Why Didn’t I Cancel My Gym Membership Ages Ago?

The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said: If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it Jumping up and down.

Rita Rudner

Several months ago I wrote a blog called Confessions of a Gym Rat about my struggle getting into a gym that I really didn’t like. It was in a basement, old, rundown, badly laid out and not cheap. I’ve been working out in gyms since the mid-70s so not going to a gym didn’t appear to be an option. Unfortunately this was the only gym close to my house since Goodlife bought the big, bright, well laid out gym that I was a member of and then closed it to drive people to the basement. Although I considered going to a gym that I had to drive to, realistically I knew that wouldn’t work. After many trials and tribulations I finally cancelled my gym membership and found a great alternative.

I live in mid-town Toronto in what I affectionately refer to as my 700 square feet of splendor so a big home gym setup was not feasible. However, with a little creativity I can now do as good a workout or better than I did in the gym in very little space and for very little money. I bought a frame-less step machine. It’s literally just the steps so it takes up very little space and it’s under $100 on Amazon. I learned how to train in an old body building gym so I’ve never worked out with machines, only free weights. I rounded out my “home gym” with a few sets of dumbbells (which also take up next to no space and are very inexpensive). Since I’m Jewish, guilt is a powerful motivator for me which is why I strategically placed the stepper and the dumbbells in front of the TV. Every day I find a one-hour TV show that I want to watch and hop on the stepper for the hour. Afterwards I do a weight and ab work out. I’m now working out daily and more efficiently than when I went to the gym. It’s easy to find the time at home and the shower is just a few short steps away. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I really love my home setup and would never rejoin a gym.

If swimming is such a good way to stay in shape, explain whales…

Unknown

Make someone smile today.

Geri

I Was Hustled By Fitness Depot

I believe that every human has a finite amount of heartbeats. I don’t intend to waste any of mine running around doing exercises.

Neil Armstrong

A few weeks ago I went into Fitness Depot on Yonge Street to pick up a new stability ball and two sets of dumbbells. They had the stability ball in stock but they didn’t have the weights in the sizes I wanted but said they’d order them for me. I asked if they needed a deposit and the chap serving me said that if I didn’t pay in full up front I’d have to wait until the next order, which could be several weeks; but a prepaid order comes in much quicker. Fitness Depot is a reputable organization so I paid in full up front. When someone says that I’ll be getting something “quickly” to me that means a few days to the maximum of one week. I called after one week – nothing. I called after two weeks – nothing. I called after three weeks and low and behold their regular shipment had just arrived, my dumbbells included. Clearly paying up front in full had not made a damn difference and the person that served me had to know that. I was plain and simply hustled.

However, Fitness Depot managed to add insult to injury. When I called after three weeks to inquire about my dumbbells, I expressed my displeasure to Sarah, the person who answered the phone. She was disinterested and rude. Her only comment was that I shouldn’t take it out on her. In fact I wasn’t taking anything out on her; I was merely expressing my displeasure at being asked to pay in full up front for no reason. I asked who I should be speaking to and she said that I should speak to Sam, the manager. I asked her to have Sam give me a call and she hung up on me. Sam never called me. Clearly Fitness Depot has zero interest in customer satisfaction.

Then I went to Fitness Depot online and they have a live chat feature. I relayed my story to Alex, the online chat person who told me that she would relay my experience to the Regional Manager because Fitness Depot is all about customer service. Well, you guessed it; I never heard from the Regional Manager either.

I will go to Fitness Depot sometime this weekend and pick up my dumbbells and that will be the last time they’ll see me again. Hustling me for the price of two sets of dumbbells is pathetic.

Accidentally consumed five biscuits when I wasn’t paying attention. Those biscuits are wily fellows - they leap in like sugary ninjas.

Charles Dickens

Make someone smile today.

Geri