What gym do you go to?

[CoolWave1331]

Regular gyms offer group fitness classes as well. I have seen no difference between women's receptivity to approaches after a group fitness gym at a regular gym vs. a standalone fitness studio.

At regular gyms (ex. 24 Hour, LA Fitness, etc.), most men will try to approach women on the general gym floor and not in one of the group fitness classes.

When I have gone to standalone studios, I've either gone using ClassPass or on a directly, purchased short term class package (something like 5 or 10 classes). I use up those classes and go away for a time. I might return in the future on another short term package.

ClassPassers and short term package buyers contribute to a lack of community in a lot of studios. Neither group sticks around long. Most studios restrict ClassPassers to only 1-2 visits to that studio per month. ClassPassers don't have any continuity anywhere. Class package buyers are a little bit higher in the food chain but they don't tend to stick around long either. Many studios rely on these 2 groups for incremental income.

I am somewhat like a "pick up guy" at these places. I initiate conversations with women. However, I believe that I am socially calibrated there. If a conversation doesn't have a good flow to it, I won't ask the woman to get together for a future social outing. If I don't ask a woman for future interaction, she likely just thinks of it as a random conversation. If the conversation flows well, I will ask the woman to meet me for drinks in the near future.

Yeah, typically short term (just a few classes) won't work, it's not enough time. Assuming you go more than once a week you'll bouncing after 2-3 weeks or so, it's not enough time to build familiarity. You have to remember the clientele is for the most part women and so when guys show up their shield instantly goes up. They suspect (rightly so) part of the reason the guy is there is to check them out lol.

Nothing wrong with initiating conversations per say, just have to keep the above in mind. "Hi i'm new. My name is x, is this x class? Thanks have a good workout" is harmless. For the first few weeks I purposely would generally keep to myself, then after some time I would make funny comments if the instructor gave me an opening. People would laugh. Then i'd see them following class just before it started they'd walk up say hi & bring up something I said, that was so funny blah blah. The other one's see this and they go okay he's probably safe guy.

 

[FlexpertHamilton]

I go to the Y. I like it a lot, I've been to about 10 different locations between two states. Some are better than others obviously.

Most of them have saunas, steam rooms, pools, my favorite one even has a hot tub in the locker room and two massive indoor pools surrounded by towering pane glass windows on all sides. I've never seen any other gyms like it.

I despise both the giant "warehouse" type gyms with no amenities, and those tiny strip mall gyms with 1 squat rack and blinding flourescent lighting. Any gym that doesn't at least have a sauna is a joke and I won't even consider it. The Y's generally are well designed and have tons of natural lighting, amenities, and tons of different stuff you can do besides just lifting weights like a track, racketball rooms, swimming pools for laps, etc.

 

[SW15]

typically short term (just a few classes) won't work, it's not enough time. Assuming you go more than once a week you'll bouncing after 2-3 weeks or so, it's not enough time to build familiarity. You have to remember the clientele is for the most part women and so when guys show up their shield instantly goes up. They suspect (rightly so) part of the reason the guy is there is to check them out lol.

It's also worth noting that a lot of the females at many given studios are also ClassPassers or short term class package buyers as well.

Due to ClassPassers and shorter term direct package buyers, there's less of a "community" feel at many of these studios. In modern studio environments, the familiarity aspect is reduced. I've seen times where I've gone to the same class format at the same time 2 weeks in a row and saw 0 of the same people week over week. With less of that familiarity aspect, it's fine to strike up conversations and ask out during the first conversation. There's no guarantee of ever seeing that same female again.

For pickup purposes, full membership for some extended period of time is likely the better play. I only do short term packages at standalone studios to meet new women because I have an existing gym membership with group fitness classes included.

In terms of the social hierarchy at these standalone studios, it goes as follows....

1. Full members
2. Short term members (those buying short term packages)
3. ClassPass members

Management and instructors tend to prefer the first 2 categories of people than the ClassPassers.

Almost any group class based format is going to be majority female. Circuit/interval training and strength training with weights classes are even majority female. Some class formats are more awkward for men to show up and not look like a pick up guy. Pilates (either mat or reformer) is an example of one of those class formats.

Nothing wrong with initiating conversations per say, just have to keep the above in mind. "Hi i'm new. My name is x, is this x class? Thanks have a good workout" is harmless. For the first few weeks I purposely would generally keep to myself, then after some time I would make funny comments if the instructor gave me an opening. People would laugh. Then i'd see them following class just before it started they'd walk up say hi & bring up something I said, that was so funny blah blah. The other one's see this and they go okay he's probably safe guy.

I disagree with playing it this way at standalone studios. I think that would come off as too "nice guy", too beta with those types of comments. I think it is better to escalate fast.

Keeping to oneself isn't the worst idea. Doing nothing is better than making some beta approaches.

 

[CoolWave1331]

It's also worth noting that a lot of the females at many given studios are also ClassPassers or short term class package buyers as well.

Due to ClassPassers and shorter term direct package buyers, there's less of a "community" feel at many of these studios. In modern studio environments, the familiarity aspect is reduced. I've seen times where I've gone to the same class format at the same time 2 weeks in a row and saw 0 of the same people week over week. With less of that familiarity aspect, it's fine to strike up conversations and ask out during the first conversation. There's no guarantee of ever seeing that same female again.

For pickup purposes, full membership for some extended period of time is likely the better play. I only do short term packages at standalone studios to meet new women because I have an existing gym membership with group fitness classes included.

In terms of the social hierarchy at these standalone studios, it goes as follows....

1. Full members
2. Short term members (those buying short term packages)
3. ClassPass members

Management and instructors tend to prefer the first 2 categories of people than the ClassPassers.

Almost any group class based format is going to be majority female. Circuit/interval training and strength training with weights classes are even majority female. Some class formats are more awkward for men to show up and not look like a pick up guy. Pilates (either mat or reformer) is an example of one of those class formats.



I disagree with playing it this way at standalone studios. I think that would come off as too "nice guy", too beta with those types of comments. I think it is better to escalate fast.

Keeping to oneself isn't the worst idea. Doing nothing is better than making some beta approaches.

Yeah sorry bro, don't know what to tell you. I managed to get dates out of it. Keep doing you I guess.

 

[SW15]

I managed to get dates out of it.

I have managed to get dates out of fitness class approaching too. However, it has been horribly inefficient for me as a venue.

I have gotten good workouts out of various classes I've attended, both as part of a gym and as part of a standalone studio.

 

[BackInTheGame78]

My house.

 

[DonJefe19]

I was very fortunate and old buddy of mine from college has a gym about 10 minutes down the road from my house. It's a crossfit gym but I normally go in outside of class and do my 5x5 lifts. I've doing this for about 2 years but I've been a member at his gym for nearly 5 years now.

We got all the good stuff:

* All the equipment that's used in crossfit which includes bumper plates
* Even with a full size class, there's still a weight room in the annex that is often used for olympic lifts.
* both a sauna and cold plunge
* body tester which use bioelectrical impedance - nice to keep tabs on body comp

Only thing that it lacks are females who are single.

 

[EyeBRollin]

Home gym. Will never go back to a commercial gym.