Why You Should Bother Joining a Gym — Even If You Only Go Once a Week

Easy for me to say, right? I own a gym.

That’s true — I do.

But I also help people realise that just showing up and doing the bare minimum still gets results. It’s not about always doing everything to your full potential. Life doesn’t always allow that.

We’re taught it’s a waste of time if you don’t go all in — but that psychology is wrong. It holds so many people back.

Now don’t get me wrong — let’s not be idiots. If you go to the gym more, of course you’ll see more results. If you stopped having pudding at lunch and dinner and weren’t a greedy bastard all the time instead of just sometimes, that would also help.

But guess what? Turning up and doing something every week is miles better than going 2–3 times a week for a month or two and then never again.

Here’s an example — and this one might get a few backs up.

Marathons.

Lots of people don’t do anything for their health all year. And bear in mind, we know more now than ever. We know women are far more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s. We know men’s testosterone levels drop as they age, and men’s mental health is at its worst. Studies show exercise helps with all of that — yet people still do nothing about it.

Not everyone is a well-seasoned long-distance runner. But then you get Alan from the office (sorry Alan) or Karen from finance (sorry Karens) who suddenly decide they’re going to run a marathon. They do a bit of training, drag their arse around the course on the day, get celebrated for their “achievement”… and then do nothing for their health the rest of the year.

We celebrate that — but if someone goes to the gym once or twice a week for a full year, we barely notice. Personally, I’d rather celebrate that than a 10-week “couch to half-marathon” plan.

What I’m saying is — people’s relationships with exercise are completely off, and that’s what we call bullshit on.

People quit before they even have a chance.

Stop thinking it’s about being phenomenal.

Just show up and do the bare minimum.

Because the bare minimum, done consistently, beats going all-out for a few weeks and then quitting every single time.