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We all know that we need to exercise and that it's important to do it regularly, but one of the hardest decisions can be deciding where to exercise. For many people, having a dedicated space can make all the difference between making exercise a daily habit or something more rare than a full moon.
If you want to exercise regularly, joining a gym is a good idea. Here are seven things to consider if you're in the market to join a gym this year.
1.Is the location convenient?
The best option is to have a facility close to where you live or work, so you can easily make it a part of your daily commute. If you have to drive across town or fight traffic to get to your workout, it can be easy to avoid the extra commute, no matter how nice a facility is or how great the instructors can be.
2. Is it within my budget?
Another important consideration is your budget. Don't be tempted to overspend on a "luxury" fitness experience or a series of instructor-led workouts. Yes, getting in shape is important and regular exercise can significantly improve your health, but it's just not worth adding to your personal debt to meet this need. Use your personal budget to identify what you can realistically afford and use that to guide your decision-making process.
On the other hand, you get what you pay for. If you go to a gym simply because it's the cheapest, you'll often have to pay extra for amenities like group classes or even towels. Low-cost gyms typically operate with extremely thin margins. This means that equipment can take a while to repair and staff are often overworked and underpaid, leaving a lot of revenue to be made. If you're considering a low-cost club, ask the salesperson (or "membership advisor") how long they've worked there and how long the management team (general manager, fitness manager, and operations manager) has been there. If the answer is "I don't know" or less than six months, the location may experience frequent turnover, which may adversely affect your membership.
3. Do they offer a trial membership?
Ask about a trial membership or the opportunity to take a series of beginner's courses before making a long-term commitment to a fitness club or studio. Many facilities offer a reduced price for a range of beginner courses or even a free one-week trial membership. Yoga or CrossFit studios often require an investment in a series of beginner classes to teach you the basics of the exercise format. Take advantage of these courses to see if you like the instructors and the techniques they teach. If you don't feel comfortable after the first set of classes, you probably won't enjoy the long-term practice experience. If you have a trial gym membership, visit during the hours you regularly attend to see how busy it is at those times and try out a few group fitness classes to see if you like the formats and instructors.
4. Is the equipment well maintained?
When purchasing a facility or doing a trial session, you should check the equipment. A well-maintained system is clean and relatively dust-free. A buildup of dust or dirt on equipment can also mean a buildup of disease-causing germs. And don't forget to visit the locker room or locker room. If it smells like damp, musty or mold, regular cleaning is probably not the club's top priority. Nothing can ruin your gym experience more than having to change or try to clean in an unsanitary locker room.
5. Do they offer discounts or refunds?
Check with your employer or health insurance provider to see if they offer options such as discounts or reimbursements for health club fees or fitness facility fees. The new Affordable Care in Health Care Act makes prevention a priority. As a result, both private employers and health insurance companies have been given more leeway in the financial incentives they can offer for fitness, as it is a proven form of prevention. Many health clubs offer a reduced membership fee if you belong to a specific health insurance plan. However, this will never be communicated to you during a tour. Rather, you often have to tell them that you qualify for the discount. If your employer has education reimbursement, you may be able to pay for a fitness class as an education class. When I was doing personal training full-time, I wrote several letters for clients to whom I offered "fitness education services" so that they could use their company's education funds to pay my fees.
6. Do they have high online reviews?
Use the Internet to see how customers and members rate their experiences at a gym or studio. Searching on Google, Yelp, or simply asking your Facebook network about their experience with a fitness provider will provide you with a wealth of information to help you make an informed decision. Additionally, check the club's website and social media channels to see what type of information they provide to their members. Many of the larger clubs have Blogs, articles or videos to educate members about exercise, nutrition and lifestyle strategies that can be extremely useful and relevant to achieving fitness goals.
7. Do your trainers and instructors have the correct credentials?
Before you make a commitment and invest your hard-earned money in a club, ensure that the instructors employed by the club have the appropriate professional qualifications. specifically an accredited certification. The fitness industry is self-regulated and when it comes to certification credentials, anyone can call themselves a “personal trainer” or teach an exercise class without having to go through any formal training or licensing process. The American Council on Exercise is an accredited certification organization. If a person has an ACE Personal Trainer, a Group Fitness Instructor, a Health Coach or an Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist, they have undergone a training process that is subject to rigorous testing by Institute for Credentialing Excellence. You can use this search engine to find an ACE certified professional near you.
ACE has recently partnered with a number of other certification organizations to... U.S. Registry of Exercise Professionals (USREPS), which recognizes a number of established fitness certification organizations. For your protection and to ensure that you are working with an appropriately qualified instructor, an instructor who is ACE certified should at least be certified by an organization affiliated with USREPS.
Be an educated consumer. Set your budget, do your homework, and visit the facility a few times before making a long-term financial commitment. Choosing a fitness club is similar to finding a favorite restaurant or bar - it may take a while to find one that you enjoy going to regularly, but once you do, it will become a part of your normal life. If a setup feels right, go for it. You will enjoy the opportunity to exercise and meet new people. If a facility doesn't feel right, can't answer your questions, is too expensive (or cheap), or is just plain dirty, skip it and keep looking for the right one. You will find it and once you do, you will be glad you made the extra effort.