This is a super strange take. Is that claim that since there's a higher proportion of people that are extremely strong, people who aren't fit feel bad when going to the gym since they don't compare? The gym industry takes some blame for people not being fit because .... by making serious strength training widely available it's produced too many too fit people?
> but keeping physically fit was something that people did everywhere: sports in the park, exercise at home.
Nobody took away sports in the park or exercise at home
> This raising of the bar coupled with the fact that working out need to be done now in special locations that involve a lot more effort than doing 20 push-ups at home
Nobody took away 20 pushups at home, or is forcing you to do exercise at a gym.
If anything, the ease of access to high quality information on bodyweight exercises (/yoga/dance class/...) is miles beyond what it used to be - just go to youtube! They're SUPER effective as well!
I know it's a hard argument to make, but what I mean is that if there were fewer gyms that would be a more developed culture of 5-minute exercises at home.
Sure, people can go to youtube and learn. Nobody is stopping them but at the same time nobody in their circle of friends is encouraging this.
Many people need to be convinced by example, and I actually see a lot of friends that would be in better shape if there were advice floating around in casual conversations on how to keep fit within a full schedule.
Gym culture has taken up the bulk of the public discourse space on keeping fit, and it's led to a polarized population.
> but keeping physically fit was something that people did everywhere: sports in the park, exercise at home.
Nobody took away sports in the park or exercise at home
> This raising of the bar coupled with the fact that working out need to be done now in special locations that involve a lot more effort than doing 20 push-ups at home
Nobody took away 20 pushups at home, or is forcing you to do exercise at a gym.
If anything, the ease of access to high quality information on bodyweight exercises (/yoga/dance class/...) is miles beyond what it used to be - just go to youtube! They're SUPER effective as well!