How to Choose a Gym
The comprehensive guide
A bigger decision than you think…
You are ready to pick a new gym. It’s an exciting new adventure in your fitness life. Where to begin?
You sign up for free 7-day trials, tour the facilities, and compare prices…now it’s decision time. Who comes out on top? Who gets your hard-earned money?
Consider these factors:
Location
Location, location, location. This is HUGE. The location of your gym will directly influence how often you go. Make sure the gym is not out of the way. This is not the same as far away. Even if your gym is only 3 miles away, it could still be “out of the way.” Think about your daily routine, and the route that goes along with it. You drive to work, the grocery, pick the kids up at school, etc. My route happens to look like a big circle. I DO NOT consider a gym that is outside that circle. If you have to make a special trip or fight (extra) traffic to get to your gym, you’ll simply go less. I signed up for LA Fitness (now eSporta or something) within walking distance of my apartment. I walk there, workout, walk back, then get ready for work. It’s convenient and accessible. It does not add any extra time to my morning routine that I wouldn’t otherwise have.
If you don’t like working out in the morning, consider a gym that is on the way home from work. Like, you literally have to pass by it on the way home. I did this for years, and it worked wonders. You have to look at the gym, and if you pass by it, you feel the guilt.
Tip: If you get off during rush hour, go to the gym and wait for the traffic to die down. Sign up for a gym that is close to the office. When you are done with your session, rush hour will be over.
Equipment
This is an obvious one, but many factors get overlooked. Focus more on having a comprehensive set of equipment vs. the latest fads.
Example: It’s more important to have a smith machine than battle ropes
Yeah, battle ropes look cool. You feel like you are preparing for an MMA fight while performing them but, they aren’t necessary. Make sure the gym has all the essentials to complete the basic lifts that are foundational to bodybuilding. This is what the gym tour is for. The tour guide will try to distract you with all the new bells and whistles that the facility may offer. You should be looking for:
- Squat Racks
- Pulley Machines
- Benches
- Full set of dumbbells and barbells
- Kettlebells
- Medicine Balls
- Yoga Mats
- Resistance Bands
- A sauna (preferably)
Look for the quality and the availability of the equipment. If there are a lot of machines that are out of order, that’s not a good sign. Are there multiple sets of dumbbells? How many bench press machines are there? Are all the machines occupied? This leads to my next factor to look out for…
Price & Crowds
Packed in like Sardines?
I hate crowded gyms with a passion. Others don’t mind it, or even prefer it (gasp!). My favorite thing in the world is an empty gym. What does price have to do with this? More than you think.
The price of a gym and its’ crowd go hand in hand. Amateurs will go for the least expensive gym when making a selection.
“What’s the difference?”
“I’m getting a hell of a deal!”
Not so fast. There’s a reason why crowded gyms are so cheap. It’s their business model.
Planet Fitness is the perfect example of this. They feast on beginners who don’t have a clue. They say it’s just $10 a month with no “gymtimidation.” No big meat headed larks here, they say. Planet Fitness is a fine gym, don’t get me wrong, but it is PACKED. Their business model is all about quantity. It is all about memberships. That’s how they make money at such a cheap price. They know most people won’t know the difference.
“Why go to a $35 gym when I can go to a $10 gym?”
Well, there’s a good reason why you might. I used to belong to a $35/mo gym called Anytime Fitness. You may have heard of it. I loved this gym. Why did I pay $25 more per month? Because it was nearly empty. I had full access to all the equipment at all times. I didn’t have to wait my turn, ever. I could superset or monster set to my heart’s desire without worrying about hogging the entire gym. It was beautiful. The same 5 or 6 people came in everyday at the same time, and we all had an understanding.
Why did I leave this wonderful gym?
Two key reasons:
#1 Location- Once again this is priority number 1. I changed jobs and this gym was no longer on my route home. I tried to continue to go but it was just so out of the way. I noticed my gym attendance was taking a hit, and that was unacceptable
#2 The Gym eventually closed due to COVID-19- The kiss of death to small gyms. Mega gyms were able to survive during the pandemic, but small gyms suffered greatly. Small gyms already have such small membership numbers, they don’t bring in huge profits. COVID eliminated any profit potential for this gym.
Free Trials
Try out as many gyms as possible. Almost every gym on earth allows you to try out their facilities for free.
Tip: Make sure to try out the gym at the same time you would normally go during the day. It doesn’t make sense to try out a gym at 2pm when you normally go after work at 5pm. Trust me, there’s a huge difference. The “after work crowd” at some gyms can be insane.
Look out for the fine print. Is there a contract? Is it difficult to break this contract?
For example- I once went to a gym that had a contract that was ridiculous. The gym I went to closed, but since they had another location WITHIN 20 MILES, I couldn’t get out of my contract. Apparently, that gym decided that their other location, 19.3 miles away, would work for me.
There will still be some kind of agreement you are signing. Gyms have to be able to count on monthly dues to stay afloat. Just make sure you’re not signing for something you can’t ever get out of.
The gym is supposed to compliment your lifestyle, not hinder it. Make sure to consider these factors before you sign on the dotted line. You’ll be glad you did.
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