thoughts on the gym

Our homework this week was to check out a gym. Now, given the convenient location and company membership, I have actually been a frequent user of the gym throughout PCP. The second month I worked out at the gym regularly at night,and once I switched consistently to working every morning before breakfast, I continue to use the gym during lunch and at night to supplement my workouts and do the occasional just-for-fun session.
The facility itself is quite typical for Tokyo: a large quantity of equipment and myriad services packed into a small space. The staff are friendly and helpful and are generally young and healthy.
I quite appreciate the two weight stations with pull-up bars, the selection of four different resistance bands, two padded stretch areas with mirrors, and an aerobics studio that I can often use for jumping.
It gets a bit crowded during lunch and evenings, but if I go early or late, I sometimes find myself the only patron.
So in all it is a convenient place to do my thing, shower, and get on with it.
Regarding the people working out there...perhaps it best just to describe a few typical users:
ForeverMan - this guy works out ALL the time. He is sweaty and working hard when I arrive and appears no closer to being done when I leave. He has music in his ears, watches the TVs for minutes at a time between sets, drinks chemical concoctions frequently, and utilizes every toy and training regimen available.
And in the three months I have been on PCP, he appears to be maintaining his slightly paunchy physique perfectly.
LeisureLady - Her workout apparel is perfectly coordinated, down to her jewelry.She is skinny in that emaciated-bulimic-model kind of way, and she never, ever sweats.
Spends most of her time on the stretch mats doing light Pilate's moves; she is incredibly limber. Alternatively she can found on the recumbent bike machine - sitting - watching TV and chatting or texting on her cell whilst leisurely moving the pedals.
One-On-One - Accompanied and guided by a personal trainer, bonus points if said trainer does not even work at the gym and extra-bonus points if said trainer speaks a different language, forcing communication to a series of demonstratory moves, random single shared words, and head-nodding or shaking. Always has a stopwatch and some other handheld equipment like rubber bands, colored tape, small towel, etc. Jackpot if includes a relaxing massage after rotating through every area of the gym.
Quantifier - This guy records EVERYTHING in a detailed workout log. Which he undoubtedly needs just to remember what to do, because his routine is complex. Speed push-ups for ten seconds followed by 20 weighted squats followed by wrist curls with a rubber band and a towel whilst observing tantric nasal breathing. Repeat a prime number of times as a function of the day of the week.
Record, repeat.
His calves and forearms look excellent, his gut is unchanging, his back is flexible though his legs are not, and he is sincerely doing his best to collect as many pieces of equipment as he can, scattering them about his general area of commandeered floor space.

There are others of course, even a few folks who seem to know what they are doing and are in fine health, but the majority...let me just say that I saw a cow-worker on the exercycle, utterly bathed in sweat, blue in the face and gasping for air.
I thought it amusing that the email I got from him this morning was titled "Breakfast is served" and stated: "100 krispy kreme donuts outside my office. Let's eat!"
Keep peddling, man, keep peddling...