Finding a good gym near you isn’t as easy a task as you might think. Especially for someone who has little experience in training in gyms, picking one which is right for you and your needs can be a challenge. Some of the things you should consider may no be so obvious.
In this article, I want to help you find a gym that will be fun to workout in to achieve your goals. Before you spend money on subscribing to the wrong gym, read this article through…
1. A Gym Near You
The first thing you have to make sure of is to choose a gym which is easy for you to get to. Most people choose a gym which is close to their home or their workplace. You need to consider when you will be working out. If it’s right after work, before you go home, than a gym which is in the vicinity of your workplace is a good idea. If you plan on working out during the weekends, your gym should be close to your home.
2. Opening Hours
You want to have as much flexibility as you can with your workouts. Choosing a gym which has convenient opening hours is a must. While there are some gyms that are open 24/7, this may be unneccessary. Finding a gym which is open until midnight or so should be quite enough.
3. Available Equipment
The question of equipment is one of the most important criteria by which you choose a gym. There are three factors to consider here:
- The quality and diversity of the equipment – Do you have a variety of weight lifting machines and cardio machines that you can use in this gym?
- Quantity – Is there enough equipment so you won’t have to wait if a certain machine is taken? Make sure you have a lot of options to train your body in any way you want.
- Condition – Make sure the equipment is in good condition, the cardio machines look clean and run quietly, the weight machines are maintained, and the weights themselves are worn or rusty.
4. A professional staff
Whether you’re beginner or experienced at working out in gyms, you want to make sure that you have someone to turn to in your gym with any question you may have. If you need help with actually performing the exercises, a professional and friendly staff is crucial.
Make sure that the gym is staffed with a sufficient number of fitness trainers, make sure you have access to a dietician, and try to talk with the staff to sense how open they are to actually helping you out. If they’re there just to pick up a paycheck, you want to find another gym.
5. Crowded or not
You want to have space to workout freely. You don’t want to have to wait for machines to become vacant. And you certainly don’t want in the noisy environment a crowded gym can become. One way to discover whether a gym is crowded or not is to come at the busiest hours, usually from 18-21. However, you need to plan ahead and figure out when your working out hours will be. You may like to workout at hours of the day in which the gym is half-empty.
6. Price
Many would believe that price should be one of the first 3 criteria when you’re trying to find a gym. However, I don’t have a problem paying for quality and convenience. However, you don need to make sure you know what you’re paying for and what you’re getting. You should also make sure you will actually use everything you’re paying for. Some gyms have tennis courts, for instance, but if you’ve never held a racket in your life, what good would it do you?
Make sure you’re paying only for the things you will actually use. In addition, don’t be tempted to sign up for long subscription periods just to get a low monthly sum. You probably be able to sign up to a longer contract after you see that you actually like working out in this gym.
7. Other Features
Other important features you want to take into account include whether the gym has free parking, what kind of facilities does it have: pool, sauna, etc. How clean are the showers. Whether the gym supplies you with a towel (not a must in my opinion). Does it offer classes like spinning, kickboxing, yoga, and whether these cost extra. And so on.
In Conclusion
When you’re trying to find a gym you should take your time, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and make sure you find a place that fits your character and is actually fun to workout in. Once you find the perfect gym, the results will come faster, and more easily. Make sure to avoid falling into the various workout myths that are common in many gym conversation and follow a workout plan to get the best results.
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