Festivities are over, you’ve stuffed yourself full with all kinds of foods, and your weight has doubled or even tripled. The #1 goal on your list is to get back in shape. You’ve even laid out a plan, but the only thing left is to choose a gym where you can safely burn away those fats. But how do you know the best-fit gym for you?
Choosing the best-fit gym, such as the gym in Notting Hill, will go a long way in making your journey to a healthier and fitter ‘you’ smoother and easier. This is because your choice of a gym plays a significant role in keeping you motivated and ensuring your comfort during every visit.
In light of these realities, here are the top 7 factors you need to take into keen consideration as you search for the best-fit, properly-equipped gym for you:
1. Membership Fees
The #1 step you should take before signing up with any particular local gym is to compare membership fees. Gym membership fees can vary considerably and are often influenced by the duration of the contract.
Most gyms usually work to get interested members to commit to long-term contracts. However, don’t be forced or coerced to take this route if you sincerely believe that you won’t be 100% committed for that long.
If you have to, ensure you go hard on price comparisons. You can enjoy special offers, especially in late summer or New Year. But always bear this in mind — it doesn’t always boil down to cost. Rather, it’s more about choosing the best-fit gym that motivates you during workouts.
2. Location
No one has ever loved battling heavy traffic at the end of long and hectic days. Likewise, spending at least double your workout period commuting to and from a gym shouldn’t be an option.
Instead, you can focus on a gym located somewhere on the road to work and back. You should concentrate on gyms that aren’t too far from your residence; ideally, go for those that aren’t more than walking—or jogging distance—away from home.
For what it’s worth, driving past gyms located at these places will always remind you to get cracking at the stubborn fat in your body.
3. Equipment
A gym isn’t a gym if it lacks the necessary state-of-the-art exercise equipment. The quality of the equipment also speaks volumes about the taste, integrity, and honesty of the gym.
Check if there are more than enough dumbbells even when the gym is crowded with members. What about the guided machines? How many varieties of guided machines are in the gym? You need these machines to enable you to work on various muscle groups without any challenge.
You may sometimes show up at the gym only to discover that most of the machines you want to utilize are occupied. However, some gyms offer a little service which involves booking a specific machine for a particular period. Find out if the gyms you’re researching offer this option for members.
4. Operating Hours
Find out the hours of operation of the gyms around your neighborhood or on your way to and from work. For instance, most people love doing their regular workouts very early in the mornings. So, if you fall into this group, find out if the gyms would be open within this period.
Some gyms have strict policies regarding holidays. Find out what they are, especially if you love to spend a lot of time working out during public holidays. Finding your favorite gym closed during this period can dampen your mood.
Also, find out if the gym also operates in the evenings. For instance, some prefer to hit the gym on their way back home from work at the end of the day. If you belong to this category, you want to ensure the gym will be open at night.
5. Demography of Members
This is crucial, though most people don’t consider this factor until presented with the options. For instance, many women who love working out prefer to do so in an all-female gym, i.e., a gym with zero male memberships.
A mixed gym may be an excellent place and opportunity to meet people of the opposite sex. But in reality, not everyone would want this. If you aren’t a fan of mixed gyms, look for your preference while considering other factors highlighted here.
6. Availability Of Personal Training Options
If you want to meet your fitness goals faster and make your weight loss journey hitch-free or smoother, you need access to a trained or qualified personal trainer.
Find out if the gym has this option available and if the membership fees cover the cost of working with a personal trainer. It’s always beneficial to know beforehand if you’ll need to pay a little extra to secure the services of a proficient personal fitness specialist.
7. Hygiene
It’s equally essential for a gym to be kept clean at all times. Don’t neglect this crucial factor, as these areas can breed an incredibly high concentration of germs.
Ensure every piece of equipment is clean and thoroughly wiped down with sanitizers. Additionally, there should be more than enough spray bottles and towels available for use on the equipment.
Ensure to inspect the changing rooms, bathrooms, or restrooms in the gym. They must be spotlessly clean and decontaminated from time to time.
Conclusion
By now, you should have a comprehensive idea of what to look out for before settling for a gym option. While all factors highlighted in this guide are equally important, some may lean towards some than others.
However, leaving out just a point can mar the effectiveness and smoothness of your weight loss journey to a perfectly fit and healthy body. This could also summarily end your commitment or dedication to any personal fitness goal you have set for yourself.