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Fitness clubs and gyms -
Joining a gym or a fitness club may be a good idea to help you reach your fitness goals. Here are some tips to help
you make the right decision when choosing a fitness club or a gym.
For many of us, joining a gym or a fitness club is a good idea to help us reach our fitness goals. Here are some tips to help you make the right decision when choosing a fitness club or a gym.
There can be several advantages to joining a fitness club or a gym, such as:
Buying a lot of fitness equipment might not be practical (or affordable) for you. The fitness center has most of the equipment you want or need to use. Working out at home or your apartment might not be an option. Working outside in the elements where the weather is extreme might not be an attractive option for you. The heated (or air conditioned) gym makes exercising more comfortable. Some people like the added benefit of meeting others at the gym. Most fitness centers offer a staff of professional personal trainers that can help you reach your fitness goals. But there are undoubtedly some hazards that come with fitness memberships, so make sure you do your homework before signing a contract.
Here is a guide for finding the gym or fitness center that is right for you:
Be sure to tour the facility before joining – even the bathrooms. Some gyms are notoriously dirty, while others are well kept. Beware of any fine print in the contract. Make sure you fully understand the terms of the contract, and
don’t be intimidated by the fitness salesperson's hard sell. If you feel bad vibes about something associated with the gym or the contract, walk away. You can always come back and sign later.
Don’t get ripped off. There are some bad stories out there, and some unscrupulous fitness club practices that are used to increase membership Look for fitness centers that offer weekly free passes or guest passes. A quality gym / fitness center will allow you a free trial. A week will give you time to make a good decision on how the gym feels to you.
Most quality fitness centers, such as 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, Gold’s Gym, Bally Total Fitness, etc., will give you a free trial for a week or so. If signing up, consider a mini paid trial after the free trial. For example, 24 Hour Fitness has a 90 day package offer. That will allow you to make sure the gym is a good fit for you before getting locked in to a longer commitment term. If you plan on getting some coaching from a personal trainer at a fitness club, and this is an important criterion for you, be sure to check in advance to make sure that club has excellent personal trainers. Read our tips for finding a personal fitness trainer that is right for you. Take a good look at the members of the facility. Do they seem friendly? Do they create an aura of the type of place where you would be intimidated to work out in? For example, if you are a casual exerciser, you may not feel comfortable working out in a gym that has mainly muscleheads or fitness freaks.
Consider the sociability factor. Some fitness centers are more sociable than others, even in the same fitness chain. For example, we’ve seen some Bally Fitness centers in the same metropolitan area were the social atmosphere was completely different. At one Bally’s, it is extremely sociable – in fact, you feel rather odd not socializing with anyone. By contrast, at another Bally’s in the same metro area, few people talk with other members.
Find your social comfort zone. Are you “all business” at the gym and you want to merely work out and get done with it as soon as possible? Does it annoy you that so many other members are just standing around the fitness equipment chatting it up instead of working out and freeing up the fitness machines? If so, a very sociable gym might not be right for you.
On the other hand, do you get creeped out by a fitness center where few people even say, “Good Morning” to other members? If so, look for a fitness club that seems more sociable.
How would you know? By getting a free weekly trial. A week a fitness club should give you time to get a good feel for the particular club. Is the gym overcrowded? When getting a free trial, visit the gym during the times you plan on working out. You don’t want to be in for a surprise after joining at how crowded the gym is. At some fitness center locations, it is so crowded you have to wait on exercise equipment. Unless you like standing around, that can be very annoying.
Peak workout times at most fitness centers are early morning and 5pm -7pm. At many fitness centers, the place starts to clear out a little before 9am, when many people go to work straight from the club. The lunch hour also can have heavier volume at some locations. Make sure the fitness club is within a reasonable driving distance from your home or workplace. At times, it can be hard to get motivated (see our tips on
getting and staying motivated) to go to the gym on a regular basis. If you have to drive far to get there, that will only hurt your willpower. Don’t overpay a fitness club for extras and gym amenities that you will never use. If you don’t plan on ever using the pool, child care, spa services, or personal training, then perhaps just working out at the office fitness center or at a local Pilates center or small, independent gym is right for you. Remember, if your fitness club has a lot of amenities, such as the ones mentioned above, those amenities are already priced into the cost of a membership. So if you don’t need all the extras, maybe the fitness chain is not a good option for you.
Find the Right Fitness Club or Gym: Buyer Beware: Make your Fitness Club or Gym Investment the Right Choice Fitness Club Reviews - Rating the Health Clubs and Gyms Return from this fitness clubs and gyms page to the physical fitness category page |
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