My complimentary membership to the Y ended at the end of the year and I already have a student membership to the UAB gym, so I decided to work out at the UAB gym until I graduate. I'm not particularly stuck on one gym, anyway, and was going to the Y due to convenience and habit. Both gyms have their positive points.

Today marks my first visit to UAB's gym. It is very, very nice. It is not far from mi casa, either. There seems to be enough parking but I haven't checked it out on a weekday evening yet.

Some major pluses:

- The organization of the weight room. There are a LOT of machines and there are duplicates. Everything is in really good condition.

- The cardio room on the second floor has a nice view of the UAB campus.

- The locker room has digital scales and ooooh, you know how I like me some numbers.

- The pool is neat-looking; it has this lazy river thing that the kids probably enjoy a lot.

- There are four group exercise rooms (including one spin room) and they are very well lit and large.

- The climbing wall beckons me to try it out.

- The clientele are mostly young adults (students, obviously) but more importantly, I did not come across any "male egos" like those at the Y. I have experienced some incidents recently with men acting angry towards me for being in the weight room at the Y. Perhaps this is evidence of my theory that the corporate world turns young and promising college graduates into selfish, insecure jerks. At the UAB gym, I felt completely welcome and comfortable in the free weights area.

Thus, my only real concern about going to a new gym (dealing with turf-oriented males in the weight room) has been dissolved. Thank God. I was hoping I wouldn't have to join Riviera.