Very much so. I left Golds to train at a gym closer to work. Biggest fucking mistake. Legs shrunk bad due to lack of good equipment. I went back to Gold's 4 months later and got instantly sore!
I would have to say that in my opinion it makes a huge difference. Not so much due to the equipment . Yet due to the environment created. Certain environments breed certain lifters. In power lifting it makes huge diferences. That's why so many top pl and bb come from the same camps, gyms. This is just my opinion. But I've trained at health clubs, and then trained at bill Crawfordsville Adirondack barbell, powerhouse bronx, strong and shapely a few times, Albany strength.the latter places more advanced training is commonplace. These environments also produce pros. Also having access to monolifts, 200lb dumbells, special bars, chains etc. Allow you to take it farther.
Some places have the right combination of atmosphere, equipment and people. It challenges you in a positive way and you GROW.
I left the stale environs of the closest gym for the high energy younger peoples gym and within a few weeks was hitting new highs in Deads and all sorts of smaller movements.
It takes a strong person to have zero effects from their environment. I was often told when I was younger to be aware of the places and people I hung around because we tend to conform to our group.
For the last seventeen plus years I have trained at "Health Clubs" rather than gyms. Intensity has certainly degraded over time more in conjunction with my surroundings.
When I sign up for a gym I pay for one year cash, up front. The gym itself has little effect on my mood while training, but when I start get toward the end of my year I MUST change gyms. Being in the same place two years in a row has never worked for me, I tend to get very sick and tired of the surroundings and the same people, that go at the same time you go. ugh...My membership expires this October and I'm very sick of the place I'm at.
it doesn't matter to me where i go... as long as there is the basic equipment I'm good... hardcore, LA fit, PL gym, mma gym.... its all the same to me... some hot surfer girl doing squats next to me ,like today , in her lil itty bitty hot pink spandex booty shorts never hurts for my motivation...i like how she was pulsing at the bottom of the rep and looking in the mirror to see if me and my buddy were watching... good lawwwwd ... i was sooo super strong today LOL :headbang: