4 Things to Do Before You Join a New Gym
If you are familiar with this blog, you know that we have been talking quite a bit about exercising at home. It does not mean you should not exercise elsewhere from your home.
Here are some articles to help if you are looking to exercise at home:
- Important At-Home Exercise Equipment
- At-Home Exercises to Get Rid of Belly Fat
- Online Exercise/Fitness Programs
On the other hand, I personally do exercise at gyms because I find it much more fun to keep myself accountable with other people with similar pursuits.
That said, it does not mean that every gym is built equal. There are predatory gyms that chain you with their contracts. You might find yourself with unwanted attention. The drive to the gym is always a dread.
To avoid all the hassles, here are the 4 things you need to do before you join a new gym.
Summary
Location, Location, Location
When you look for a new gym, treat it like you are finding a new home. Make it as convenient as possible. That means this gym location needs to be close to where you work or live.
Despite how motivated you are, you will find it hard to make time for the gym if it involves a 2-hour drive after a hard day of work. That is a fact of daily life.
By choosing a convenient location, you remove one hurdle to exercising. This is your #1 to do before you join a new gym, you need to make sure that you can physically be there.
Unlike at-home workouts, you WILL have to travel. Is it feasible to get there on a regular basis? It does not matter if the gym has exquisite equipment and you are not there to use it.
Give the Gym a Try
Once you have found a prospective gym, it is time to try it out. Any reputable place will give you a trial period, free or paid.
The trial period can be one day (for big box gyms) to two weeks (for more boutique places). If you have to pay, the price should be much cheaper than their regular membership packages.
While you are there, look for both green and red flags. It is time to learn about the culture of the gym. Ask yourself these questions:
- How are people interacting with one another?
- How is the equipment being used?
- Do you feel comfortable and accepted at the gym?
- Is it dirty or well-kept?
Of course, always go with your intuition. If you feel the new location is a good fit, it is! Congratulations, you have found a new place to exercise.
If there is anything that raises your concern, it might be a reason to keep looking. Getting a feel of the place is equally important to do before you join a new gym.
You want to make sure that your money is worth it. ( $ _ $ )
Related post: LA Fitness Reviews from Consumer Affairs
Review the Contract
Be careful when it comes to your hard-earned money. This is the ONE thing you need to do before you join a new gym. Why?
You have heard horror stories. Somebody you know wants to cancel their gym membership, for whatever reason that is private to them, but they are unable to do so.
The gym might even send their unpaid membership to collection, thus affecting their credit score and creating unnecessary worries.
There are gyms out there that do not tie you down with their contracts. You might find yourself with a pay-as-you-go payment plan or get to choose if you want to pay for the month’s membership.
At some other places, you might sign up for a membership but canceling it is extremely easy. You want to be able to cancel by email or with an easy form.
The easiest way to find out if the cancellation process is reasonable, you should look up the gym and their cancellation reviews. Big box gyms will usually have pages of people talking about their policies.
Work Out Your Schedule
Once you have signed the dotted line (or scribble your finger on a touchscreen), it is time to make everything real.
Setting aside time to go to the gym is definitely a thing to do before you join a new gym. You have made the financial commitment. Now, you need to use this new resource wisely.
Big box gyms make their money by banking you NOT showing up. That is the main reason why gyms are so crowded in January but die down at the end of March.
It involves you actually going to the gym, using the equipment, and building up your health.
- Do you exercise before or after work?
- Do you plan to go with someone else?
- What is your plan once you get there?
- How long is your exercise routine?
You must think about what you want to do before joining a new gym. It is an easy financial commitment but you do not want to be ripped off at the same time.
In Conclusion: What to Do Before You Join a New Gym
It is easy to think that you can stick to a new exercise routine if you make a financial commitment. But as you can see the crowd dies down after the New Year rush, and spending money is not the best way going forward.
You need to make it to the gym regularly. That is the key to you becoming healthier and not throwing your money out of the window.
It is something I can help you achieve. We can chat before you make the purchase to plan out the step-by-step guide that is unique to you.
It is a one-time purchase for 1-month of support. If you are interested, click the link below as another checklist to do before you join a new gym.
