Finding A Gym In The New Year

February 6th, 2013 by GetFit

Joining a gym is one of the greatest ways to get fit and healthy in the New Year.For a reasonable monthly fee you get to use all the equipment you want to stay fit and healthy. In this article I will be discussing why joining a gym is a good choice and providing you with some top tips to follow before joining.

Why Join A Gym?

As discussed above, joining a gym gives you access to a large range of fitness equipment for one low monthly fee. Buying all this equipment for yourself would cost thousands of dollars so if you make full use of everything that is available it really is a fantastic investment.

In addition to this, the gym is a great place to learn.There are numerous trainers who can share their knowledge with you. They can also help you put together a program that will help you meet your fitness goals.Also, many of the regular gym users are savvy also, and will be happy to help if you are having trouble using any of the machines.

Top Tips For Joining A Gym

If you are willing to commit to it, joining a gym is a great way to stay fit in the New Year. For the monthly membership fee you get access to free weights, resistance training machines, cardiovascular machines, classes and sometimes a sauna, a steam room and a swimming pool. However, before you commit to joining here are some tips you should follow:

1) Do Your Research:- The first thing you should do if you are considering joining a gym in the New Year is do your research. Go online, search for local gyms and jot down a list of all those that are available.Then list some pros and cons for each.For example, gym A may have a swimming pool but it is 30 minutes away from where you live.

2) Ask Friends For Recommendations:- Once you have your shortlist, the chances are that you will know people who are members at each gym.Go ask them what they think and add their opinions to your pros and cons list. When asking for feedback it’s important to ask people who have similar fitness goals to yourself. There’s no point putting that the swimming pool is very small as a con if you never plan to use it.Once you have finished getting feedback, turn your list into a shortlist of the best two or three gyms for you.

3) Visit Each Gym Before Joining:- Once you have your shortlist, take a tour of each gym at the times you want to be using it. This is very important as even if the gym looks perfect on paper, overcrowding is a very big problem at some gyms.You do not want to pay your membership fee and then discover that it’s too busy to actually use at the time you want to use it. Additionally, going on a tour will help you get a feel for the gym. Is all the equipment good quality and in full working order? Are the staff friendly and helpful?If not you may decide to take your business elsewhere.

4) Negotiate:- Once you have toured each of the gyms it’s decision time.However, before you make a payment try negotiating. The worst thing that could happen is they won’t budge on price and the best thing that could happen is they give you a nice discount. Most gyms are really desperate for new members and are willing to slash the price to secure your custom.

Summary

If you are willing to commit to regular sessions, joining a gym is one of the best ways to get fit in the New Year.Just be sure you are careful and complete with your research and follow the top tips above before joining. I know you are eager to get started but following these tips can save you a lot of time and money.