Signing up for a gym membership can be pretty exciting, but will you be able to keep a consistent workout schedule as dinners and happy hours come up? A simple solution to staying invested is finding a gym that’s a perfect match for you. Tivity Health™ outlines four questions to ask yourself before signing on the dotted line.
- What are my goals? Are you looking to drop pounds or build muscle? If so, you’ll likely benefit from a personal trainer and a nutritionist who can help track your progress. Looking to have fun and make friends? The gym you pick should have plenty of classes to choose from with beginner-level workouts.
- What workouts do you love and which do you hate? If you don’t enjoy your workout, you’re not going to stick with it. So if you hate high-intensity exercise, a boot camp-style gym may not be the best gym for you. Similarly, consider what you’re uncomfortable doing. If you have chronic hip or knee pain, a heavy rotation of kickboxing, powerlifting and plyometrics classes might not be a good fit.
- Is it in a convenient location? Modern equipment and a warm sauna might seem like enough incentive to drive 30 minutes, but that logic quickly fades when your alarm goes off at 5 a.m. Convenience is crucial. Pick a facility close to your home or work.
- Are the trainers and instructors certified? You wouldn’t buy a used car without taking a look under the hood first, would you? The same goes for pricey personal training packages. If you’re interested in a personal trainer or a group fitness class, ask the trainer or instructor some basic details about their background. What certifications do they have, and what types of clients have they trained in the past?