Find a gym near me
How exactly to Select a Gym to Match Your Goals
So you intend to join a fresh gym. How should you choose amongst the countless and varied gyms available? It could be confusing to priorities all the various considerations, and quite simple to be swayed by a good salesperson once you visit a gym. Arm yourself with this checklist so that you make the best decision for you. And always visit several gyms before making your final decision.
You'll need a gym that's convenient to get to. If it will take too long to access, you're less likely to put it to use as often as you need to (ideally 3 times a week). So consider one within walking distance (cuts out the problems of public transport delays or traffic jams), or if you're driving there, check ease (and cost) of parking. One near home or work will be ideal, with respect to the days and times you wish to train. Find a gym near me option from gyminfoguru.com website can help you to find right gym.
Beware, just because a gym is geographically quite near you, doesn't necessarily mean it's convenient. I are now living in London, and one gym I joined was 2 miles down the road, but the public transport to that particular gym was so slow, it took me longer to attain compared to the next gym I joined, 3 miles away, but effectively associated with a door to door train ride. So ensure you do the journey during the time you intend to utilize the gym, go get a precise notion of journey times.
Equipment
The main element question you will need to think about is, "what are my goals? ".Then pick a gym whose equipment matches your goals. So if you're after muscle growth, pick a gym with ample free weights (dumbbells and barbells, cable crossovers, benches with both flat and incline options, squat racks). And if yoga and stretching can be your thing, you'll need a gym with a yoga studio and plenty of space for stretching.
Read the layout of the gym. Does it feel energizing for you? Will there be space to move around? Is the total amount of equipment right for you? Personally I don't like vast rows of treadmills as far as a person's eye can easily see, with little alternative cardio equipment (cross trainers, bikes, rowing machines). And I hate small cramped free-weights areas, I love my free-weights areas to be spacious and a great distance between weights benches to avoid bumping into the individual next to you. I've experienced some gyms in Australia where in fact the free weights areas were awesome. Less so in the UK.
Another thing to think about is the music in the gym. Do you want loud music, or do you prefer to work out in a peaceful atmosphere? One gym I used had 2 floors having an open mezzanine, with loud rock music from top of the level clashing with the loud pop music downstairs, which was massively irritating to the ears.
Staff
The very first people you'll probably see would be the reception staff. Are they welcoming, friendly, knowledgeable? All these exact things count for a great deal if you're likely to talk with them every time you arrived at the gym.
Then look at the option of gym instructors and personal trainers. Are they available, attentive, and approachable? Talk for them and you'll see.
One thing that put me quickly one gym I visited was reception staff eating doughnuts, painting their nails (and that was just the guys), and when I left, I saw among the gym instructors standing outside smoking a cigarette. Ugh.
In contrast, my current gym has friendly, lively, chatty and knowledgeable staff. It makes such a huge difference to your gym experience. All the personal trainers and gym instructors have their photos on the wall, with a quick biog about them. I chat for them about the most recent workout trends, nutrition tips, and they're all really knowledgeable. So once you visit a gym with a view to joining, try chatting to a few of the staff and you'll get an idea of how friendly and knowledgeable they are.
Showers & Changing Rooms
This really is where most gyms let themselves down badly. The changing rooms are often cramped, with small/narrow lockers which are challenging to get your entire stuff into. Once I took a sports bag to a fresh gym only to discover that locker was too small for the bag to fit into.
Always ask to begin to see the changing area (and showers too, don't be shy), and look out for broken lockers, cleanliness. One gym in East London I checked out (and didn't join!) had a changing area littered with sticking plasters, cotton buds, empty drinks cartons, chocolate wrappers.
In contrast, when I spent per year in Australia, I joined a gym with the cleanest and most spaceous changing area imaginable. The lockers were double width to fit the largest of sports bags, and a mild even came on in the locker once you opened it.