Choose a Gym - How to find the best gym for your needs

The information presented on this site is for general use only and is not intended to provide personal medical advice or substitute for the advice of your physician.

Always consult your doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet or exercise plan.

Joining a gym - gym membership - how to choose

gym members

How to choose a Gym

If you plan to join a gym there are are few things you should check out, before signing up for membership. There are lots of gyms, Health and Fitness clubs and Leisure Centres offering inviting membership packages. You just need to choose the one that is going to work best for your personal needs.

Before signing up for your gym membership check out these important points:

Check out all the facilities available at your chosen gym - ask for a full tour. If you only want to use the gym facilities and the Health and Fitness club you have chosen offers lots of facilities, such as a fully equipped gym, air-conditioned studios for classes, spa, sauna and swimming pool, ask whether you can opt for a limited or partial membership, with the option to upgrade at a later date if wanted.
Try and visit during peak hours to get the best idea of how busy the gym gets. If possible try a guest session with a member friend, if available, before you decide to become a member.
Are there plenty of varied exercise machines in the gym? There should be enough treadmills, cross trainers and exercise bikes to ensure you don't have to wait for these popular equipment choices during peak hours. Most good gyms operate a limited time on these machines during peak hours, i.e. 20 minutes
Notice if there is a warm-up/stretching area with exercise mats and plenty of equipment, such as Swiss exercise balls, ab crunch rollers, free weights, medicine balls, etc
Are there any payment holidays from the gym membership allowed? Some gyms allow you to take a break and miss one or more monthly payments. This can be useful when you go away on your hols, have to work away, or if you suffer an injury which prevents you from attending the gym for several weeks.
Is there a cancellation fee if you decide the gym or Health and Leisure club is not for you? Check whether you are tied into a year or more gym contract, whether you can cancel whenever you wish, whether personal circumstances such as redundancy, pregnancy or moving are accepted as valid reasons to cancel, and whether you have to give a period of notice. It's much easier at this point than trying to get out of a binding contract with legal implications later on. Take your time before you sign anything, and read all the small print on the contract.

keeping fit in the gym

Check out the changing rooms and showers too. Are there seperate male and female facilities, and what about if you bring children along? Are there baby changing facilities?

Are there plenty of showers, mirrors, hairdriers, etc? Do the locker rooms look well maintained and clean?

Notice if there is any broken gym equipment, toilets, showers, etc. Bad maintenance in a gym can impact on your exercise enjoyment.

Are there any gym social clubs, i.e running, walking, dancing? These can be an enjoyable change to your regular workout.

The more fitness options and variations available the less likely you are to get bored.
You are working on your body, but your brain needs to be interested enough to motivate you to go to the gym!

Will Joining a Gym be the Right Choice for You?

The top fat-burning gym machines

Consult your doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet or exercise plan.

Emma's Diet Tip

Try and get a friend to train with you - you are far more likely to go out to the gym on a winter's evening if you have arranged to go with someone else. Classes are more fun with a friend too!

Diets - Weight Loss - Healthy Eating - Fitness

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