For 9 years I was a member of Premier Fitness (yes, I am not afraid to name names). I joined Premier in 2001, when all of my close friends worked out there and I really liked the facilities and its atmosphere. I noticed after a few years that the management seemed to change often and I suppose that is why the employees never really seemed to know who was in charge and would give me the run-around if I had a problem or just a simple question. I also noticed that for all the great equipment that the gym had a lot of machines would have an 'out of order' sign and would take weeks, sometimes months to fix, and in some cases never be fixed at all.
In 2005 I moved and the gym wasn't as geographically convenient as it used to be, so I checked out other gyms. All the other gyms seemed to be almost double the price and I heard that they were renovating and expanding my Premier location so I stuck around. They did complete the reno and almost doubled the size of the gym floor with all kinds of new equipment so I was happy again.
Slowly, as management continued to change, Premier did not maintain the facility and I was once again tempted to go elsewhere but never did because I had a really good monthly deal.
For the last 2 years I remained a member but was very reluctant use the gym and for that, I have let myself get really out of shape. It is pretty frustrating to get the time to hit the gym and the machines you want to use don't work or feel unsafe and your gym has about 20 treadmills and 2 maybe 3 work, and you have to wait to use one and then feel pressured to get off.
I barely went to the gym in the last 6 months and in November I decided I had to fix this problem.
I have to mention that Premier never seemed to care about their members once they got them joined up and never seemed top offer anything to loyal members unless it involved doing their job and getting others to sign up, so I found it quite amusing that the day I went in to quit it was 'Member Appreciation Day', where it looked like they were giving out free food, supplements and prizes. That's irony isn't it?
2 weeks ago I joined Fitness Connection. I could not be happier. I have remembered how fun and rewarding a great workout can make you feel. The hours are great at Fitness Connection, there is a real lack of juiced-up ego freaks, the equipment all works (all of it), the equipment is better quality with better machines and rubber coated plates, and best of all, it is literally 2 minutes from my house.
I was stuck in a rut for a long while and I am so happy that I made this choice. I have been working out hard these past 2 weeks and I am sore but it the GOOD soreness that makes you feel alive. I realized that it had been almost a year since I ran, worked out my legs, or did a deadlift. Oh deadlifts, I forgot how awesome you are.
For anyone else out there that is having trouble motivating yourself to hit the gym or get in shape, go join a new gym, or go for a run, make a bad ass playlist. Try something new. It's easy to forget how good exercise can make you feel.
Here's my current playlist for anyone who cares. (NOTE: I like angry gangsta rap when I workout)
Ghostface Killah - the Champ
Wu Tang Clan - Pinky Ring
Mark Ronson feat. Ghostface and Nate Dogg - Ooh Wee
RZA - We Pop
Kid Cudi feat. Kanye and Common - I Poke Her Face
Tupac and Eazy E - Real Thugs
Dr Dre feat. Snoop, Xzibit, and Eminem - Bitch Please 2
Tupac feat. Ice Cube and Ice T - Last Wordz
Bone Thugs & Harmony - Bodyrott
Snoop Dogg feat. Kurupt, Daz and RBX - Serial Killa
Dangermouse - Allure (Jay Z/Beatles from the Grey Album)
Tupac - Fake Ass Bitches
Ludacris - How Low
Ludacris - Southern Hospitality
Bone Thugs and Harmony feat. The Game - Streets
DMX - Lord Give Me a Sign (NOTE: I am not religious at all but this is a bad ass, very fun song)
T.I. _We Do This
Roots feat Dave Chappelle - In Love With the Mic (bonus track off the Tipping Point album)
Three 6 Mafia feat. Chamillionaire - Doe Boy Fresh
Lil Wyte - Fucked Up
Tupac feat. Trick Daddy - Still Ballin'
Trick Daddy - Boy
Outkast feat. Killer Mike and Jay Z - Flip Flop Rock
Fat Joe feat. Nelly - Get It Poppin
Ice Cube - Stomping In My Big Black Boots
Scarface - Recognize
T.I. - Top Back
K-OS - Electrik Heat (the Seekwill)
Joe Budden feat. the Game - the Future
T.I. - Bring 'em out
Three 6 Mafia - It's a fight
Kurupt - On Onsite
Bone Thugs & Harmony - Wasteland Warriors
Tupac/Krayziebone/Swizz Beatz - Untouchables
Bone Thugs & Harmony - That's that Bone
Kurupt feat. Roscoe, Nate Dogg - Girls all Pause
Dr Dre feat. Ice Cube - Natural Born Killa
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