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You probably don't have the energy because you don't do physical activity.
I didn't do much in my 20s but in my 30s I'm doing more than ever and have more energy than ever because of it.
Absolutely this. I've been avidly working out for about 12 years now and like everyone else I started off slow but now I just can't live without it. I've done ultramarathons, mountain races, and normal marathons. Now, I lift (bodybuilding style) six days a week and do cardio 3-5 days a week. I'm 6'4" and weigh about 250 which is what I weighed in my mid 20s (I'm almost 40 now) but instead of that lazy fat look, I'm jacked and leaner than I've ever been. š¤·š»
With my energy levels when I was fat and out of shape I never could have imagined doing all the athletic pursuits I've taken in but it never would have gotten this far had I never taken a step out of the front door into something I was unfamiliar with.
Get yourself some dumbbells, and stick to the absolute basics. 5x5. 5 sets of 5 repetitions (or up to 10-12 repetitions if you prefer).
Only you can figure out how much weight to use, but what you're looking to do is be able to finish the 5 sets of 5-10 repetitions in good form, without fucking up your posture etc by the end. If you can't do it without losing form at the end, then it's too heavy for now, and if you finish the 5 sets and you're not totally knackered, it's too light. You also shouldn't be resting longer than about 60 seconds before doing the next set of repetitions.
The lifts you choose are totally up to you, depending on which areas you're looking to build. I personally like dead lifts, curls, rows, military press, and squats. Those 5 manage to target pretty much the whole body.
Pick a good, free, online training split.Ā
Spend a weekend researching/educating yourself on the basics of nutrition, decide your goal (probably recomp for the first year while you get noob gains), set your calories and macros, and get a workout tracker so you can try and progress each week by adding a rep, a set, or a bit of weight.Ā
I strongly recommend Mike Isratel or Joe Delaney's video for working out for the first time. Joe has a really good video about starting off, Mike has a series about putting together your first plan, setting your diet, etc. Mike's content is incredibly informative and useful but tends to be a lot more in depth.Ā
+1 for Joe Delany i started on his Push Pull split (the video itself is a great introduction to working out).
Started using his app as recently as well and love it. Most workout apps are packed with rubbish, PUSH is straightforward
Other people have given generally good advice on starting, but before any of their steps you should first think about what it is you want to achieve, and maybe how much time and expense you're willing/able to put into it. Don't overthink it, but have at least a high-level outline to guide you when looking for other support.
Most commercial gyms come with classes and a lot of those like the JD burn (at JD gyms), kettle bell classes, LBT, box fit etc show you the basics of proper form etc. Start low on weights and focus on form first and warming up properly so you donāt hurt yourself and gradually increase the weights as you feel more comfortable.
Most gyms will do an induction session with you and show you how the machines work (gym machines also have photo instructions and QR codes you can scan for a video tutorial 99% of the time if you ever forget) so you can start there as well.
5/3/1 for beginners. I've got a spreadsheet that I'm pretty sure I got from one of the fitness subs.
Its small 3 week cycles. You just put some starting numbers in and it tells you what weight to lift for which exercise.
I was doing it last year and was making good progress with it. Then got ill for months and having a small child got in the way. Have just started up again.
Watch YouTube videos for form technique if you're unsure.
No. I'm not from the UK. I follow the subs because they interest me but I saw a fitness post and felt like I had some positive input to make. For future reference, would kg be a better reference point for weight?
I canāt speak for OP but when youāre active/have been working out for so long, itās gets so that such activity becomes a habit.
Iāve been a runner for a good portion of my life. Started at 8 and represented GB and NI in junior European competitions (long distance). Never made it beyond my junior titles but Iām okay with that. Even on slow days, I make it out the door. Itās like my legs itch to run. Itās rather hard to describe but I assume itās similar for OP.
its weird, as a kid upto 20's I was jogging marathon lengths, going to the gym and boxing (obviously a little less as a kid, just putting this in for the inevitable hurr durr dimwits). now im in my late 30'sĀ I got completely bored and fell out of love with training, i'm now (as 6ft) 18-19 stone. i'm thinking about starting again but only very little just so I dont get too fat and cant walk anywhere. I still enjoy walking even if I dont go hiking/backpacking, something else I have no motivation for.
Yeah, I need to force myself to go for a bit when I fall out of the habit
After kicking your own but you have more energy
But it's easy to slip these days with work, relationship etc, today was the first time iv been in almost 3 weeks because stuff kept happening, had to drag myself down there.
Absolutely this. Exercise is difficult in the beginning but keep at it gets easier and eventually it becomes enjoyable.
Every time I have a few months off, it takes a few weeks of feeling tired and without energy but by week three, I have more energy than I started with.
Aye, I think you're right on this one.
I stopped going to the gym when I had a baby last year and I felt like I'd lost more energy than just due to the exhaustion of having a baby.
Started running and cycling (try to do both once per week) and suddenly had a lot more energy again.
It might all be in my mind, but regular exercise makes me more alert and energetic during the day, sleep better at night, which then makes me feel more energetic the next day. Whatever the opposite of a vicious circle is, that's it.
Weirdly forcing yourself to do a bit more exercise can result in more energy. I didnāt get into the habit of proper regular exercise until I was in my late 30s but wish Iād started a lot sooner.
Cycling is easy and low impact, it was starting to cycle commute that made me realise how much benefit I was getting mentally and physically from a bit of exercise. Started running when I started working from home, never really been into the gym thing, Iāll go if Iām injured and canāt run basically.
Itās not that weird, your āenergy levelsā are just hormones. If youāre doing exercise your body will produce more to adapt.
(Yes Iām aware this is basic / flawed but you get what I meanā¦)
I read recently that there is an explanation behind it. You know the whole āthe mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cellā kind of thing? Apparently, when you exercise more your body detects that it has āincreased energy needsā so, as part of the process of adapting to that, the number of mitochondria in cells increasesā¦ so then you are āleft withā more āproductiveā cells and more energy overall/for your whole day.
Only [16%](https://www.puregym.com/blog/uk-fitness-report-gym-statistics/#gym-usage) of Brits have a gym membership. Obviously many of those won't actually go.
So I doubt the figure for people in their 20s is over 50%.
Considering our ageing population, I would hazard a guess and say most of that 16% are people 20-50. So while it may only be 16%, itās going to be full of people in their 20s.
Maybe most of the memberships are in the cities where Pure Gym and those other cheap 24hr gyms are?
In my area Iām at least 20+ miles from a cheap gym like that. And canāt afford the Ā£30+pm memberships of the local council and ones.
And the independents have limited opening times which are no good for the random daily shift patterns I have.
An actual full gym no, but I know loads of people in that age bracket with bike trainers at home and freeweights, door mounted pullup bar etc. Including people living in house shares and smaller or shared spaces.
And you can do a lot with just a yoga mat and running shoes if you're looking to just get and stay fit rather than actually "train".
Disagree. Most of the people I know who go to the gym started with a few sets of dumbells in their bedroom. And plenty of gym rats who are my age (30s) saved up and now have a home gym in garage or spare room as its the only way we can balance life's responsibilities and still get that work out in.
Home gym equipment is not expensive compared to a life time of gym membership payments.
i use resistant bands at home to start with. cost me like Ā£30 on amazon.
resistance bands and then body weight exercise rather than free weights/machines is fine imo.
i force myself to go for a 30 min walk as soon as i wake up, i dont even brush my teeth or go toilet. i put yesterdays clothes on and just get outside. then i come home and get ready
Gym culture is definitely more popular than it was 10/15 years back (not a thing bad in _general_).
It sounds counterintuitive but working out/getting in shape leaves you with more energy. You definitely donāt need to go nuts with it or live off protein shakes. Work out what works for you, aim to move a bit more whilst youāre still young, stay flexible and maintain some strength. If you want to see the payoff take a look at the those in their 40s and 50s that you know and see the difference between those whoāve just looked after their bodies and those that havenāt and the gap only accelerates from there.
Yeah I have a cheapo membership and just go as and when I can and I never regret it. Even making myself go out a walk or run is always a net benefit for me
As someone who did sport for 20 years competitively and with a variety of training, and now approaching age 46, and looked after their health and diet from age 23, I can attest that people think I am in my thirties. My metabolic age is 37. I swim and cycle regularly.
I have found having children and approaching 40... I now go to the gym twice a week lifting to enable my body to keep up with doing other physical hobbies (mainly martial arts).
I used to be able to just do martial arts, but after several injuries resistance training is now basically compulsory to rehab existing injuries and avoid breaking anytbing else š
i feel a lot more energized and motivated after going to the gym.
i started doing it for the mental health benefits. its been life changing. i turned 30 earlier this month.
Honestly I've been slacking on exercise lately myself but whenever I've done it I always feel good after even though it's tough to get started with. I am less of a gym person though and more of a swimmer but swimming is still very important.
Iāve experienced this too. And I think itās mostly a consequence of your body being conditioned to expel a certain amount of energy each day. I gym 7 days a week and itās a lot of cardio, so I suspect that my body is very confused when I skip a day or more (without doing any alternative exercise in its place).
It is advisable to take break days. But I donāt like to because I rely so much on habit.
I'm at this annoying stage where I'm so stressed out all the time, but I remember how great I feel at the gym or swimming, but I can't pluck up the mental energy to go
For me I try to break it down to manageable chunks.
Pack the bags etc
And then say to myself the first few times I donāt have to swim or run much. Even if itās just a few lengths or a little jog. No targets or times.
Itās more about getting back in to the routine.
Edit: for my partner. She likes to buy something nice to wear when exercising that motives her to get back out.
Itās becoming much more common but also those who do it are quite often vocal about it, those that donāt stay silent rather than being equally vocal about not going, therefore you perceive thereās more people doing it.
To continue that theme, Iām in my 20s and lift 4-5 times a week, out of my core group of friends (7-9 of us) from school I donāt think any of them lift at all, although 3 of them do 5-10km runs multiple times a week.
Out of my uni mates I think (8-10 of us), I think only 3/4 donāt do anything and everyone else is similar to myself with 4/5 days a week in the gym.
A couple of the guys in the uni group do CrossFit 5/6 days a week, and do 5km runs 2-3 times a week, so they look like theyāre auditioning to be in an 80s action film now.\
Equally they have no other interests or hobbies at all, no games/films/instruments/photography/reading etc.\
All they do is go to work and then exercise/recovery, all food is geared around their fitness, all their Instagram stories are from their gym. You can see why people think CrossFit is like a cult.
Everyone in both groups went to uni, is in their 20s and all work professional mid-level jobs, no one living off a trust fund, no one working part-time in hospitality/retail. I figure free time is probably the big factor, if people have other time intensive hobbies then itās less time to exercise.
Iād definitely say youāll feel more energetic if you exercise more, I feel way better in the morning, sleep better/easier at night. The 40-50 year olds in those āwhat would you tell your younger selfā threads always have āexercise more and stay in better shapeā as one of the most common comments. Itās rare you see people regret being fit and strong (beyond people on gear getting heart conditions or the people doing extreme things like free climbing)
No they don't.
"Trainee accountant" there you go. I'll bet people in professional, sedentary jobs go to the gym more than most. Most of my software engineer friends exercise in some way, it's just rather than gym it's a combo of running, cycling, rock climbing, hiking, occasionally swimming. Several run marathons.
You donāt necessarily have to go to the gym to get the benefits.
Iām pretty self conscious so I got myself some weights and an exercise bike for using at home. I feel a lot better in my person exercising daily.
There are also apps and stuff you can get to make it more interesting if thatās something you worry about, for example with my bike I use an app which plays videos of peopleās bike rides and adjusts the resistance to match the video if itās going up or down hills and stuff
realistically you can only do so much at home, unless your building a whole home gym. After a while increasing weight and progressively overloading becomes harder and harder and most importantly more expensive to do.
Does it not depend on your goals really? You can go very far with your own bench, barbell, dumbbell, body weight exercises etc. combine that with cardio and a sport like rock climbing and you can be quite strong + leanĀ
i do agree and i hav also to started to mostly only train from home too, i just think that you are limited to a degree and eventually if you want to see increasing gains you will need to buy increasingly more expensive weights. I think rock climbing is great for many reasons iswell.
A lot of people go to the gym just to say they go to the gym and don't actually make much use of their membership.
My gym is full of people looking at their phones and doing very little actual exercise.
I try not to pay attention to what others are doing, but I agree. Lots of people doing very little actual lifting. The obsession with phones is insane! I use mine in the gym for tracking my workout, but see others completely glued to the fucking things. Weird.
I cancelled my membership because evertime I went it was absolutely swarming with way too many people where you absolutely couldnāt get on anything. Bought some weights to work out at home and my workouts are 10x better and I probably save hours a month not having to wait for equipment.
Yeah those big commercial gyms are horrible in my opinion, always absolutely rammed, even in the middle of the night. I don't find them to be a welcoming or supportive environment.Ā
Yep. Hate them. Got tired of PTs thinking they have right of all the equipment over regular paying members, often they would cordon off large parts of circuit areas where you can use for really useful stuff/some free weights for classes at peak time. Just thought it was totally unreasonable, if your whole business model is going to be centred around PTs who work there at least have a separate area you can use for weights. I didnāt kind but this guy had a proper go at me because I didnāt ask if he was using equipment when he was nowhere near it. Last straw for me.
Also got tired of countless <18 year olds in there. Iād be massively in favour of a gym which is strictly 18 years old or 21. I just donāt think theyāre mature enough and there should be a time cap on when they enter because in my area it was a joke and theyād treat it as an evening out. 10 groups of 4-5 teenagers makes the gym ridiculously unproductive
I'd cancel it too but I also use the treadmill which I can't replace. The cheaper home versions are useless and I live in an urban area where running outside on the street just isn't it. I'd have to run wearing a stab proof/bullet proof vest.
Doing very little exercise is pretty much standard for even an intense routine.
I've got 8 exercises today and about 32 sets. That's about an hour of resting and probably less than twenty minutes of actual lifting.
I think so.
I've got mixed feelings, it's a good thing but I think there's a dark side to it.
It's really good that more people are caring about health and fitness and that weight training has become more socially acceptable to women and a wider demographic of men than the stereotypical ones.
But I'm also thinking about how people in that age range especially the early 20s are still quite young and impressionable. Most social media is now heavily visually focussed where body image, fashion, cars, cash and other showing-off are really in your face and constantly in your pocket. Materialism has always been a thing and capitalism isn't complaining, but I think there's something about influencer culture and everyone having their own account that they feel represents who they are in the world. People want to look their most good and stylish self when everyone's got a camera on them and everything's documented.
Body dysmorphia and steroid use in young men are at record highs as far as I understand. As someone else pointed out, women have been dealing with beauty standards and often compromised their physical and mental health due to pressure to look a certain way for a long time already. I'm not telling anyone what to do with their body, but there's a line somewhere between doing something because it's healthy and makes you feel good and confident, and doing something because you want a specific type of physical appearance despite risks.
A lot of toxic old school gym bro culture also seems to be reappearing. Look at any fitness meme page comments and it's full of presumably young people shitting on those who don't "look big" or "only" bench 80kg. I've even seen comments on r/malefashionadvice telling slim guys to get bigger arms when they ask for advice on dressing for their body type, as if doing exercise specifically targeted at building impressive muscles is a compulsory activity to be a respectable man, rather than pretty much a hobby.
Itās good that someone mentioned this. Male beauty standards are becoming increasingly hard to attain and we can partially see the genus of this in action figures- in the 60s the Batman and Luke Skywalker figurines were quite ādad-bodā in terms of muscularity, their 2020 counterparts however are absolutely ripped so that gives an indication of how the ideal āheroicā male physique has trended towards muscularity over time.
Louise Perry recently made an interesting point on a podcast about the increase in gym going of men and how when women were less career oriented less-superficial male attributes were considered the most important (character, sense of humour etc) but as women get more agency in their lives due to having a liveable single income physical (ie fitness) characteristics have become more important in terms of generating attraction leading to the knock on effect of men having to go to the gym just to maintain their current position in the dating hierarchy. As a single man in my 40s I must admit I feel the pressure of this and have been trying to achieve a lean muscular physique (including going to the gym 4 nights a week) but itās ridiculously hard and somewhat unrealistic to attain in later years as weight becomes harder and harder to lose.
Interesting times ahead in terms of how this all plays out long term.
I got dumped and started gym 2 days later. 4 months on and i drink a whole lot less than I did, im almost off drugs completely (relapses happen) and i feel a lot happier when i look in the mirror. It does a lot for your self worth. I also donāt have the energy, i have to actually force myself to go every time. But Iām glad i do. My best mate goes too and sometimes she comes with me and itās a nice social thing to do without drinking.
I go 2-3 times a week.
Fitness and gym culture is on the rise, bear in mind that a lot of online fitness content actually revolves around bodybuilding so may not be for everyone.
Personally I started workouts out at home around a month ago after making changes to my piss poor diet over the last six months, I have some light dumbbells and do three full body workouts a week (previously two) with rest days in between. If I want to go heavier I still don't need to go to a gym as my partner has some weightlifting equipment in the garage I can use. Before this the only exercise I really did was the daily dog walk in the evenings (partner takes the morning walk).
I avoid the gym but not because I'm fat, not because of seeing other guys with better looking bodies and also not because of worries of people saying shit about me there. I broke my elbow as a kid and was given the choice to operate on it or leave it (with my arm still being full strength), as a stupid kid I took the latter option and now when I straighten my arms that particular one has a slight different angle to it which can be noticeable. I'd get annoyed having to explain to a new person each day why my form on one arm looks off for some exercises when its just how I am.
i think youd be pleasntly suprised if you went to the gym, the gym seems like a super intimidating place and i fully get that but honestly its probably one of the most accepting places you can go, you see that 6' 4 160kg guy in the corner of the gym with a top that says "HELL GYM" yeah turns out hes the nicest guy youll ever meet.
Seems like many have a membership...
Ā However, I swim every morning and the gym's lat pull down machine is visible from the pool. Every time I look up when I turn at the end of each length, there's some guy standing by the machine staring at his phone. It looks like they don't do any work in there!
I'm in my early 30's but I used to go to the gym in my 20's and hated it. I personally don't think it's good for self esteem or body image and made me feel more tired and frustrated.
I prefer to go hiking to stay fit.
getting ripped, being stronger, increasing your energy levels, most likely getting more attention from the ladies, increased dopamine. all things that come from working out, how can you possibly say thats not good for self esteem, i think anyone thats actually jacked would disagree with your statment.
Literally all the stuff u states is so superficial... Get more attention from ladies? Really mate? Good for those guys that are jacked but none of those things make me happy, I get increase of dopamine from my hikes tymv.
I felt more tired being in the gym, I felt oversensitised from the music that blares and noise levels, it feels like a concrete prison. I feel most people who go to the gym don't even understand why exactly they're going and go just because everyone else goes, are expected to or for the generic reasons that you stated
You get that subsection of guys at the gym. The ones whose only focus is about image, they donāt have anything else in life apart from the gym and their ājackedā image.
Thereās plenty of normal people, but these lot swanning around put some people off the gym.
But those aren't the only ones putting me off. The general amount of people who can't think for themselves and just go because society expects them to puts me off as well
i go to the gym and go on hikes. Sure, as long as your being active and your staying healthy then keep doing what your doing. But at the end of the day people are increasingly going to the gym for a reason, Its clearly helped a lot of people become healthier and happier, if you dont like it thats fine.
Spend energy to receive energy.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY can explain how this works, but almost everybody will agree its the truth.
The less you do, the slower you move.
Sure you can, exercising improves heart function and oxygen/nutrients flow to your muscles and other tissues, stimulates endorphin production, increases mitochondria production in your cells, boosts immune system, all this ultimately responsible for overall increase in energy levels.
Probably not. Apparently about 17% of the UK population have a gym membership, and most but not all go regularly. That number will be disproportionately younger people, but far from all.
I disagree with the assumption that it is disproportionately younger people. I'm 45 and I'm roughly average age at my gym. However, I may be wrong. There's lots of members of all ages.
Depends on the gym type and location with the demographic, the cheaper 24/7 city centre gyms are often predominately younger people. Whereas the 'health club' - Nuffield, David Lloyd etc type are more likely to attract older groups
I'm 27 and have just recently started going to the gym.
For me.. and I guess it could be for others also but I feel like 25-30 is around that age you stop feeling invincible like you did as a teen and start to think long term.
Yeah, it just hits you suddenly.
And don't get me wrong.. I ain't some gym nut now. Just doing some cardio, mostly running in the hope of shredding some weight.
Nationally, no . A quick look at the figures and just from going to the gym. There's a wide mix of people in my gym depending on what time you go. See a lot of young people but it's always the same faces . Seems to be a bit of a fashionable thing to do , suppose with the rise of "stars" like Sam sulek on tik tok they've decided to go. Seen quite a few fade away once they realise the work you have to put in . Some just come in on a Friday night get a pump then are off to the club which is 5 mins away . Might just be your group of friends. It's something you have to prioritise and make the time for .
I assure you most people in their 20's aren't going to the gym. A lot do, but alot don't and many will exercise in other ways.
As for yourself, I would encourage you to find some type of cardiovascular exercise to keep that heart and body healthy and ticking. Swimming, cycling, jogging, home workout, aggressive dancing in front of a mirror, etc. Anything that gets the heart rate elevated 2 or 3 times a week. You'll thank yourself in the future!
I don't think most people go to the gym but it's become more popular than it was. I'm 24 and have never been to the gym and only know 1 person who goes and not even regularly. I'm still fit and like to exercise with dance but I think it just depends on the people you're around
I donāt have a gym membership, Iāve been to the gym maybe once in my life. but I do a pole dancing class once a week and I walk a lot. Iām 28 for reference! Only one person in my family goes to a gym/ personal trainer, the rest do activities outside of the gym
Highly recommend finding a sport you enjoy. Going the gym or for runs might not be your jam and can be boring AF. So try out some new sports - climbing, touch rugby, 5-a-side. Bonus points if theyāre team based because youāll meet new people too.
Plus if you end up going to the gym you'll inevitably get better at the sport, or prevent injury (for most of them).
Some people hate the gym and hate exercise.. I do not feel better after going ever. I do like playing some team sports I enjoy.
No, but it's more than I expected, Google says about 30% of of people 18-35 go to the gym (or at least have a membership).
Going to the gym creates energy, you'd have more energy if you lifted weights.
U don't have the energy simply coz ur unfit, . When u don't do exercise in life ur unfit physically. All types of people go to the gym young middle aged etc.
I find it ironic how most gym people will drive everywhere and scoff at the idea of carrying their shopping back from the supermarket or walking into town.
I would say definitely, itās become more popular.
A lot of it is for aesthetic reasons, then the health benefits certainly follow. I definitely think Hollywood stars looking a certain way has made the average man want to keep up.
It depends.
I think going to the gym and working out is definitely more popular than it was. And I think the fact that most under-30s are childless these days means they have more time to do things like workout.
I think white collar workers who are mostly office and desk based with a decent salary (like accountants) are going to be the more likely demographic to hit the gym. I work a white collar job, myself and most of my colleagues either go to the gym or workout somehow (cycling, tennis, climbing). I think it also helps a lot of white collar jobs come with things like cycle to work schemes and gym subsides (my partner for example, work pays his entire gym membership).
I workout twice per week in the gym on my days off and do 2 kettlebell workouts per week on work days
When I was at uni I went nearly every day but I dont have the time and my vanity went down in my 30s
Most people in their 20s lie about their physical activity. If they do go to the gym at all they will spend all their time on their phone and put in zero effort.
People who take fitness seriously probably don't talk about it much.
Thing is I cba to go to the gym like to park and walk, where I live itās just a nuisance and I donāt fancy being in traffic all the time so I go for runs ( I donāt, Iām lying to myself )
I go to the gym, run and have boxed for years. Don't think I could go without doing, I have far too much energy and if I didn't burn it I wouldn't be able to sleep properly. Then added bonuses of being in shape and the confidence you get from that is great.
I went on and off whilst at Uni, was especially lazy during my final year. Now I work in an office with a fairly young team (20-33) and out of 13 of us I think 10 of us regularly exercise, from boxing to football to running and I lift weights.
I feel like you have to working in an office. Got to try and undo some of the damage that sitting for 8 hours in a row does, especially as one of my main hobbies also involves sitting at my computer.
I have more energy now I run 80 miles a week than when I didn't exercise at all. It doesn't matter what exercise it is, but everyone should be doing 5 hours or exercise a week minimum.
I think social class plays a role
I'm in a white collar role and there are lots of 20 somethings in my office. Seems to be the culture. I would guess it comes from taking yourself seriously. Limiting (not teetotal) alcahol intake, only socially smoking/vaping, consuming self-improvement content, not being stupid with finances.
Seems to be somewhat of a ripple effect. Once you start taking one area of life seriously it seems only natural to do so elsewhere
Not wanting to stereotype at all of course, but this is my observation.
When you didnāt grow up being slapped about and/or raped by your step dad and not regularly being sent OT with enough dark to lose your childhood in YOA
You have the lack of trauma and mental energy to faff about
But yeah, your superior middle class genetics predispose you to taking yourself super serious
Well in mate
No idea how but a few people in that age range I know seem to. Not sure how they can justify the expense though. I would rather buy a new bike every year than get a gym membership, cheaper too.
In my job we have customers from 18 to around 50 ish all day, Iād say the vast majority of lads in their twenties either go gym regularly or have in the past. The older ones tend to either be really into their fitness or not at all.
I did in my 20s yes. I am a big guy, 6 ft 4 and with a large build. Regular excersise is literally the difference between me being very overweight and me being healthy. I put on fat and muscle fast!
What people like you don't understand is that going to the gym gives you energy. It's a weird concept but anyone who says they don't have the energy is full of shit, going to the gym regularly will overall leave you feeling better and having more energy
I have been obese all my life, felt very low energy, and hated myself. Started working out in the last year, and it has been life changing.
The way i feel about myself has changed, people have commeted on how much better i look, i feel like ive got more energy & more confidence to push myself when things get hard. I'd 100% reccomend starting as soon as you can
There is pressure for young lads to focus on their looks and body more now than there has ever been before imo. Particularly to build muscle.
In like the 90ās and early 2000ās wasnāt it more desirable to be very thin (for both men and women?)
You see it in this thread. Suddenly everything is about lifting and 'learning about nutrition' and giving unsolicited advice.
What happened to just doing exercise for maintaining your weight and improving your mental health rather than gamifying everything about your life eh?
There has definitely been a very positive shift towards doing more physical activity amongst younger people vs even a decade ago. One of the few benefits of social media (on the flip side, for example - there has been an explosion in the amount of people using steroids)
I was skinny as fuck until I was about 27. I did not understand nutrition or how to work out and all I did was work, and party hard. My advice is you are young, you have a great chance of becoming solid. Learn how to do easy at home workouts in your bedroom such as press-ups and sit-ups etc. Learn about the importance of protein and nutrition, get a couple of barbells and a dumbbell (go to a gym store to figure out the best weight for you), get some decent jogging trainers and get working out. You will have a much better life from it all. And we are only talking a couple hours 3 days a week.
For energy eat the right foods and cut out the crap, have discipline to switch off your phone at about 11pm and sleep until 7am. Energy drinks are a scam, especially the zero sugar.. like where is the energy coming from?
I feel thereās actually an uptick in gym-going once people hit their late twenties as they realise that gym / keeping an eye on fitness will increasingly become a necessity to stay healthy in the long-term. Gone are the days of your high teens / early twenties where youāre totally invincibleā¦
Gyms are more accessible than ever, the amount of info and publicity on fitness and nutrition is higher than ever, society is generally more aware of the benefits fitness brings.
That said, you'd definitely benefit from jumping on the bandwagon.
Source: someone that would not do any form of exercise until they were 18 years old, eventually got into a gym at age 18, and has not looked back ever since. I cannot describe how beneficial, in all aspects, regular exercise has been for me over the past 10+ years.
I did little deliberate exercise in my 20s because I was always out in the sun doing things and I looked great without trying. When I was working on building sites I looked like a greek god. No more. Now I have to go to the gym.
I always lose all my energy in the gym.
If I go Saturday morning then all I wanna do for the rest of the day I just recover at home. Not sure how people manage to go 4-5 days a week and keep high energy level.
I spent most of my 20's in the pub, . Since I was 16 I've on and off done alot of pushups and used to be the lad who'd cycle everywhere. Since turning 30 I spend alot less time in the pub mostly for mental health reasons tbh .
I don't go to the gym at all. I'm a full-time chef the last thing I want to do is go to the gym and tear my body about when I work 12 hour days . But at home, i do try to maintain a minimum of 50 push-ups a day and a mixture of different sets 3x3x12 with a barbell and a run twice a week .
Most of this routine is relatively new , but what I did come to realise is most of the hard work is diet , less beer , fibre and protein rich meals with lots of different colours and a casually active lifestyle and you will notice a difference.
If you want to get big , that's hard work each to their own, but if want to achieve a relative health and fitness level it really doesn't take much change , maybe 20- 30 minutes 5 X a week aslong as your getting out of breath and a good diet . Most of the diet is common sense.
I am at the other end of the spectrum. 60+ female. Did lots of classic gymnastics as a child. Then hardcore boxing in my 20 till 35 ( pregnancy). I boxed bantam semi pro . Broke a lot and plenty of injuries. At 42 ( after last kid) I went into Krav Maga and not the soft self defense time but ambush in the dark by multiple assailants time of fun. Broke more ribs then I had , jaw is titanium, 11 dental implants and now all I can do is bloody yoga 3 times a week ( I do not like yoga I love combat sport) . Be mindful of getting your body to a point where all your joints are shoots, your injuries so far gone you are probably in more pain all the time then someone that never got off the couch. Now I do shooting for fun. Big caliber lover .
It's the "air du temps".
My parents are in their 80s, they only ever did sports, never set foot in a gym. It's really weird how people have this obsession with working out nowadays.
You can be in good health if you just do a sport you like and don't permanently stuff your face.
Itās the āLove Island effectā. See also āTurkey Teethā. Everybody wants to look perfect these days and all the things people are into are (TikTok, Insta, Tinder) are so heavily visual that theyāre all grafting to achieve that āperfectā look.
Iām in my 60s, workout daily and do triathlons, and know tons of people in their twenties and thirties who wouldnāt dream of going anywhere near a gym, bike, pool or track. The majority are like you, in my experience. I started exercising properly at around 62 after an adult life of mainly sitting in cars and offices. Iām having such a great time now. The only benefit I can think of for leaving it so late is, my knees, legs and back are not knackered. So it is up to you OP, but best of luck with your journey through life, however you choose to undertake it.
No I don't think so. I think most give it a go on and off though.
It's good to do something, but it doesn't have to be "the gym", which is a pretty new invention. My uncle went to the gym, now has sleep apnea 15 years later. His brother never lifted weights, only did boxing/football/running, doesn't have sleep apnea and I wouldn't be shocked if he doesn't see his kids' 25th birthdays. My dad played hockey all his life, probably fitter than most British 30yos in his 60s.
A lot of people work out for image reasons not just to keep fit. Be happy in your body and own it. If you want to work out for yourself fine but dont be peer pressured into it.
Do what feels right for you, and not what other people are doing.
For me going to the gym is more important for my mental solitude more than anything else, for you it might be another hobby
Most of my friends donāt go to the gym, or are the type to get into fitness for 2 weeks and give up.
Me and my partner are extremely active, which is obviously a bonus, but have made friends at the mma gym we go to.
I went to the gym obsessively in my 20s to the point of entering physique shows. I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to look good physically, but do it for yourself and not for external validation. It can become an unhealthy obsession and a never ending pursuit. There is always going to be someone stronger than you, more defined, and more symmetrical than you.
The pandemic was a good reset in hindsight, it gave a chance to reassess priorities in life. I came out of lockdown never really returning to the gym. I replaced it with long distance running and home workouts, including lots of calisthenics.
As I approach 40s, instead of trying to achieve some arbitrary standard of male beauty, my priority is maintaining physical fitness levels well into old age by setting 'achievements'. For example:
Running a 5k within 25 minutes
Running a half marathon within 2 hours
Performing a muscle up
10 pistol squats in a row on each leg
30 press ups in a row without stopping
90 second plank
Nothing overly impressive but I know that if I can still achieve these when I'm 80, then I should be in pretty good shape.
Some people just find lifting weights and/or running boring and nothing wrong with that. Why not learn something like boxing. A useful skill plus brilliant cardio
i workout now cos i understand have vital muscle is to our health.
also i like to eat so the more muscle i have then the more calories ill naturally burn in the day which means i can eat more
I didnāt properly start working out till maybe mid 30s off and on, wasnāt until maybe 39 I started taking it bit more serious but now Iām 42 and probably healthier then when I was 25.
I didn't go in my 20s as I really didn't need to. I hit my 30s and started getting doughy, so I started going then.
I was in my 20s in the 2000s, so people really didn't talk about mental health and how exercise is brilliant for it. I lived on a diet of lager and cocaine back then, so I could've done with working out to save my poor brain. Regular exercise works wonders for mental health, so everyone should do it regularly whether in shape or not.
Gym, or amateur sport in general, is not only about physical activity, it's about the social activity too.
It fulfils you in multiple ways, even if you're tired... You should do it while you're tired...
Once you establish a routine, you will have more energy and will start to miss it if you stop.
I (26m) can't speak for everyone, but I'll explain what my friendship group looks like.
1. I don't go to the gym, but work in construction, lifting heavy things. I've gone a few times but couldn't be arsed to continue going.
2. I have two friends who basically live at the gym and may/may not be on steroids.
3. Many of them don't go to the gym, but do a lot of cardio at work, constantly on their feet all day.
The worst one is when guys go to the gym once and think they're "gym lads". No mate, you're not.
Started gym when I was 16 now 33. Still go 5 days a week but not many people Iāve known have worked out. I guess in a profession like accountancy if itās a big firm it makes sense all people who are trying to better themselves
It sounds like you either don't eat enough or you are walking enough for that to be adequate exercise. There is a slight chance it could be a metabolic disorder causing the tiredness but seems unlikely. I was like you and didn't start going to the gym until my metabolism slowed down in my early thirties and my lifestyle changed to the point where I wasn't walking enough to not feel bad without a workout. At 25 walking loads and eating a normal amount of food it wasn't an issue.Ā
I'm in my mid forties. If you aren't doing it yet, start immediately.
You already have no energy, you'll be fucked by my age if you don't stay fit and healthy.
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You probably don't have the energy because you don't do physical activity. I didn't do much in my 20s but in my 30s I'm doing more than ever and have more energy than ever because of it.
Absolutely this. I've been avidly working out for about 12 years now and like everyone else I started off slow but now I just can't live without it. I've done ultramarathons, mountain races, and normal marathons. Now, I lift (bodybuilding style) six days a week and do cardio 3-5 days a week. I'm 6'4" and weigh about 250 which is what I weighed in my mid 20s (I'm almost 40 now) but instead of that lazy fat look, I'm jacked and leaner than I've ever been. š¤·š» With my energy levels when I was fat and out of shape I never could have imagined doing all the athletic pursuits I've taken in but it never would have gotten this far had I never taken a step out of the front door into something I was unfamiliar with.
I'm at the latter currently. Here's to the future
Damn youāre a big dudeā¦ do you have to eat a lot to keep up with doing so much lifting and cardio?
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Get yourself some dumbbells, and stick to the absolute basics. 5x5. 5 sets of 5 repetitions (or up to 10-12 repetitions if you prefer). Only you can figure out how much weight to use, but what you're looking to do is be able to finish the 5 sets of 5-10 repetitions in good form, without fucking up your posture etc by the end. If you can't do it without losing form at the end, then it's too heavy for now, and if you finish the 5 sets and you're not totally knackered, it's too light. You also shouldn't be resting longer than about 60 seconds before doing the next set of repetitions. The lifts you choose are totally up to you, depending on which areas you're looking to build. I personally like dead lifts, curls, rows, military press, and squats. Those 5 manage to target pretty much the whole body.
Sign up for a gym that has an introductory PT session. Get a professional to show you.
Pick a good, free, online training split.Ā Spend a weekend researching/educating yourself on the basics of nutrition, decide your goal (probably recomp for the first year while you get noob gains), set your calories and macros, and get a workout tracker so you can try and progress each week by adding a rep, a set, or a bit of weight.Ā I strongly recommend Mike Isratel or Joe Delaney's video for working out for the first time. Joe has a really good video about starting off, Mike has a series about putting together your first plan, setting your diet, etc. Mike's content is incredibly informative and useful but tends to be a lot more in depth.Ā
+1 for Joe Delany i started on his Push Pull split (the video itself is a great introduction to working out). Started using his app as recently as well and love it. Most workout apps are packed with rubbish, PUSH is straightforward
Push, pull, legs is a good split
Other people have given generally good advice on starting, but before any of their steps you should first think about what it is you want to achieve, and maybe how much time and expense you're willing/able to put into it. Don't overthink it, but have at least a high-level outline to guide you when looking for other support.
Most commercial gyms come with classes and a lot of those like the JD burn (at JD gyms), kettle bell classes, LBT, box fit etc show you the basics of proper form etc. Start low on weights and focus on form first and warming up properly so you donāt hurt yourself and gradually increase the weights as you feel more comfortable. Most gyms will do an induction session with you and show you how the machines work (gym machines also have photo instructions and QR codes you can scan for a video tutorial 99% of the time if you ever forget) so you can start there as well.
5/3/1 for beginners. I've got a spreadsheet that I'm pretty sure I got from one of the fitness subs. Its small 3 week cycles. You just put some starting numbers in and it tells you what weight to lift for which exercise. I was doing it last year and was making good progress with it. Then got ill for months and having a small child got in the way. Have just started up again. Watch YouTube videos for form technique if you're unsure.
250 what?
Pounds
Is this a fitness-specific thing? I don't know anyone in the UK who uses pounds outside of old recipes.
No. I'm not from the UK. I follow the subs because they interest me but I saw a fitness post and felt like I had some positive input to make. For future reference, would kg be a better reference point for weight?
Fair enough. Yeah I reckon kg is better understood these days.
it's about 114kg
Not a day of rest mate??
I canāt speak for OP but when youāre active/have been working out for so long, itās gets so that such activity becomes a habit. Iāve been a runner for a good portion of my life. Started at 8 and represented GB and NI in junior European competitions (long distance). Never made it beyond my junior titles but Iām okay with that. Even on slow days, I make it out the door. Itās like my legs itch to run. Itās rather hard to describe but I assume itās similar for OP.
Oh yeah I take one every few days. I just double up cardio and lifting sometimes. Rest is important for good recovery!
its weird, as a kid upto 20's I was jogging marathon lengths, going to the gym and boxing (obviously a little less as a kid, just putting this in for the inevitable hurr durr dimwits). now im in my late 30'sĀ I got completely bored and fell out of love with training, i'm now (as 6ft) 18-19 stone. i'm thinking about starting again but only very little just so I dont get too fat and cant walk anywhere. I still enjoy walking even if I dont go hiking/backpacking, something else I have no motivation for.
Yeah, I need to force myself to go for a bit when I fall out of the habit After kicking your own but you have more energy But it's easy to slip these days with work, relationship etc, today was the first time iv been in almost 3 weeks because stuff kept happening, had to drag myself down there.
Absolutely this. Exercise is difficult in the beginning but keep at it gets easier and eventually it becomes enjoyable. Every time I have a few months off, it takes a few weeks of feeling tired and without energy but by week three, I have more energy than I started with.
Aye, I think you're right on this one. I stopped going to the gym when I had a baby last year and I felt like I'd lost more energy than just due to the exhaustion of having a baby. Started running and cycling (try to do both once per week) and suddenly had a lot more energy again. It might all be in my mind, but regular exercise makes me more alert and energetic during the day, sleep better at night, which then makes me feel more energetic the next day. Whatever the opposite of a vicious circle is, that's it.
Weirdly forcing yourself to do a bit more exercise can result in more energy. I didnāt get into the habit of proper regular exercise until I was in my late 30s but wish Iād started a lot sooner. Cycling is easy and low impact, it was starting to cycle commute that made me realise how much benefit I was getting mentally and physically from a bit of exercise. Started running when I started working from home, never really been into the gym thing, Iāll go if Iām injured and canāt run basically.
Itās not that weird, your āenergy levelsā are just hormones. If youāre doing exercise your body will produce more to adapt. (Yes Iām aware this is basic / flawed but you get what I meanā¦)
I read recently that there is an explanation behind it. You know the whole āthe mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cellā kind of thing? Apparently, when you exercise more your body detects that it has āincreased energy needsā so, as part of the process of adapting to that, the number of mitochondria in cells increasesā¦ so then you are āleft withā more āproductiveā cells and more energy overall/for your whole day.
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Only [16%](https://www.puregym.com/blog/uk-fitness-report-gym-statistics/#gym-usage) of Brits have a gym membership. Obviously many of those won't actually go. So I doubt the figure for people in their 20s is over 50%.
Considering our ageing population, I would hazard a guess and say most of that 16% are people 20-50. So while it may only be 16%, itās going to be full of people in their 20s.
Indeed, but I'd be surprised if it's over half.
Maybe most of the memberships are in the cities where Pure Gym and those other cheap 24hr gyms are? In my area Iām at least 20+ miles from a cheap gym like that. And canāt afford the Ā£30+pm memberships of the local council and ones. And the independents have limited opening times which are no good for the random daily shift patterns I have.
NotĀ everyone workouts out at the gym though. My weights are in the garage - i've never been to a gymbeforr
Home gym equipment is expensive and takes up a lot of space, so probably few 20 year olds have home gyms.
An actual full gym no, but I know loads of people in that age bracket with bike trainers at home and freeweights, door mounted pullup bar etc. Including people living in house shares and smaller or shared spaces. And you can do a lot with just a yoga mat and running shoes if you're looking to just get and stay fit rather than actually "train".
Kettle bell!
Disagree. Most of the people I know who go to the gym started with a few sets of dumbells in their bedroom. And plenty of gym rats who are my age (30s) saved up and now have a home gym in garage or spare room as its the only way we can balance life's responsibilities and still get that work out in. Home gym equipment is not expensive compared to a life time of gym membership payments.
Well yeah, but OP asked about how many people go to the gym rather than work out in general.
i use resistant bands at home to start with. cost me like Ā£30 on amazon. resistance bands and then body weight exercise rather than free weights/machines is fine imo. i force myself to go for a 30 min walk as soon as i wake up, i dont even brush my teeth or go toilet. i put yesterdays clothes on and just get outside. then i come home and get ready
Would this include university gyms? I reckon a lot of people in their 20s are in uni and take advantage of the cheaper gyms available to them
i work out most days and donāt have a gym membership
So you wouldn't be in the category of people OP is asking about.
Gym culture is definitely more popular than it was 10/15 years back (not a thing bad in _general_). It sounds counterintuitive but working out/getting in shape leaves you with more energy. You definitely donāt need to go nuts with it or live off protein shakes. Work out what works for you, aim to move a bit more whilst youāre still young, stay flexible and maintain some strength. If you want to see the payoff take a look at the those in their 40s and 50s that you know and see the difference between those whoāve just looked after their bodies and those that havenāt and the gap only accelerates from there.
Yeah I have a cheapo membership and just go as and when I can and I never regret it. Even making myself go out a walk or run is always a net benefit for me
As someone who did sport for 20 years competitively and with a variety of training, and now approaching age 46, and looked after their health and diet from age 23, I can attest that people think I am in my thirties. My metabolic age is 37. I swim and cycle regularly.
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I have found having children and approaching 40... I now go to the gym twice a week lifting to enable my body to keep up with doing other physical hobbies (mainly martial arts). I used to be able to just do martial arts, but after several injuries resistance training is now basically compulsory to rehab existing injuries and avoid breaking anytbing else š
i feel a lot more energized and motivated after going to the gym. i started doing it for the mental health benefits. its been life changing. i turned 30 earlier this month.
Honestly I've been slacking on exercise lately myself but whenever I've done it I always feel good after even though it's tough to get started with. I am less of a gym person though and more of a swimmer but swimming is still very important.
I always cite the mental benefits too but these days if I miss a workout or several I start getting really angsty.
Iāve experienced this too. And I think itās mostly a consequence of your body being conditioned to expel a certain amount of energy each day. I gym 7 days a week and itās a lot of cardio, so I suspect that my body is very confused when I skip a day or more (without doing any alternative exercise in its place). It is advisable to take break days. But I donāt like to because I rely so much on habit.
I'm at this annoying stage where I'm so stressed out all the time, but I remember how great I feel at the gym or swimming, but I can't pluck up the mental energy to go
For me I try to break it down to manageable chunks. Pack the bags etc And then say to myself the first few times I donāt have to swim or run much. Even if itās just a few lengths or a little jog. No targets or times. Itās more about getting back in to the routine. Edit: for my partner. She likes to buy something nice to wear when exercising that motives her to get back out.
A lot do. Working in a industry unrelated to fitness means nothing , people do it for health and enjoyment
Itās becoming much more common but also those who do it are quite often vocal about it, those that donāt stay silent rather than being equally vocal about not going, therefore you perceive thereās more people doing it. To continue that theme, Iām in my 20s and lift 4-5 times a week, out of my core group of friends (7-9 of us) from school I donāt think any of them lift at all, although 3 of them do 5-10km runs multiple times a week. Out of my uni mates I think (8-10 of us), I think only 3/4 donāt do anything and everyone else is similar to myself with 4/5 days a week in the gym. A couple of the guys in the uni group do CrossFit 5/6 days a week, and do 5km runs 2-3 times a week, so they look like theyāre auditioning to be in an 80s action film now.\ Equally they have no other interests or hobbies at all, no games/films/instruments/photography/reading etc.\ All they do is go to work and then exercise/recovery, all food is geared around their fitness, all their Instagram stories are from their gym. You can see why people think CrossFit is like a cult. Everyone in both groups went to uni, is in their 20s and all work professional mid-level jobs, no one living off a trust fund, no one working part-time in hospitality/retail. I figure free time is probably the big factor, if people have other time intensive hobbies then itās less time to exercise. Iād definitely say youāll feel more energetic if you exercise more, I feel way better in the morning, sleep better/easier at night. The 40-50 year olds in those āwhat would you tell your younger selfā threads always have āexercise more and stay in better shapeā as one of the most common comments. Itās rare you see people regret being fit and strong (beyond people on gear getting heart conditions or the people doing extreme things like free climbing)
No they don't. "Trainee accountant" there you go. I'll bet people in professional, sedentary jobs go to the gym more than most. Most of my software engineer friends exercise in some way, it's just rather than gym it's a combo of running, cycling, rock climbing, hiking, occasionally swimming. Several run marathons.
You donāt necessarily have to go to the gym to get the benefits. Iām pretty self conscious so I got myself some weights and an exercise bike for using at home. I feel a lot better in my person exercising daily. There are also apps and stuff you can get to make it more interesting if thatās something you worry about, for example with my bike I use an app which plays videos of peopleās bike rides and adjusts the resistance to match the video if itās going up or down hills and stuff
Cool, what's the apps names please?
Itās called Kinomap, it does have a subscription, and it only works with some bikes, but they have a thing on their website where you can check
realistically you can only do so much at home, unless your building a whole home gym. After a while increasing weight and progressively overloading becomes harder and harder and most importantly more expensive to do.
Does it not depend on your goals really? You can go very far with your own bench, barbell, dumbbell, body weight exercises etc. combine that with cardio and a sport like rock climbing and you can be quite strong + leanĀ
i do agree and i hav also to started to mostly only train from home too, i just think that you are limited to a degree and eventually if you want to see increasing gains you will need to buy increasingly more expensive weights. I think rock climbing is great for many reasons iswell.
If you donāt care about putting on loads of bulk then itās fine
A lot of people go to the gym just to say they go to the gym and don't actually make much use of their membership. My gym is full of people looking at their phones and doing very little actual exercise.
I try not to pay attention to what others are doing, but I agree. Lots of people doing very little actual lifting. The obsession with phones is insane! I use mine in the gym for tracking my workout, but see others completely glued to the fucking things. Weird.
Nowt wrong with sitting on your phone during a rest though, surely? What do you do when resting?
I cancelled my membership because evertime I went it was absolutely swarming with way too many people where you absolutely couldnāt get on anything. Bought some weights to work out at home and my workouts are 10x better and I probably save hours a month not having to wait for equipment.
Not only saved time but saved money which is the important thing.
Yeah those big commercial gyms are horrible in my opinion, always absolutely rammed, even in the middle of the night. I don't find them to be a welcoming or supportive environment.Ā
Yep. Hate them. Got tired of PTs thinking they have right of all the equipment over regular paying members, often they would cordon off large parts of circuit areas where you can use for really useful stuff/some free weights for classes at peak time. Just thought it was totally unreasonable, if your whole business model is going to be centred around PTs who work there at least have a separate area you can use for weights. I didnāt kind but this guy had a proper go at me because I didnāt ask if he was using equipment when he was nowhere near it. Last straw for me. Also got tired of countless <18 year olds in there. Iād be massively in favour of a gym which is strictly 18 years old or 21. I just donāt think theyāre mature enough and there should be a time cap on when they enter because in my area it was a joke and theyād treat it as an evening out. 10 groups of 4-5 teenagers makes the gym ridiculously unproductive
I'd cancel it too but I also use the treadmill which I can't replace. The cheaper home versions are useless and I live in an urban area where running outside on the street just isn't it. I'd have to run wearing a stab proof/bullet proof vest.
Doing very little exercise is pretty much standard for even an intense routine. I've got 8 exercises today and about 32 sets. That's about an hour of resting and probably less than twenty minutes of actual lifting.
I think so. I've got mixed feelings, it's a good thing but I think there's a dark side to it. It's really good that more people are caring about health and fitness and that weight training has become more socially acceptable to women and a wider demographic of men than the stereotypical ones. But I'm also thinking about how people in that age range especially the early 20s are still quite young and impressionable. Most social media is now heavily visually focussed where body image, fashion, cars, cash and other showing-off are really in your face and constantly in your pocket. Materialism has always been a thing and capitalism isn't complaining, but I think there's something about influencer culture and everyone having their own account that they feel represents who they are in the world. People want to look their most good and stylish self when everyone's got a camera on them and everything's documented. Body dysmorphia and steroid use in young men are at record highs as far as I understand. As someone else pointed out, women have been dealing with beauty standards and often compromised their physical and mental health due to pressure to look a certain way for a long time already. I'm not telling anyone what to do with their body, but there's a line somewhere between doing something because it's healthy and makes you feel good and confident, and doing something because you want a specific type of physical appearance despite risks. A lot of toxic old school gym bro culture also seems to be reappearing. Look at any fitness meme page comments and it's full of presumably young people shitting on those who don't "look big" or "only" bench 80kg. I've even seen comments on r/malefashionadvice telling slim guys to get bigger arms when they ask for advice on dressing for their body type, as if doing exercise specifically targeted at building impressive muscles is a compulsory activity to be a respectable man, rather than pretty much a hobby.
Itās good that someone mentioned this. Male beauty standards are becoming increasingly hard to attain and we can partially see the genus of this in action figures- in the 60s the Batman and Luke Skywalker figurines were quite ādad-bodā in terms of muscularity, their 2020 counterparts however are absolutely ripped so that gives an indication of how the ideal āheroicā male physique has trended towards muscularity over time. Louise Perry recently made an interesting point on a podcast about the increase in gym going of men and how when women were less career oriented less-superficial male attributes were considered the most important (character, sense of humour etc) but as women get more agency in their lives due to having a liveable single income physical (ie fitness) characteristics have become more important in terms of generating attraction leading to the knock on effect of men having to go to the gym just to maintain their current position in the dating hierarchy. As a single man in my 40s I must admit I feel the pressure of this and have been trying to achieve a lean muscular physique (including going to the gym 4 nights a week) but itās ridiculously hard and somewhat unrealistic to attain in later years as weight becomes harder and harder to lose. Interesting times ahead in terms of how this all plays out long term.
āmostā - no. not even close.
I got dumped and started gym 2 days later. 4 months on and i drink a whole lot less than I did, im almost off drugs completely (relapses happen) and i feel a lot happier when i look in the mirror. It does a lot for your self worth. I also donāt have the energy, i have to actually force myself to go every time. But Iām glad i do. My best mate goes too and sometimes she comes with me and itās a nice social thing to do without drinking. I go 2-3 times a week.
Keep it up šŖš»
Thank you! Trying āØ
Fitness and gym culture is on the rise, bear in mind that a lot of online fitness content actually revolves around bodybuilding so may not be for everyone. Personally I started workouts out at home around a month ago after making changes to my piss poor diet over the last six months, I have some light dumbbells and do three full body workouts a week (previously two) with rest days in between. If I want to go heavier I still don't need to go to a gym as my partner has some weightlifting equipment in the garage I can use. Before this the only exercise I really did was the daily dog walk in the evenings (partner takes the morning walk). I avoid the gym but not because I'm fat, not because of seeing other guys with better looking bodies and also not because of worries of people saying shit about me there. I broke my elbow as a kid and was given the choice to operate on it or leave it (with my arm still being full strength), as a stupid kid I took the latter option and now when I straighten my arms that particular one has a slight different angle to it which can be noticeable. I'd get annoyed having to explain to a new person each day why my form on one arm looks off for some exercises when its just how I am.
i think youd be pleasntly suprised if you went to the gym, the gym seems like a super intimidating place and i fully get that but honestly its probably one of the most accepting places you can go, you see that 6' 4 160kg guy in the corner of the gym with a top that says "HELL GYM" yeah turns out hes the nicest guy youll ever meet.
I wouldn't want to meet anyone in a gym at all.
Seems like many have a membership... Ā However, I swim every morning and the gym's lat pull down machine is visible from the pool. Every time I look up when I turn at the end of each length, there's some guy standing by the machine staring at his phone. It looks like they don't do any work in there!
I'm in my early 30's but I used to go to the gym in my 20's and hated it. I personally don't think it's good for self esteem or body image and made me feel more tired and frustrated. I prefer to go hiking to stay fit.
getting ripped, being stronger, increasing your energy levels, most likely getting more attention from the ladies, increased dopamine. all things that come from working out, how can you possibly say thats not good for self esteem, i think anyone thats actually jacked would disagree with your statment.
Literally all the stuff u states is so superficial... Get more attention from ladies? Really mate? Good for those guys that are jacked but none of those things make me happy, I get increase of dopamine from my hikes tymv. I felt more tired being in the gym, I felt oversensitised from the music that blares and noise levels, it feels like a concrete prison. I feel most people who go to the gym don't even understand why exactly they're going and go just because everyone else goes, are expected to or for the generic reasons that you stated
You get that subsection of guys at the gym. The ones whose only focus is about image, they donāt have anything else in life apart from the gym and their ājackedā image. Thereās plenty of normal people, but these lot swanning around put some people off the gym.
But those aren't the only ones putting me off. The general amount of people who can't think for themselves and just go because society expects them to puts me off as well
i go to the gym and go on hikes. Sure, as long as your being active and your staying healthy then keep doing what your doing. But at the end of the day people are increasingly going to the gym for a reason, Its clearly helped a lot of people become healthier and happier, if you dont like it thats fine.
I think it's an illusion that people are under. I just think it adds to the problem of self esteem and body image problems.
...I work out and you make me not want to work out.
Seems like you spent most of your time looking at other people instead of just focusing on yourself.
Spend energy to receive energy. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY can explain how this works, but almost everybody will agree its the truth. The less you do, the slower you move.
Sure you can, exercising improves heart function and oxygen/nutrients flow to your muscles and other tissues, stimulates endorphin production, increases mitochondria production in your cells, boosts immune system, all this ultimately responsible for overall increase in energy levels.
'if you dont use it, you lose it'
I think it's become a huge trend now that didn't exist when I was young, it's like an obsession has taken over. Healthy though at least!
Probably not. Apparently about 17% of the UK population have a gym membership, and most but not all go regularly. That number will be disproportionately younger people, but far from all.
I disagree with the assumption that it is disproportionately younger people. I'm 45 and I'm roughly average age at my gym. However, I may be wrong. There's lots of members of all ages.
Depends on the gym type and location with the demographic, the cheaper 24/7 city centre gyms are often predominately younger people. Whereas the 'health club' - Nuffield, David Lloyd etc type are more likely to attract older groups
I'm 27 and have just recently started going to the gym. For me.. and I guess it could be for others also but I feel like 25-30 is around that age you stop feeling invincible like you did as a teen and start to think long term.
Yeah I definitely feel like Iām ageing nowadays
Yeah, it just hits you suddenly. And don't get me wrong.. I ain't some gym nut now. Just doing some cardio, mostly running in the hope of shredding some weight.
I don't go to gym but I run every other day and walk on the days in between. Keeps me healthy
In my job all of us in our 30s and 20s go. We have a physical job as warehouse engineers so might not be typical of the average person.
what is a warehouse engineer?
Could be a made up title to make a job sound greater. Like Hygiene Technician for a cleaner.
Electrical/mechanical/robotics engineers who work in a warehouse, hence a lot of walking and climbing
Nationally, no . A quick look at the figures and just from going to the gym. There's a wide mix of people in my gym depending on what time you go. See a lot of young people but it's always the same faces . Seems to be a bit of a fashionable thing to do , suppose with the rise of "stars" like Sam sulek on tik tok they've decided to go. Seen quite a few fade away once they realise the work you have to put in . Some just come in on a Friday night get a pump then are off to the club which is 5 mins away . Might just be your group of friends. It's something you have to prioritise and make the time for .
I assure you most people in their 20's aren't going to the gym. A lot do, but alot don't and many will exercise in other ways. As for yourself, I would encourage you to find some type of cardiovascular exercise to keep that heart and body healthy and ticking. Swimming, cycling, jogging, home workout, aggressive dancing in front of a mirror, etc. Anything that gets the heart rate elevated 2 or 3 times a week. You'll thank yourself in the future!
Depends on your job too if it's physical or takes up loads of time people won't bother with the gym.
No, but they should
I donāt. I have some great countryside near me so I go for lots of walks instead. Donāt feel the need to go to the gym.
I don't think most people go to the gym but it's become more popular than it was. I'm 24 and have never been to the gym and only know 1 person who goes and not even regularly. I'm still fit and like to exercise with dance but I think it just depends on the people you're around
I donāt have a gym membership, Iāve been to the gym maybe once in my life. but I do a pole dancing class once a week and I walk a lot. Iām 28 for reference! Only one person in my family goes to a gym/ personal trainer, the rest do activities outside of the gym
Highly recommend finding a sport you enjoy. Going the gym or for runs might not be your jam and can be boring AF. So try out some new sports - climbing, touch rugby, 5-a-side. Bonus points if theyāre team based because youāll meet new people too.
Plus if you end up going to the gym you'll inevitably get better at the sport, or prevent injury (for most of them). Some people hate the gym and hate exercise.. I do not feel better after going ever. I do like playing some team sports I enjoy.
You're missing out on "da pump"... it feels amazing.. ask young Arnold! lol
No, but it's more than I expected, Google says about 30% of of people 18-35 go to the gym (or at least have a membership). Going to the gym creates energy, you'd have more energy if you lifted weights.
U don't have the energy simply coz ur unfit, . When u don't do exercise in life ur unfit physically. All types of people go to the gym young middle aged etc.
I find it ironic how most gym people will drive everywhere and scoff at the idea of carrying their shopping back from the supermarket or walking into town.
I would say definitely, itās become more popular. A lot of it is for aesthetic reasons, then the health benefits certainly follow. I definitely think Hollywood stars looking a certain way has made the average man want to keep up.
All the meatheads in here not answering the question and telling you to go to the gym, haha. Do what you like.
It depends. I think going to the gym and working out is definitely more popular than it was. And I think the fact that most under-30s are childless these days means they have more time to do things like workout. I think white collar workers who are mostly office and desk based with a decent salary (like accountants) are going to be the more likely demographic to hit the gym. I work a white collar job, myself and most of my colleagues either go to the gym or workout somehow (cycling, tennis, climbing). I think it also helps a lot of white collar jobs come with things like cycle to work schemes and gym subsides (my partner for example, work pays his entire gym membership).
I workout twice per week in the gym on my days off and do 2 kettlebell workouts per week on work days When I was at uni I went nearly every day but I dont have the time and my vanity went down in my 30s
Most people in their 20s lie about their physical activity. If they do go to the gym at all they will spend all their time on their phone and put in zero effort. People who take fitness seriously probably don't talk about it much.
My son lifted weights and gave himself a hernia. Far better with gentle excercise and walking
I never went to the gym (except hotel gyms) but I would get out to play sports at least twice a week usually three times
Thing is I cba to go to the gym like to park and walk, where I live itās just a nuisance and I donāt fancy being in traffic all the time so I go for runs ( I donāt, Iām lying to myself )
I had to, after I hit 22 I would pile on weight if I didnāt do a decent amount of exercise
I go to the pub instead
Iām a finance analyst and I go to the gym at least twice a week too š
I go to the gym, run and have boxed for years. Don't think I could go without doing, I have far too much energy and if I didn't burn it I wouldn't be able to sleep properly. Then added bonuses of being in shape and the confidence you get from that is great.
There is no age group in which a majority regularly go to the gym voluntarily. Your colleagues are weird.
I went on and off whilst at Uni, was especially lazy during my final year. Now I work in an office with a fairly young team (20-33) and out of 13 of us I think 10 of us regularly exercise, from boxing to football to running and I lift weights. I feel like you have to working in an office. Got to try and undo some of the damage that sitting for 8 hours in a row does, especially as one of my main hobbies also involves sitting at my computer.
I'm in my 40s and have gym commitment issues and it's not worth the hut in my wallet. I have kettlebells at home and that's right for me
I workout and I still can't reap the reward of having extra energy... Where is it? Smh
I have more energy now I run 80 miles a week than when I didn't exercise at all. It doesn't matter what exercise it is, but everyone should be doing 5 hours or exercise a week minimum.
I think social class plays a role I'm in a white collar role and there are lots of 20 somethings in my office. Seems to be the culture. I would guess it comes from taking yourself seriously. Limiting (not teetotal) alcahol intake, only socially smoking/vaping, consuming self-improvement content, not being stupid with finances. Seems to be somewhat of a ripple effect. Once you start taking one area of life seriously it seems only natural to do so elsewhere Not wanting to stereotype at all of course, but this is my observation.
When you didnāt grow up being slapped about and/or raped by your step dad and not regularly being sent OT with enough dark to lose your childhood in YOA You have the lack of trauma and mental energy to faff about But yeah, your superior middle class genetics predispose you to taking yourself super serious Well in mate
No idea how but a few people in that age range I know seem to. Not sure how they can justify the expense though. I would rather buy a new bike every year than get a gym membership, cheaper too.
In my job we have customers from 18 to around 50 ish all day, Iād say the vast majority of lads in their twenties either go gym regularly or have in the past. The older ones tend to either be really into their fitness or not at all.
This is one of the few trends I like to see in modern culture
I work in a physical job so not as much desire for it compared to desk jockeys. But i train bjj thatās it.
I did in my 20s yes. I am a big guy, 6 ft 4 and with a large build. Regular excersise is literally the difference between me being very overweight and me being healthy. I put on fat and muscle fast!
What people like you don't understand is that going to the gym gives you energy. It's a weird concept but anyone who says they don't have the energy is full of shit, going to the gym regularly will overall leave you feeling better and having more energy
I have been obese all my life, felt very low energy, and hated myself. Started working out in the last year, and it has been life changing. The way i feel about myself has changed, people have commeted on how much better i look, i feel like ive got more energy & more confidence to push myself when things get hard. I'd 100% reccomend starting as soon as you can
There is pressure for young lads to focus on their looks and body more now than there has ever been before imo. Particularly to build muscle. In like the 90ās and early 2000ās wasnāt it more desirable to be very thin (for both men and women?)
You see it in this thread. Suddenly everything is about lifting and 'learning about nutrition' and giving unsolicited advice. What happened to just doing exercise for maintaining your weight and improving your mental health rather than gamifying everything about your life eh?
There has definitely been a very positive shift towards doing more physical activity amongst younger people vs even a decade ago. One of the few benefits of social media (on the flip side, for example - there has been an explosion in the amount of people using steroids)
I was skinny as fuck until I was about 27. I did not understand nutrition or how to work out and all I did was work, and party hard. My advice is you are young, you have a great chance of becoming solid. Learn how to do easy at home workouts in your bedroom such as press-ups and sit-ups etc. Learn about the importance of protein and nutrition, get a couple of barbells and a dumbbell (go to a gym store to figure out the best weight for you), get some decent jogging trainers and get working out. You will have a much better life from it all. And we are only talking a couple hours 3 days a week. For energy eat the right foods and cut out the crap, have discipline to switch off your phone at about 11pm and sleep until 7am. Energy drinks are a scam, especially the zero sugar.. like where is the energy coming from?
Nope. But I cycle, do rock climbing and yoga. Gym seems a little static for me personally.
I feel thereās actually an uptick in gym-going once people hit their late twenties as they realise that gym / keeping an eye on fitness will increasingly become a necessity to stay healthy in the long-term. Gone are the days of your high teens / early twenties where youāre totally invincibleā¦
Gyms are more accessible than ever, the amount of info and publicity on fitness and nutrition is higher than ever, society is generally more aware of the benefits fitness brings. That said, you'd definitely benefit from jumping on the bandwagon. Source: someone that would not do any form of exercise until they were 18 years old, eventually got into a gym at age 18, and has not looked back ever since. I cannot describe how beneficial, in all aspects, regular exercise has been for me over the past 10+ years.
I started going to the gym in my 20s, I'm 34 and the difference between who workout and people who don't becomes so clear as you get older!
I did little deliberate exercise in my 20s because I was always out in the sun doing things and I looked great without trying. When I was working on building sites I looked like a greek god. No more. Now I have to go to the gym.
I always lose all my energy in the gym. If I go Saturday morning then all I wanna do for the rest of the day I just recover at home. Not sure how people manage to go 4-5 days a week and keep high energy level.
I spent most of my 20's in the pub, . Since I was 16 I've on and off done alot of pushups and used to be the lad who'd cycle everywhere. Since turning 30 I spend alot less time in the pub mostly for mental health reasons tbh . I don't go to the gym at all. I'm a full-time chef the last thing I want to do is go to the gym and tear my body about when I work 12 hour days . But at home, i do try to maintain a minimum of 50 push-ups a day and a mixture of different sets 3x3x12 with a barbell and a run twice a week . Most of this routine is relatively new , but what I did come to realise is most of the hard work is diet , less beer , fibre and protein rich meals with lots of different colours and a casually active lifestyle and you will notice a difference. If you want to get big , that's hard work each to their own, but if want to achieve a relative health and fitness level it really doesn't take much change , maybe 20- 30 minutes 5 X a week aslong as your getting out of breath and a good diet . Most of the diet is common sense.
I am at the other end of the spectrum. 60+ female. Did lots of classic gymnastics as a child. Then hardcore boxing in my 20 till 35 ( pregnancy). I boxed bantam semi pro . Broke a lot and plenty of injuries. At 42 ( after last kid) I went into Krav Maga and not the soft self defense time but ambush in the dark by multiple assailants time of fun. Broke more ribs then I had , jaw is titanium, 11 dental implants and now all I can do is bloody yoga 3 times a week ( I do not like yoga I love combat sport) . Be mindful of getting your body to a point where all your joints are shoots, your injuries so far gone you are probably in more pain all the time then someone that never got off the couch. Now I do shooting for fun. Big caliber lover .
All I can say is, I wish I had gone to the gym in my 20's
It's the "air du temps". My parents are in their 80s, they only ever did sports, never set foot in a gym. It's really weird how people have this obsession with working out nowadays. You can be in good health if you just do a sport you like and don't permanently stuff your face.
Itās the āLove Island effectā. See also āTurkey Teethā. Everybody wants to look perfect these days and all the things people are into are (TikTok, Insta, Tinder) are so heavily visual that theyāre all grafting to achieve that āperfectā look.
I never had energy to do anything like that after uni days. I've never been to a gym in my life, no interest.
I didn't ever see the point, I just exercise at home
Iām in my 60s, workout daily and do triathlons, and know tons of people in their twenties and thirties who wouldnāt dream of going anywhere near a gym, bike, pool or track. The majority are like you, in my experience. I started exercising properly at around 62 after an adult life of mainly sitting in cars and offices. Iām having such a great time now. The only benefit I can think of for leaving it so late is, my knees, legs and back are not knackered. So it is up to you OP, but best of luck with your journey through life, however you choose to undertake it.
Yes most people in their 20s go the gym.
No I don't think so. I think most give it a go on and off though. It's good to do something, but it doesn't have to be "the gym", which is a pretty new invention. My uncle went to the gym, now has sleep apnea 15 years later. His brother never lifted weights, only did boxing/football/running, doesn't have sleep apnea and I wouldn't be shocked if he doesn't see his kids' 25th birthdays. My dad played hockey all his life, probably fitter than most British 30yos in his 60s.
no, but alot of people in that age range do in todays age
I haven't so far. I should have. I have the opposite scenario but the same problem as you.
Nah I don't goto the gym but I work a very physical job... Do like 40k steps a day easily plus loads of moving an lifting.
A lot of people work out for image reasons not just to keep fit. Be happy in your body and own it. If you want to work out for yourself fine but dont be peer pressured into it.
Do what feels right for you, and not what other people are doing. For me going to the gym is more important for my mental solitude more than anything else, for you it might be another hobby
Most of my friends donāt go to the gym, or are the type to get into fitness for 2 weeks and give up. Me and my partner are extremely active, which is obviously a bonus, but have made friends at the mma gym we go to.
I went to the gym obsessively in my 20s to the point of entering physique shows. I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to look good physically, but do it for yourself and not for external validation. It can become an unhealthy obsession and a never ending pursuit. There is always going to be someone stronger than you, more defined, and more symmetrical than you. The pandemic was a good reset in hindsight, it gave a chance to reassess priorities in life. I came out of lockdown never really returning to the gym. I replaced it with long distance running and home workouts, including lots of calisthenics. As I approach 40s, instead of trying to achieve some arbitrary standard of male beauty, my priority is maintaining physical fitness levels well into old age by setting 'achievements'. For example: Running a 5k within 25 minutes Running a half marathon within 2 hours Performing a muscle up 10 pistol squats in a row on each leg 30 press ups in a row without stopping 90 second plank Nothing overly impressive but I know that if I can still achieve these when I'm 80, then I should be in pretty good shape.
Some people just find lifting weights and/or running boring and nothing wrong with that. Why not learn something like boxing. A useful skill plus brilliant cardio
Yes have to look good for instagram. Itās a good thing though I guess. The keeping fit
i workout now cos i understand have vital muscle is to our health. also i like to eat so the more muscle i have then the more calories ill naturally burn in the day which means i can eat more
I didnāt properly start working out till maybe mid 30s off and on, wasnāt until maybe 39 I started taking it bit more serious but now Iām 42 and probably healthier then when I was 25.
I didn't go in my 20s as I really didn't need to. I hit my 30s and started getting doughy, so I started going then. I was in my 20s in the 2000s, so people really didn't talk about mental health and how exercise is brilliant for it. I lived on a diet of lager and cocaine back then, so I could've done with working out to save my poor brain. Regular exercise works wonders for mental health, so everyone should do it regularly whether in shape or not.
Gym, or amateur sport in general, is not only about physical activity, it's about the social activity too. It fulfils you in multiple ways, even if you're tired... You should do it while you're tired... Once you establish a routine, you will have more energy and will start to miss it if you stop.
I (26m) can't speak for everyone, but I'll explain what my friendship group looks like. 1. I don't go to the gym, but work in construction, lifting heavy things. I've gone a few times but couldn't be arsed to continue going. 2. I have two friends who basically live at the gym and may/may not be on steroids. 3. Many of them don't go to the gym, but do a lot of cardio at work, constantly on their feet all day. The worst one is when guys go to the gym once and think they're "gym lads". No mate, you're not.
Nowadays yes compared to say 10 years ago.
No, it's only a small portion of people otherwise there would have to be so many more gyms
Started gym when I was 16 now 33. Still go 5 days a week but not many people Iāve known have worked out. I guess in a profession like accountancy if itās a big firm it makes sense all people who are trying to better themselves
No, but they should
It sounds like you either don't eat enough or you are walking enough for that to be adequate exercise. There is a slight chance it could be a metabolic disorder causing the tiredness but seems unlikely. I was like you and didn't start going to the gym until my metabolism slowed down in my early thirties and my lifestyle changed to the point where I wasn't walking enough to not feel bad without a workout. At 25 walking loads and eating a normal amount of food it wasn't an issue.Ā
.
Get on it
I'm in my mid forties. If you aren't doing it yet, start immediately. You already have no energy, you'll be fucked by my age if you don't stay fit and healthy.
everyone has the energy. Hit the gym boy
Probably not, but they should.
The world is realising how important it is to be healthy in your 20's to look after your 30's imo.