I want to quit the gym!

So my friend Chris recently blogged about things at the gym that amuse him. This caused me to reflect on the thing I despise the most at the gym....trying to quit or join. I actually try to stay at the same gym for as long as possible just to avoid these 2 scenarios. If any of you are a member of a gym I am sure you have had to go through this excruciating scene, where the membership sales person locks you up in their back room until you either (a) join their gym or (b) decide not to quit their gym. One of many bad experiences was when I had to join a new gym when I first moved back to California after college. I was trying to do my homework on all the gyms in the area to get the best deal, and was in no hurry to immediately join any because I had been tricked into joining on the spot way too many times and was not about to have that happen to me again. I will NEVER EVER be a member of Bally's because of the experience I had there inquiring of their membership fees. The conversation with the membership sales person went something like this (and this took place while I was being held hostage in their stuffy little back room with no windows):


Me: So how much are your gym memberships?

Bally's sales person: It depends, when do you want to join?

Me: Well, what would it be if I were to join today?

Bally's sales person: are you joining today?

Me: probably not, I am in no rush, but what would the monthly fee be?

Bally's sales person: well that depends on when you are joining, it changes all the time.

Me: ok, well what would it be today?

Bally's sales person: are you joining today?

Me: no, i want to compare many gyms, so I am not joining today.

Bally's sales person: well if you are not joining today I cannot give you a price.

Me: How am I supposed to know if I want to join your gym if you can't give me a price?

Bally's sales person: Well if you join today we can get you a great deal.

Me: I don't want to join today, but could you tell me how much the great deal would be?

Bally's sales person: I can only tell you if you join today.

(This conversation continued in this same circle for several more minutes while I started ripping out my hair and trying not to strangle the sales person).

Finally, after still no price was given to me....

Me: Well, I think I will have to look around at other gyms then, thanks for your "help"

Bally's sales person: OK, I would just warn you to be very careful with other gyms out there, most are not very forthcoming with their information.

Me (in my head): you have GOT to be kidding me. Lady, you are absolutely crazy. (out loud): Righhht. Thanks for the heads up.

Needless to say, I have a lifetime ban on Bally's. This is only one of many similar experiences that I have had at gyms. I won't go into all for the sake of having a blog so long that nobody will ever read.

(FYI, if you have not seen this Friends episode, not only does Chandler NOT quit the gym, but Ross joins)