Golds gym will die soon.......

[Vince B]

I haven't been there lately. A couple of guys from San Francisco opened it several years ago. They seem to give good service and know what they are doing. They said they would be replacing all the equipment every 3 years. I wonder if that happened? Their gym is in a location in Sydney where you can't park nearby most of the day. The club is also on a few floors and that isn't great. The whole operation is slick but they really needed a bigger building to equip it right. I prefer their club to City Gym.

[jwb]

I haven't been there lately. A couple of guys from San Francisco opened it several years ago. They seem to give good service and know what they are doing. They said they would be replacing all the equipment every 3 years. I wonder if that happened? Their gym is in a location in Sydney where you can't park nearby most of the day. The club is also on a few floors and that isn't great. The whole operation is slick but they really needed a bigger building to equip it right. I prefer their club to City Gym.

city gym is falling to pieces they are done and dusted...

why would golds wanna replace their strength equipment that often? they had a full range of FLEX and hammer already...

[Vince B]

Gyms seem to follow trends. That even applies to brands of equipment. I mean, who in their right mind would install a full range of Hammer equipment?  A few Hammer machines are good but most are not effective. The plate loaded variety are a pain in the butt to have in gyms and are way too big. The huge gym at Casle Hill RSL has a Hammer section as does some of the Fitness First clubs. No way I would put a section of those machines in my gym. I do want a selectorized chest press machine, though.

Who would have believed that gyms install Hammer instead of Nautilus or MedX!!

Flex equipment is not the best line to install in a gym.

One of the owners told me they were going to replace all of their equipment every 3 years. I can understand replacing cardio machines but not gym machines. I was wondering if they did replace everything or if common sense prevailed? If they were leasing all the equipment they could replace it like they said.

[jwb]

I think they have about 6 pieces of hammer - the main torso units - nice machines IMO

[Vince B]

Muscleheads seem to believe the same things. If some say Hammer is good gear everyone believes it! Quite amazing how much agreement is out there. When I had a chance to train on Hammer I wasn't that impressed with most of the line. Sure some of the machines are excellent. Some are not. Gym owners usually have little clue but listen to bodybuilders. If I see a whole line of Hammer installed I know the owners are not bodybuilders! What amuses me is those fancy clubs are almost anti bodybuilding yet install Hammer to attract them. Then the staff have to go around unloading all those heavy plates. The pin-loaded machines are superior but cost double what the plate loading machines do. Gym owners forget about the cost of those expensive Olympic plates. After a while the noise of those plates is irritating. One day I hope to have a gym without any barbells or plates! Dumbbells are next to go along with the guys who insist on using them!

[onlyme]

The Strive equipment is better plate loaded than Hammer.  There are a few Hammer machines I like.  I like seated shrug that also doubles as a row.  I like the upper chest and shoulder too.  They have way to big a footprint.

And Vince NOTHING is a gym beats dumbbell work, I would think you would know that.  Have you ever consider having your gym a franchise Vince if it was to benefit you.

[jwb]

The Strive equipment is better plate loaded than Hammer.  There are a few Hammer machines I like.  I like seated shrug that also doubles as a row.  I like the upper chest and shoulder too.  They have way to big a footprint.

And Vince NOTHING is a gym beats dumbbell work, I would think you would know that.  Have you ever consider having your gym a franchise Vince if it was to benefit you.

I agree most gyms should throw out half their machines and double the size of their dumbbell area...

[Vince B]

[color=guy the dumbbells. I don't use them anymore. I so hate the mentality of muscleheads who believe stuff like religious fanatics. I see so many guys training ineffectively and most use free weights. These guys are in the gym dark ages.

Hammer make some effective machines. They were the first to get the incline converging movement right.

Most of the pulldown machines diverge way too wide at the shoulders. I tell equipment manufacturers that but it falls on deaf ears. I swear most of those guys never lift heavy. Now Nautilus and others have pulldown machines from an angle in front. Apparently apes do this in the jungle.

A perfect gym doesn't need free weights. What a smart owner would do is have a free weights dungeon across the street for muscleheads.[/color]

[jwb]

I disagree vince.

I think back to the first gym I ever went to 25 years ago and all they had machines-wise was a seated calf, standing calf, combo leg extension/leg curl, vertical leg press, lat pulldown, cable row and crossovers.

besides that it was freeweights, a few benches and a squat rack.

but the workouts were great!

[Vince B]

That is why gyms have to have variety. That requires space and that costs money. The rents in most cities for 20,000 square feet is huge. Plus, these gyms are now open 16 hours a day. The good old days were much better in this industry.

[jwb]

I believe the equipment companies have suckered a lot of gym owners into believing they need all this variety of equipment but they really don't.

most gyms need more of the basics like extra pulldowns and leg presses not crap like inverted/kneeling/ upsidedown/backwards leg curl machines and the like...

most people (gym goers not bodybuilders) do a few exercises per bodypart and train a couple of days a week

[Vince B]

Gym owners are cheapskates. This is because few are making good money out of the business. So companies can't sell equipment gyms don't want. What happens is members request equipment. I have had to build crossover machines then a Hack Squat, etc. Now they want a seated leg curl. It is endless. Guys either use equipment elsewhere or read about stuff in magazines or online and then want that equipment. No gym is truly fully equipped but every gym claims that they are!

The cardio equipment is perceived as necessary and that is why most gyms have that stuff. There has been a convergence in gyms and most now cater to all populations.

[onlyme]

I believe the equipment companies have suckered a lot of gym owners into believing they need all this variety of equipment but they really don't.

most gyms need more of the basics like extra pulldowns and leg presses not crap like inverted/kneeling/ upsidedown/backwards leg curl machines and the like...

most people (gym goers not bodybuilders) do a few exercises per bodypart and train a couple of days a week

Exactly.  Look at the bodies from the 70's and early 80's before their were a million different equipment companies selling different versions of the same machine.  They guys back then looked as good as any of the pros nowadays except not as big.  And that is due to the better roids, GH and insulin, NOT the equipment.  Equipment was made to mimmick the action of free weights and dumbbells.  How many different types of calf machines are there.  How many different abs and leg machines.  The equipment industry is allot like the supplement industry.  Simple hand placement will do everything you need with free weights.  Lower the weight a little more down or up and hit the muscle differently.  To do this simple action they need 10 machines.  Machines were made to make the exercise easier, they don't make it any better.  The chests of guys from 70's blow away most of the chests of todays as do their abs.  Size is the only difference today from yesterday and that ain't from the machines.

[Vince B]

Machines are tools just like barbells and dumbbells. It is up to users to choose what to use.

Some machines are just necessary for a good workout. Lat machines and calf machines come to mind here. Various chest machines work the chest better that most barbell exercises. When you get too strong those dumbbells are dangerous to handle.

Calf machines have evolved heaps since the old days. I remember the primitive machine in the first Golds Gym that had a lever and chain. Sure it worked but it has been surpassed by most standing calf machines. Today there are several calf machines. Rotating machines such as Cybex for extending the toe. Then seated calf machines for lever machines and incline type calf machines. Then there are donkey calf machines and finally the standing variety. There is also the inclined standing calf machine that Icarian made years ago. I made a variation that is also a Hack Squat machine.

The seated calf machine has to pivot at the hips and not under the thigh. Most manufacturers have not got this right.

[Vince B]

This is the Hack-calf machine. You put the pad under your legs while facing the sled and remove the head rest. Gets a good stretch. There are two positions for the foot rest.

[onlyme]

This is the Hack-calf machine. You put the pad under your legs while facing the sled and remove the head rest. Gets a good stretch. There are two positions for the foot rest.

Vince a couple things about your machines.  Very complicated and why don't they handle Olympic plates.  I like that you make your own equipment but to me they seem very busy.  One of the main reason why machines are used is for their simplicity.  Make an adjustment on the seat stick the pic in and go.  And all those different calve machines are useless.  You don't need them.  They are made for variety more than results.  And like I said nothing can replace the freedom of free weights and the results.  Love to see a guy who just works out of machines and never touches a squat rack, bench press, curl bar, dumbbells, or barbell.

[Vince B]

We await the physiques that are possible using machines. Good machines will produce exceptional physiques if the training method is right.  Most champions use both machines and free weights today.

I proved a point with triceps training. It is difficult to get past a certain point without a special machine that allows you to use a stretched position and keep the elbows stationary. I can keep my triceps sore with my apparatus.

The biceps supinator exceeds what is possible with dumbbells. No question about that. Ditto for calf training. No free weights can approach machines. One of the better exercises is donkey heel raises and there are now machines that duplicate this movement. Unless one had a steadily heavier partner that exercise is limited with people sitting on the back.

I keep my machines as simple as I can make them. Any complexity is required to obtain the goals built into each machine. You require complexity when you have many adjustments for different people using those machines.

I bought over 100 20kg plates from York Barbell. They are solid and don't take up as much space as Olympic plates. There is nothing magic about Olympic discs except that they look heavier to novices. They have a 29 mm hole in them and sit on 1 1/8 inch high tensile stainless steel bars and holders. There are no bent bars in my gym....ever.