Joining a GYM

So you have just had "the moment." It is the first time you notice you are winded after walking up a flight of stairs. Or maybe you notice that after being seated for awhile you use your arms to lift yourself up, rather than your legs. That's it. The last straw. You are going to start working out and join a gym damnit! Start taking care of business! If you want to do this right you are going to need to choose from the virtual schmorgasboard of fitness facilities. But how? The Gym Advisor is here to help with a few handy tips on what to look for when deciding where to do the hard work of fitness.

1. Location: Where is your gym? This one may seem obvious, but we find it to be the most crucial factor to consider. If your club is not conveniently located you have just given yourself another excuse to not work out. It must be easily accessible---even to the degree of avoiding driving from point A to point B because it is infested with traffic and takes you 20 minutes to get there even though it may only be half a mile of distance. As we see it there are three options: by home, by work, or on the way from one to the other. Which one you choose depends entirely on when you are going to be working out. If you like the concept of tossing some iron around for a while and then downing a protein shake during your lunch break then obviously you need a fitness club by work. We have found that many different schedules work just as well so choose a gym that suits your preferences. One thing to note is that having a gym by your home allows you the option of using it when you aren't at work or if you change/quit jobs.

2. Facility: Does the gym you are considering have everything you need? For example, if you are training for the Ironman and need a pool we wouldn't recommend joining Fitness First (which has no pool). If you love taking Pilates classes does this club offer them at the right times, or even at all? Even if your fitness needs are simple having a variety of equipment and classes can be beneficial when you need to change up your routine. Also, some people say that “a treadmill is a treadmill”, but quality can vary; equipment that is comfortable and you enjoy using will make you more likely to use it. Another thing to consider is the upkeep of the equipment. If you see chipped weights, frayed cables, and out of order signs on equipment tells you a lot about how the gym is run. Maybe you don't need all state-of-the-art equipment, but it is still nice to know your gym is willing and able to update your equipment when needed. Finally, make sure you check the hours for your gym. On the one hand, we find 24 hour gyms to be absolutely ridiculous both from a member and operational cost perspective. Unless you drive a truck for living or work very unusual hours there is no reason to look for a 24 hour gym. That being said, if the only time you can find to exercise is really early in the morning before work you need to make sure that the gym will be open. Just make sure that your club accommodates your schedule.

3. Demographics: Who will you be working out with? We have found this to be one of the main factors in establishing a comfort level in a gym, although largely subconscious. If you are not comfortable in your gym it will crush your motivation to go. As in everything in life, birds of a feather flock together. In the fitness world, this means that people who take fitness very seriously like to see others who do also. Many times this means that certain gyms will have a large community of painfully athletic people and overweight individuals (or just newbie’s to the gym scene) feel very nervous around a large room of muscular guys and toned girls. We recommend visiting the gym during your preferred workout time and check to see who the other members are. Can you see yourself fitting into the spectrum of members? If so, then you shouldn't worry. Also, consider using fellow gym travelers as inspiration (and sometimes eye candy) and not worry too much about how you compare. After all you are there for you.

4. Price: And finally, how much is this going to cost? What most people consider to be the most important consideration is, in our mind, the last thing to worry about. If you join a gym for $5/month and don't use it, you are still wasting your money. Make sure the gym has everything that you are looking for and if it costs a little more than you wanted to spend think about adjusting your budget. Eliminating one trip a week to Starbucks or even one night out at bars a month saves enough money to pay for most gym memberships (and certainly saves enough to make up the difference between a cheaper gym and the more costly, but better alternative). That old adage is true: "you get what you pay for." To a point. There is zero reason why, if like many we have spoken with, you get everything you need from a Gold's gym you should be paying Sports Club LA prices...period. Also, talk to your sales rep about monthly specials and certainly about waiving initiation fees (some clubs don't waive them, but most do). We advise you to do comparison shopping, find a reasonable price without skimping on needed quality, make sure you can afford it, and go ahead and join.

There are of course other things to ask about, ease of contract cancellation being one (although going into a gym worrying about how easy it will be to quit is not a good start). For things like this, most places are more or less the same in that in Virginia they are required by law to release you if you move, etc. At the end of the day the important thing to remember is that you want a club that you will actually use. There is no reason to make a commitment to fitness and then set yourself up for failure by joining a club you don't much care for.