Hello, My daughter just moved up to optionals this summer and so now she has the morning Saturday practices. What I couldn't believe is that when I dropped her off and went inside the gym it was freezing!! I couldn't believe that the girls were expected to workout in these conditions, and in leotards. I am sure the temperature was not more than 62 degrees. What do you guys think? Isn't this bad for their health? How is it in your gyms? I did some research on this on the net, and it says the optimal temperature for exercising is 67 - 72 degrees, any less and you risk muscle, joint, and bone problems! My daughter kept her warm-ups on during practice, as much as possible, but still -- how to do bars with warm-ups on? This is just so ridiculous. We may just skip the Saturday practices, or look for another gym. We are really leaning towards looking for another gym though, because this kind of insensitivity and callousness can not reflect well in their other decisions for the gym. Looking forward to your input! Thanks!

Ya, maybe you should consider a switch then. We were talking about these 'cave-like' conditions on another thread at http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=26 .

kaycie, thanks so much for that post! Can you please post the link to that information regarding the bad effects of exercise in too cold conditions, and what is too cold, etc? That information seems really logical. Maybe a switch would be good if the gym owners there don't care about that. We don't have that problem in our gym actually, the 2 head coaches are the co-owners and they keep the gym warm (and air conditioned in the summer). Thanks!

Today "Daddy Day Care" was on again on cable and I watched some of it - it is a very good movie! (yes there is a point to this in regards to this thread / a cave-like gym!) - as you may know, in this movie there is this overly-discplined, strict, callous, indifferent, uncaring school that goes by these set rules that don't take into consideration the young kids who are like 3-5 years old, and they don't talk to the kids or care about what they think, because as the school's owner puts it, 'kids don't know what they want'....in another words they just get treated like robots or puppets. And then there's the Daddy Day Care place which is run like a family - like Eddie Murphy says in the movie - there is caring and they talk to the kids, and there is no robots-manufacturing. This is kind of like the difference between a good gym club that is run by passion for the sport and for the kids and a gym that is run like a business, and just a business - what makes it worse is if the business plan is to make every penny possible, at any sacrifice that they can get away with. kaycie, your gym owners may not heat the gym to save that penny (or dollars, ok, it is getting expensive, but isn't the tuition as well?!!), but check on their offices -- do they heat their own office or do they work in the cold as well? That will be interesting. Anyways, hope you find a gym like Daddy Day Care!

Hey everyone, thanks for the replies! There were a lot of articles online, you can google best time to exercise, best temps. etc. The lowest ok. temp to practice in was 67 degrees. Here are some of the things I found: From: http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/37584.htm : Consumer Health Information Web: Exercise and Fitness Temperature of workout facility 03/19/2006 04:40PM Question: What is the ideal temperature in a fitness center, the one I use has the thermostat set at 69 degrees and has large fans blowing at top speed, as a result I wear a sweat shirt to stay comfortable while exercising. Answer: According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association's "Essentials of Strength and Conditioning", a recommended temperature range for a strength and conditioning facility is 72 to 78 degrees. --------------------------------- From the article "The Best Time to Exercise": http://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts_display.aspx?itemid=53 "Warm is better It is the influence of circadian rhythms on body temperature that seems to yield the most control over the quality of a workout. When body temperature is at its highest, your workouts will likely be more productive; when your temperature is low, chances are your exercise session may be less than optimal. Body temperature is at its lowest about one to three hours before most of us wake up in the morning, in contrast to late afternoon when body temperature reaches its peak. (To determine your own circadian peak, refer to the box to the left.) Studies have consistently shown that exercise during these late-in-the-day hours produces better performance and more power. Muscles are warm and more flexible, perceived exertion is low, reaction time is quicker, strength is at its peak, and resting heart rate and blood pressure are low. " --------------------------------- From "How Do I Choose The Right Gym?" : http://www.bodytrends.com/articles/getting_started/choosegym.htm "How clean is the air, and is the temperature of the gym kept at a level that won't increase the likelihood injuries? The air in a gym should be fresh and well-circulated. It should never smell stale or musty. The temperature should not be so cold that you can't warm up your muscles and joints. Temperatures that are too cold make joint and muscle injuries more likely. "

strawberry: we were watching Daddy Day Care the other day too, and thinking hte same thing! Funny! :D

Thanks for the links kaycie!