Joining a Gym Tips

Before you shell out a hefty membership free, consider this 5-point plan to help identify the good & bad points to a gym.

On your first visit to a gym, check-out:

"The Staff"

Are they welcoming and friendly, or is the person at the reception desk more interested in his magazine than in greeting you.

"The Instructors"

Do the instructors offer advice and helpful suggestions as they walk around or do they concentrate on their own clients & ignore everyone else.

"Club Members"

Do they appear to share equipment, letting each other work-in and otherwise welcome newcomers or do they give the impression of not doing so.

"The Locker Rooms"

Look in all the nooks and crannies and put them to the test. Are the showers clean & odour free? Are the lockers spacious & clean? Out in the gym does the floor look clean and well maintained? Are the mats and bench's sticky from sweat?

"Are Snacks & Beverages Available"

Some gyms have vending machines, some have gleaming restaurants where you'd be proud to take your boss for lunch.As there are clubs supposedly dedicated to there clients health that offer salads in deep-fried bowls.

The success of your fitness program depends on your comfort level.

The trick is to make yourself an insider by getting to know the way the club is run, by asserting your rights to be treated well and by entering into the spirit of the place and most of all enjoy yourself.