Pick up something heavy. Put it down. Repeat.

I recently read Milo's article "Training in the Right Place," an opening piece from the editor. It compares current "fancy" gyms to hand-dug cellar "gyms" and the difference between the types of athletes that train at the two respectively.

You can make obvious correlations to the the gym-goers and their chosen place of strength (or non-strength) building. The "schmancey gym" goer with his new kicks, latest threads, coolest iPod, gallon o' Gatorade, and machine pushing ways is similar to the gym and its surroundings: a mere facade of over-hyped structure filled with too much treadmill time and media-distractions.

The basement trainer however, has just what he needs (or finds a way to make what he has work), gets down to brass tacks, pulls, pushes, sweats, eats, rests, and repeats as necessary. Some days are good. Some days are disappointing. But every day is a lifting day. There are no distractions, there are no fancy shoes to be judged, and who really needs gatorade? It's either solo lifting (my preference) or someone with the same drive, commitment, and understanding right there with you. They know looking your best doesn't correlate to performing your best. And driving to the gym to fight over equipment is a waste of time, but walking to a buddies home-gym is the perfect set-up for good times.

The home gym is raw and built to your specifications in any room that will fit the requirements, even if there's just barely enough space. The "high end gym" is impersonal, filled with bloated muscles and deflated egos... both trying to convince themselves otherwise.

The correlation between gym choice is clear. When you're serious about lifting all you care about is getting better, reaching goals, and setting new goals. When you just want to be "in shape" (whatever that means) you throw your money at a gym that could care less about goals, deadlines, barbells, and big balls of solid iron.

If your priority is performance, you know no one cares what you pull but you, and that's okay. If your priorities are fooling yourself, have fun wasting your time on the treadmill. Either way it's not likely our lifting paths will cross.