Some Gold’s Gym franchises are distancing themselves from bodybuilders and weightlifters due to the association of anabolic steroid use among these groups. Tom Martini, the owner of Gold’s Gym in Stoughton, believes that there are fewer steroids users at his gym because it is designed to attract more individuals interested in aerobics and fitness programs (”Stoughton gym owner addresses steroid incident,” October 2).

Martini said his gym does its best to discourage steroid use, but it’s impossible to keep people from talking about them when they come to the gym. He says young men, in particular, are mesmerized by the big-muscle look glamorized in health and fitness magazines.

“The young guys want the look, and it’s easy,” Martini said. Martini says he thinks his gym, which has a variety of aerobic and fitness programs, has fewer steroid users than gyms that are mostly geared to body builders and weightlifters.

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