Exercise Your Curiosity By Asking This Before Joining That Gym

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that choosing the right gym is essential to workout success. Whether you’ve just moved to a new area or are a total gym newbie, you could certainly do better than just opting for membership at the closest or cheapest offering.

By instead taking the time to shop around for a gym that you can imagine yourself feeling comfortable in, you almost double your chances of turning up. And, this, in turn, could well mean that even paying extra for the privilege is an investment you’re glad to have made. 

The trouble is that, if you’ve never exactly been picky with gyms before, you may be at a loss as to how to select the best from your local offerings. Ultimately, of course, this is always going to come down to personal opinion. Only you know what you’re looking for in your dream gym, so writing a list of must-haves and only considering options that meet the brief could be a fantastic way to get started.

Even once you’ve got your shortlist, though, this is by no means a sealed deal. Instead, you should start with exercising your curiosity by asking each gym the following questions either over the phone or during a tour.

# 1 - What equipment do you have onsite?

Different gyms = different equipment, and this should be your first real consideration. After all, everything else aside, the equipment is what will keep turning up here. High-quality offerings will undoubtedly make your workouts more enjoyable than poor or outdated equipment that hasn’t been serviced in who knows how long.

Firstly, of course, you’re going to want to make sure that the gym in question provides the equipment you’re after. It’s no good signing up for a body lifting-only offering, for instance, if you’re looking for treadmill workouts. As such, you should consider beforehand which equipment you think would be the best fit for you, and any you’re not so bothered about.

Researching the best equipment on the market right now with the help of review sites like Form Me Fit can also help you to select the best offerings each time. In an ideal world, a respectable gym should be on top with the latest releases and investing in the best new equipment. But, if their makes and models are nowhere near the current top listings that you can find, then you might want to look elsewhere. 

# 2 - How many members do you have on your books?

This may seem like a slightly upfront question to ask but, while they won’t be able to give you client details, there’s nothing to stop a gym from giving you an idea of their membership figures. In fact, this information alone could prove fundamental to your decision whether to work out here if you’re struggling to get over the nervousness that often comes with working out in a busy environment.

Especially if you’re new to this, walking into a room filled with gym veterans can be undeniably daunting. And, make no mistake, some larger gyms do have hundreds on their books at any given time. By comparison, a boutique gym that only caters to a select few clients could make for a much more peaceful and undaunting exercise journey every time. 

By acquiring this knowledge ahead of time, you should find it much easier to turn up for your first and any subsequent sessions. You may even find that opting for a small gym with fewer members helps you to make a few firm friends along the way. And, we all know how useful friends can be for exercise motivation that reaps real results!

# 3 - What are your opening times?

Even if everything’s going well up to this point, you’ll likely look for any excuse not to head to the gym if you can help it. Hence why you also need to be sure that those opening times make excuses even harder to come by. 

Think about it; a gym that opens at nine and closes at five is handing you a valid excuse on a plate. By comparison, an option that opens as early as six and doesn’t close until gone nine in the evening is much more difficult to ignore. 

Of course, all this depends on your working hours, but you need to ensure that your gym of choice is open at least some of the time that you’re home. Otherwise, you’re as good as chucking money away with no hope of actually using those facilities.

# 4 - Do you offer group workouts?

We touched on the motivational power of others above, and never is that more evident to see than in gym-led group workouts. Even those struggling with exercise motivation often find that things like Zumba classes hold them accountable in brand new ways. This is especially the case if they can pay for such classes upfront at the start of the term. Nothing gets the blood pumping like the risk of wasted money, after all!

Sadly, not all gyms offer classes, so this is yet another question you should take the time to ask. Admittedly, this is less likely in a boutique gym, but most larger options will offer classes of some sort. So, be sure to ask about them, including when they are, how long they take, and whether they’re included in your membership fee. 

# 5 - What’s included in my membership price?

While we’re on that subject, it’s also always worth asking what exactly is included within your gym membership. In some gyms, one set monthly fee will grant you full access to every offering within. In others, tier-leveled pricing means that a basic membership might not cover specific equipment, lessons, etc. 

This variance alone can make it tricky to know whether a membership is right for you, so make sure that you ask the question. This way, you’ll know exactly how much you’ll have to pay to get the exercise benefits that you’re after. And, while you can’t put a price on fitness, that alone can help you to narrow down your eligible choices. 

# 6 - Do you offer a trial?

If all the answers up to now have been satisfactory, it’s time to broach the topic of a trial. After all, a gym could look fantastic on paper and still let you down once you start working out there. Worse, the need to often pay six months or more upfront means that this could significantly set back your expenses and your fitness journey to boot. 

By comparison, a trial allows you to get a hands-on experience of precisely what that gym could bring to your fitness journey. Whether you’re allowed to trial equipment or even join a class or two, you should soon get a sense of whether you’d feel comfortable working out there often. 

Admittedly, some gyms will offer free trials while others charge for a one-time week-long pass to help you get your bearings. Either way, you could benefit from sticking to the shortlisted contenders that provide this benefit. Otherwise, the risks of a poor match are simply too high. 

A Final word

Fitness matters and your gym plays a huge part in your ability to achieve that ever-elusive goal. Whatever you do, don’t fall for the first gym that bats its eyelids your way. Instead, play the field and find your one-true match to get on top with a regular exercise routine at last.

For more wellness tips visit me on IG @NadiaMurdock