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A few hundred comments on my rant about Basic Fit from last week. Ranging from “A feast of recognition” to “Stop whining.” In this sequel, I will address some of these comments and clarify other matters from the previous part.
I’m leaving now: the reactions
“If you don’t like it, just go to another gym.”
Angry response 1
Completely agree. That was also the gist of the last sentence:
Even if I have to pass Basic-Fit from now on to train at a real gym on the other side of town, I still have time and energy left! So Basic-Fit, I’m leaving now!
Just like Tatjana apparently.
The day after “the incident” that was the proverbial last straw to cancel my membership, I did so. At the time of writing the article, I had already canceled my membership.
Incidentally, a week earlier, I visited my old gym “Back2Basic” in Purmerend to make arrangements for photo shoots. I saw new equipment in a much quieter gym, and that already started to itch a bit. The day after my frustration at Basic Fit, the day on which I wrote the previous part, I had an appointment to do the first test shoot at “Back2Basic”.
I took the opportunity to sign up there immediately.
“Getting a bargain”
Many readers believe that for the price you pay for a Basic Fit membership, you shouldn’t complain about the quality you subsequently find there. A point I understand very well. In fact, I extensively elaborated on this point in an article about the rise of gym chains and the consequences for gym quality. I also tried to make this clear by stating that this is simply their concept:
“Pack that gym full, and those few that drop out, we can do without.”
I understand very well that they don’t lose sleep over my whining, but that doesn’t diminish my desire to still point out the disadvantages of such a concept.
In the previous part, I didn’t address the price at all because for me, that was not a deciding factor at all. Because I was so stupid to take out a subscription at Basic-Fit with which my wife and daughter could also train, I paid almost as much as at the gym where I now (again) train. However, my wife and daughter never used this, which indicates how big my role model function is at home.
It is true that I used to pass Health City, which is within walking distance, because I found €60 per month a lot (since I don’t use movie rental, sauna, childcare, and free sports drinks). That’s why I chose to go to another gym on the other side of town. When Health City was taken over by Basic Fit and the prices became comparable, it no longer seemed logical to me to drive to the other side of town.
“You’re whining”
Yes, that’s correct! It was an article meant to whine a bit, and that’s why I warned at the beginning of the article for unnuanced language. I have written articles for that reason before, for example about gym etiquette. Works very therapeutically!
“You’re aggressive”
Because I describe feelings of anger? I think aggression is mainly determined by what we actually do and not by what we would like to do in a moment of anger. It is precisely being able to control your feelings that determines the degree of civility. Never feeling aggression, I think, is a lot scarier because apparently, you then miss certain human feelings like sociopathic murderers who cannot feel happiness or remorse.
However, I assume that most readers understand that I exercise some literary freedom when I say that I am about to hit someone with a barbell at the squat rack. Of course, I would never harm anyone with a barbell. At most with a dumbbell.
“My Basic Fit is great!”
That’s possible. I also indicated that not all Basic Fits can be lumped together. I think this is mainly because Basic Fit mainly grows by taking over existing gyms where they apply their concept of large numbers of members for a low membership fee. However, this concept fits better with one location than with another. Many of the complaints I mentioned will be less or not applicable to locations where there is no shortage of space and equipment.
I trained at a Basic Fit location that used to be a Health City with a completely different concept. With a membership that was four times as expensive, they only needed a quarter of the number of members. Despite a fairly extensive renovation to create more space, including setting up a separate “functional fitness zone,” there is still too little space and equipment. After all, I wouldn’t be annoyed by the fact that someone is occupying the only squat rack for a long time if it weren’t the only squat rack.
“Because you’re so weak that you can’t do more than four sets”
If you don’t understand that only the number of sets doesn’t say anything about the effort you’re putting in, I’m afraid the article was still a bit too much for you.
“Don’t look down on the beginner”
Finally, I regret that this is how it came across. I am naturally someone who likes to give explanations. In fact, I had to learn that giving unsolicited advice is not always appreciated and wrote an article with tips for this (for both giver and receiver).
Especially if someone really wants to but doesn’t know, I enjoy helping them with information. The ones I (indeed rather condescendingly) wrote about are the ones who lack the necessary motivation and discipline. The people who do indeed cause crowds every January at the expense of those who train all year round. Of course, there will also be members among them who continue to train longer and get the hang of it. If they look around helplessly, I am happy to help. At least, not until February, of course, when the chance that I have given explanations for nothing is a lot smaller again.
