ROME, ITALY - NOVEMBER 19: Dane Coles of the New Zealand All Blacks skips during a gym session on November 19, 2018 in Rome,Italy . (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
I’ve been wanting to join a gym. Except I have this weird social pressure of not wanting to be part of the statistic that only does it for the month of January and drops off. I also don’t want to be judged by the regulars. Gym Peer Pressure is a real thing! I assume that is why Planet Fitness created the judgement free zone.
January is amateur hour at the gym. Due to people like me, joining for the new year, no one really can get a work out in, because all the equipment has someone using it. If you’d like to avoid the crowds and get your sweat on in peace, here’s a few tips.
- Go during off-peak hours. It’s pretty simple right? If you want to avoid people, go to the gym when they’re at work. But if you’re also working 9-5, and can’t sneak in a workout during lunch, this means you’ll either have to get ready to wake up early, or stay up late. Every gym is different so you may have to use a trial and error strategy with workout times, or you could simply ask the employees at the front desk what times things quiet down.
- Sign up for a class. The best way to guarantee you’ll get a good workout, without a bunch of sweaty people throwing it off, is to sign up for a group class. That way you know your instructor will have a workout space reserved for you.
- Go on bad weather days. Rain and snow may suck for your morning commute but they’re great for your drive to the gym. Gyms tend to be emptiest when the weather is crap.
- Don’t go at the start of the hour. Generally, classes are scheduled at the top of the hour. Which means trainers and trainees will fill up the gym and take up everything that you’re trying to use. Learn your gym’s trainer schedules and start going when the dudes yelling “you got this bro, push it out” aren’t dominating the squat racks.
Source: LifeHacker