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Apologies for the very basic, stoopid question, but what's up with gyms? People see them as the way to get fit, but running is uncomplicated and free. Aerobics

Apologies for the very basic, stoopid question, but what's up with gyms? People see them as the way to get fit, but running is uncomplicated and free. Aerobics work too. For lower intensity biking or other activities work and require minimal equipment. You don't have weights at home, but is bulking up necessary? Is it just that you can workout more comfortably no matter the weather? Sorry for the basic questions--I really don't know the answers, but assume there are good ones. Thanks.

sevenless 10y ago
The business model of gyms is that people sign up, then stop going after one month. So, that's how gyms stay in business. For the minority who actually use their gym membership, lots don't like running, or have bad knees, so gyms offer a variety of cardio exercises. For example, rowing's a good cardio exercise, and a decent rowing machine is expensive enough that a gym membership can make sense. Running on a treadmill can be preferable to running outside, too. You may not have a good track anywhere close, or you may prefer being able to watch a screen while you run. Gyms offer things like group spin classes, so there's also a social dimension. Ditto the social aspect for meatheads who like to hang out together lifting big weights (no offense intended; I used to be one myself). The other point is that when people say 'fit' they often mean 'skinny'. Unfortunately, the reality is that it's very difficult to lose weight and keep it off (unless you take up smoking, start doing drugs, or get a gastric bypass). Running, in a gym or outside, is unlikely to help. There's some evidence that regular exercise will help you maintain weight loss and it certainly has other health benefits, but this being HN, I think we can be blunt about the fact that if you aren't skinny the odds are against you ever being so in future. > You don't have weights at home, but is bulking up necessary? It doesn't matter if it's necessary or not; some people want to have big muscles or to be very strong, as an aesthetic choice, and they go to gyms for that reason. It's not really much less valid than wanting to be fit. There are reasons to use weights other than "getting big", too. With muscle it's very much "use it or lose it". Older people particularly should be exercising with weights in order not to lose muscle.
edanm 10y ago
Good questions, let me give my perspective. I go to the gym almost purely for strength training (lifting weights), not cardio, so I'll focus on that. Here are reasons to go to a gym to lift weights (no order, but the last reason is the most important): 1. Strength training can be a good way to get fit, as far as I know. It's probably worse than cardio in terms of developing things like your lungs and basic ability to run for an hour. But from the little I know, I'm pretty sure it's a good way to be healthy, which is many peoples' goals, and that's what most people mean when they talk about being fit. 2. Another thing lifting weights does is make you stronger. This is useful, as being strong is good for many things in life. Arguably, this is more useful in "day-to-day" life than being able to run a long time, as you're actually lifting and moving things pretty regularly. (e.g. moving furniture, if you have a child then lifting/playing with the baby, etc). 3. Strength training makes you bulkier, and therefore look better. Or at least some people think so, to some degree. As another commenter said, this is an aesthetic thing. 4. Lastly, and most importantly, people are different. Most people, IMO, don't consistently do a sport they don't like. One lesson I've learned in life is that, if you want to e.g. get fit, the best thing you can do is find something that gets you fit, and that you enjoy doing. So efficiency/cost of the sport here isn't the most important consideration, it really is enjoyment. And enojoyment is, again, a personal thing, just like some people like playing the flute, some like pianos, and some like guitars. (And some prefer to draw, which is free, or to do photography, which can costs tons in equipment).
elbows 10y ago
Strength training provides different health benefits than aerobic exercise, and is important even if you don't want to "bulk up": http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/add-strength-training-to-your-workout.aspx http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/add-strength-training-... And weight lifting is one of the most effective ways to develop strength.
nradov 10y ago
Part of it is mental motivation. Sure I could do a lot of exercises at home and even have some equipment there. But at home there are also many distractions and it's easy to procrastinate. Whereas once i show up at the gym all I can do is exercise. Running and biking are great, I do those, too. But they don't deliver the strength I need for other activities. If you're a typical sedentary office worker you've got to do at least some resistance or weight training to keep your muscles from wasting away.

sevenless 10y ago

The business model of gyms is that people sign up, then stop going after one month. So, that's how gyms stay in business. For the minority who actually use their gym membership, lots don't like running, or have bad knees, so gyms offer a variety of cardio exercises. For example, rowing's a good cardio exercise, and a decent rowing machine is expensive enough that a gym membership can make sense. Running on a treadmill can be preferable to running outside, too. You may not have a good track anywhere close, or you may prefer being able to watch a screen while you run. Gyms offer things like group spin classes, so there's also a social dimension. Ditto the social aspect for meatheads who like to hang out together lifting big weights (no offense intended; I used to be one myself). The other point is that when people say 'fit' they often mean 'skinny'. Unfortunately, the reality is that it's very difficult to lose weight and keep it off (unless you take up smoking, start doing drugs, or get a gastric bypass). Running, in a gym or outside, is unlikely to help. There's some evidence that regular exercise will help you maintain weight loss and it certainly has other health benefits, but this being HN, I think we can be blunt about the fact that if you aren't skinny the odds are against you ever being so in future. > You don't have weights at home, but is bulking up necessary? It doesn't matter if it's necessary or not; some people want to have big muscles or to be very strong, as an aesthetic choice, and they go to gyms for that reason. It's not really much less valid than wanting to be fit. There are reasons to use weights other than "getting big", too. With muscle it's very much "use it or lose it". Older people particularly should be exercising with weights in order not to lose muscle.

edanm 10y ago

Good questions, let me give my perspective. I go to the gym almost purely for strength training (lifting weights), not cardio, so I'll focus on that. Here are reasons to go to a gym to lift weights (no order, but the last reason is the most important): 1. Strength training can be a good way to get fit, as far as I know. It's probably worse than cardio in terms of developing things like your lungs and basic ability to run for an hour. But from the little I know, I'm pretty sure it's a good way to be healthy, which is many peoples' goals, and that's what most people mean when they talk about being fit. 2. Another thing lifting weights does is make you stronger. This is useful, as being strong is good for many things in life. Arguably, this is more useful in "day-to-day" life than being able to run a long time, as you're actually lifting and moving things pretty regularly. (e.g. moving furniture, if you have a child then lifting/playing with the baby, etc). 3. Strength training makes you bulkier, and therefore look better. Or at least some people think so, to some degree. As another commenter said, this is an aesthetic thing. 4. Lastly, and most importantly, people are different. Most people, IMO, don't consistently do a sport they don't like. One lesson I've learned in life is that, if you want to e.g. get fit, the best thing you can do is find something that gets you fit, and that you enjoy doing. So efficiency/cost of the sport here isn't the most important consideration, it really is enjoyment. And enojoyment is, again, a personal thing, just like some people like playing the flute, some like pianos, and some like guitars. (And some prefer to draw, which is free, or to do photography, which can costs tons in equipment).

elbows 10y ago

Strength training provides different health benefits than aerobic exercise, and is important even if you don't want to "bulk up": http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/add-strength-training-to-your-workout.aspx http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/add-strength-training-... And weight lifting is one of the most effective ways to develop strength.

nradov 10y ago

Part of it is mental motivation. Sure I could do a lot of exercises at home and even have some equipment there. But at home there are also many distractions and it's easy to procrastinate. Whereas once i show up at the gym all I can do is exercise. Running and biking are great, I do those, too. But they don't deliver the strength I need for other activities. If you're a typical sedentary office worker you've got to do at least some resistance or weight training to keep your muscles from wasting away.