How to Find the Right Gym
A good exercise program and diet are undoubtedly important ingredients for your fitness success. But those aren’t the only factors – the gym you choose can also have a big impact on your success.
Ultimately, you need to choose a gym that you like. You might never like it (and let’s be honest, it’s hard to love a room specially designed for a bunch of sweaty people wriggling under bits of metal), but you should at least enjoy the environment enough to keep coming back . To make sure you are making the right decision, consider the following factors:
- How much is it? This is the most obvious factor on the list, but how much are you willing to pay for the amenities you want? Can you fund a fully equipped gym, free group classes and a juice bar? Or do you have a more serious gym with the essentials at your disposal? Be realistic about what you need – as cool as a free steam room sounds, there is no point in paying for it if you are not going to use it.
- What are the other members? In my experience, gym goers can be conveniently divided into two mutually exclusive groups: those who treat it like a social club, and those who just want everyone to shut up and carry on. None of them are better than the other, but don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll have a good time exercising if everyone around you either talks too much or avoids you like you are Jon Snow to their Stark family.
- What kind of support are you getting? If you’re just starting out at the gym, it can be helpful to have trained staff, or at least a supportive gym environment, to help you when you need it. There is nothing more discouraging than feeling insecure and unable to ask for help. It’s also worth asking about the one-to-one learning services available in case you might need additional coding assistance. Ask for testimony and experience – the coach shouldn’t be just the person you throw money at to tell you what to do. For the greatest benefit, you should be able to communicate with them on a personal level so that they can understand your inner motives and obstacles and how they can be used to accelerate your progress.
- What facilities are there? You don’t need anything other than your own body to be in shape. But variety can be nice, and a wider selection of equipment can help you achieve your specific goals. For example, if you train in addition to athletics training, you may want to see what strength equipment is available and if there are things like work sleds, ergonomic and cycling equipment that can help you with your fitness. … You can even check if there are individual or group workouts for similar athletes. Alternatively, if you just want to get better but know you will get bored with training quickly, make sure you have enough equipment to try something new. and maybe a few fitness classes if you like a group setting.
- How affordable is it? If you’ve found what appears to be the perfect gym, but is almost an hour away by car, it might not really be the perfect gym. Honestly, if I had to drive this far, or had to wait so long in a traffic jam, I probably wouldn’t go at all. If that sounds like you, consider other options – there’s no point in joining if you’re never going to step in the door. Likewise, is it open at a convenient time for you? If you tend to work late and the gym is only open until 9:00 pm, you might find it difficult to squeeze into your workouts.
And of course, you may not even go to the gym at all. If you prefer to exercise with their own weight , the best option is to continue as you are doing and spend dues on subjects that complement your exercises such as expanders and weights.
To know exactly what you are getting yourself into, call ahead and see if you can make an appointment. Gyms are usually more than happy to answer your questions. Also, read the contract before signing to make sure you get what you promise.
If you have options, consider them. The gym is where you’ll (hopefully) spend a fair amount of time, so if any of the above is severely disrupted it can be a big source of regret. Don’t be afraid to be picky because if you get it right it will pay off in the long run.