Gold’s gym shoots self in foot
The gym I go to has been in the midst of a huge remodling binge to make their interior look really cool and high-tech. But their cardio machines were getting worn out, and my favorite “Life Fitness” cross-trainer, that did a great whole-body workout without trashing my knees or wrists, was down to only two working examples (on a good day). But today I found all new cardio machines had been installed. Whoopee!
The cross-trainers were replaced by “Nautilus” brand, so on Saturday I gave ‘em a try. Very different motion, and I don’t think my knees will forgive me for a while. Also it was difficult to hit my target heart rate because the rhythm was for someone with a different-sized body or something. There were no adjustments.
On the brighter side, the digital readout informed me that I burned “267.7” calories during the thirty-minute cardio session. Wow! That’s ten times as precise as the display on the old cross-trainer, the last digit of which I always ignored anyway. Ahh, the advancement of science. Or of something.
I spent the rest of the session lifting free weights. Pretty hard to screw that up. On Sunday, I tried the new Stairmaster, which looks like a flight of stairs and an escalator got married and this was their offspring. Worked as well as the old design, which was mechanically a lot simpler and less prone to collecting crud and dried perspiration over the upcoming years in a gym.
When membership renewal time comes up, I’ll be looking at other gyms. Or even at getting my own Life Fitness cross-trainer, which costs as much as about four years’ gym membership.
Life Fitness cross-trainer? Is that the elliptical cross trainers? Which model would you consider?
When I get a house I plan on getting a free weight system and an elliptical cross trainer.
Cost of Free Weight System: $500.00 (roughly)
Cost of free weights and extra lbs: $100.00
Cost of decent Elliptical Cross Trainer: $1000.00
Total: less than 4 years of a gym membership.