Choosing the perfect Gym

Published: 12/04/2009 - Updated: 07/20/2016

When we begin our training, we must consider certain points to choose the best gym. It all depends on our needs and the options we have in our city.

There are many factors that determine the choice of our gym and sport, listed here:

Area

Take into account the area of location: before choosing the gym we see if it is close to our home, work or educational establishment.

Hours

Watch the opening and closing. The idea is that you attend early, or end your day here. It is also important that is open on weekends, as many people take advantage of that free time to exercise.

Quality

The quality of facilities is very important, although we are not coaches or experts in the field, anyway we can take into account aspects such as the number of machines, the cleanliness, order, the materials, the attentiveness of the staff, the extra services such as sauna, massage. Even we need to look at the quality of equipment, the mats, the steps, dumbbells, elastic bands. A good gym always has its elements in a position, clean and healthy. As prospective clients, we have a right to know the facilities, so you can request a visit to see the rooms and the activities that they develop, the overall atmosphere of the gym, cleaning, order or the availability of coaches. Another aspect of quality is that the air is clean at the time to train, for that the establishment must have adequate ventilation and climate conditioning. In some areas it is essential during the summer air conditioning and in winter, heating is required.

Professionals

They should be teachers, and experienced coaches to guide the new enrollees. The key to a successful outcome is the trainer's guide. You should also check the level of classes, if we're rookies will require more help than if we already know about training. People who are in charge of running the classes must have the relevant formal qualifications that are credited to exercise such a work: physical education graduates, degrees valid as coach, and so on.

Coaches and / or monitors should be available in each of the rooms where activities are carried out, they are who tell users how to execute a routine or properly manage a equipment, in some cases also should design tailored exercise routines to the needs of each person according to the specifications or the results of prior medical evaluation.

Price

It is good to compare prices and services from different gyms as some may have great facilities, but if you won’t use them then is more convenient to enroll in a smaller and economically; appropriate details on the commitments that are purchased at the register because in some schools is compulsory household monthly installments, pay a minimum of months in advance or registration, and so on., do not forget to ask things like: what happens if I resign temporarily. It is also very useful to find out the current promotions, discounts for students or others.

Cleaning

A gym should comply strictly with the rules of hygiene and cleanliness, both in the fitness and in the locker room and additional areas that can offer services such as saunas, steam baths, swimming pools, hot tubs or tanning beds.

Cleanliness and order must go hand in hand, the center must have adequate storage cupboards with items that practice sport and lockers for their members to guard their belongings during the time they are exercising. A good way to determine the cleanliness of the site is to visit the showers, if they are clean, this is indicative that the gym gets a good maintenance.

Other detail and service

The music, the availability of towels, paper to dry the sweat off the machines after use, water dispensers, etc. are important details to consider. Moreover, it will be very useful to check if the gym offers additional services such as parking, restaurant or cafeteria, laundry, child care, physiotherapy, security, among others can be a determining factor in selection.

In some countries it is compulsory medical examination before beginning any fitness and health clubs. They have a doctor's office where a specialist is responsible for such an assessment in any case is important because each person has a physical condition and needs also to determine more precisely what kind of training should do and how to make the most without risking unnecessary damage or injury.

About the author
  • Jorgelina Reyente

    Expert in healthy cooking recipes and healthy lifestyle habits. She has a degree in communication sciences from the University of Buenos Aires.  She has completed postgraduate training in social sciences at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University - Paris III, France.

3 Replies to “Choosing the perfect Gym”
  • Jacob says:

    Well, the gym I assists is pretty cool especially because of the professional, surely they are men that have been working for years and they know how to do their work. However, the machines are a little bit old, well all this can be accepted as the price is very affordable, and well the idea is that you feel comfortable at your gym, with the people too.

  • Brenda@ gym towels says:

    I think a high-quality fitness center at all times has its essentials in a location, hygienic and in good physical shape. As eventual customers, we have a right to know the services, so you can ask for a visit to see the rooms and the behavior that they build up the overall environment of the gym, clean-up, order or the accessibility of coaches. Thanks for sharing the essential post.

  • Stacy says:

    The perfect gym for me is being outside. There is no better workout I could get, slaving away inside on some sweaty machine, staring at a screen, that just going outside, breathign fresh air, and exercising my mind and body in the great outdoors. I have never been impressed by gym-goers, and I think a lot of gyms cater to this very rigid (and often unatainable) idea that we have that being healthy and fit can only be done when slaving away on a machine.