Gym goers - when do you go to the gym?

Ok, so I'm a paid up member at a Fernwood, but lately I seem to just be paying for the privilege of having a card and an entitlement to go and get coffee ...

I'm just not getting to the gym in the hours they're open, and the odd night when I've left work early enough to get there, I've been exhausted (still recovering from the flu) or I've decided (shock horror) I'd like to see my children while we're both awake.

This isn't working.

Historically, I've set myself a deadline of 5pm to leave the office at least twice a week, meaning that I get a particular train, so I can get to my car, my gym, change, and make a 6.30pm class. I get home by 8pm, DH keeps the boys up for stories and prayers, and we just put the boys to bed a bit late those nights. Do that twice a week, do another class with some extra cardio on a Saturday, and that's not a bad effort.

Option one is just to try to make that work again. Would be very, very hard, but not impossible.

Option two is to shift my membership to a gym in the city. Would be a nuisance as my gym stuff would be stored in my office, but I could go in early (6.30am classes most days) or go after work (5.30pm and 6.30pm classes Mon-Thurs) or at lunch (but not a good option - shorter classes, so less exercise but more time because I'd need a shower before going back to the office). Down side - no classes on the weekend, and I'm not realistically going to travel for 2-3 hours on the train to go to the gym on the weekend.

Option 3 is to go before work ... my current club has 6am classes Mon-Friday, I'd be done by 7am, showered and changed and at the station by 7.30 (7.45 if I have the free breakfast at the gym), would get a crappy car park (parking at 6.30am as I currently do gets me a good spot) and I would be in at work an hour later than I currently am. I don't *have* to be at work until 8.30 or 9am, but I like getting in around 7.30am, having brekky, doing my emails etc before most other arrive. The other down side is it's not classes I'm particularly fond of - boxing and cycle, rather than Step, Attack, Combat, Pump, etc. But I'll sweat.

I like the gym, I like classes, I'm not going to cancel my membership and just do it at home - I'm always going to end up playing with the boys, doing housework or jumping on BB ... the gym works (when I go...) it's just a matter of getting a good routine again.

What do you do?

What works for you?

Option 4 - look into other gyms? Lots of Fitness Firsts have women's only areas and TBH classes are often a default women's only area.

You know you can workout at other clubs as well as your home club? If you don't push it is is rare the the other club gets huffy.

Gym is tricky. I recently joined and haven't been able to keep it up either. I think I need to slot in a time that is a regular time/clasd each week and it becomes a routine. I changed from fernwood because my club had short opening hours on the weekend and I find it is easy for me to go then. First thing in the morning on a sat/sun, not much is going on here then.

I go twice a week after the kids have been fed and bathed so I leave the house about 7.10 and am back by 8.30 and then I go on a day during the day when I am not working and the kids are in school/kinder plus I do a long run on the weekend while the kids are hanging out in their pj's - so I mix it up a bit

I go to a class on Saturday morning and if DH isn't working, a class at 6am monday morning. I would like to go more but it just doesn't happen. I bought a few DVD's with good intentions of using them on the days I can't go to gym but it never happens.

Are you sure Fernwood doesn't allow you to attend any location? When I worked in Brisbane city, I joined Zest & could go to any one so I would go to the city one before or after work & a suburban one on weekends. The city ones were much busier. Check with your club and see and if they don't allow it, maybe look into one that does.

If I don't go first thing in the morning then I don't go. DD1 is doing cross country training this semester on the days that I work so my swimming/gym is on hold because I need to take her while DH deals with DDs 2 and 3, but once she's done with that I will get back into it. To begin with I find it a pain to organise two sets of clothing etc, but once I'm in the routine I really love the feeling I have starting my work day having already done my workout.

A kazillion years ago the building I worked in had a public gym, so I would go and do something at lunch time. That was good too - made me actually stop work to have a break, but the downside was that I don't glow like ladies are supposed to - I turn beetroot red and sweat like a pig so going back to work I could still feel a bit grotty for quite a while, despite having showered.

I generally go as soon as I can after the creche hours open at my gym (8:20am). Or if it is a kindy day I go straight after kindy drop off (generally get there about 8:40am).

If I have something on in the morning which means I can't get to the gym I will go before all the children wake up (gym opens at 5:25am and I am generally back home by 6am as I do a quick work out).

I aim for 3 times per week, but often settle for 2 times. And while I do like classes, I will more often do cardio and then the strength training weights line (set of 6 exercises). Classes are harder to coordinate with sleep/feeds/arriving on time etc.

None of this really helps you PN as I don't work and I live super close to my gym.

I prefer mornings too. I find its less likely to happen if I leave it to the evenings (although I can often go in the afternoon when DS is at kindy but unfortunately they don't have classes on then).

When I worked full time, I used to go to a gym close by to work. It is a pain organising clothes, toiletries etc but I was always a lot more awake and more productive at work after a gym class!

My gym days are Tues, Wed and Thurs. I go straight after work (it is a minute drive from office), then come home. Tues I am still home in time for doing dinner, DH does it on he other two days. They are my gym days as they are the only days that DH can pick up DD from ASC. I've got some videos at home that I sometimes do on the weekends or go for a run. Motivation for that is difficult compared to going to the gym.

In my pre child life, I never made it to the gym if I went home first - far too easy to get distracted. I'm also no good doing exercise in the morning as I usually end up with a headache.

How about city gym membership and a Step Into Life class on a Saturday??

Augh!

I can't decide.

My gym lets me go to other Fernwoods, but I think they cap it at 12 per year. Whether they actually enforce that cap, I don't know.

If only I could snap my fingers and magically change outfits, and be clean ... or in different places ... such things would make life so much simpler!

What if you got up early and went for a run around home before anyone else is awake? Come home, shower, change and go to work.

Oooh, no. I hate hate hate running.

I've considered walks, but a little nervous about doing it alone in the dark.

Some girls from my mum's groups will be doing the Lake when it's lighter again though - that might be a good option :) Don't really sweat, though ... but still better than nothing!

I've since joined a gym right in town, and I go in the mornings.

It's rough, I have to get up early (as in, 4.30ish) to get into town and to the gym, and then I have a dip (not always but often) and a shower, and get into the office much later than I like. But it means I'm exercising - and it's much better for me physically in the morning than trying to do it at lunch or after work.

Haven't had any big results yet (lost about 5kg over 2 months) but my back is complaining less than it was in the first 4 weeks, and I'm hopeful that will continue to improve as my back and hips strengthen.

And then I will be able to work out harder, which should get better results.

It's a long term thing, but yeah, I've been consistently getting to the gym 3-5 times a week since joining. Even over Christmas ;)

I go first thing twice a week and then once on weekends. on weekends we go as a family and take the kids swimming afterwards (we go to our council leisure centre gym)

I'm trying to find a "core" class that I can do between my more active classes (body pump / body attach / grid, etc) to help support my back.My back, glutes and hip get really grumpy, so I'm hoping that a core class weekly helps.

I did pilates reformer one week, and my back was actually really really good ... but I didn't like the class at all :(

I've also done CXWorx a couple of times which I liked a bit more (not loads, but at least there was decent music) and might stick with that one.

I did aquafit (basically aquarobics for this millennium!) which I really liked, but I didn't feel remotely like I was getting a workout ... If I knew that it was actually as good as a workout, then I'd stick with that :D

Does anyone know?

My SIL who's a PT at Virgin Active says their Barre class is fantastic for core strengthening 😊

Yes, that class is good too :)