5 Things To Consider When Choosing a Gym

March 27 2014

5 Things To Consider When Choosing a Gym

To say there are “a lot” of gyms would be an understatement. It seems like all major cities in the U.S. (and even smaller cities) have dozens of different gyms, making it difficult for newcomers to choose one. Whether this is your first time signing up for a gym membership, or if you’re looking to change gyms, you should consider the following 5 things:

Location

First on our list of things to consider when choosing a gym is location. Unless you enjoy sitting in traffic, you’ll want to choose a gym that’s close to either your home or place of work. It doesn’t necessarily have to be right across the street, but it should be within a reasonable distance; otherwise, you’ll end up wasting money on a membership that you never use.

Hours of Operation

When does the gym open and close? This is a question you should answer before signing up for a membership. Some gyms are only open during the day, while others are 24 hours. 

If you’re a night owl like myself, you’ll probably want to choose a 24 hour gym. Typically, these gyms provide members with access keys to gain entry during the night — even if there’s no employees working.

Equipment

Take a few moments to peruse through the gym to see what kind of equipment and machines they offer. Far too many newcomers sign up for memberships online without even checking the gym’s equipment. Once they arrive at the gym, however, they notice it only offers a few select pieces of equipment, all of which are taken by other members.

Price

How much does a membership cost? According to an article published by the Wall Street Journal, the average cost of an annual gym membership in the U.S. is $775. With that said, it’s not uncommon for some people to pay twice this much. The bottom line is that you need to do your homework before signing up for membership to determine whether it’s a good deal.

Employees

Lastly, consider the employees at the gym and how they treat members. There’s nothing more discouraging than gym employees who give you the cold shoulder or fail to provide assistance when needed. A well-run gym should have a fully trained staff that’s eager to help you achieve your personal fitness goals. Talk with the staff beforehand to get a feel for their attitude and desire to help others.