Gyms in San Mateo County prepare for New Year’s resolution members

“The gym is definitely seasonal,” CrossFit Burlingame owner James Weiss said. “We definitely have a dip in quarter four, and quarter one it picks up. Usually, the second and third week in January is when it really starts to pick up.”

CrossFit Burlingame — which offers one-on-one sessions, group classes and an open gym, all focused on functional, strength building movement — has already started to see an influx of attendees during the last week of December, Weiss said, which is unusual.

At FitSF San Mateo, a boutique gym and personal training studio, the biggest number of attendees during those first months of the year are typically those who have existing memberships but never fully got into the swing of working out during the previous year, owner John Fernandez said.

“What happens in a gym setting is, you have existing members, who joined and never got into the routine of training, return,” he said. “That’s what you really see in the larger percentage of the crowd.”

At 24 Hour Fitness Millbrae, a chain gym with locations across the country, including the Millbrae club, many customers who come in around the new year are looking to get back in shape after the holidays, general manager Carlos Sidijaya said.

He also sees members who are just getting comfortable with in-person workouts again after primarily turning to outdoor fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“[They say] ‘I’ve fallen off, I’ve put on weight during the holidays, I need to get back in shape,’” he said. “Of course, I’m still dealing with people that are still taking a break from the gym or public in general because of the pandemic.”

It’s typical for the focus of the holiday season to be enjoying good food and company, with fitness taking the back seat, Weiss said.

“I think that people check out in December have a lot of stuff going on with their families, the end of the year ... they eat a bunch of good food, are merry and have a good time. All of a sudden, they don’t feel so good,” he said. “There’s a lot of energy around the new year — what are we going to accomplish, what are the goals?”

Investing in yourself and putting some risk on the line — be it financial or personal, by sharing your goals with others — is one way to turn them into behavior patterns, Fernandez said. Surrounding yourself with those who share your fitness ambitions is also key.

“Change your environment, and the behavior follows,” he said. “If you surround yourself with people who are not as active, you’re going to be a product of your environment. Put money on the line — if you’re not that motivated, pay for sessions with a trainer.”

If you’re new to the gym, working with an experienced professional can be key to learning technique and building foundational habits, Weiss said.

“In terms of knowledge, I would say I’m a big fan of hiring coaches in anything you want to learn,” he said. “The best thing for people to do is vet a few gyms, vet a few personal trainers and go with the one that feels the best. Start their program and trust them. If you try to [piecemeal] it together, it’s not going to work.”

The influx of information online about fitness routines and regimens can be helpful for those who are already advanced, but if you’re just starting out, getting the form down with an in-person trainer and asking for help is key.

“Having social media videos, that will help as far as being creative with exercises,” Sidijaya said. “Someone that’s not as advanced, or does not have as much experience, you probably won’t know proper form.”

Both Sidijaya and Weiss said it’s extremely important not to get discouraged immediately — habits take three months to form, at minimum.

“The ability to do something consistently that you’re not good at is the key, because you’re not going to be good for the first couple months, and the people around you are going to be really good,” Weiss said. “Control that voice in your head, and don’t let it run you away.”