How to Choose a Gym:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding the Right One for You

After a long day of stress at work, the last thing you want is a repeat at the gym. But by the time you get there, the place is in turmoil. The treadmills are full, weights litter the floor, and the only available machine is shooting sparks in your direction. As a personal trainer, I have seen this a thousand times. But rather than hurling a barbell in frustration, you can avoid the hassle by following these simple guidelines I have put together for choosing a gym.

Play Detective

While first impressions may prove lasting, they aren’t substantial enough on which to base any decisions concerning how or where you plan to spend a considerable chunk of your time. You wouldn’t propose marriage to someone you just passed on the street (at least I hope not!). And you certainly shouldn’t choose a gym based on commercials, how it looks from the outside, or how it looks during a five-minute tour.

Perhaps the equipment looks great, the staff seems friendly, and there’s ample space to move around. But keep in mind there’s no way to accurately assess a gym in one visit. Most gyms offer free trial passes to prospective members (some good for as long as two weeks to one month), so rather than signing up right away, say you’d like to try the place out several times first, in order to judge the atmosphere for yourself.

This is your time to play detective, so look, listen, and chat up other members about their experiences at the gym. When does it get most crowded? Do the gym's peak hours coincide with your workout time? Do the personal trainers know the difference between a hack squat and a hack saw? Do you have permission to change the television channels while doing cardio? While these questions may seem nit-picky, I assure you they are all fair game when evaluating an environment in which you plan to spend a good deal of your time.

The Tour

Keep an Eye on the Equipment

Perhaps you were impressed by the well-kept look of the extensive collection of equipment on your initial tour. All those flashing lights! All that spectacular beeping! But the key word here is "look" because without sampling each piece of equipment for yourself it’s easy to overlook what’s really important. When dealing with free weights, I always take particular notice of the dumbbells as a mark of a gym's quality. Do they go above 110 pounds? Are the handles securely fastened to the weights, and are the weights orderly racked, or laying all over the floor? The dumbbell rack is the center of activity of any weight room, and the state of the dumbbells is a direct reflection on the way both club members and staff treat the gym.

When it comes to the machines (weight, cardio), be sure to test out the how fluidly each of them moves. Any strange sights or sounds should be taken in to account (not even on the 4th of July should sparks fly from the machine!) Question the staff about how often they machines are cleaned and checked for proper functioning. Also observe whether towels are on hand for members to wipe off any sweat from the machines after working out.

DO Sweat about the Small Stuff

Finally, while the gym floor may have passed your inspection, there are many smaller, but no less important, details that are often overlooked. The advantage of visiting for several days is that you’re best able to observe the way the gym functions during its busiest hours, when air-conditioning and cardio machines are most likely to malfunction, and obnoxious lines are bound to form. By observing these conditions at the gym’s peak hours, you’ll know just what to expect in worst-case scenarios.

Further relating to your comfort level is the layout. How high are the ceilings? Are you going to feel like you’re running in a broom closet? Where is the locker room? Will flexing in the the mirrored walls distract you from your task?Keep in mind each of these factors, as well as the staff's ability to address them, will inevitably affect your workout. So choose wisely, and carefully.

Putting It All Together

I often advise my clients who are interested in joining a gym to jot down a checklist consisting of the following three categories:

(1) Equipmentâ€"Is all the equipment necessary for your workout present?
(2) Amenitiesâ€"Are all the basic elements ensuring your comfort present and well-maintained/stocked (i.e. air-conditioning, towels to clean up equipment after using them, showers (hot water, water pressure), locks on lockers, etc.)?
(3) Atmosphereâ€"Is the staff helpful, reliable, and friendly? Do you have an overall sense of comfort being there?

On the day of your initial tour, this list doesn’t often exceed a single page, yet by the end of your free trial you might find yourself with a bookful of notes. With this in mind, it’s generally best put several gyms “on trial,� and compare and contrast, in order to get the best sense of what you’re looking for. And regardless of your initial physical condition, half the battle in fitness-training is developing a commitment to exercise. And you’ll only do this in a place where you feel comfortable. Choosing the right gym can literally mean the difference between success and failure. So take your time, do the necessary investigating, and make wise, informed decisions. Good luck!

By Chris Kelly, NASM, CFT

Chris Kelly is a NASM Certified Fitness Trainer, nutritionist, and operator of the fitness consulting firm, CK Wellness (www.ck-wellness.com), which also offers Online Fitness Training. Chris’ writings have been featured in Men's Health, Men's Exercise, and the Boston Globe. If you have any questions and/or comments, please direct them to: [Chris’ emodelmagazine.com e-mail address].

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