A new atmosphere.....

I've mentioned in the past couple blogs about a possible gym change, on Tuesday the wife and I finally went through with it and joined the "fitness center" at Nova Southeastern University. After the past few weeks of severe aggravation every time we lifted at our "former" gym,  it was time for us to move on and move out! There were times that I thought I might throw a 45lb. plate across the gym to break up the idiots that were having "flex-off 2011" in front of the dumbbell rack.  The other day my wife almost "involuntarily" turned into a bulimic after watching this group to tools attempt to squat.

After considering a few other gyms in the area, Nova seemed like the perfect fit for both of us. They actually have 4 squat racks, an Olympic lifting platform, quality dumbbells over 100lbs, plenty of floor space, and stackable plyo-boxes. I've trained there twice this week, around 4-5pm, and it wasn't overly crowded. I was able to get in, do work, and get out! 

The thing I like best is that the clientele is mostly college kids, and I really didn't see anyone who might be trying out for the next cast of the Jersey Shore. For the most part people were minding their business and just trying to get in better physical condition.

The Elite Compound in London, Ohio (freakin' awesome!)

I've come to the reality that the "perfect" gym would be difficult to find within reasonable driving distance. Trust me, I would rather be lifting at a place like Defranco's in New Jersey, The ELITE FTS Compound, Cressey Performance, or Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning.- just to name a few places. Of course these gyms are not your typical "membership" facilities and located around 1,000 miles away, but the atmosphere of these "weight rooms" is all about INTENSITY!  A different breed people train at these places, people who are serious about pushing their physical limits.

I also realize that when joining a gym I am not the only one that needs to approve, the wife also has to be happy- and she definitely is with our new facility. She was actually the one who encouraged the much needed change.

We can always sneak in a workout where I work, Emery Wellness Center, but it's a private training facility and I have to respect the members space and training times.  I also like to perform some lifts such as cleans,snatches, and deadlifts and we just don't have the right flooring or equipment for those type of lifts with a good amount of weight on the bar.  It is a great place to train clients, but I like to have a buffer when it comes to work and my own lifting.

One day I might actually open my own facility (anybody wanna invest???) and set it up my way, with the equipment I feel necessary to achieve the highest levels of strength and performance, and create an atmosphere like some of the top gyms in the country. Until then, I have to make the best of where I'm at and keep lifting heavy things and try to improve physically every time I touch the IRON.

If you're unhappy with your facility, go out and explore your options. I realize that with a negative atmosphere you can get stuck in a rut, become unfocused, and you can become unmotivated toward accomplishing your goals. Sometimes all you need is a positive atmosphere to break through you plateaus and achieve great things, and that's what I intend to do.......