I have started to time it so that I don't have to wait for a treadmill...unfortunately, this sometimes means staying at work late just to avoid the after work rush. There is nothing I hate more than being all pumped to go to the gym only to get there and have to stand around waiting for a machine to open.

Nope, I usually just use my elliptical at home anyway, or I run outside if it's nice.

That's one reason I don't belong to a gym. No waiting to use the sidewalks!

That's one reason I don't belong to a gym. No waiting to use the sidewalks!

There's usually always an elliptical or treadmill free, but later on it gets really full, so I like to get my cardio workout out of the way as soon as I get to the gym.

Sometimes. On Thursday, I don't have to, but on Friday's, my gym can get pretty packed.

there are 2 of the particular ellipticals i like to use, and if they are taken, ill do a round on another machine until one of those frees up.

well, at my gym in my hometown, i don't have to wait. but at my college, i find myself waiting more often. it gets busy at certain times of the day. it doesn't help there are only 4 treadmills, 2 ellipticals (one is broken currently), 1 stairmaster, 1 bike. ugh.

I exercise early in the morning - around 5:30am. There's hardly any people waiting for the cardio machines at that time. I was told from my friend that it got a lot crowded around 8:00am though.

My normal workout time is not during a peak time, plus our gym is small and private, I couldn't belong to one of those huge gyms where the parking lots are always packed. I like my quiet little gym.

I'm not a gym person. A school track and sidewalks usually do the trick for me.

I have to wait sometimes, but one thing that I hate about waiting is how people don't follow the 30 minute rule during peak hours!

yes that's why I hate my school gym, it doesn't have enough machines and you have to wait forever. I haven't gone at all this school year, which sucks because I miss the elliptical.

The university's gym is usually pretty empty. I've never had to wait to use a machine. It's a relatively new building and UNLV is a commuter school, so it's not used much.

no, my gym is pretty big and I usually go at off peak times.

I am in Grad school and use the school gym which is nice and relatively new and I never have to wait for a machine, though i just started going a little while ago and haven't gotten the hang of all the machines yet, but I am loving it!

No thank god, not even at peak times. The pool gets quite busy however.

I usually get to the gym at 5am, when my gym opens, so I never have a problem.

I never had to before. Last week I needed a treadmill and they were all taken. I hopped on an elliptical instead and within 10 minutes a treadmill was free. No biggie.

I don't always get the machine I want, but there are over 100 cardio machines at my gym so there's always something open. I'm usually only interested in the treadmill or arc trainer, and if one is full the other will do just fine.

I never have to wait at my gym for anything, but it's a big gym and I live in a fairly small town, it's not a problem.

like doogirl, my gym in a small town is never packed and i reallllly appreciate that!

Theres never a day that I am not waiting for a machine... At my gym some of the machines are broken so people are always fighting for any of the working machines.... it just makes me want to go back home.

Most of my waiting comes from having to adhere to the sign ups. Makes it a pain to get to the gym at 6:05 to have to wait for the 6:15 treadmill. Sometimes I just wanna get on and go but I know that thats not always possible.

I love my gym but so does everyone else and it's usually pretty crowded, especially on Mondays during peak hours.

Depends on when I go. It's a university gym and it's usually packed around 8am, 12am and 5-7pm, which means waiting. (Which is why I started carrying jump rope with me, to warm up when all the machines are in use.) At other times it's usually pretty empty.

I can usually get on if I go in the morning, but after work every machine will be packed. It's such a struggle to decide how to handle it, too — like, if an elliptical frees up, but what I really want to do is bike, do I get on the elliptical just to be doing something or sit and wait another 15 minutes for a bike? So frustrating! So at this point, if I can't go in the morning, I'll run outside instead.

i think i've only had to wait one time for a treadmill...and we have around 15 of them at the gym. otherwise there is always some kind of cardio machine open. i'm not picky..if one is not open something else always is.

I've never had to wait, but my gym's always pretty empty. Even during the busiest time, which is after work, there's almost always at least one elliptical and one or two treadmills and a bike free. Most of the time, I go during my lunch break and it's never crowded then.

Rarely...

I work my schedule around to make sure I go at the emptier times. Otherwise, it's very discouraging to make the trek to the gym only to have to wait around for a machine, and I'm less likely to make the long trek again..

I don't usually have to wait since I also schedule my gym time to avoid the peak hours of 430-7 PM. When I used to work full-time during the summer, and I'd get to the gym for 530, the gym was packed (my gym is pretty small.. the cardio section has only 6-7 treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes each and only 2 stairclimbers).

I've only joined the gym a couple of month ago, but only once I had to use the bike instead of the elliptical and that was on a sunday aftertoon besides that it's a pretty cool gym with LOTS of equipement stuffed in it.

I rarely, rarely have to wait for a cardio machine at my gym, and only ever if it's during peak hours, like 4-5 pm.

luckily i have a lot of free time and can time my visits, so I've only had to wait twice. i use our city's multi-gen center and if I have to wait, it's usually only on winter visitors... go figure.

I don't belong to a gym...I do my exercise outside in the fresh air - no lines!

This was one of the main reasons why I quit. Everybody goes to the gym after work and this just makes you want to leave. Not to mention when you have a visibly impatient person waiting for you to hurry up and get off a machine. A good reason to out in another mile. But still not an enjoyable time.

at my old gym in florida i had to wait ALL THE TIME and i hated that. now i very rarely have to wait. i've learned the best times to work out so that i don't have to wait and i don't have to feel rushed.

I only go certain hours or days when i know it wont be crowded. i go to a pretty big gym and on mondays if i dont go between 2-7 its packed i have to wait, then i get frusterated, i hate the crowd and noise of the high schoolers that come in. all they do yip yip yip over and over. its annoying. i like to work out quietly without distractions. plus i hate it when someone is waiting behind me waiting. im not getting off sooner. but i go to that gym because i got reduced price at 10 instead of 20 a month.

It really just depends on what time I go to my gym. If I get to my favorite location before 5pm or after 9pm I can usually get a treadmill or eliptical immediately, but not necessarily the hours in between.

My gym has 4 treadclimbers and there is ALWAYS a queue for them! People tend to do 20-30 mins on them so a line builds up.

I recently discovered the the "2x more effective than a treadmill!" promise is only relevant if you are WALKING on the treadmill! So now I just go on the treadmill and my body shape has changed a lot.