Choosing a health club tips

What do you want from your new health club, gym or leisure centre? Free spa's, squash courts, personal trainers or just a bar to relax in after your workout. These are all factors you should consider before you shell out your membership and possibly a joining fee on your new health kick.

We are not going to tell you what to ask, but would like to point you in the right direction. In the following few paragraphs we list some of the questions we believe you should be asking of both yourself and the club you are about to join:

Ask youself:

• What facilities do I really need? (racquets, personal trainers etc.)
• What do I actually want to achieve? (aerobic fitness, weight loss etc.)
• What times can I go to the gym? (early mornings, daytime, or weekends?)
• Do I want professional advice? (weights, nutrition etc.)
• How often will I go to the gym? (membership Vs pay each time)
• How will I get there? (car, tube, bus etc.)

Ask your gym:

1. How much is it to join?
   
2. Is there a one-off joining fee as well as monthly fees?
   
3. What is included in the basic membership cost?
   
4. What is not included? (e.g. creche,sunbeds,towels etc)
   
5. How many members are there and do you have a limit?
   
6. Do you have a trial period to try out the facilities?
   
7. Is there car parking?
   
8. What local transport exists to get to and from the gym?
   
9. How much is it to bring a non-member?
   
10. What are your opening hours?
    

Professional advice

1. Are there professionally qualified fitness instructors here?
   
2. Do I get professional advice on using the equipment when I join?
   
3. Do I get a free personal health & fitness check up when I join?
   
4. Are there periodic reviews of my programme and fitness?
   
5. How often can you have a professional trainer advise you on your programme?
   
6. What qualifications do the gym staff have? (e.g. first aid, nutrition etc.)
   

Additional questions

1. What (fitness) classes do you have?
   
2. When are these run and are they always full?
   
3. Do you have a sprung aerobics studio floor?
   
4. Do you have air conditioning?
   
5. Are there plans for additional services?
   
6. Is there a separate ladies gym?
   
7. What changing facilities are there?

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We hope this helps you. Feel free to print this off and take with you to the gym - most people forget to ask and once you have paid it is normally an expensive mistake.