Rats In a Cage

So, I've come to the conclusion that what I've been doing so far as exercise is just not working enough.  So, I want to go and join a gym.  But I was unsure of which one.  Now, I was over at the SuperFresh in town (where I found the chocolate oikos yoghurt but that's another story) and right next door is a Curves.  So I go into the Curves and sit down while I wait for the person working to finish up with a client.

Now, first impression, there's decent music going in the background and the machines, while they look slightly like medieval torture devices moved into the 21st century by being made out of white metal, do not look all that intimidating.  There are three women working out today, and I watch them as they move about the stations.  Now, here's the thing, there are like 8 machines, maybe 9, with a walking platform in between each one.  Seemed not too bad, until this voice came over the radio that said "Change Station Now".  And these women got off the machines that they were exercising on, moved to the walking platform and then walked (or bounced, or flopped around like a penguin) until the voice spoke agan, ordering them to move.

Now, I dunno about anybody else, but this seems.... automatic.  Pavlovian almost.  You get about two minutes on each piece of machinery and you go around the circle twice in half an hour.  It's just...bizarre.

So sitting there watching this, I finally get a little not-so-hippy girl sititng across from me to go over the details.  And I'm sorry, but I just did not feel...comfortable... with this girl.  I'm sure she's great, and I'm sure she knows how to keep me from hurting myself on the machines, but something about her just did not inspire confidence.

I want more from a work out than obeying the voice from the radio and barely getting any time on a machine that I think I need.  It seems, like a trained monkey and almost that it wouldn't do me any good.

I don't want this fast weightloss or anything like that. I want to do this right.  I want to lose the weight and I want to trim and sleek my body and make it firm and just looking good and healthy.  Curves does not quite seem geared to that.

Today, however, we stopped by the Extreme Fitness in town and I felt immediately better when I walked in.  There are machines for cardio right up front, several different ones (ellipticals, treadmills, bicycles) and then as you move back there are 2 different weight and resistance training machines, ones for beginners and the other for more advanced for strength training.  I talked with the woman who runs the place and in the ten minutes that I spent with her, I felt like she knows what she's doing and that I would be safe in that gym. 

Extreme Fitness also has showers on location.  Only two per dressing room, but there are still showers.  I could go to the gym, exercise, and shower before work if I wanted to.  This is a huge positive.  And it's not too expensive, only $40/month.  And that includes the classes (except for spinning which is extra) like kickboxing and yoga and coming soon, Zumba!

This is not a given thing yet, but if I were to choose, I would go to Extreme.  it seems more like what I'm looking for in a gym, and it would give me the strength training that I'm hoping for.

We'll see what happens...