Gyms are a lot like people – each has a personality all its own. Some cater to bodybuilders, some to soccer moms. And even if one caters specifically to your needs, there are still some concerns to address to be sure that the gym is right for you, you’re right for the gym and that this will be a relationship that will last.

Commitment Level

Before you even start researching gyms online, take a few minutes to look at your life and decide – realistically – how often you will be able to commit to going consistently. If it is less than three times a week, even the most economical of gym memberships might be a waste of your money. Instead, it might be best to take some of that cash and buys some good running shoes. Pavement is free!

Comparison Shop

If you’re in the market for a gym where you’ll be motivated to continue to frequent at least three times a week, you need to be picky. If you’re primarily interested in spinning classes, the body building gym around the corner might not be your best bet. And if you’re not a one size fits all kind of person, one those national chain gyms, despite their wide variety of classes and services, might not be for you either. Take the time to visit each prospective gym and take the tour. Try to ignore the sales pitch and look for the things that matter to you.

Are you a neat freak? Look at the cleanliness of the water fountain and the showers in the locker room – both good indicators of the overall cleaning philosophy of the establishment.

Do you want to avoid crowds? You won’t always be able to work your schedule around peak times, so schedule your visit for those after work hours when the gym is at its fullest. That will give you an idea of your worst case scenario.

Do you have a favorite piece of equipment? Check to see if they have what you’re used to using – and how many they have. If they only have one stair climber that you’re comfortable with, the odds of you having a personal pass to use it all the time are pretty low.

The Location/Probability Factor

If the gym is a long drive or requires some other distasteful aspect to reach it, you may want to reconsider. After a long day at work, having to drive across town will probably be the last thing you’ll want to do. And if you do decide to fight traffic, by the time you get to the gym, you may be less than motivated to put out your best effort. That can lead to frustration and to a higher probability of skipping your workout the next time similar circumstances arise. Also, if the gym is in a less-than desirable section of town, you’ll be more prone to skipping evening workouts that will keep you out after dark.

Try Before You Buy

Most gyms offer prospective members free passes. Some even give you a week for free. Despite the constant sales pressure accepting a free week at your local gym may bring you, the benefits can outweigh the advertising. You’ll have a chance to use the equipment during the exact time you would normally be there. You have the chance to se what the commute is like (both coming and going) to see if it’s something you can live with. And you’ve got a chance to feel out the people you’ll be sharing the equipment with.

Even if a week-long pass isn’t free, most gyms will offer it to you with no other commitment for a pro-rated fee. Take them up on the trial run and give the gym a thorough test drive before you commit to a 6-moth (or longer) relationship.

Related Articles
	When You Work Out Is As Important As How You Work Out Each of us has a time of day when we feel we’re at our best – that time that we try to time our workouts to hit. And of course the early morning jogger is going to disagree with the evening stair-climber and the lunchtime spinner as to when the optimal time for exercise might be. So who’s right and ...Read more		Debunking The Myths Of Free Weights In any gym, you have the cardio machines, a section populated by both men and women. Then you have the nautilus or other pulley and weight machines – populated by mostly women and alder men. Then you have the free weights – almost always a men-only section. And it’s not the men that set up that dynamic   ...Read more

Post this article on:
	Mixx.com		Digg.com		Netscape.com		Yahoo.com		Google.com		StumbleUpon