10/09/2026
I’ve changed my mind on a lot on what makes a good gym.
Before I built TLC, I thought about equipment the same way most people do.
What do I like using?
What looks good?
What gives us variety?
What will people expect?
Now I think about it very differently.
I care less about whether a gym looks good in photos, and more about whether the equipment helps people train properly.
Especially if you’re not 20 years old.
A few things I now think are non-negotiable:
A good cable machine.
Because pulling is a fundamental movement, and most adults are not casually knocking out perfect chin-ups.
Machines.
Useful, yes. But if your entire program happens sitting down in a fixed path, something is missing.
Resistance bands.
Not glamorous. Ridiculously useful. If your gym doesn’t have them, it’s probably because they don’t trust you not to steal them.
Cardio!!!!!
Not every cardio session needs to feel like a medical emergency. But you need to get comfortable losing your breath on a regular basis.
And coaching.
If nobody knows your name, your injury history or your goals it’s probably not personalised training. It’s organised exercise.
That might be fine for some people.
But if the goal is to keep your body working for the next 20, 30 or 40 years, the details matter.
The best gym is not the one with the most equipment.
It’s the one that helps you keep training.
