Choosing a Gym: Forgotten Points

Posted January 31, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Chris Illuminati

Section: His Fitness, Cardio Training, Strength Training, Alt. Therapies

I’ve seen more people doing tours of my gym this month than Epcot does in an entire summer.  With the holidays ending and summer peeking around the corner, January and February are the most popular months to join a gym. Many people take the normal factors (cost, initiation fees, equipment, etc.) into consideration when scouting out a gym but some people forget the little things that are important in a fitness facility. Here are some of the forgotten points to remember:

1) Time of day- This is always the most important aspect in picking a gym.  If you go on a tour of a new facility, try and do it around the time of day you would normally be heading to the gym.  If you plan on going right after work, go check it out after work (a time when gyms can get very crowded). Same if you are a morning person.  Also keep in mind the time of year. The five o’clock crowd on a Monday in February is much larger than the five o’clock crowd on a Monday in June. It won’t always be that crowded or desolate.

2) Parking- This has been an issue at almost every gym of which I’ve been a member.  If the gym shares a parking lot with other businesses, be sure to check how the situation is controlled. You don’t want to waste time circling the parking lot looking for a spot.

3) Equipment upkeep- I am not just talking about the exercise equipment.  The gym I belong to bragged about ‘a television on every machine.’ The only thing they didn’t promise is that the televisions would always be working.  Take a look at the number of machines that are in service while the salesperson is giving you a tour of the floor.

4) The crowd- When you are on a tour of the facility pay close attention to the members. Are you an older person surrounded by young adults treating the gym like happy hour on $1 margarita night? Are you younger and the place is overrun by older adults taking their sweet time on machines and doing most of the exercises wrong? Make sure you blend in, and don’t stand out, from the crowd. This could make you feel uncomfortable.

5) The rules- My gym has two rules that are strictly enforced: members must carry a towel with them at all times to wipe down the machines and no other drink but water is permitted on the gym floor. The first rule I agree with 100%. I’ve seen some sweaty people in my years of working out. I don’t feel like sliding right off the incline bench because someone was too lazy to wipe their salt water puddle after they were done.  The second rule took some getting used to. (Sometimes a guy just wants a Vitamin Water while he is working out!) Anyway, make sure you check the club rules beforehand and make sure they are livable. 

6) The commitment. Many gyms will try and sell you a scheme of, “no joining fee” or, “lower costs per month if you join today.” Very often, gyms will lower their membership fees if you join for two years. (I cannot stress this enough) - make sure you can give that type comittment. Otherwise, it’s going to cost you a fortune to cancel your membership if you end up moving. If you’re not sure where you’ll be headed in the next year or so, don’t make any long commitments. This could end up costing you in the end.

Keep these points in mind before you sign on the dotted line.

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