GENERAL: The Gym Germ

Currently, it seems as though every other person I know either:

i) is a member of a gym
ii) is applying for membership at a gym
iii) is looking for a gym to join as a member
iv) got suckered by a salesman into getting a gym membership

It's as though no one ever goes for REAL sports activities anymore. Everyone just wants to go to a gym, run on threadmills, pump some iron, and chat up girls.

Personally, I'm not exactly drawn towards the idea of gyms. Paying a fortune for a gym membership just does not seem logical to me, especially when it's a lot more fun exercising by playing a sport like badminton, futsal or basketball.

Since I have not exactly BEEN to a gym to see what people do there (I will, one of these days, just for the heck of it), by the comments I have gotten about gym-life I have come to the conclusion that people who go to gyms are divided into several types:

a) Those who actually DO make full use of the facilities at the gym
b) Those who only have time to go exercise at night after work
c) Those who DON'T exercise, but go to socialise and check out chicks in tights
d) Those who join as members but never use it

It's like a GERM is going around. EVERYONE wants a gym membership. While it's good that they want to EXERCISE, why is it the very first avenue of exercise they think of is joining a GYM?

Of course, there are still those of us who don't even bother with gym memberships and prefer to either:

I) Stay at home and exercise their finger muscles by pressing the Astro remote
II) Go jogging religiously
III) Play games or sports
IV) Have more sex

Ok, so I made up the fourth option (or did I?), but my point is, there are so many cheaper and more fun alternatives to going to gyms. When I was still in cometitive sports, I remember HATING going to the gym, because it was so boring. Pumping iron or running on threadmills could never compare to the exhiliration of playing a good game of badminton, scoring a goal in futsal, or playing any other game.

But that's just me. And other people's money.

Me, I shall continue asking any salesman who approaches me to sign up for a gym membership this: "Do you have a badminton court in your gym? No? Then why should I sign up?"