'Silent' Gyms In Upper Sukhumvit?

[OliverKlozerof]

Question Plus Mini Rant (Two For The Price Of One)
Question:
I'm guessing the answer is no, but just in case....

Anyone know of a gym/fitness club in upper Sukhumvit that has no music playing? (Otherwise know as 'silent.') I can't stand the stuff that passes for 'music,' that most places play.

(I do have some noise-cancelling headphones, but kind of feel like I'm in a cocoon when I wear them. Maybe I should try some of the new Bluetooth earbuds...?)

Rant:

BTW...I'm 64 and have been a professional musician. Either one of these would probably disqualify me from being able to tolerate the 'fashion sound' (I don't really consider it music), that virtually every commercial business pumps out of their sound systems these days. Looping little mind numbing, formulaic bits of audible garbage. ???? 
I think there's even less chance there's any place that plays 'actual' music; e.g., 'songs' with verse, chorus, bridge; featuring melody, harmony, dynamics, thoughtful lyrics; something written to be memorable and perhaps stand the test of time, like Proud Mary (CCR) or even This Love (Maroon Five). This is clearly geezer fare, and since it doesn't incorporate a quarter note bass drum, does not fit current requirements. ???? 

[Surelynot]

Thought I was the only one in the world who hates this piped, loud rubbish........even with noise cancelling earphones you can still hear it......I do not want to listen to someone else's music...ever. 

 

I have asked my condo to disconnect all the speakers...they won't.

[Pravda]

Music is meant to pump you up. How can you get a good exercise with Mozart? 

 

Wagner is a good choice for murder but not treadmill. 

[2530Ubon]

Perhaps investing in home equipment would be ideal? Then you can do as you please... even working out in your birthday suit!

Edited November 24, 2020 by 2530Ubon

[OliverKlozerof]

41 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

Perhaps investing in home equipment would be ideal? Then you can do as you please... even working out in your birthday suit!

I'm working on this. There's a fitness room in my building, but no aircon, so really too hot to work out in most of the time. I'm thinking of propositioning my landlord (fairly cool guy), to see if we could go in together on installing an aircon--with coin timer. I might be willing to pay half, as could be worth it in the long run. I have a couple pairs of dumbbells, a slant board. But I've been wanting to get back into a fuller weight training routine. I live in just one small room, so no space for squat rack, etc. 

[2530Ubon]

9 minutes ago, OliverKlozerof said:

I'm working on this. There's a fitness room in my building, but no aircon, so really too hot to work out in most of the time. I'm thinking of propositioning my landlord (fairly cool guy), to see if we could go in together on installing an aircon--with coin timer. I might be willing to pay half, as could be worth it in the long run. I have a couple pairs of dumbbells, a slant board. But I've been wanting to get back into a fuller weight training routine. I live in just one small room, so no space for squat rack, etc. 

Have you considered going to one of those free open space gyms, usually located in a park/university? You could bring your DB's. They are definitely silent, until the rumba/areobic classes come that is. The added bonus is that there are often a few 50+ folks doing this already, so a good chance to socialize also

Edited November 24, 2020 by 2530Ubon

[OliverKlozerof]

6 hours ago, 2530Ubon said:

Have you considered going to one of those free open space gyms, usually located in a park/university? You could bring your DB's. They are definitely silent, until the rumba/areobic classes come that is. The added bonus is that there are often a few 50+ folks doing this already, so a good chance to socialize also

 

Actually, 6 years ago when I lived near Lumpini I was going to the wonderfully funky outdoor gym there. Hanging with the iron pumpers rain or shine, pumping the rusty dumbbells and barbells. It was as grand.  

Then my building was torn down and I moved to Udom Suk. BUT, I recently found out there’s another funky outdoor gym in Benjasiri Park in Phrom Phong, complete with crusty guys like myself. Was actually gonna go work out there today but got sidetracked. Will try again tomorrow. Only negatives are having to take Skytrain and heaps of children and other idiots on cell phones. 

[how241]

The gyms try to accommodate what they think the majority of customers will like.  Impossible to please everyone at the same time. Many like the high energy music.

[onebir]

On 11/24/2020 at 8:46 AM, Surelynot said:

Thought I was the only one in the world who hates this piped, loud rubbish........even with noise cancelling earphones you can still hear it......I do not want to listen to someone else's music...ever. 

Same here. Who knows, perhaps there's even a silent majority...

[ChaiyaTH]

To be honest, any gym I visited in Bangkok did not play music. I guess because they were in condo's. 

 

Hate the commercial gyms with loud music and people showing off their branded sport clothes more than doing excercise. 

[moontang]

Some of that equipment at the under bridge parks is pretty decent.  Amazingly cool(er) under there, most of the time.  The river bridge in Pakret even has a nice amphitheatre.

Edited November 25, 2020 by moontang

[hotchilli]

On 11/24/2020 at 2:50 PM, OliverKlozerof said:

I live in just one small room, so no space for squat

???? nuff said.

[SiSePuede419]

The only gym that's safe during a pandemic is one where you don't breathe. ✅

[onebir]

On 11/24/2020 at 9:50 AM, OliverKlozerof said:

I live in just one small room, so no space for squat rack, etc.

You could try bodyweight one-legged squats & one arm pushups (really hard, but somewhat technical. There are various books suggesting bodyweight exercise progressions for building up to these).

 

I've recently been doing two TACFIT HIIT routines in a ~2x1.5m space & had modest but visible improvements in body composition (albeit from a previously quite detrained state) within about a month.

 

These use relatively light dumbbells or a kbell, but in cycles of 6-8 exercises each for 30-40s, only resting between cycles, this gets demanding enough. Having felt how the kbell exercises use more varied ranges of motion to the dumbbell exercises, I'm also trying to learn to do some TACFIT bodyweight exercises too.

 

I was a bit of a gym rat in my 20s but this kind of training only became popular (?) after I went couch potato, & I was sceptical about it working (esp for 30 years-older me). So I haven't followed the instructions very closely. In spite of this, it does seems to work quite well, and doesn't require much equipment or inhuman determination, so I'm starting to take it more seriously.

[sncoem]

It always amaze me ho old men can be boring...

How can they even keep a girlfriend ?

Anyway the solution is easy..

 

[OliverKlozerof]

21 hours ago, onebir said:

Same here. Who knows, perhaps there's even a silent majority...

 

We're definitely not alone, though we appear to be a minority. Some years ago I discovered the Amtrak train system in the US has a 'Silent Car,' where no one is allowed to use cell phones, etc. People who use it love it, and the silence is strictly enforced. How civilized. ???? 
I joined a Facebook group, Silent Bangkok, a few years ago, for people who also like silence, and rue the lack of it most places. Not much activity there though I think. 
I've been wanting to advocate for silence, and/or actual music in restaurants/malls, etc. Who knows, maybe some people are already working on this? That would definitely be cool.

[OliverKlozerof]

12 hours ago, sncoem said:

It always amaze me ho old men can be boring...

How can they even keep a girlfriend ?

Anyway the solution is easy..

 

 

Stupid young person: You can go back to jerking off now. If you have something useful to contribute, please do so. In the mean time, shut up. Earplugs don't work. Stick them up your ass.

[OliverKlozerof]

Much thanks to those who had something useful to contribute to this thread. For the others that always seem to pipe up with some remarks that proves what low self esteem they have: Try and get a life. Have gotten a few good ideas from this. No longer following. So won't see anything else posted here. And to the idiot who posted about earplugs: You have been completely ignored in my preferences. You no longer exist in my world. ???? 

[onebir]

14 hours ago, sncoem said:

It always amaze me ho old men can be boring...

How can they even keep a girlfriend ?

Anyway the solution is easy..

 

No need to guess where he sticks these

[onebir]

2 hours ago, OliverKlozerof said:

We're definitely not alone, though we appear to be a minority. Some years ago I discovered the Amtrak train system in the US has a 'Silent Car,' where no one is allowed to use cell phones, etc. People who use it love it, and the silence is strictly enforced. How civilized.

This is what the London Underground was like before the Walkman...

 

[onebir]

2 hours ago, OliverKlozerof said:

Earplugs don't work.

It might be worth experimenting with different kinds; apart from the foam ones, there are now silicone earplugs.

 

It looks like these were originally developed for swimming, but one Chinese manufacturer (not on Lazada, unfortunately) does a range that attenuate differently across the frequency spectrum. I bought the two with the highest overall attenuation; one pair has hard plastic inner stems, the other is solid silicone (better for sleeping). They work pretty well, last a long time, and haven't lost effectiveness like the foam ones over months of use (tho they're more expensive and potentially easy to lose).

 

Of course this does nothing to deal with noise pollution itself. ????

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, OliverKlozerof said:

Much thanks to those who had something useful to contribute to this thread. For the others that always seem to pipe up with some remarks that proves what low self esteem they have: Try and get a life. Have gotten a few good ideas from this. No longer following. So won't see anything else posted here. And to the idiot who posted about earplugs: You have been completely ignored in my preferences. You no longer exist in my world. ???? 

How sad.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, onebir said:

This is what the London Underground was like before the Walkman...

 

When I was working in Japan there were big signs as you get on the Shinkansen fast trains with a mobile and a big red cross over the mobile image and a word in Japanese and the English word OFF.

 

A couple of times in the middle of the journey a phone would ring but very quickly turned off and the owner would stand up and bow in every direction and quietly/quickly apologize.

[sncoem]

5 hours ago, OliverKlozerof said:

 

Stupid young person: You can go back to jerking off now. If you have something useful to contribute, please do so. In the mean time, shut up. Earplugs don't work. Stick them up your ass.

 

if you where open minded enough to understand how much boring person you are for people around you, my post would be useful !

but unfortunately, not many people are able to understand how wrong and expired they are...

 

 

[elgenon]

On 11/23/2020 at 10:38 PM, OliverKlozerof said:

Question Plus Mini Rant (Two For The Price Of One)
Question:
I'm guessing the answer is no, but just in case....

Anyone know of a gym/fitness club in upper Sukhumvit that has no music playing? (Otherwise know as 'silent.') I can't stand the stuff that passes for 'music,' that most places play.

(I do have some noise-cancelling headphones, but kind of feel like I'm in a cocoon when I wear them. Maybe I should try some of the new Bluetooth earbuds...?)

Rant:

BTW...I'm 64 and have been a professional musician. Either one of these would probably disqualify me from being able to tolerate the 'fashion sound' (I don't really consider it music), that virtually every commercial business pumps out of their sound systems these days. Looping little mind numbing, formulaic bits of audible garbage. ???? 
I think there's even less chance there's any place that plays 'actual' music; e.g., 'songs' with verse, chorus, bridge; featuring melody, harmony, dynamics, thoughtful lyrics; something written to be memorable and perhaps stand the test of time, like Proud Mary (CCR) or even This Love (Maroon Five). This is clearly geezer fare, and since it doesn't incorporate a quarter note bass drum, does not fit current requirements. ???? 

Your music is fine but probably a lot of what you like is old stuff which is comforting to you. Ok for a venue that attracts seniors. If I hear Hotel California 1 more time my mind will explode. It sounds like you are not a gym rat. I like gym rats because they know gym etiquette and tend to follow it. And tend to be helpful and supportive. Dabblers often cause problems because they don't know and don't care about the accepted rules of etiquette.

A gym's music is meant to give you energy. Not wrap you in a cocoon of pleasant old memories. I know when the music goes off in a gym I Iose energy. I am older than you.  Do you know what Spotify is? Isolate yourself with your own music. I person don't like it when fellow gymsters play their own music because it is hard to communicate with them and ask them how many sets they have left etc. A silent gym? Funny guy.

Your choice is to get with the program or work out at home. The world will not change to accommodate your wish.

[bbabythai]

On 11/24/2020 at 1:38 PM, OliverKlozerof said:

Question Plus Mini Rant (Two For The Price Of One)
Question:
I'm guessing the answer is no, but just in case....

Anyone know of a gym/fitness club in upper Sukhumvit that has no music playing? (Otherwise know as 'silent.') I can't stand the stuff that passes for 'music,' that most places play.

(I do have some noise-cancelling headphones, but kind of feel like I'm in a cocoon when I wear them. Maybe I should try some of the new Bluetooth earbuds...?)

Rant:

BTW...I'm 64 and have been a professional musician. Either one of these would probably disqualify me from being able to tolerate the 'fashion sound' (I don't really consider it music), that virtually every commercial business pumps out of their sound systems these days. Looping little mind numbing, formulaic bits of audible garbage. ???? 
I think there's even less chance there's any place that plays 'actual' music; e.g., 'songs' with verse, chorus, bridge; featuring melody, harmony, dynamics, thoughtful lyrics; something written to be memorable and perhaps stand the test of time, like Proud Mary (CCR) or even This Love (Maroon Five). This is clearly geezer fare, and since it doesn't incorporate a quarter note bass drum, does not fit current requirements. ???? 

I relate to your whinge. I hate it how every restaurant we go to plays loud terrible music. I often ask them to turn it down. 

 

If in bkk try BASE gyms. Google them and you will find them. Its run by a farang (Jack). 

 

cheers

[bbabythai]

On 11/26/2020 at 4:21 PM, onebir said:

It might be worth experimenting with different kinds; apart from the foam ones, there are now silicone earplugs.

 

It looks like these were originally developed for swimming, but one Chinese manufacturer (not on Lazada, unfortunately) does a range that attenuate differently across the frequency spectrum. I bought the two with the highest overall attenuation; one pair has hard plastic inner stems, the other is solid silicone (better for sleeping). They work pretty well, last a long time, and haven't lost effectiveness like the foam ones over months of use (tho they're more expensive and potentially easy to lose).

 

Of course this does nothing to deal with noise pollution itself. ????

Actually I have a better solution. You can buy it at most  small pharmacies in pattaya. Its called 'Ear Putty' and they say its the original silicone. Its in a blue small packet. Ive been using them for years. It says its snore proof and water proof.

[elgenon]

Don't know if anyone has already said this but you could find a quiet gym by using a hotel gym.

 

[BangkokBoyJohnny]

On 11/24/2020 at 1:46 PM, Surelynot said:

Thought I was the only one in the world who hates this piped, loud rubbish........even with noise cancelling earphones you can still hear it......I do not want to listen to someone else's music...ever. 

 

I have asked my condo to disconnect all the speakers...they won't.

That now makes 3 of us !

[Surelynot]

4 minutes ago, BangkokBoyJohnny said:

That now makes 3 of us !

Just to add to my oddness.....it is not so much the music that annoys me.....it is the selfishness of people thinking it is okay to subject me to their music.

 

In our gym, if I am alone and then someone comes in, I immediately turn my music off.

 

If the opposite happens and I walk in they never turn their music off...they just keep blasting it out.....no consideration at all.