I’m working from home today… and thus a late lunch. I’d like to call your attention to this interesting article from the NY Times that looks at how exercise facilities are changing. It appears that in the past full-service gyms were seen as social places — meet/meat markets, so to speak — where people came for the community as well as to exercise. That’s changing now: people go to gyms and do solitary workouts, plugged into their own entertainment. There are fewer exercise classes, and more solitary use of machines. People aren’t drawn for the community anymore, and want ala carte pricing. As a result, full-service gyms are suffering, shedding members and not replacing them.
I certainly fit the new trend. I go to the same place where I had physical therapy for my back. I view it as physical therapy (which gets me going), and pretty much use the machines plugged into my iPod. That’s what I did when I had the membership at the “Y” — classes weren’t my thing. My wife is now talking about rejoining the “Y” because she prefers classes, but I’m not sure what will be the most cost effective approach for both of us.
So what is your preferred exercise approach? Do you use a full-service gym? A local YMCA/YWCA? Some other form of exercise facility?
