How to Get Out of the Gym
Look, sometimes gyms suck. Your gym might not have the right equipment, it might be too expensive or too far away, or you might just hate exercising around other people. It’s okay to quit the gym. Here’s how.
Find out why you hate the gym
What exactly is wrong with your gym? You must figure out what the problem is before you can formulate a plan.
If your gym is too far away, you may need to find a closer one, even if not as pretty . Or, on the other hand, you could go to a further gym if you really like it.
If your gym is outside your price range, consider if there are any cheaper options (maybe even downgrade your membership without an exit if multiple tiers exist). Sometimes we pay for an expensive item to make us feel guilty about using it, but if it just means you feel guilty about missing a workout and losing money, you are just paying money to become miserable.
But most of the time, people don’t go to the gym because … they just don’t go there. Ask yourself: if you already had the impulse to go every day, would you go tomorrow too? If your only obstacle is “Wow, I need to remember where I put my sneakers,” you might want to give the gym another shot. But if you have a special reason – for example, you go there to lift a barbell, but always bring the equipment you need – then it might be better if you and the gym go separate ways.
Decide what you will do instead
You shouldn’t quit your workout . You will become weak and lazy, shrink and die alone. (Just kidding. Mostly.)
But you shouldn’t leave the gym until you have a solid plan for what to do. If you didn’t have the motivation to go there and lift weights, would you feel differently lifting them at home?
There are many ways to work out outside the gym, but it can take a while to find your rhythm. Sure, you can dance to aerobics videos on YouTube, but do you know which channels have some that you like? And you can definitely go for a run, but do you have the right clothes for the weather? Do you have a plan for how long your run will last and what level of effort you should aim for while doing it?
You can answer these questions, but if your gym routine (seems to) work for you, don’t throw it to jump into the abyss. Start exploring these alternative workouts before you take the plunge.
Break the contract
If you were smart at check-in (and an attentive reader of the fine print), you might need to notify the gym 30 days in advance and then hit the road. But some gym contracts have convoluted rules that make it as difficult for you to quit smoking as possible.
Read the contract carefully to find out what options you have . If you still feel like you’re stuck, consider talking to a manager about your situation. They won’t want you to leave, but they can solve a problem so big that you want to leave. At the very least, they often suggest freezing your membership (for less than the member’s monthly rate) so you can take a break.