Choosing the right gym is very important. If you don’t choose a gym where you feel comfortable and supported you probably will end up not going very often. Then you won’t accomplish your weight loss or other fitness goals. There are a lot of gyms that you can join, so how do you find the right gym for you? These tips will help you weed through the gyms in your area. Knowing what to look for will help you find the right gym for you.
Plan Your Workout
If you are new to working out or it has been a long time, you may not know what types of exercises you’ll want to do. Even if you have a lot of experience in gyms, rather than assume you’ll do the same type of workouts you’ve done before, consider that you might want to try new things to take your fitness to the next level.
Your first step is to find out all the options in your area. Don’t just look for exercise machines or free weights. Determine what types of classes each gym offers and what you might want to try. Pools are another workout option. Swimming is a high-intensity, low-impact exercise that could be perfect for keeping your time at the gym interesting and avoiding the injuries that can result from high-impact activities. Find a gym with a pool near you to see if they offer lane swimming, water aerobic classes, or other options you might enjoy.
Does an indoor running track sound appealing or would you rather use a treadmill where you could read or watch television while you run or walk? If much of your workout will be on a cardio machine, the availability of televisions in the gym could be particularly important. If you are planning on extended periods of cardio workouts, you’ll want to find out if the gyms you’re considering limit how long people can spend on each machine. Is there a sign up sheet for each machine? This could indicate the gym is too crowded during peak hours which could force you to spend time waiting. Having an idea of what time of day you plan to exercise will also help you check to see if the gym’s hours will work for you.
Try A Day Pass
Many gyms will offer a day pass for free or for a very low cost. This will give you the chance to check out the gym on your own so that you can see for yourself what the gym’s atmosphere is like. A guided tour can be helpful to have a chance to ask questions. Just keep in mind the gym’s staff willemphasis the most positive aspects of the gym. That won’t give you an accurate idea of what the gym is truly like. It’s best to get a day pass and go on your own so that you can observe what the atmosphere is really like.
Some of the things that you should take notice when you are looking at a gym are whether or not the equipment is old and how it is maintained. That will tell you a lot about the way the gym is run. If the equipment is new or at least in very good condition it shows that they take safety seriously at that gym.
You should also look at the type of people that are at the gym. Are there people of all ages and fitness levels that work out there? If not, do you feel like you fit in with the people who are there? It can be intimidating to exercise at a gym where everyone else appears to be fit and experienced at working out. If you see people of all sizes, ages and fitness levels working out, that’s a pretty good sign that the gym is a friendly and supportive place.
Check Out a Fitness Class
Often you can take a fitness class at a gym without belonging to the gym. You might have to pay a higher fee, but you can still take the class. Trying a class at a gym before you invest in a membership is a good way to see if you feel comfortable at the gym before you commit to a membership. It will give you insight into the types of instructors the gym hires and who attends the classes. Meeting people who belong to the gym at a fitness class gives you the opportunity to ask people who do have memberships what they like or don’t like about that particular gym.
Compare Several Gyms
When you are choosing a gym, you should visit several different gyms before you make a decision. Then you can compare the types of equipment and classes that the different gyms offer, the membership prices at each gym, and the general atmosphere of each gym. All those factors together will help you figure out which gym is the right place for you.
