Was your New Year's resolution to get fit by joining a gym or health club? It's not too late, but are you sure it's the right way to get fit?
The Women’s Health Centre at the Mayo Clinic can give you some pointers on deciding whether to join that health club.
The February issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource covers the pros and cons to consider before joining a gym. Add them up and see if going to the gym is what you need to do to improve your fitness.
Advantages of Gym Membership
There are lots of good reasons to consider joining a gym to lose weight and improve your fitness. They include:
Choice of equipment, classes: Gyms and health clubs offer the choice of many different types of equipment, classes and activities. Some clubs also offer luxury features such as a spa or beauty salon
Institutional-size features: Some health clubs offer Olympic-sized pools, racquetball and tennis courts or a running track
Professional support: Fitness and training professionals can custom-design programs to help you reach your fitness goals
Safety: Professional, certified staff offer guidance on proper techniques and form to prevent injury while exercising
Protection from the weather: It’s never too hot, too cold or wet inside a fitness facility!
Motivation and camaraderie: Meeting a friend for a yoga class or being surrounded by others who exercise can be encouraging and motivate you to keep going and work harder.
The Downside of Gym Membership
On the other hand, there are negative factors to consider. The major ones are cost and inconvenience.
Cost: Memberships can be expensive and some are based on long-term contracts. By some estimates, it takes two visits a week over several months to justify the expense. Before signing up for a membership contract, consider paying a “per visit” fee to try out the facility.
Inconvenience: If the health club is too far away, too crowded, or takes too much time to get to and from, it might not be your best fitness option. Take a look at some of the many other ways to exercise beyond joining a health club.
Finding the Right Club
If the pros outweigh the cons and you decide gym membership is the way to get fit, consider a health club that tailors its programs to suit individual goals and interests.
Consider, do you need all of the facilities and equipment offered? For example, if you don’t swim or play racquetball, you might look for a smaller facility that suits your needs at a lower membership fee.
Whatever its size, a gym or health club should have a comfortable atmosphere, be clean, and have a friendly and inviting staff and well-maintained equipment.
The copyright of the article Health Club Membership: Yes or No? in Women’s Health is owned by Sue Cartledge. Permission to republish Health Club Membership: Yes or No? must be granted by the author in writing.