Gym

Going to the gym can be hard, sometimes, it’s one of the hardest things you can do because it can’t be automated, delegated, or sped up. It has to be completed by you, in person, for at least several minutes, on a regular basis.

I’ve struggled with making time, and finding the motivation, to go to the gym for years. In college, I had a gym buddy but she’d often oversleep so that didn’t work well, or I’d take a kinesiology (PE) class which I regularly attended but didn’t feel like I gained much from. In weight lifting classes there was no one to push me and it was all self driven so I could slack off, and in sport classes, like tennis or pickleball, the good players all bunched up and played each other leaving the true beginners to struggle on their own together. I really did not enjoy the experience. I would go to a general gym but even if I knew what I was doing, having to wait for a machine was often enough to break my motivation and I’d leave. Also, it was difficult to go because I knew I wasn’t going to have fun. The best machines for me were the Stairmaster and treadmill as I could workout while watching a movie or social media for an hour and really feel like I accomplished something, however, that meant I was neglecting my arms. Gym overall was a neutral to bad place in my mind, and it smelled.

However, at the end of 2025, I finally found my fit. Bar. It’s more expensive than a regular free for all gym, but, the people greet me by name, and I haven’t once had to fight to have a spot in a class. Additionally, it never smells and the equipment is always clean. Having a $10 charge for missing class motives me just enough that I will keep the reservations I set on Sunday for the week when I’m fired up and ready. Also, it’s working. I’m gaining strength, flexibility, endurance, and community through the monthly book club at the gym. I love it.

One caveat, I have been to other Bar places and they have been bad experiences, ,the rooms were over crowded, the instructor was unclear, and overall, it felt off. However, if you’ve been struggling to find an exercise routine that works, and you can squeeze your budget a bit more, I highly recommend taking a free class at your local Bar Method place. I’ll be at mine for awhile.

It has been crazy how easy going to the gym has been once I finally found a gym that fit my lifestyle, my time commitments, and didn’t smell.