Find a Gym – how to find the gym for you

The health and fitness marketing is hugely competitive, with health clubs, gyms and leisure centres offering a wide range of facilities, packages, memberships and options.

So how do you choose? ‘like for like’ is difficult to find, so you need to narrow your search:

Question 1: What are your fitness objectives?

• Too lose weight – by whatever means – Do you just need a room with a treadmill...
• Build muscle tone – You may need a varied selection of weights and machines...
• Train for a particular sporting event – You may need machines that work particular muscles...
• Recover from injury – Somewhere that has a swimming pool, or massage...
• Social interaction – A place where you can enrol in group classes and activities...
• ...this list is endless

Question 2: What activities to you enjoy?

• Do you like physical/challenging activities – do you need a Spinning Studio
• Do you enjoy a slower pace of exercise such as walking or swimming
• Do you need to keep your activities varied in order to stay interested
• Do you need distraction i.e. an iPod docking station

Question 3: What type of membership do you require?

• Peak Memberships – Obviously more expensive, but if you can only get to the gym on the way to or from work – it’s a must
• Off Peak Memberships – If you can go to the gym during the day, or late at night an off-peak can save a bit of cash
• Open Memberships – Again more expensive, but completely flexible

There is a difference between a ‘Gym’ and a ‘Health Club’. Which one are you looking for?

The Gym: The Gym tends to be more focused, it’ll have a mixture of machines (i.e. treadmills) and free weights. Generally, you go there to work out! Many modern gyms are very well-equipped, others are a little more rough-around-the-edges. You need to check the facilities. Gyms also tend to be cheaper than Health Clubs – because they are cheaper to run.

The Health Club: The Health Club is a more ‘holistic’ health and fitness experience. A Health Club will usually have a gym (often very large and well equipped), there will also be a wide range of other related services i.e. a wider range of classes, swimming pool, often they will have spa facilities, a restaurant or lounge bar. The social aspect of a health club is a big selling point to them.

The In-betweener: Properties may call themselves either, and sometimes they’re half-and-half i.e. a Gym with a small pool, or a ‘Health Club’ without a swimming pool.

So how to find your gym....

Step 1 – Define your fitness objectives and what facilities you’ll need in order to meet them
Step 2 – You need to enjoy it, so outline activities you enjoy doing i.e. swimming or squash
Step 3 – Geographic’s – don’t add to the ‘motivational barriers’ by choosing a gym or club that you have to drive more than 15mins to get to – unless you have to.
Step 4 – Get a free trial – Most gyms and health clubs today offer a free trial, whether it be a free day, or a 7 day – take them up on the offer and check out the facilities.
Step 5 – Compare membership options and prices – Is the gym/membership you want affordable
Step 6 – Read the terms and conditions – make sure your comfortable and happy, a 12 month contract is fairly normal
Step 7 – Get started!