Workout Buddies

Radar • Dec 6, 2008 8:16 pm
I have found over the years that I'm less likely to workout when I know it's only me going. I'll think up any excuse I can not to go, but if I'm supposed to meet a friend at the gym I go. I know this is going to sound strange, but when I do go to the gym by myself, the weights seem heavier and it's not very fun. When I go with someone else and have someone to talk to or to spot each other, the workout seems to go quicker and it doesn't seem like it's work.

I don't really need a trainer because I know how to do all the exercises, and I know what I'm supposed to be doing. I just don't do it unless I know someone else will be there and they are counting on me to be there. I tried to workout with a friend of mine, but he's got exactly the opposite body type as me. He's super thin with a very fast metabolism and he complains that he can't gain weight. Because he tries to gain bulk, he's doing little cardio, and lifting more weight with fewer reps. His whole workout is 30 minutes. Just the cardio part of my workout is longer than that. I tried hiring someone to come and workout with me, but that gets expensive pretty quick.

I've got 2 really good ideas to solve this problem and to make exercise a lot more fun. One of them is expensive, and requires me to invest a great deal of money and to find some really good programmers to join me in the project. I don't want to discuss that one until I am ready to move on it.

But the other one I've already taken steps on. I decided to put up a messageboard much like this one that will allow people to find workout partners in their area. I thought of some good names for the sight, but most of the really good names are taken. I really wanted gymbuddy.com but it's taken. I did end up getting http://go2gym.com

Right now it's just a messageboard, but eventually I want to set it up so people can enter in what gym they belong to, or if they don't belong to a gym, they can enter kayaking, jogging, rock climbing, or some other activity. Or they can just put their home zip code to find people in their area. I'd like it to allow people to find those they feel comfortable with. For instance women probably feel more comfortable working out with other women so they don't find some creepy guy drooling over them.

I'd like to make it so you can search to find people with the same fitness goals, same bmi ratio, same gym, or a number of other categories to find someone to help you stay motivated to workout.

Anyway, I put up the site yesterday if anyone is interested or wants to check it out. I will eventually do a lot more work on the site. If I can't find pre-made modules for the site, I'll have to try to figure out how to make them myself and I'm not much of a coder. The last time I really programmed anything other than basic HTML was Pascal and C in college (1988-1991)
sweetwater • Dec 8, 2008 2:53 pm
Great idea, and the timing couldn't be better. Another woman and I have been going to the gym but our styles are incompatible. I prefer to listen to my iPod, she's a talker. I mix things up, she wants a routine. I like early workouts, she can only go at 7:50AM. By the time I am ready to go work out, I am already worked up. It takes the fun away for me, and I'm sure others are frustrated and feel stuck, too. Good luck with your site, Radar, and I hope it works out for everyone.
Radar • Dec 8, 2008 3:47 pm
Cool. Register, and tell your friends to register too. Maybe we can get enough people on here to make it work.
lookout123 • Dec 8, 2008 4:34 pm
linky brokey?
lumberjim • Dec 8, 2008 4:36 pm
I have a pretty good work out buddy. 'cept some time she's mean.
lookout123 • Dec 8, 2008 5:18 pm
it's totally not fair. Jim doesn't even have to be all embarrassed when he asks his workout buddy to be his shower buddy.
Radar • Dec 8, 2008 5:37 pm
lookout123;511728 wrote:
linky brokey?


Looks fine to me. I'll type it again to be sure.


http://www.go2gym.com
lookout123 • Dec 8, 2008 5:39 pm
I keep coming up with this:

Database Error: Lost connection to MySQL server during query
File: /home/content/p/t/i/ptireland/html/Sources/Security.php
Line: 279


maybe an issue with my server?
Radar • Dec 8, 2008 5:47 pm
That's strange. It's working for me. What browser are you using?
Aliantha • Dec 8, 2008 5:50 pm
It works for me, but I think I'm on the wrong continent.
lumberjim • Dec 8, 2008 6:15 pm
I'm in. I registered as IronJim nyuk nyuk
ZenGum • Dec 8, 2008 8:55 pm
Yeah .... pig iron .... nyuk nyuk nyuk



Sorry.
lumberjim • Dec 8, 2008 9:06 pm
ow. my feelings.
Radar • Dec 8, 2008 9:39 pm
lumberjim;511805 wrote:
I'm in. I registered as IronJim nyuk nyuk


Kind of like Iron Mike Tyson!
Radar • Dec 9, 2008 6:58 pm
I just added a few mods to make it more familiar like the ability to add youtube videos the same way we do here, a lot more avatars to choose from, enhanced profile, etc.