Getting your money’s worth should always be a priority for anything you purchase. Access to a gym or training facility is no exception. And if you’re someone who is looking to become as strong as possible and experience an optimal training environment, it’s worth knowing that not all gyms are worthy of your money.
This is an article written for those who have a true desire to get the most out of their physical pursuits and enrich their training lifestyle as a whole. A good gym is more than a facility filled with equipment; it’s a place where you’re allowed (and encouraged) to push yourself while being around supportive people.
Read on to find out exactly what I’m talking about and whether or not your gym has any of the red flags below that might be worth re-evaluating where you decide to do your training.
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Red Flag 1: You’re not allowed to challenge yourself
It may sound bizarre, but some gyms have rules in place that ironically (and unintentionally) prevent individuals from becoming the fittest and strongest version of themselves possible.
Not every gym caters to those who want to challenge themselves and test their physical limits to become the best version of themselves possible.
And just to be clear: not every gym needs to cater to such individuals—I’m very aware of this. Plenty of individuals are just looking for ways to move around, break a light sweat, and just stay active. This is totally fine for those looking for casual fitness sessions.
But if you have a yearning to work rather hard in the name of learning just what you’re capable of, this type of gym will likely hold you back in a couple of ways.
Read on to find out how and why.
What happens when you truly challenge yourself
A few things are going to happen when you challenge your limits:
- You, yourself, will need to make a bit of noise.
- The weight you’re lifting will likely make some noise as you move it around.
- You’ll need to use some chalk to maximize your performance.
None of these factors is a license for you to be obnoxious; you don’t need to scream or grunt at the top of your lungs on every rep you perform or when you’re lifting at rather sub-maximal loads, so don’t be that guy or girl.
But when the time comes when you want to find out what your body is capable of, be it with a heavy lift, sprinting on a treadmill, or setting a new personal record of any kind, you and the weight you’re lifting or the equipment you’re using will make a bit of noise.
Be mindful of those around you, but a good gym will (in my personal opinion) be filled with others who support your effort in pushing yourself and challenging your limits. Heck, you might just even inspire them to do the same with their pursuits.
It may not be that every person in the gym will appreciate your efforts. Still, the facility itself shouldn’t have any issues with this, so long as it’s done mindfully and within reason.
Unfortunately, some gyms out there—even certain chains of gyms—discourage making any noise or lifting heavy weights within their facilities. I’m of the opinion that this is quite unfortunate.
“A ‘no chalk’ policy makes no sense at all.”
The belief is that doing so can intimidate others around you, particularly if they are new to the gym or working out. And while I can certainly appreciate the notion of looking out for others, one must ask if those of us who challenge ourselves should invite these otherwise intimidated individuals to partake in the same journey.
By this, I mean that those of us who push ourselves in such ways should be ambassadors to the lifestyle of discovering just how amazing our bodies are. We should do this not by forcing others to pursue max-effort deadlifts or gruelling squat sessions but rather by fostering friendly and inviting dialogue on how life-giving it can feel to push ourselves beyond everyday comfort.
I’m in no way saying lifters and athletes have a right to be obnoxious in the gym as if everything revolves around them; I’m saying we are all worthy of challenging our physicality, and we must all become comfortable seeing others around us do so.
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”
The classic “no chalk” issue
If your training involves gripping and holding onto heavier loads, chalk is a necessity. If you’re not planning on lifting heavy loads, you may not have to worry about this issue; however, if you’re truly interested in becoming stronger and building a more robust physique, chalk is necessary.
Some gyms have strict “no chalk” policies, and while it makes sense for certain fitness facilities, for any facility that has traditional strength training equipment (barbells, heavy dumbbells, kettlebells, lifting platforms, etc.), a “no chalk” policy makes no sense at all.
Plenty of facility owners and non-strength training individuals will claim that chalk makes a mess in their facilities, and while it certainly can (when used inappropriately or carelessly), chalk is essential to those who take their strength training seriously.
Chalk serves two purposes in the gym:
- it keeps lifters safe
- It improves performance
At best, without chalk, you can’t securely hold heavy loads in your hands that are required to maximize your physical strength. At worst, safety can be compromised for you AND for those in the gym around you.
I have seen heavy kettlebells fly across the room as lifters try to perform heavy kettlebell swings in no-chalk facilities, and heavy dumbbells slip out of the hands of those using them.
I’m not a fan of taking a fifty-pound flying kettlebell to my knee from the slippery grip of another lifter or having a heavy dumbbell slip out of my hand and land on my foot. I’ve had close calls with these sorts of incidents, and I’m not a fan of swapping months of heavy strength training for months of physical rehab.
Chalk should be used responsibly, and I’ll be the first to admit that lifters have a responsibility in doing so. Use it wisely, but if your facility is adamant about no chalk, it may be a sign that you’re not where you need to be.
Pro tip: If you’re stuck in a facility where chalk is discouraged or not allowed, but you need to grip and grab heavy weights, you’ll want to opt for a product called Liquid Chalk. The product is essentially what it sounds like – a liquid substance that turns into a grip-maximizing powder when used. And best of all, it leaves no evidence behind on the bar.
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Red flag 2: Everyone is “better than you”
There will always be an occasional gym member who thinks they’re the center of the universe and that they’re a better human being than you. But that’s not what I’m talking about.
I’m talking about spending time in a gym where there’s a collective hive mind that believes and acts as if you’re not worthy of being in the same facility as them. They may exhibit this attitude because you’re not as fit, strong, or experienced as they are with your physical pursuits or because they feel threatened by you.
Whatever the case may be, if you’re a paying member at your gym, you have just as much of a right to be there as they do; however, it can be toxic to stick around if you deal with such a hive mind on a regular basis.
The gym is a place that is meant to have others build you up and support you in your pursuits, not tear you down. Any facility that either permits its members to exhibit such toxic traits or is simply filled with such individuals is likely a detriment to your strength and wellness journey.
What’s even worse, training in this type of gym is certain to only lead to the “crabs in a bucket” mentality, whereby other members who see the progress you’re making will try to hold you back.
Toxic people do funny things when they feel threatened or intimidated by others. Sure enough, if they see you making progress on any aspect of your physicality while they aren’t, they’ll almost certainly try to discourage you in some capacity to make themselves feel better or less threatened.
“The gym is a place that is meant to have others build you up and support you in your pursuits, not tear you down.”
You’re worth so much more than hanging around in the same facility as these individuals, especially since they’ll only try to pull you down as they see you rising to the top.
Red flag 3: Equipment is always broken
Things break in gyms. Equipment wears out, falters, and ultimately falls apart to the extent that it can’t be used. This is the status quo for any public or private training facility that has a high volume of individuals coming through its doors.
The breaking of equipment isn’t an issue. The lack of timely repairs is. Of course, not everything can be repaired overnight. It can often take a week or more for parts to arrive or for service vendors to have availability to come to the facility. This is par for the course when it comes to most public and private gyms.
If you’re interested in building a home gym on a budget so that you don’t have to worry about this annoying issue, be sure to check out my article on how to build a home gym on a budget.
The issue is when equipment routinely remains out of service for weeks on end. This is especially true when it’s multiple pieces of equipment; the cable machine needs a new cable, half of the treadmills are out of service, and the sauna has been out of commission for well over a month.
“The breaking of [your gym’s] equipment isn’t an issue. The lack of timely repairs is.”
There comes a point when your membership dollars aren’t being managed wisely by the facility owners. What this point looks explicitly like is something you’ll have to determine for yourself. Still, I feel it’s worth reminding you that, as a paying member, you pay to access the facility and its amenities. And if everything is constantly broken…are you really getting your money’s worth?
Red flag 4: Opportunities for community engagement are discouraged
Human beings are built for community. And while there are plenty of times when we just want to go to the gym, lift, and then leave, there are times when we know it’d be good for our spirit to spend time with other like-minded folks outside of the gym.
After all, strengthening your spirit is a pursuit you should take just as seriously (if not even more seriously) as strengthening your body.
Related article: It’s Worth Overcoming ‘Gymtimidation’ (Here’s Why & How to do it)
Not every lifter wants to engage in the community, mind you, but throughout my years of training in countless facilities, the best facilities always have opportunities for community interaction, whether at the facility or off-site. It’s so cool to be a part of a community that spends a bit of time together through group events such as a summer evening barbecue, Christmas shin-dig, etc.
It’s absolutely not an issue if your gym doesn’t have any of these community activities or opportunities, but it certainly is an issue if implementing any community-based events is discouraged.
Pro tip: Sometimes, you’ll have to be the one to find ways to create these opportunities, and you’d be surprised at how many fellow gym-goers in your facility are longing for such community opportunities and would be genuinely grateful for you to organize something that brings them all together.
The point isn’t to force you to become involved with your gym community or run for the hills if your facility doesn’t have such opportunities. Rather, it’s merely a point of knowing that lifters who long for a sense of community or belonging will do well to spend their days training in a gym environment that believes in the importance of community.
“After all, strengthening your spirit is a pursuit you should take just as seriously (if not even more seriously) as strengthening your body.”
If need be, be the person who generates a community activity or two. And if everyone in your facility says it’s a bad idea and discourages such thinking, that’s your cue to find a new gym.
Final thoughts
A good gym is one that fits your training needs, lets you challenge yourself, offers a positive environment, provides you access to what you’re paying for, and believes in the importance of coming together. If one or more of these factors aren’t present, it may be that you’re not getting your money’s worth.
Hopefully, this isn’t the case for you. Everyone deserves a great facility to train within. If, by any chance, you’re not sure if a particular gym is worth your money, consider the red flags listed in this article. If none of them are present, you’ll likely be in a great facility. If not, run for the hills or to another gym.
Frequently Asked Questions
To be as helpful as possible, I’ve included a few short answers to other gym-related questions lifters and active individuals often have. I hope they are helpful!
Hi! I’m Jim Wittstrom, PT, DPT, CSCS, Pn1.
I am a physical therapist who is passionate about all things pertaining to strength & conditioning, human movement, injury prevention and rehabilitation. I created StrengthResurgence.com in order to help others become stronger and healthier. I also love helping aspiring students and therapists fulfill their dreams of becoming successful in school and within their clinical PT practice. Thanks for checking out my site!