Spit and sawdust gym

J

jon16

0
I train at a fitness centre but my friend trains at a spit and sawdust gym. I went round to check where my friend trains and there was dust over the weights and the place looked scruffy.

The guys training there looked huge like they were on steroids and the cardio faciliteys looked limited. What is the appeal of these kind of places? One mans meat may well be another's poision LOL!
 
Before the fitness center craze stareted in the 70's almost all gyms looked like that. I used to go to a place called TAC (Texas Althetic Club in Austin Texas when I was in college (1976-1979). The place had a couple of Olympic platforms, a couple of flat benches, one squat rack, and no cardio equipment. If you wanted cardio you laced up your shoes and ran. The place had a painted concrete floor and all the benches and equipment were hand made by the owner out back with a chop saw, a welder and a can of spray paint. A lot of the guys who trained there were state champion body builders and power lifters. Everybody knew everybody and helped everybody out, even when they were training for the same competitions. Since there was only 1 sqaut rack and 2 olympic flat benches you almost always worked in with a bunch of other guys and had plenty of spotters. If the owner got to know you and trusted you, he gave you a key so you could work out any time, night or day. I'm not sure how that would play in today's litiginous world. I would trade any fancy fitness center for that place any day!
 
I love gyms like that.. not enough around. People are usually more helpful, for some reason. Also, the more "hardcore" environment can be quite motivating. + gyms like that often have the stuff you want to train seriously, like bands and chains. Proper platforms (which most gyms lack), at least if it's an oly lifting gym, is another advantage. Also, dumbbells that go over 40kg..
 
Depends on the "bare" or "raw" gym. I've been members of a few where they were really nothing more than steroids distribution centers (didn't hang around those very long...).

But there have been a few decent ones. The most recent is run by a physical therapist I work with. No real cardio equipment to speak of, but plenty of equipment and space for plyometrics, resistance training, Oly lifts, etc. It's a good spot with good people and plenty of knowledge.
 
illiniphase4 said:
Depends on the "bare" or "raw" gym. I've been members of a few where they were really nothing more than steroids distribution centers (didn't hang around those very long...).

But there have been a few decent ones. The most recent is run by a physical therapist I work with. No real cardio equipment to speak of, but plenty of equipment and space for plyometrics, resistance training, Oly lifts, etc. It's a good spot with good people and plenty of knowledge.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't the weights of the plates deteriorate if the plates were rusty? Suerly the guys that run such places can at least keep the weights shiny and clean the place of dust?
 
jon16 said:
Wouldn't the weights of the plates deteriorate if the plates were rusty? Suerly the guys that run such places can at least keep the weights shiny and clean the place of dust?
Click to expand...

It's not really that big of a problem in some places, given the fact that a good number of both raw and traditional gyms utilize free-weights and dumbbells that are coated or covered in polyurethane or rubber, with anodized handles on the dumbbells.

And even then, overall corrosion usually isn't so fast that it would cause some sort of noticeable and immediate change to the weights.
 
Last edited:
Karky said:
I love gyms like that.. not enough around. People are usually more helpful, for some reason. Also, the more "hardcore" environment can be quite motivating. + gyms like that often have the stuff you want to train seriously, like bands and chains. Proper platforms (which most gyms lack), at least if it's an oly lifting gym, is another advantage. Also, dumbbells that go over 40kg..
Click to expand...

EliteFTS , though you could hardly call it a Spit 'n' Sawdust but it's hardcore.
 
I would say there are :-

1. Fitness Centres/Health Clubs
- get in shape outfits for fitness bunnies
- swimming, jacuzzi, sauna, classes etc
- machines and limited dumbbells
- deadlifts my be banned or you may not even have somewhere you can do deads.
2. BodyBuilder Gyms
- stuff for BBers but not necessarily good for fitness bunnies, PowerLifters or Oly lifters
3. PL/Oly/Strongman gyms
- specialist equipment and stuff for the specific discipline.
- chances are noobs cannot be allowed to use specialised equipment unsupervised.
- BBers would be banned for wanting to do "curl for gals" in the racks and for wearing tank tops.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top