Like many of you I belong to a gym or health club if you prefer.  Also like many of you I don’t get there as much as or my doctor would like.

I try and go on both Saturday and Sunday but during the week is tough.  Up by 3:30 in the morning, usually working until at least 4 o’clock every day and with little or no energy after that.  But again like many of you I vow to improve on that in the New Year. It’s among the top resolutions and usually among the first to be broken.

This leads in to the topic of The Above Average Guy section in this month’s “Men’s Health” which is all about men at the gym.  Here are some numbers and statistics to consider while you’re on or not on the treadmill:

  • More than 30 million men belong to a health club.
  • Men who have belonged to one for more than a year have a waistline that is an average of 1.6” smaller than those who have not.
  • The age group working out the most is between 30-39 and that’s based on Spotify workout playlist streams which might not be totally accurate.
  • Just over 70% of men listen to music while exercising. 70% of those listen to their own music while 30% listen to whatever is playing over the sound system.
  • In terms of geography Washington D.C. ranked at the top with just over 40% of men meeting federal guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. South Dakota was last with just 17%.
  • Nearly half of men who exercise take a supplement to increase or maintain mass or strength or to boost recovery. I do not unless you count caffeine which is number four on the list of most consumed supplements.

While not part of this there are some related facts for both men and women.  More than three-quarters of those who join a gym in January will quit after five months, women are more likely to bail then men and only about half of those with a gym membership go on a regular basis.

If getting in shape and joining a gym is one of your New Year’s resolutions then good luck.  It’s still probably better than buying an expensive piece of equipment that eventually just becomes a place to hang your clothes.

 

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