Fitness Centers

There are currently over 53,000 gyms and health and fitness centers located throughout the United States. Although this may seem like a staggering number, it is likely to continue to grow as more and more Americans decide to take a more active approach to their personal fitness level.

When considering whether to become a member of a fitness center, it's crucial to understand that different fitness centers offer different exercise options and other features.

If is important to define the specific amenities that you are looking for in a fitness center prior to actually visiting them.

Many fitness centers have sales representatives that are fairly aggressive in their sales tactics, so you'll want to compile a list of advantages and disadvantages of each of the fitness centers that you are considering prior to actually signing a membership agreement.

In order to facilitate an active approach to your personal fitness level, it is important that you choose a fitness center where your time, money, and the amenities offered are aligned with your current lifestyle (i.e. hours of operation, location relative to home or work, childcare offerings, etc.), and that the fitness center meets all of your needs in terms of achieving your personal fitness goals.

Additional amenities that may be of specific importance:

1. Type of wet area offered (i.e. swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, etc.)

2. Classes offered/available times

3. Weight training/free weight areas offered

4. Availability of personal trainers that can assist in defining the most appropriate workout routine

5. Cardiovascular equipment offered (i.e. treadmills, stationary bikes, etc.)

6. Cardiovascular circuit training equipment offered

7. Other amenities offered (i.e. tanning beds, climbing wall, spa, massage therapists, etc.)

8. Indoor and outdoor courts offered (i.e. tennis, basketall, racquetball, etc.)

9. Whether or not there is a sports bar where nutritional drinks and supplements can be purchased

10. Availability of physical therapists to perform injury rehabilitation

This section of our website is designed to provide you with all of the information necessary to make an informed decision as to what type of fitness center will facilitate the attainment of your personal fitness goals. There are many items to consider prior to choosing a specific fitness center.

If you do not spend time to adequately evaluate the pros and cons of each fitness center, you may end up regretting your decision in a fitness center. If this becomes the case, and you have signed a 2-year or longer membership agreement with the fitness center, then you will be obligated to make each of the monthly payments for the entire term of the membership.

Choosing the Right Center for You

Each fitness center will have its own unique atmosphere and feel. For example, while one fitness center may have a more aggressive, standoffish feel, another fitness center may have a very calming and "down to earth" atmosphere.

Hence, it's advisable to visit all of the fitness centers that met your initial requirements prior to joining any single one. This will allow you the opportunity to compare the "vibe" of each fitness center.

In addition, it is highly recommended that you visit the fitness center at the time of the day/night when you plan to actually exercise. This will allow you to observe whether the facility is crowded when you plan on exercising.

Many fitness centers are extremely crowded at their peak hours of operation (i.e. prior to wok in the morning, during the lunch hour and immediately after work) so it's important to make sure that you won't have any difficulties accessing the equipment and participating in any of the group classes. 

Fitness centers are not for everyone. Some individuals actually prefer a private setting over a public facility. Determining your preference often involves a period of trial and error, but we think that by outlining the advantages and disadvantages associated with fitness centers, you can decide on an ideal method of training for yourself. Neither approach to your personal fitness is better than another, as it is simply a matter of personal preference. If you feel comfortable working out around other individuals, then by all means do so. In fact, many individuals find it easier to maintain their personal level of motivation by simply exercising around like-minded individuals.  

Cost and Location

There are a number of additional items that must be taken into consideration prior to choosing an ideal fitness center. For many individuals, the cost to join a fitness center may be one of the most important factors. It is important to remember that, as with many things in life, you get what you pay for. Hence, it is important to make sure that you won't be paying any additional fees for services that you'll never use.

Location is another important factor to consider prior to becoming a member at a fitness center. If the fitness center is not conveniently located near your everyday traveling patterns, then it may become difficult to visit the fitness center as frequently as you had planned. Once this occurs, it is often easy to break your workout schedule and stop going to the fitness center altogether.  Of course, everyone's situation is unique, and those with an especially strong commitment to a workout routine may find the time and motivation necessary to travel to an out-of-the-way gym.

Treat your Choice as an Investment

Choosing to join fitness center is an investment of your time and money, with personal health as the obvious return. For most people, today’s hectic and busy lifestyle does not leave a lot of spare time to allocate solely to health and fitness. Because of this, we have dedicated an entire section of our website to the subject of fitness centers.

It is important that you take the time to thoroughly evaluate whether joining a fitness center is the correct approach for you and your personal health and fitness. If the answer is "yes," then you must compare the pros and cons of each fitness center to ensure that you are choosing the one that will facilitate the attainment of your fitness goals.

Often times, an individual will join a fitness center, work out for 3 or 4 weeks, and then stop going altogether. Once the individual stops working out at the fitness center, they often view their attempt at taking an active approach to their health and fitness as a failure.

This leads to a total lack of motivation and the belief that they cannot obtain their personal fitness goals. By taking the time to choose the most ideal fitness center, you'll be putting yourself in a better position to succeed. 

Our hope is that by taking the time to read the articles associated with this section of our site, you will determine your best personal path to health, fitness and mental well-being.