So, you’ve decided that’s it’s time to start a new gym, or start the gym for the first time ever. Exciting stuff! If you live in a city, like I do, you’re probably lucky in that you have plenty of options. So many it can seem overwhelming. So, what matters when selecting a gym?
Style of gym
If you’re in prep for a bodybuilding show… you’re probably not going to want to join a CrossFit gym. If the style of the gym isn’t alluded to in the name, looking at their site for details and pictures of what kind of equipment they have should tell you all you need to know. Have a mental tick list of must-have features, be it a sauna, prowler or deadlift platform. One of my must-haves is a stairmaster. It’s great to try somewhere different, especially if you’re getting bored or demotivated with your training, but don’t commit to a 12 month membership somewhere that you might not fit in.
For those only just starting the gym, I would recommend going for a large, open plan chain gym as they tend to be where you find the most diverse range of people and all of your basic gym needs. From there, you can begin to narrow down things that you do and don’t like further.
Price
One of the most common excuses for not joining a gym is ‘I can’t afford it’. Chances are, you can. While some health clubs with tennis courts, a spa and so on might charge £50+, plenty of gyms offer memberships in the £10-15 a month range. If you’re worried about not getting your money’s worth or it not being right for you, make sure that you pay in cash or select a membership that allows you to cancel at any time without fees.
Accessibility and opening hours
There are plenty of gyms within half an hour or so of me that I think are wonderful, but after an 8+ hour work day, the travel time would just become another reason not to go. Take into account route and traffic at the time you’d be training, and save the less-accessible gyms for the occasional day pass.
Similarly, if you work awkward shift patterns you might need a 24 hour gym or one with longer opening hours. Furthermore, lots of independent gyms might only open for 3-4 hours on Sundays so be sure to look into this if you need to train at certain times.
Atmosphere or ‘vibe’
A gym could have all the best kit in the world and be down the road from you, if it makes you feel uncomfortable or intimidated, you won’t enjoy going. And I can’t stress this enough- your training should be fun more often than it is a chore! You are doing something amazing for your body!
Music, staff, other people training, they all affect the atmosphere of a gym. Make sure it’s right!
Take Aways:
· Get as many day passes as possible to build an idea in your head of your ‘perfect’ gym
· Ask around and read reviews (Facebook and Google are the obvious places to start), what appears a good gym at first glance might have some hidden negatives
· Don’t rush into setting up a membership and avoid yearlong contracts