As someone who has spent 46 years bodybuilding, I concur. At 67, the most efficient use of my time, since I train primarily for strength, flexibility and endurance, is three 90-minute full body sessions a week. I also kick box, do yoga, run, swim, bike, and just about everything else. Because that’s what I do for a living. The gym supports my world of adventure travel. It’s been my second home my entire adult life. There is no ONE PERFECT workout. There is only what works for us, our body, our age, our goals, our commitment, today. After nearly a half century, while I have very strong opinions about gym manners, I hesitate to suggest to anyone what might work. Because you and I don’t really know what works for another body. To wit: I get mocking glances from very strong, large women in my gym because I’m much slimmer, much leaner than they are. They consider me a toothpick. But I have no interest whatsoever in mass and size. That’s dysfunctional not only for my age but it’s not appropriate for what I do. The last damn thing I need is another twenty pounds of muscle that I have to pull back up a horse or a mountain or out of the water during my adventures. And, half the time I’m rehabbing after some epic injury, ranging from a broken back to concussions to busted pelvis. You and I have no clue why someone is in the gym, nor what they’re working with. The beauty of the gym is how versatile it is. I might suggest that you missed some key pieces about behavior, such as: NEVER drop your weights, do NOT stand in front of folks using the mirror, do NOT hoard or hog weights or benches or machines, and never ever ever ever ever shame, harrass or belittle anyone for any reason. I might just mistakenly drop a fucking weight on your brand new bright green runners, you asshole, if I hear you making fun of an obese woman or man who had the guts to show. the. Fuck. UP. Gee. Oops. Too much chalk. My bad. Shall we call an ambulance?

You’ve been warned.