I think there should be nerdy gyms and I’m not even joking about that.
Gyms are always marketed around appearance and personal improvement and ~wellness~: lose wait, get hot, eat less! Blah blah blah. They’re soulless and tap into a form of motivation that only works for so long (and is more than a little psychologically damaging for many people)
What if instead, a gym was a place of play, with exercise focused on enjoyment, adventure, and entertainment. It could even be like a D&D campaign:
You’re not running on a treadmill to get hot or whatever - you’re running down a beaten woodsy path to get word to the king that invaders have landed on your shoreline.
The rowing machine isn’t a monotonous repetitive exercise to get muscles. It’s a serious endeavor where you row with your companions to steer your Greek trireme or Viking warship into battle.
You’re not lifting weights - those are packs you must carry in your adventure across remote, hostile countryside
This isn’t an exercise routine. It’s today’s adventure campaign, with several different activities required - scaling a mountain, fleeing a dragon, etc
…and so on.
Because exercise is healthy, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a boring adult obligation. Why force yourself to exercise the same way you force yourself to file your taxes, when you could instead engage in an hour or so of play?
This is a silly post, but I honestly just think serious adults with serious jobs should still have some time on the playground a few days a week.
