Empty Gym Workout

A funny thing happened yesterday.

I woke up determined to go to CrossFit after work but then, as luck would have it, I got stuck in DC traffic and just couldn’t get there in time. I was totally frustrated and fed-up with each day running amuck on my plans to get back to it so when I got home, I walked in the house, changed, and walked right back out! I headed to the gym in my condo building but, confession: I’ve been living here since November and never been to the gym here! Turns out I’m not missing much – it’s small, dirty, and very, very old. I don’t even recognize some of the equipment!

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For instance, I thought the machine in the left image above was a rower (which would have been awesome!) but it’s not. There’s this weird booklet (below) that describes all you can do with it — the “total gym 1000 exercise system!” Ha! I was afraid it would break, honestly. Also note the broken jump rope. That was three skips in! Seriously this place was depressing! (No treadmill either!)

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Nevertheless, I was determined and the one thing this gym had going was that it was empty — ALL MINE!

I quickly came up with a workout that didn’t require much equipment – just weights, which, thankfully this gym has.

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I chuckled to myself thinking the only thing I really used in the gym besides the weights was a pen hanging from a clipboard on the wall – ha! I think I’m going to invest in a kettle bell, a PVC pipe and foam roller for my next visit to this dungeon gym!

Empty Gym Workout

100 step-ups90 air squats80 lunges70 lateral raises (I did 35 lateral/35 front raises) 60 goblet squats (35 lbs) 50 dumbbell push press (15 lbs) 40 no push-up burpees30 knee raises20 push-ups10 dumbbell snatches 

This workout wasn’t too bad. I really paced myself, breaking each move into sets of 10. I would have probably preferred different weights but my options were limited – the gym only had 8 lb, 12 lb, and 15 lb dumbbells; then it jumped to 35 lb-and-up, which are pretty heavy!

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I used the machine on the right to do knee raises. I was hoping to be able to do assisted pull-ups on that machine but I’m pretty sure the bottom piece is broken. (Sad face!)

I hope one of you can use my impromptu workout to get in a sweat today if, like me, you’re not able to make it to your regular gym or stuck in a dingy old gym! I’m actually really happy things worked out the way they did last night because it’s been a long time since I went to the gym alone and made up my own workout — I forgot how much I love that!

What do you usually do in an empty gym? 

Does your apartment building have a gym? 

Do you think I can petition my condo association to give the gym a facelift? 

Empty Gym Workout