All gyms I have ever been to have some pictures of super fit people on the walls or inspirational statements that are meant to keep you pumping or running harder even once you are already tired. This has been the case anywhere that I have lived and here in Da Nang it is not an exception. I suppose the only difference is that there are no words of inspiration because they have such a multi-cultural clientele. Our customers mix has Russians, Canadians, Americans, Brits, Aussies, Saffas, Spaniards, a few South Americans, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and of course Vietnamese rounding out the mix.
Inspirational statements attempting to accommodate all of those languages would be a bit tough. Therefore, my gym went the route of having some pictures of people that are in really good shape but I think they may have gone a bit far because the images they have chosen are of people that are either not actually people at all or they are cartoonish in their muscle development.
I don't know if there has ever been anyone on the planet that looked like that and also, that bar that he is effortlessly resting on his shoulder, presuming those are 20kg plates would weight 300kg. I don' think there is anyone that can at a rest, hold that much on their shoulders. Most power-lifters / bodybuilders would struggle to get it up there at all.
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For comparison here is Arnold in his prime. It is the closest I could find to this image that hasn't had some sort of absurd implant work done. They aren't even close to one another. I realize that the thing on the wall is just a drawing and is probably more emblematic of video game characters than it is an actual human. Whatever right? It's just a drawing. However, I don't think that is actually motivates people. I would rather they put pictures of more achievable goals like Brad Pitt when he was in the movie Troy.
The only other inspirational picture is even more absurd.
I don't know what sort of goals I am supposed to be aspiring to but apparently if i just learn to bench enough I will be able to fly, I will be capable of residing on Mars without the assistance of oxygen and also have some sort of extra eye thing on my forehead. I know this is a character from Watchmen but I have forgotten his name. I know he was one of the good guys but I'm afraid I am not enough of a nerd to have actually enjoyed this film.
I suppose it is better than having blank walls but I do think that this sort of stuff is rather ridiculous to have on the walls. Other gyms I have been to have had world-class bodybuilders on the walls with their veins popping out of their steroid injected bodies. I don't know who aspires to look like this nor do I think that very many people find this attractive. I'm not sure why they do it but I don't own the place so I guess they can do whatever they want.
If you have "inspirational photos" from the walls of your gym I would be interested in seeing them. I don't understand the mentality that goes into putting people that you definitely are never going to look like on the walls. To me it seems a bit demoralizing.
Have a great day!
Wow.. this is my dream. Have a home gym. My home gym still needs loads of work. At least you've got some of the most unrealistic bodies. I love working out too... =)