Gyms in rural areas

For the people placed in rural areas in Korea by EPIK. What was like for stuff you could do?

And more importantly is there at least one gym within the area or at least 1 hr away ??

I have a set of dumbbells with removable weights, so I can use the same set for multiple kinds of workouts.  With minimal equipment at home, you can get in a great workout and build muscle or maintain, depending on your goal.  Home pull-up bars are another option, as well as resistance bands.  These are all relatively cheap on coupang.  I never have to worry about touching the same equipment as sick people, or someone hogging a machine or bench.  Makes for a peaceful workout experience every time, at my own pace.

Not EPIC, but rural.

There are 4 gyms where I live, and if you head out in 3 out of 4 directions into really 'small town rural', it's only a 20-40 minute bus ride into where I live. In the other direction, there is a satellite city 30 minutes away, and another smallish size city 40 minute aways.
Even in the most isolated villages, you'll always be less than an hour to a gym. However, bus times can be a problem, if you don't have your own transport.

I'm like 'vicarious'. I have a bench, dumbbells, barbells, bands, kettleballs, a bike trainer...etc at home. But, I have room for a home gym. Not always possible.

As for stuff to do!! Well, if you're not into city life (bars, clubs, shopping, big museums, restaurants etc), and again depending on how rural you are, then there's fishing, hiking, photography, exploring,...and there are still things like going out for coffee, or a drink. Maybe even a movie theater not far away. Just use your imagination. I've lived rural for well over 20 years, and I rarely get bored. And, if I do, Ijust go to a bigger place for a day.

Thats pleasing to know that there will be a gym 20-40 mins away even in really isolated places. Which is a relief haha, the gym is like my sanctuary, would go after work.

How about public transport? I know there are buses but are there subway stations or train stations nearby too ? And is kakao taxi or normal taxi available in those rural areas

I have a set of dumbbells with removable weights, so I can use the same set for multiple kinds of workouts.  With minimal equipment at home, you can get in a great workout and build muscle or maintain, depending on your goal.  Home pull-up bars are another option, as well as resistance bands.  These are all relatively cheap on coupang.  I never have to worry about touching the same equipment as sick people, or someone hogging a machine or bench.  Makes for a peaceful workout experience every time, at my own pace.

Currently using a home gym now because from where I'm from we are under lockdown so would not want to see another home gym again hahah

Plus I'd imagine with the stuff I usually do it would disturb my neighbours there with the noise.

Hopefully all that stuff would be easy to resell though if you move out !

I live extremely rural. There is a gym in the nearby town, though it is expensive, small, and always busy at the time I can go there.
People won't share machines because of how busy it is, so you'll see people do nothing but bench pressing for like 2 hours, because the thing they want to use after is already being used, and the person on that doesn't want to move because the thing they want after is being used too. Basically I was paying around 100k won per month to use the treadmills (cause the guys that go don't really want to do cardio) after 1 month I stopped and got my own set up.

I had the room so invested in a small home gym set up: got some resistance bands, an exercise bike, a bench, a cable machine + squat rack + pull up bar combo, a barbell with some weights, and a couple dial adjustable dumbells.

Thats pleasing to know that there will be a gym 20-40 mins away even in really isolated places. Which is a relief haha, the gym is like my sanctuary, would go after work.

How about public transport? I know there are buses but are there subway stations or train stations nearby too ? And is kakao taxi or normal taxi available in those rural areas

Buses in rural areas tend to finish really early, and rarely have subway stations. Taxi's are a thing, but in rural areas you typically have to pay in cash. And depending on where you are, it can be pricey getting back home in a taxi.

Thats pleasing to know that there will be a gym 20-40 mins away even in really isolated places. Which is a relief haha, the gym is like my sanctuary, would go after work.

How about public transport? I know there are buses but are there subway stations or train stations nearby too ? And is kakao taxi or normal taxi available in those rural areas

No one can give you an accurate answer without knowing where you will actually be living.  I would forget about subways.  As far as teachers I know that have taught in rural areas they have been placed in the nearest big cities/towns/suburbs and have a commute to their schools.  It's very likely you'll be in an urban area that has a gym or two at the least. Might have to go to a local community centre.  Unless you get really unlucky (lucky for some) you'll have access to the basics.  I used to visit a friend that taught in a hick town and he was placed in a city of around 100,000 that he commuted from.  You should be OK.  If not, I think Kayos really wants to tell you more about his home gym, despite your stated lack of interest, so that you can also make one. 

For the people placed in rural areas in Korea by EPIK. What was like for stuff you could do?

And more importantly is there at least one gym within the area or at least 1 hr away ??

Depends what you mean by 'rural'.

A 'myeon' is the smallest settlement (according to my CT), but myeons vary by size and development. Some myeons are the size of small cities and some are tiny villages. You'll just have to find out when you get here, your only option might be to get a home gym.

It depends on what you mean by rural as well. My first placement was a small rural city, more of a town really. It was considered  a bumfuck town by other foreigners and Koreans alike, and you could walk from one end to the other in about 45 minutes. It had a lot of amenities though, plenty of regular gyms, couple with a pool, and some dedicated to boxing, jujitsu, etc. Some top notch restaurants and pocha's, sizeable uni student population, etc.

A lot of these more rural place are being developed rapidly as well, new areas are being built up and more varied businesses are moving in. I'd say a placement like this is more likely than a super rural 면 (myeon) or village, so I wouldn't worry too much. If you do end up in a small gun or similar, you could request to live in a nearby city and commute to work. I had a friend who did so after he got sick of living alone out there and having to get the early final bus home every time we met up.

No one can give you an accurate answer without knowing where you will actually be living.  I would forget about subways.  As far as teachers I know that have taught in rural areas they have been placed in the nearest big cities/towns/suburbs and have a commute to their schools.  It's very likely you'll be in an urban area that has a gym or two at the least. Might have to go to a local community centre.  Unless you get really unlucky (lucky for some) you'll have access to the basics.  I used to visit a friend that taught in a hick town and he was placed in a city of around 100,000 that he commuted from.  You should be OK.  If not, I think Kayos really wants to tell you more about his home gym, despite your stated lack of interest, so that you can also make one.

Not really, I was just giving my experience with gyms in a rural area, considering I live in a place where, they could probably have a sign at the entrance to the town with the number of people here, that is adjusted as people come through. As there is likely less than 1000 people in the town I live in. And at the time I posted, his statement of not wanting a home gym wasn't up. May have been a bug, but there was only the OPs message, and 2 others when I made my first post. and the OPs 2nd message didn't show up until after I posted my first one. And I didn't get the usual "More posts have been made since trying to post your reply"

Don't expect air conditioning.  Sometimes even no heating though sometimes they may have slightly.  Don't expect much equipment nor much cardion equipment that isn't cheap in quality except maybe some treadmills.  Basically the treadmill and some free weights are all they are good for mostly.  Suppliment it with your own exercise outdoors.  Nowadays, I think many don't sanitze that well and make you wear masks which are uncomfortable with heavy breathing and sweating.  So, I boycott any gym until covid is done. 

Really!!! Are rural gyms that bad these days? The ones that I used to inhabit years ago, were all smallish, but well decked out..air con, heating..the works. I imagine there may be some substandard ones floating around, but you make it sound like it's the norm.
I'm genuinely surprised.

Really?  I haven't worked out at one for years, but I did pop into a couple in my old country town out of curiousity.  They didn't seem any different.  Cheap quality bike and an elipitcal.  Both awful to exercise on.  Some equipment which was minimal.  Only decent thing was the free weights, though even in many cities they have only one set of those and some Korean duide takes one and does every exercise under the sun hogging it which made even a city workout annoying cause you had to wait for this guy forever.  Like I'd take 6 and do some reps, then 8, then 10, then 12, then 14 or so.  Koreans workout differently it seems.  Then resting between sets they keep it there and won't let you borrow it for a set.  (Though I do insert myself myself sometimes cause otherwise I'd never get my workout done.) 

I like to do some free weights then hit the eqipment section and do some re enforcement exercises.  Some city gyms have good elipticals which are my favorite, though I did force myself to jog on the treadmill as well.  In less hot years (like a few years back), I use to bike a lot outdoors cause I liked it better than indoor artificial cardio.  Boy, those country gyms really left a lot to be desiered.  Now if you are in a rich rural area close to Seoul, it may be different. 

It depends on what you mean by rural as well. My first placement was a small rural city, more of a town really. It was considered  a bumfuck town by other foreigners and Koreans alike, and you could walk from one end to the other in about 45 minutes. It had a lot of amenities though, plenty of regular gyms, couple with a pool, and some dedicated to boxing, jujitsu, etc. Some top notch restaurants and pocha's, sizeable uni student population, etc.

A lot of these more rural place are being developed rapidly as well, new areas are being built up and more varied businesses are moving in. I'd say a placement like this is more likely than a super rural 면 (myeon) or village, so I wouldn't worry too much. If you do end up in a small gun or similar, you could request to live in a nearby city and commute to work. I had a friend who did so after he got sick of living alone out there and having to get the early final bus home every time we met up.

sounds like from the comments though that its likely youd be placed somewhere with a gym at least. so that a start.

in terms of your friend, he could actually request? i heard epik or the schools were strict with the accommodation of where you can live and stuff

Not really, I was just giving my experience with gyms in a rural area, considering I live in a place where, they could probably have a sign at the entrance to the town with the number of people here, that is adjusted as people come through. As there is likely less than 1000 people in the town I live in. And at the time I posted, his statement of not wanting a home gym wasn't up. May have been a bug, but there was only the OPs message, and 2 others when I made my first post. and the OPs 2nd message didn't show up until after I posted my first one. And I didn't get the usual "More posts have been made since trying to post your reply"

all good about the home gym, i dont mind, but yeah ideally i dont want to get a home gym setup, reminds me of lockdown, and i love that gym atmosphere vibe

how do you have enough space for a squat rack lol, isnt the apartments really small. and does it make alot of noise with the neighbours, as ive gotten that with my home gym here (not in korea)

sounds like from the comments though that its likely youd be placed somewhere with a gym at least. so that a start.

in terms of your friend, he could actually request? i heard epik or the schools were strict with the accommodation of where you can live and stuff

As a new teacher, it depends. With Epik, you'll finish orientation and arrive in your designated town a couple of days before your teaching contract starts. I've known a few people who went apartment seeking with their co-teacher that same day, and others who were told it wasn't possible. It depends on whether the school has signed/renewed the apartment lease already, and if the school has the time/willingness to find an alternate for you. If it's to be done, it would be as soon as you arrive because once the rental contract is signed then that's that for the year.

all good about the home gym, i dont mind, but yeah ideally i dont want to get a home gym setup, reminds me of lockdown, and i love that gym atmosphere vibe

how do you have enough space for a squat rack lol, isnt the apartments really small. and does it make alot of noise with the neighbours, as ive gotten that with my home gym here (not in korea)

I live really rurally and my apartment is decently sized. I use the living area as my kinda gym area, though I move my exercise bike into the bedroom so I can play video games while biking
I'd say my squat rack takes about 1/4 of my living area, so there is enough room for stuff around it.
Also, there are only 3 apartments in my apartment building. I'm the only one on the bottom, my landlord is directly above me (she isn't home from 6am - 11pm) and I'm not particularly loud during my weight training. haha.

The gym/s in my area are expensive, small, and crowded (during times when I can go there at least) - though, this will likely depend on which area you go to when/if you come here.

all good about the home gym, i dont mind, but yeah ideally i dont want to get a home gym setup, reminds me of lockdown, and i love that gym atmosphere vibe

how do you have enough space for a squat rack lol, isnt the apartments really small. and does it make alot of noise with the neighbours, as ive gotten that with my home gym here (not in korea)

Know exactly what you mean. I prefer to train alone, but a few months a year it's nice to be around the gym vibe.

My squat rack at home is on the budget end (no safety rails) and I've only got 120kg of plates, but that forces me not to go overboard with the weight and focus on speed of the lift as opposed to maxing it out. You can buy some pretty cheap padding/gym mats.

Know exactly what you mean. I prefer to train alone, but a few months a year it's nice to be around the gym vibe.

My squat rack at home is on the budget end (no safety rails) and I've only got 120kg of plates, but that forces me not to go overboard with the weight and focus on speed of the lift as opposed to maxing it out. You can buy some pretty cheap padding/gym mats.

oo, do you have a link to the padding/gym mats? That is something I'd like to get, more for doing lunges. My toes feel like they get crushed even when doing them, even on my yoga mat. haha

oo, do you have a link to the padding/gym mats? That is something I'd like to get, more for doing lunges. My toes feel like they get crushed even when doing them, even on my yoga mat. haha

Sorry, can't remember.

It's a black jigsaw style gym mat. One of my cats ended up scratching it up a bit so I bought a second bit of cheap vinyl padded mat, it's meant for floors, but it was cheap, the cat can't scratch it and it's very effective. So, I've got 2 layers.

For lunges, you want to push off the ball of your foot, not your toes. Two effective lunge variations I use is to either mount your back leg over a bench or chair or to push your back heel against a wall. The second variation encourages you to lower and engage the hips more.

Sorry, can't remember.

It's a black jigsaw style gym mat. One of my cats ended up scratching it up a bit so I bought a second bit of cheap vinyl padded mat, it's meant for floors, but it was cheap, the cat can't scratch it and it's very effective. So, I've got 2 layers.

For lunges, you want to push off the ball of your foot, not your toes. Two effective lunge variations I use is to either mount your back leg over a bench or chair or to push your back heel against a wall. The second variation encourages you to lower and engage the hips more.

Yeah, just when my trainer puts in the standard lunges, he does do ones where my back leg will be on a bench too, my back foot is usually on my toes, and it's my back foot that ends up with sore toes while doing it lol. I've had 3 trainers say my form is fine when doing them though, but I always have issues doing standard ones without a big gym mat/padding.
But cheers, I might have a look on gmarket or something later.