Changing Gyms

I have been doing strength training since 1981 starting at a college gym located in the football stadium. I remember it did not have air conditioning, but I think it had some heat. During the winter breaks I trained at a hole in the wall small building where two locals guys stored their equipment. There was no lock on the front door, but since no one cared about training in that community there was no fear of someone stealing anything. Absolutely no heat at all so I trained with street clothes and a winter parka. I have always favored a hardcore training environment all the way to the legendary Coffee's Gym in Marietta. Those were my prime strength days until I retired from competing. I moved on to other gyms and for the past 13 years or so I have been at BodyPlex in Woodstock. I have to say, now that they abruptly closed the doors leaving members wondering what happened, that it was a great 24/7 gym. It was well equipment and no one cared if you got a little sweaty or groaned a bit on a heavy lift. 

Last week not knowing what to do I joined a Planet Fitness, which is also a 24/7 gym and works logistically with my morning commute into work. It's not a bad place at all to be honest. The fitness center is really clean and clean locker rooms and showers. There is a lot of equipment in terms of machines that will cover any area. Plenty of cardio equipment, a line of dumbbells, a few smith machines and cable machines. Several duplicates of all equipment for the busier hours. But on my first leg day there is only one leg press and I almost used every 45 pound plate on the leg press and I did not even go up as heavy as I normally would go at BodyPlex. Meanwhile, I have been searching the internet everyday since joining Planet Fitness to see if there were other options that have 24 hour access. Most that come up are other franchise centers and have very poor ratings and a lot of comments about shady membership dues and hidden fees. I considered LA Fitness but it does not open until 5 AM and I hear that each location is really busy at that time. 

So I was talking with another familiar face from BodyPlex training at PF this morning and he said he was considering TapOut, which is known for being a MMA gym or at least that is what I thought. It is less than a mile from BodyPlex  and PF and I didn't even know it was there. The strength training portion of this 24 hour business takes up most of the building and is a bit more of a hardcore feel to it all. I signed up to TapOut and I think I will feel a little more at home to grunt on a heavier lift if it happens to emerge from the strain. I try to keep a calmer demeanor than I did in my younger intense days. A lot of days I forget that I am 56 until I get under the bar and everything reminds me that I am one rep from something tearing. I am not ready to go full Planet Fitness mode just yet. Not a bad place considering the price, but I am just not ready to soften up just yet. I will miss BodyPlex it was a great place for the past many years of training, but change happens. We move on and get back in the groove.

Update 7/25/2019:

Having two memberships, I find myself naturally heading to the TapOut gym even though I pass by the Planet Fitness. TapOut is becoming my new home gym. It is much smaller and has less equipment than BodyPlex, but it is equipped enough to get everything done. In fact I am having to return to some movements and lifts that I have not done in a long time. I keep thinking I need to drop in and train at Planet Fitness just so I get something out of the non-returnable cash membership, but I go right by it each time. Strength training is still going well.


Planet Fitness - Mostly machines with a few dumbbells and smith machines.

TapOut - Mix of free weights, cabled weights and machines.