaldized box gym that involves "cross training" throughout the country. We would have a movement that wasn't so dangerous, that actually focuses on training efficacy. Not all box gyms are bad, and many provide phenomenal instruction parallel to the best in the world. The problem is that any other Crossfit box or knock-off of it's kind will disguise itself with unearned reputation, just by being able to label itself in that category. Don't allow this. Do research, and trust your instincts.

It's hard to get personalized personal training with a corporation looking over your trainers shoulder, and most likely over sales totals!

3. Quantity over Quality gyms.

Is the price cheap? Is it so cheap that you could be billed monthly for it? The idea is great, but watch for this companies intentions. These gyms come in cookie-cutter branded and formatted quantity of membership before quality of service gyms. The gym may be rampant with members on their "subscriber" list, but many of these people haven't attended the gym in months. These places prey on convincing people to pay seemingly harmless membership fees for months, while hardly ever using the facility, or forgetting about it entirely. They may not even get a reminder that they haven't trained in awhile, let alone a concerned phone call. They lock in low-hanging fruit potential new members during sales, knowing that for every 10 members that they sign up, about 3 of them are going to keep checking into the gym to train.. This keeps a continual "draft" of dues collected by members, whether or not they even come to train. Don't join into one of these fitness zoo's run rampant with fitness degeneracy(Credit: /Sir/) and a lack of employee care. Go somewhere more personal, and support small businesses, or small franchises in the fitness business near you. You'll most likely notice even more attention, and a more personalized environment to train in. If you have a favorite chain, they definitely have their perks, and those who travel frequently would be highly unlikely to find their favorite local gym about while traveling. If you do need a gym with multiple locations that you have access to, check out this article to learn about chains that do it right.

4. Single Format Studios (only).

Joining a high energy cycle studio, or meditative yoga shala can make major differences in life. Whether it's through the people you struggle with, or practices gained, these group environments can be beneficial to health, wellness, and physical performance. With all of that in mind, understand that single-format training can leave significant holes in fitness. No activity covers all of the bases for physical performance. How can a lower body get well-rounded strength through cycling, if there is no lateral movement? How can chattarangas and downward dogs benefit strength significantly without a bit of overload training? They can't. Don't put all your fitness eggs into one basket. While the majority of your training should be your favorite activity, or primary goal, you'll need an additional movement selection to prevent imbalances, and degradative, repetitive training. Productive training needs a balance between training in the comfort zone, and training out of it. If you don't enjoy a certain type of training, chances are that your routine lacks enough of it. Bite the bullet, and take on the weaknesses. 

Joining so many studios can run up a large cost. Not all of your training has to be in a facility. Plenty of work can be done with a couple kettlebells, elastic bands, and your bodyweight. Don't rush into believing more variety means more expenses. Fixing the holes in your training is as simple as performing weak movements from your training. You can choose the modality, and the amount of money that you're willing to spend on it. Life advice: Being self-motivated can save people quite a bit of money in their fitness endeavors. Be a yogi, and evolve in your kettlebell practice. Cycle, and perform bodyweight exercises at home. Take a pilates class, and do wind sprints and plyometrics on your off-days. Spend the majority of your training time doing something that you love, regardless of difficulty. Save about a quarter of it for things that take you out of your comfort zone. Everybody has a weakness, and like strength, over time we can detrain. Don't leave holes in your fitness routine.

5.Social Clubs with (or without) Squat Racks.

If the gym environment that you're in puts the minors before the majors, and causes you to neglect your priorities, go to a gym by yourself, or in a new place. The people that surround your training can either push you, or pull you. If the overall gym environment looks more like a social environment than a place to train, you might need to find a new place. This category can come in a large variety of fitness centers. They can apply to every one of the kinds of gyms listed above, fitness centers, corporate office gyms, and wherever you train amongst peers. The main issue might just lie in the peers. If better fitness results are desired, and the friend called your training partner, or training team doesn't really stay focused, you may need to break away. It's okay to go about some things on your own. Link up with those friends one night, to celebrate yours, and possibly their training progress. This isn't to discredit training partners in general, but to say that they need to be chosen wisely. If the gym doesn't push you, it's people, or have an energy that drives you, find a new place, and a new crowd.

 David Corrado B.S, CSCS

Lead Editor at Trainathlon

www.CorradoStrength.com