You may have been under the conviction that in order to lose some weight and keep fit, you need to work out more. An because of this you’re now considering joining a gym that will help you throughout this whole journey to achieve the fitness goals you desire. However, it can be a right old hassle deciding which gym to go for, because there are so many of them and there’s so much to think about.
But not to worry, as I’ve put together 5 things that will help you when you’re on the lookout for a gym that will be perfectly suited for you:
Check The Cost
Gym prices can vary dramatically from gym to gym and they can even be influenced by such as what season it is. For instance, most gyms offer price discounts at the start of the year when people are looking for a fresh start and want to keep fit. Whilst it’s a good idea to take advantage of low prices at this point in time, it’s important to not get swept up in the whole New Year’s resolution thing, only to tire of it come February and be hit with early cancellation fees.
Also, check on any additional costs for extra packages that the gym’s sales team may try to upsell to you that you really do not need. Sit down and take a good look at each membership package and work out which one will work best for you, to ensure you only end up paying for what you really need and what you’re realistically going to use.
Check The Gym’s Membership Enrolment And Specialization
Find out whether the gym caters to a specific group of people, such as seniors, men, women, or professional athletes, or whether it is open to everyone and all abilities.
You may, for different reasons, feel uncomfortable being in a mixed gender gym and may perhaps be looking for one that only enrols same sex members only. There are gyms specializing solely in fitness classes and equipment for men and others solely for women; it’s all about what makes you feel most comfortable.
Likewise, if you are let’s just say…slightly more mature, then perhaps you should consider looking for a gym with workout programs that are not too aggressive, but are instead more accommodating for your age. You could also be a professional athlete or at least an aspiring one and are maybe looking for a gym with programs specifically shaped for athletes.
Most gyms have a website in which you can check the facilities and services it offers, but if not make sure you go in and speak to the gym manager to get all of the details before making a decision.
Check The Equipment
Another important thing to check on is the gym’s equipment and whether you’ll be using it in the workouts that you’ll be doing. Check for equipment such as weight machines with adjustable weight options, cardio machines like stationary bikes, treadmills, and elliptical trainers or cross trainers for cardio exercises.
There’s not much point signing up to a gym that doesn’t have treadmills, when the workouts you have planned involve you training for a half marathon!
Check The Opening Hours
Different people have different workout time preferences – some love working out first thing in the morning as soon as they’ve got up, some like the fact it gives them some headspace from work if they exercise during the day, whereas others prefer the evening or even really late night, when there are likely to be less people at the gym.
Some gyms are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week which makes a great choice if you want that flexibility. It’s also handy to find out whether the gym you’ve chosen operates during holidays and weekends as these are the days when you may have the extra time to spend working out.
Check The Gym’s Accessibility
The more accessible the gym is to you, the more convenient it is for you to join it, and ultimately the more likely it is that you’ll continue going! A gym is more convenient if it’s near to your home or your workplace, as this way you can work out before going to the office in the morning or in the evening after work before heading back home. However, we don’t all have the luxury of living close to towns and built up areas, which is where most gyms are located, and if that is the case why not consider running or cycling to the gym in order to fit in a cardio workout before you’ve ever got there.
Conclusion
Hopefully these five things will help you choose the best gym to help you on your fitness journey. And of course new gym means new workout clothes (any excuse!), so before you turn up in baggy old joggers, spend a bit of time getting some online inspo from places such as Emerge Fitness, and get your new gym life kicked off with a stylish bang!
*Collaborative Post
