Ten years ago, if you wanted to train before seven in the morning, you had two options: buy a treadmill for home or resign yourself to doing squats in the living room while the neighbour downstairs wondered what was happening up there. Today, things have changed quite a bit, and not precisely because Spaniards have become early risers by choice. What has changed is the offer.
It is increasingly common to find clubs that open their doors before the sun rises and close long after most of the city is asleep. One of the best examples illustrating this trend is Fitness Park, a chain that has precisely bet on extensive hours, opening from six in the morning until one in the morning, 365 days a year. Said like this, it sounds almost like a joke, but for those who work shifts, have children who only sleep at certain hours, or simply hate the gym overflowing at seven in the evening, it makes a huge difference.
Why gyms no longer have office hours
Work life in Spain no longer fits the mould of the traditional nine to five. Hospitality, healthcare, commerce, remote work with clients in different time zones... the list of people who need to train outside the "normal" range is getting longer. And gyms, which are not foolish, have realised that if they only open during office hours, they are leaving half of their potential clientele out.
Early risers, night shifts, and people who hate queues
Here’s the fun part: not everyone wakes up early due to Spartan discipline. Many do it simply because at six in the morning, no one is competing for the bench press machine. No waiting ten minutes for the guy with the mirrored glasses to finish his fourteenth set while he takes a selfie between repetitions. An empty gym has a special allure: you feel like the protagonist of a personal development movie, even though you’re just trying to clock in on time.
And then there’s the other extreme, people who train at night because their workday ends when everyone else’s is already well advanced. Waiters, healthcare workers, those in logistics or customer service with rotating shifts: for them, a gym that closes at ten at night is useless. They need something that stays open until well into the early hours, and that kind of service is no longer a rarity but almost a standard among chains looking to grow.
What to look for in a gym if you hate wasting time
Beyond the hours, there are other factors that make the difference between a club you use for two weeks and abandon, and one you keep going to religiously in March, August, and that dreaded "January slump" we all fear.
The variety of spaces is key. A gym with four machines and a couple of rusty dumbbells is not the same as one with differentiated areas: guided and free weights, cardio, functional training like cross training, and even spaces designed for more specific disciplines like hyrox, which has become trendy lately and combines running with functional stations until you’re too exhausted to climb stairs for a week.
Equipment matters more than you think
Here, many are mistaken thinking that "all machines are the same." They are not. Working with equipment from recognised brands in the sector is not just an aesthetic whim; it directly influences the safety of movements and comfort while training, especially if you’re going to spend several hours a week there for months. A gym that invests in updated machinery is usually also a gym that takes the user experience seriously, not just the cash register.
Training in company, without stress
Another point that is often overlooked is the atmosphere. Some prefer group classes with an instructor setting the pace, while others absolutely hate being spoken to before their first caffeine of the day. The interesting thing is that there is increasingly more flexibility to choose: you can sign up for a guided class if you’re motivated to train in a group, or simply put on your headphones and do your routine without anyone interrupting you.
In the end, the key to not abandoning the gym in February (we all know someone who does) usually lies in finding a place that adapts to your life, not the other way around. If your schedule is crazy, look for a club with crazy hours. If you need variety to avoid boredom, find one with differentiated spaces. And if what you want is to avoid peak hours, you know: set your alarm a bit earlier and enjoy the gym almost all to yourself. It may be tough at first, but there’s something oddly satisfying about finishing your workout while the rest of the world is still having breakfast.
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