Gym update

[drscott]

I haven't written about it for awhile, so here's the quarterly gym report.

Golds Mountain View: equipment aging, attendance down because of low-cost offers from 24Hr Fitness and the attraction of the spiffy new Golds in San Mateo. Met a goodlooking guy named Terry last week who was checking it out in comparison to Campbell, haven't seen him since [insert frowny face.] To compound matters, the hot water tanks installed to fix the "flush the toilet, freeze the guys in the shower" problem broke down last week, still unfixed. Lots of the big boys have moved to Santa Clara and points south. The departure last year of Brendan, our very gay-friendly manager, to Santa Clara has meant less capable management.

Me: I'm having to work around a number of small injuries and problems -- including pain in the right shoulder (which has always been troublesome since I separated it tripping on a crack in the sidewalk on Mass. Ave. in Arlington running back home from a wedding where I may have had a beer or two, c. 1985.) Continuing problems with tendonitis (both medial and lateral epicondylitis) have forced me to cut back on the weight I use for several upper-body areas. I have increased the number of reps to almost make up for it and mostly have kept upper body muscle mass, but my biceps have shrunk an inch or so.

Leg Press: I've backed off from my personal best 900# to a consistent 860# topout. excessor now does heavier weights for many things, including that, since he's more hormonally suited to building muscle. I keep the squats at 225# after topping out at 315# a few years ago.

Definition: body fat's around 12%, which is good enough for me. Diet has suffered a bit from holiday socializing. Time to dump the holiday cookies and get serious.

Comments

[orange-groves.livejournal.com]

Everyone needs body fat in order to survive. Don't get rid of it all.

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

It is possible for some people to get down to 6-8%, but I'm not one of them. You don't need much body fat to survive, but you *do* need a constant supply of good fats in the diet to thrive.

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Gold's in San Mateo actually drew off customers from the MOUNTAIN VIEW location? I wouldn't have thought the two sites served the same "local" population. huh.

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

The hardcore crowd came down to Mountian View from as far north as Redwood City/San Mateo, plus many others who worked out in Mountain View because they work nearby found the inducement of new facilities with comfy locker rooms and steamroom were enough to get them to switch to a place closer to where they live, even if it's a backtrack.

[furfairy.livejournal.com]

Golds Oakland still has some of the original 1980's era Nautilus machines from when the club was a Nautilus establishment. Most of the rest of the machines aren't much newer.

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

The old Nautilus equipment was actually very high quality and if well maintained would be fine. But I suspect it's not. Another reason not to live in Oakland...

[furfairy.livejournal.com]

I have to admit Oakland can be depressing.

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

12% is a good number... I wouldn't go below that. It's commonly the bottom end of the "healthy amount of fat" on an adult male 30+. Just be sure to keep hydrated.

So do you plan on leaving the Mountain View Gold's? It would seem that would be a good idea, assuming the distance isn't so far to the other locations. You pay good money to the place, what's the point if they don't keep the place in good order?

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

I still have a few aesthetically unpleasing flab zones. I see them, anyway! And I'm exceedingly hydrated, almost juicy at times...

As for the gym, the convenience factor trumps. Minor problems aside, being just 6 minutes away vs. 15-30 minutes for alternatives decides it for me. If we moved to SoMa and went to the Golds there, I'd be happier, but that's not happening.