How to Choose the Right Gym For Your Workouts

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT GYM

Looking for that ‘How’ to choose the right gym? Let’s face it, there are a million different gyms out there today and all of them are a little bit different. We at Strand Fitness want to make a point of difference and offer a little bit of EVERYTHING. With our new location at the Townsville Health Hub, we have the luxury (and we are able to offer all our members luxury therefore too) to have everything under one roof. A large gym with cardio equipment, a floor for weight machines and the Dungeon in the basement for powerlifting and body strength exercises.

Finding a gym you feel comfortable with is key. If you join a gym where you are uncomfortable or intimidated, you will more than likely quit and give up. Therefore it is important to really feel at home with whatever gym you choose.

“THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN DECIDING WHAT GYM WOULD SUIT YOU BEST. YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF WORKOUT YOU WANT TO GET AND GO FROM THERE.”

There are a lot of things to think about before making a decision to join and commit to a gym. We outlined a few basic things below.

LOCATION

Is the location of the gym accessible to you? You want to find a gym where you don’t have to travel very far and that you know you wouldn’t mind driving to. If the gym is too far and cuts into too much time of your day, more than likely you aren’t going to stick with it too long or not as often as you would like.

Consider finding a place that is close to where you work, so you can go there before or after work, or during a lunch hour. Look to see if there is anything close to your house. That will enable you to go to the gym whenever you want and you don’t have to worry about cutting into precious time during the day—especially good when you are looking for a quick workout or some cardio.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Do their hours fit with your schedule? Can you comfortably get in a workout and not be pushed for time? You want to make sure that, if you are paying for a membership, your workout schedule is well within their hours of operation, if not, you will be wasting your money by not being able to fully utilise their facility and get a good workout.

Strand Fitness is a 24-hours gym to ensure you that no matter what time it is, you can go get in a workout. If you would like a 24-hour card, please let our team know.

COST

This should really be at the top of your list. How much money will it cost you and will you get your money’s worth? It’s much easier to spend a little extra money on a membership with a gym that has top of the line equipment and that is more inspirational to be in, rather than a worn-down gym that looks like a cave.

Make sure you compare what you are getting for your membership as a few gyms have different benefits than others. Make sure to go and visit a few gyms to get the full picture and to get a feel of their atmosphere before you join.

CLEANLINESS

How clean is the facility? Are there staff members who wipe down the equipment daily? Do they make sure members wipe down their equipment after using it? Is there trash on the floor? Are their locker rooms a mess? These are all things to consider when purchasing a membership.

If the place looks like a mess, you need to evaluate if that is something you can put up with every day visiting the gym. For most people, a trashy gym is a huge turnoff. If they can’t take care of their facility, how do you expect them to take care of you?

EQUIPMENT

The equipment that you use needs to be in good working condition, with no problems with its usage. Look at the different styles and brands of equipment that they have, and make sure that it is something you are interested in using. How is the free-weight room?

Make sure the dumbbells aren’t broken or that there aren’t dumbbells missing or that one of the pairs isn’t missing. Make sure the grips on the barbells are not worn down so bad that they are completely smooth and your grip will be compromised.

CLIENTELE

What types of people are working out at the gym? Do you see many men? Do you see mainly women? Is there a good split between both? Make sure you feel comfortable working around the people you see at the gym.

“MAKE SURE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WORKING AROUND THE PEOPLE YOU SEE AT THE GYM. SOME GYMS ARE KNOWN FOR BEING MORE HARDCORE SUCH AS THE POWERLIFTING GYMS AND THE BODYBUILDING GYMS.”

If you feel intimidated or unsafe being around these types of people when working out, keep searching for a place that you can call home. Remember, searching for the right gym is all about you, no one else.

ATMOSPHERE

How is the atmosphere of the gym? Is it upbeat or is it bland? Find a gym that is inspirational and makes you want to workout. There is nothing worse than going to a gym to work out and feel like you are stuck on a dreary day.

Find a gym that is bright and energises you. Look around and see how the members are interacting. Are they friendly or are they, snobs? Comfort level plays a huge part in motivating yourself to go to the gym for a gruelling workout.

DO YOU WANT TO TRY OUT THE GYM FIRST?

No matter what you see, you can try out the gym before you purchase a membership. We at Strand Fitness offer a mini membership so you can try us out for a week before you commit to our gym.