Top 5 Tips For Choosing a gym
When it comes to choosing a gym, the number one question you need to ask yourself is … Am I actually going to use it?! Here are 5 tips that will help you make the right choice and find a gym you'll enjoy visiting time and time again.
1. Location - choose a gym within 15 minutes drive.
By far and away… or not as that case may be… location is the most important factor to consider when choosing a gym. Your dream gym with state-of-the-art equipment, deliciously toned personal trainers and a bargain membership package is useless to you if you're put off by the journey and never even get there. Chose a local gym within 10 to 15 minutes of your front door or workplace, so you don't have the age old excuse of not having the time to get there.
2. Facilities - choose a gym with facilities that suit your goals.
Are you joining a gym to get a six-pack, tone up, or just be a little healthier? If fitness or weight loss is your goal, then look for a gym with a good selection of cardio equipment - rowers, steppers, treadmills, bikes and cross trainers. If muscle building or toning is your goal then look for a gym with a good free weights section. If you simply want to improve your health then choose a gym with a good sauna, steam room and café - the treats will give you a reason to get to the gym in the first place!
3. Fitting in - choose a gym where you'll feel comfortable.
If you are a lady looking to lose weight then you'll probably feel a little uncomfortable at Micky's Meathead Powerlifting Gym. A ladies only gym or all-round health club is a far better choice. On the other hand, if you are a man looking to bulk up, you'll want a place where you can scream a bit without upsetting other members, so chose a gym where weightlifters and strength trainers go. If you find a gym that suits your personality, you'll enjoy more workouts, make more friends and stick at it longer.
4. Trial - choose a gym that let's you try before you buy.
Most gyms offer a free guest pass, so take the opportunity to see if you enjoy the experience. Is the gym overcrowded? Are the personal trainers slipping into a coma or interacting with the members? Do the fitness equipment and facilities look clean and well maintained? Perhaps most importantly, look at the members - if none of them are the fitness level you aspire to be, a few months down the line you probably won't be either!
5. Price - don't put membership costs above usability.
Your budget is always going to be a factor, but it's better you spend a little more on a gym you use regularly and benefit from, than less on a gym you never even get to. Think about it on a pay-per-workout basis. A gym that is £40 a month and you use 3 times a week, 16 times a month, is £2.50 per workout. A gym that is £20 a month that you use 2 times in the whole month is £10 per workout, with little or no benefit from such a big gap between workouts. Think usability first, price second.
And finally…
A good place to start is to go online and search for gym reviews in your area. People will write good, honest reviews of gyms if they're worth talking about, so have a look at what other people are saying before you make your choice.
About the Author
Liam Taylor from EverythingZing.com - gyms stevenage
