Have you noticed how, over the last few years, there has been a growing inclination for people to balk at the idea of an artificial fitness environment? Road running, cycling and the development of the cult that is Crossfit seems to have bred a belief that gyms are bad. Some of the stories I’ve heard recently include:
- Treadmills destroy your knees
- Weight lifting using weight machines will not make you strong, just give you big muscles.
- It’s not “real” training
I don’t agree. I think the introduction of technology has made all the difference in an “artificial fitness environment”. I’m going to use the GO Health gym as the perfect example. For starters, they don’t only use machines in the gym. If you’re anti technology there are a host of classes led by trained professionals to help you a long. These include GO Dance, GO Flow and GO Fit – which range from dancing to pilates to functional fitness.
However, I still think incorporating technology in to your workout is a huge benefit. Take the GO Health machines for example – you’re given a key when you start at the gym and that key fits in to the machines as well. This means your workouts are constantly recorded and tracked. You’re able to see if you’re improving and set targets to improve your results. You’re also able to use the QR codes around the gym, scan them with your phone and the GO Health App will give you exciting new workouts to try out. This keeps the experience fun but also ensures you get the best out of your time at the gym.
Technology has evolved so much. Weight lifting machines these days incorporate ranges of movement to ensure you’re not just bulking up but really working. Treadmills have been designed to lessen impact on your joints and are often used by athletes returning from injury for this very reason. Here is something you might not know – if you are a regular road runner and track your run on a GPS Watch, you can pair the watch with your GO Health App on your phone. If you have a particular road run you enjoyed or found challenging you can programme the treadmill to recreate that run. The data from your GPS Watch tracks inclines and the like so you can re-do it and improve your time! How rad?
Artificial fitness environments are not a bad thing. In fact, they should be a fundamental part of your training, especially if you want to excel in a specific sport. If you just want to stay fit but work a desk job they’re even better – because you can pop in for 30 minutes after work each day. So, what’s your excuse now?
Disclaimer: I have been gifted with a year’s free gym membership to GOHealth and in return I shall document my fitness journey and give some thoughts on the technology the gym uses.
