Gym Chronicles: Gym Creatures

About 3 months ago, I decided to finally go to the gym. After all, it is not easy to say no when faced with the combined goading and persuading powers of mum and aunt. They needed a gym 'kaki' to keep them company and I was just about to start my year-end school break. So I decided to take the plunge and give being a gym rat a shot.

Onwards to the present, I can say that I have never regretted that decision and am now firmly entrenched as a regular gym-goer. Besides working out, I admit that the gym is a good place to observe people, from a purely intellectual perspective of course. In fact, I would go so far as to say the most important things in a gym is not the weights or equipment but the people there.

From my observations I have grouped my fellow gym-goers into a few loose groups.

1)Mr. Universe - People that fall into this category are probably the most easily noticed in the gym. Hey, who would fail to notice a huge guy rippling with muscle, capable of bench-pressing a Kancil easily. To qualify as one of them, you need to follow certain characteristics, like consuming protein supplements, buy bodybuilding magazines, group your gym workouts by major body parts, and spend half the time scrutinising your body in the mirror. They also workout for the sake of working out. So far, there is only one guy who strictly falls into this category, as he competes in bodybuilding competitions. There are a few other non-bodybuilders however who can qualify under this category, even if it is more for the mirror observing. But honestly, all of them are really decent people, and they do know their stuff and are humble about it.

2)Gym rat - Most people would consider this group identical to the previous one, in fact I would have thought the same 3 months ago. Upon closer inspection and immersion in gym culture though, I really do feel there is a difference. They are not as hardcore about working out, though that is still only a relative comparison. They are not as specific or particular about their workouts, though also relative since they do seriously workout and have decent form and technique. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two though, is that gym rats regard working out as a secondary activity, more as a tool to help them in other sports or to gain fitness. I would consider myself as part of this group, along with a few other swimmers (my gym is at a swimming club), and some older guys.

3)Normal people - For lack of a suitable adjective, I feel normal is the best way to describe this demographic. They are the casual gym goers, who are quite laid back about their workout, but are really trying to make the most of their time in the gym. Most do not utilise free weights in their routines, preferring instead to use weight machines, treadmills or stationary cycles.

4)Slackers/posers - Unfair or not, this is the group that grates on my nerves the most. They live in their own world, going through the motions yet feel that what they are doing are beneficial. I do not mind this however, as whatever happens is none of my business, but the thing is that they take up space, literally. Due to their aversion to moving fast, they occupy the limited number of equipment available for unnecessarily long periods of time. It is no big surprise that they are also the most straining on the eyes, another one of my pet peeves. Their sheer glory of their appearance are the single biggest distraction. Ironically, they would probably be the first to ask why the gym workouts do not seem to be helping them physically. hmmmm, tough question, maybe they will read about it in the magazines they peruse when they workout.

So there, a rough idea of the people who frequent gyms. Do note however that they are loose groupings and many of my fellow gym goers fall under more than one category.