A New Year/A New Gym

I bit the bullet and joined a new gym this year. When I first moved to SouthLite I signed myself and b up for the gym at my university. It is a fairly large and well-stocked gym and it's cheap. Year 1 we went fairly regularly but I was always annoyed that the gym was either closed or had limited hours the times of the year I had the most time. Year 2 we went more infrequently but we still went. However the more I taught the more I ran into students I knew while I was working out. Initially I didn't think this would bother me but eventually it did. b and I also felt a little less than comfortable working out in a gym that was predominately filled with scantily-clad people that were more than 20 years our junior. By Year 3 we had stopped going and I ended our membership.

I did most of last year without a gym. We did go to the dojo fairly frequently and I tried my best to keep running. Unfortunately the workouts at the dojo are far from enough for me and when its really really hot here (which is often) I just can't run outdoors. Needless to say my fitness level has been steadily dropping. On top of that, putting my tenure packet together last year really didn't help matters.

b is still going to the dojo but I just don't have the heart for it. Ultimately it is a kind place but just doesn't fill my workout or my martial arts needs. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the martial arts part of the equation (other than practice on my own) but I decided to pay the money and join a more expensive gym. I actually got a good deal so for the next 18 months it won't cost anymore than the local Y.

One of the things that is important to me in a gym (besides having people my own age who don't call me Dr. Brigindo) is a steam room. I haven't had a gym with a steam room in a very long time. This may sound like an odd requirement for a gym but I REALLY like to steam and will go and workout just to justify it. The gym I joined is our little city's luxury gym. There are two facilities (in different parts of town but both just over 2 miles from my house) that I can frequent and I can buy $5 passes for when b wants to come with me. There are many machines, a large selection of free weights, lots and lots of classes, and a really big pool in one of the sites (the other has a small pool in an inconvenient location). The locker rooms have more amenities that I have in my home. In short I'm quite taken with this gym and have been there everyday this week.

Yesterday I took a yoga class. I've done many yoga moves in my martial arts career and have taken one or two lame yoga classes but this was the real thing. It was wonderful. Can't wait for the next one.