How to choose the right fitness club without mistakes. Check list

How do people usually choose which fitness club to buy a membership to? They look at the price, whether it’s convenient to get there, and the appearance – based on a photo or a personal visit for a couple of minutes.

And as a result, then unpleasant “surprises” begin, for example:

The price of the subscription does not include group classes, or they are included, but there are very few of them, and most are paid;
the club was watched on a weekend or during the day, and in the evening on weekdays, just when you go, it turns out to be terribly crowded;
in the hall itself everything is fine, but the locker room and shower, which we didn’t bother to look at, are very old and cramped.

And so on, just read any dissatisfied reviews about fitness clubs. Clubs do not deteriorate sharply; the service and number of services in them are always approximately the same from the opening. It’s just that when buying a subscription, for some reason many people seem to have their eyes closed.

This is what the fitness club looks like from the photo on its website

Therefore, below we will outline more different points that are worth considering when purchasing a subscription. Much is obvious, but often forgotten. And at the end, we will provide a short checklist of the main points that you should not forget to ask the sales managers at the fitness club.

Fitness Goals

Determine your priorities and goals. For example: - tone yourself up; - lose weight; - gain muscle mass, pump up; — master or improve skills in some direction (for example, boxing, crossfit or tennis); — play for fun: volleyball, football, basketball, water polo, etc.; - just swim, etc.

An important question: will you work out in a fitness club on your own, in individual classes with a trainer, or in specific group classes? Most often, people combine things, but one thing stands out.

It’s worth taking all this into account when choosing a club. Some fitness club memberships are all-inclusive, while at others you'll pay extra for all or certain group classes.

Perhaps a fitness club is completely unnecessary: if you want to “tighten up” your shape a little and sometimes run for health, working out at home and running on the street are quite suitable for you. Or not an annual subscription, but less or instead of unlimited - for a certain number of classes per year.

How to choose a trainer in the gym.

The next point will be choosing a coach. This is necessary for those who are in the gym for the first time.

Choosing a coach is not an easy task. Therefore, first, observe how the trainer treats other clients. If he loves his job, it means he is interested in the result.

It is important to find out not only the general experience of the instructor in the fitness industry, but also in a specific club.
If you have health problems, please let us know. The coach must be aware of them in order to take them into account when drawing up a training program.
Highly qualified trainers, as a rule, graduated from a physics institute or technical school, have advanced training certificates, and participate in fitness conventions.
A qualified instructor will ask you questions when creating your training program. This is necessary to create an individual training program.
The ideal trainer will make you motivated, not terrified, to want to escape.

Convenient location of the fitness club

Most people go to a gym near home, work, or on the way in between. Spending extra time on the road is rarely justified, because there are probably clubs near you with a similar level of service and price.

Therefore, pay attention to transport accessibility when choosing a fitness center or sports club. If you are by car – travel time, whether the entrances are convenient, whether there is parking. If by public transport - distance from the metro or stops. Even if on foot - how many minutes to walk and are you really ready to walk this route all the time? . The location itself where the club is located may also have a slight influence. It is much more pleasant to go there if it is in a good area than in an industrial area.

The building itself also has an impact. If the club is located in a shopping complex, this is rather a small plus. After training, you can eat, buy groceries for home, and relax. Although there may be a minus if the transparent glazing overlooks, for example, a food court.

Which side of the window would you like to be on?

location

It is very important that the location of your gym is convenient, otherwise you will fall off the bandwagon before you know it.

After a long day at work, you don't want to spend a good hour battling traffic, another hour working out, and then another half hour driving home. You won't be back until 10pm! Instead, choose a gym that's on your route home. You'll be much less likely to miss it and feel guilty if you just drive by.

Fitness club opening hours

Ideally, the fitness club is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. But this happens very rarely. And not many people need it. A good and most common option is from 7 to 23 hours on weekdays, from 9 to 22 hours on weekends and holidays. Sometimes it’s a little better - up to 24 hours on weekdays or on weekends the same operating hours as on weekdays. Sometimes it can be worse – let’s say, the option from 9 to 22 o’clock on weekdays is less convenient. But again, it all depends on your schedule. Some people only go to the gym during the day.

Cancellation Policy

Finally, take a look at your gym's cancellation policy. If you sign up for a 3 year membership and then end up moving after a year due to work, what happens? It will be a bad situation if they do not offer any refund or membership transfer.

Some gyms are good in this regard and some are not, so you will have to weigh the likelihood of your cancellation among the other things discussed above when you make your decision.

Call to the fitness club

If the fitness club's website doesn't list prices, you'll probably have to call them first. And 2/3 of the clubs in Moscow and 1/2 of the clubs in St. Petersburg do not write down their prices (but that’s why we have collected on our website FitnessTop.ru the cost of annual passes for all fitness clubs, with a convenient filter by price).

They do not specifically indicate prices in order to encourage customers to call. And there the manager will try to convince you to come to the club, where he will also persistently sell a subscription. Even if you ask a simple question about the price of classes on their social networks, in most cases they will ask you to leave a phone number or write your own. A strange and annoying sales technique, but it is used in all fitness clubs.

Moreover, you will feel the fullness of the clinginess after a while. Even after a simple call, they will usually call you back within a week to ask what you decided. And they will repeat it later, with less frequency. And sometimes - even if you immediately refuse them. The best tactic here would be to say that they violated the Federal Law “On Personal Data.” You did not sign permission to use them, and calling you based on the fact that they once had your number is a violation of the law. They may even face large fines if you take the time to write it all down and send it to the right authorities. Well, or just enter the number in the phone block, if there is such an option.

Instead of calls or in parallel with them, SMS spam may begin. Various promotions will be showered on your phone, and this can continue for years. You can, of course, write to them with a request to remove your number from the mailing list, but not everyone is lucky. It’s better to simply block receiving SMS from this fitness club. This is easy to do if the sender's number is visible. But even if there is a name instead of a number, you can block it through the operator in a few seconds, while simultaneously complaining to him about spam. Google short numbers on how to do this - each mobile operator has its own procedures (for example, MTS 6333 and 4424).

Therefore, resume - better not leave your phone number! :) Although this is not a guarantee, alas, if you called them yourself.

When talking with the manager, ask immediately what you need. Otherwise, they will take the initiative with questions like “what do you want to attend in the hall,” etc. And for a few minutes they will scatter advertising slogans in front of you and invite you to come to them, emphasizing “only now a unique promotion.” And they will definitely try to sign you up somewhere - it would be nice for a free guest visit to a fitness club, when you can work out, or even just to the managers.

An artificial excitement is created, a feeling that they are supposedly busy. In fact, at almost any time you can come and calmly inspect the club and conclude an agreement (except perhaps during peak hours in large clubs during promotional periods).

The goal of managers is not to help you, but to sell.

Opening hours

Always be sure to check the gym's opening hours. If you're doing morning exercise, you'll want to make sure they're open at the time you want to go. Also, ask about their vacation policy. Many people love to exercise during the holidays because it is a relaxing day for them where they can actually get a good workout.

If you're looking forward to it and then go and find the gym is closed, you'll be more than disappointed. Likewise, there are some people who prefer to work late at night, so you need to be sure that if this is the case, you will be able to do so.

“A study by American scientists from Williamsburg determined that the best time for training is from 16.00 to 20.00. The study involved 100 healthy, untrained men who performed a series of strength tests at different times (8:00, 12:00, 16:00 and 20:00).

As a result, it turned out that maximum muscle performance was achieved in the evening, but only during exercise with rapid movements. This is because the activation of fast-twitch muscle fibers (responsible for lifting heavy weights and running quickly) is much better when the body temperature is higher, which corresponds to the afternoon (evening time).” — This is reported by the source: https://sportwiki.to

Read also: Six new studies in bodybuilding.

Visit to the fitness club

Viewing photos and reading reviews is only enough to decide whether this fitness club is worth considering for yourself. And the decision to purchase should be made only after a personal visit. Especially if you take an annual subscription, and it’s not the cheapest one. Half of the fitness clubs, even expensive ones, offer a free trial visit (look in the additional services filter on FitnessTop). Sometimes it can be negotiated individually, even if there is no such option.

This is what the fitness club looks like on your first visit

Personal Trainers

Check and make sure that the gym you are considering offers qualified personal trainers. Too often, gyms hire personal trainers more for their sales ability than for their actual knowledge about health and fitness.

This can lead to a potentially disastrous situation if you are new to working out. Make sure that there is a wide selection of trainers as well, so that you can be sure to find one at the specific time you want to undergo training.

Total area and number of halls

The more square meters, halls and their visual separation, the more freely it will be to study later. Large clubs have several rooms. There may even be game rooms or tennis courts.

Of course, everyone has their own idea of what a fitness club should be. But even in small fitness clubs there should be a standard in any case: a gym with a separate cardio zone and at least one, and preferably two rooms for group classes. As well as men's and women's locker rooms with showers and preferably a sauna.

Check the equipment for cleanliness

Gyms are breeding grounds for bacteria, so keeping them clean requires a lot more than just janitors mopping the floors at night. According to the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, in the gyms surveyed, rhinovirus (the causative agent of the common cold) was detected on 63% of all surfaces with which we come into contact with our hands. A cleaning crew must come daily, but staff must also wipe down the exercise equipment throughout the day. When you visit a gym, see if the gym has a strict policy of wiping down all equipment (especially barbells) after use. If not, look for other options, or come stocked with hand sanitizer.

Quality and quantity of equipment

It’s worth walking through the hall and looking at what you need: strength training equipment (weight block, lever, cable, electronically controlled), cardio equipment, free weights, additional equipment for aerobics and other activities (mats, step platforms, body bars, jump ropes, weights, fitballs , rubber bands).

When making sales, the manager will talk about equipment from “well-known brands.” But the brand does not always mean the best, only the minimum guarantee. And even if it is really famous, it is worth assessing the condition of the simulators. And even more important is the quantity, so as not to stand in line for the simulator later.

Evaluate the dumbbell row: ideally from 1 to 10 kg in 1 kg increments, and then in 2-2.5 kg increments up to at least 50 kg. How many barbells, what kind of bars? There are Olympic ones with a smooth glass with a diameter of 5 cm, there are amateur ones with a diameter of 3 cm and a screw-on nut.

Look how many pancakes there are in the hall. Are there many racks? Are there benches with adjustable angles? Is there a weightlifting platform (useful at least for deadlifts).

In old halls, the equipment is often welded by hand, riveted together from bolts and nuts. And prefabricated dumbbells. Of course, the main thing is that it works, but some people won’t like it, and the risks during the work are higher.

There should not be a high density of exercise equipment. Treadmills, exercise bikes, and ellipsoids should be at least an arm's length apart from each other.

Training in critical conditions

Once again, looking into your wallet and thinking about how to choose a fitness club, oddly enough, you will come across clubs of this level that you can go to with a subscription. Most often, these are sports institutions of domestic formation and quite Soviet equipment, on the basis of all kinds of sports schools, sports complexes, and so on. Created during the union, which have existed to this day, but have fallen into disrepair due to lack of funding, these sports clubs provide an opportunity for everyone, as a rule, to join the old school of fitness and bodybuilding for a minimal fee.

The equipment in such halls is often hand-welded and riveted from bolts and nuts, with cables purchased from a nearby hardware store. The dumbbell row in this case will present approximately the same picture, where the step of the scales will be different, each pair of dumbbells will be individually assembled from improvised pieces of pipes and metal. Cardio equipment can easily be represented by domestic copies of “Sport” roller treadmills and “Health” magnetic exercise bikes. In some places, such establishments can look quite decent, but sometimes you can find peeling walls, rusty exercise equipment and flickering lamps, which, coupled with the suffocating smell of the basement, will create the atmosphere of a horror film. Sometimes, when there is no fish and no bleach, you don’t have to choose. In this case, just pay attention to the functionality of the existing equipment to make sure it is completely safe and only then purchase a subscription.

Now let’s imagine that for one reason or another, you want to study on your own. We know for sure that you will not go to the fitness club, so you will have two options. The first is that to perform the vast majority of exercises, for all parts of the body, you will only need collapsible dumbbells. Either you buy them, or find them and requisition them from friends. And the more weight that can be adjusted, the better for you. Dumbbells are perhaps the most necessary element of the training process, since they can be used to perform exercises for all muscle groups.

The second scenario is that to perform, again, a fairly large arsenal of exercises, you will need TRX loops. You can find information about what they are, what they are for and how to use them in the list of articles “Accessories” in the “Hardware” section in the “Instructor” catalogue. I won’t go on and on, and I’ll just say that the ideal option in this case would be to purchase both dumbbells and loops. In both cases, even in conditions of almost complete lack of equipment for training, keep in mind that with both dumbbells and straps you can easily build a training process with exercises for all muscle groups.

Schedule of group classes

Find out about the types and number of group programs at the fitness club. See if their schedule works for you.

It often happens that not all such classes are included in the price of the subscription. And if there are many paid groups, managers will try to hide this point when purchasing a subscription. Therefore, it is better to immediately ask to familiarize yourself with the schedule of classes at the club and other conditions. For example, there may be limits on entries into groups.

Be sure to check the class schedule if you plan to attend group programs.

Oh, sensei!

Some beginners believe that when it comes time to decide which gym to visit, choosing an instructor is a secondary factor.
Deep misconception. An experienced trainer is the key to safe and effective training. Therefore, it is advisable to come and personally meet the future instructor before purchasing a subscription. An experienced specialist can be identified by at least the following actions: ♦ will inquire about the purpose of the training and, if necessary, help correct it;

♦ will find out the level of initial training: previous sports experience and the degree of physical activity in everyday life;

♦ will clarify the presence of medical contraindications. These points should be reflected in the preparation of group or individual lessons;

♦ will tell you how to take the correct position when performing a particular exercise.

The future instructor must also be likable in personal communication, be friendly and polite, but at the same time demanding, and have work experience. You can take classes with several specialists, and then choose the one whose technique is closer.

Condition of the main and additional premises

You will immediately notice the comfort of the gym and the quality of the renovation. But also immediately pay special attention to the ventilation systems, especially in summer. It is better if the ceilings are high - this is the only way to ensure high-quality ventilation of such a large and complex room as a fitness center.

It should be a little cool and fresh, especially in the cardio zone. Note whether the lighting is good. Too bright is tiring, but weak is worse and more dangerous.

Go to the locker room, look into the shower or sauna. Many reviews then complain about the lack of cleanliness there.

If the hall has a swimming pool, that’s a plus. The presence of hydromassage and Turkish hammam is also a plus. Although if you don’t need a pool, then this is rather a minus, since it is already included in the price. It is advisable that the pool be 25 m long - the minimum acceptable length for professional swimming pools. Very often there are only 3-4 lanes, not 6. Many reviews complain about the pool being full. If it is important to you, check immediately at the time you need how many people are there.

Cardio equipment

Every gym, I repeat - every one!, should have cardio equipment. Every athlete who has decided to throw in his lot with the iron world is required to periodically devote time to jogging and riding cardio equipment. Without this, bodybuilding will be incomplete. And you don’t need to listen to those jocks who mistakenly insist that running prevents them from gaining muscle mass.

In fact, running gives us many, many, many benefits. I won’t describe everything today; in the future I will publish a separate article about the benefits of running in bodybuilding. Today I will say that everyone should run or pedal at the beginning of the workout and at the end of the workout! So I ask you to draw your attention to the presence of a cardio zone in the gym; cardio equipment should be accessible and in abundance.

We are primarily interested in treadmills and exercise bikes.

Additional services

Individual lessons are available everywhere, the question is the quality of the trainers and the price. If you are definitely not ready to study on your own, look in advance at what kind of trainers work here and their qualifications. Do you have medical or sports education, certificates, or work experience?

Some people need a fitness bar, solarium or massage. Not all fitness clubs have this all. But usually clubs from middle level and above already have them. Expensive clubs may also have a doctor or nutritionist and test clients.

Parents will find it useful to have a working children's room. There are paid ones and with limited operating hours.

It is very convenient when the fitness center provides free towels and there are coolers with water and cups.

Some clubs give clients several free guest visits for their friends, which can be convenient.

It will be an additional advantage if the fitness club has a convenient website or application. All well-known online clubs have their own applications. There you can view the schedule of group programs, sign up for classes, and freeze your subscription.

You can download the application and check its operation and schedule without a subscription.

Even something as seemingly trivial as whether music is playing in the hall can be important. It’s better if it plays, but in the background – quietly, unobtrusively and actively. And under no circumstances is it radio.

You can try to evaluate the politeness of the staff. There are many reviews on the Internet that are negative about this. However, for now you only communicate with sales managers, and they will definitely be as courteous as possible before the purchase. :)

And this is what the fitness club looks like a month after starting there

Type/Quality of Equipment

Another thing is to look at the type and quality of equipment offered at the gym. If you find yourself doing a lot of cardio as part of your workouts, you'll want to make sure there are enough machines available. There's nothing more frustrating than arriving at the gym after work and finding that there's not a single piece of equipment in sight that you can use.

Read also: Build Muscle During the Day and While You Sleep: A Guide to Optimal Growth.

Ask if they offer a registration list where you can write down your name and time to reserve a car. This is a great solution that many gyms have now come up with to make sure that their members can get their workouts.

Similarly with strength training, if you do more free weights than machines, check how many dumbbells they have of each weight. If you're looking for a pair of 20 pound scales and they only have one set, you'll have to wait a bit as that's the common weight people will use.

If the cars are more than your speed, check out and see if you like the cars themselves and how many different varieties they offer. Remember, the more variety they offer, the easier it will be to change up your workout and avoid plateaus.

Subscription cost

There is a conditional division of fitness clubs into economy, business, premium and luxury. But it is not always true. Often a club says one thing in advertising, but in reality everything is different. It’s easier to look at the price and compare it with the quality and volume of services.

An annual subscription to cheap fitness clubs costs up to 10 thousand rubles. in St. Petersburg and up to 15 thousand rubles. in Moscow. This will be a standard rocking chair, several cardio machines, plus several group classes a day. Usually this is aerobics, yoga, stretching, Pilates, and sometimes boxing. The total area of the club is often in the region of 500-2000 m2.

In such fitness clubs there is almost never free water and towels, a children's room, or massage services. There is not always a sauna, solarium and fitness bar.

Often in such clubs, some of the classes are not included in the price of the subscription and are paid separately. If you go to such a paid group (3-4 thousand rubles per month), then it is logical that it is more profitable to immediately buy a subscription to a more expensive fitness club, where all classes are included in the price.

Average price category – 20-30 thousand rubles. in a year. There is a larger area (usually from 1500 to 4000 m2, although sometimes more), better equipment and service. There is almost always a sauna, solarium and fitness bar.

Half of the clubs will have a swimming pool, usually even a sports pool of 25 meters, usually with 3-4 lanes. There are also more group classes – both in quantity and in areas. Although some of them may also be paid.

Unlimited yearly passes to expensive fitness clubs cost 40-50 thousand rubles. in St. Petersburg and 50-100 thousand rubles. in Moscow. In general, in Moscow the price tag for fitness is higher, this is especially noticeable in expensive segments, where the difference can be 3-4 times for a club of the same level in the same chain.

In such clubs there are 15-20 types of fitness areas and the same number of workouts per day. Usually everything is included in the price. In addition to many additional services, such a fitness center often has a beauty salon or body care service.

These prices are valid for Moscow and St. Petersburg. In cities with a population of over a million, prices will be slightly lower, and even more so in small cities. There, the best fitness club in the city can cost 15-20 thousand rubles. per year (and at the same time be of average quality compared to the capital).

In our opinion, more than excellent quality of services for sports can be found already at a price of 30 to 50 thousand rubles. Anything higher is, as a rule, an additional payment “for VIP”, and not the quantity and quality of fitness services. For involvement in the community of wealthy people, but not for fitness. Exercise equipment or renovations in the shower should be good and nothing more.

Gold toilets and a trendy, but often not the most useful exercise machine will not help you get in shape.

To the projectile

It’s good if the fitness room has a large cardio zone, and in it there is sports equipment of different types. Top basic ones: treadmills, steppers, ellipsoids and exercise bikes.

High-quality treadmills differ from economy-class products in their large and wide running belt, as well as a powerful engine and a reliable frame, designed to withstand wide loads over a long service life. Most modern professional steppers display on the screen the number of calories burned during training, and many also show the frequency of steps. This allows you to maintain the desired pace and duration of classes without using programs.

The main advantage of a good elliptical trainer is the absence of shock load on the legs; it is suitable for exercise by people with varicose veins, athletes with joint or knee injuries.

And professional exercise bikes allow you to improve your training, change load levels, monitor the basic parameters of the body’s condition, and adjust classes to different goals. Exercises with such opportunities become the most effective and targeted.

When it comes to strength training, dumbbells are a must. With their help, you can use almost all the muscles of our body. Used in both basic and isolation exercises. Fitness rooms offer solid and collapsible ones - from 0.5 to 50 kg. Another basic area for muscle development is training with a barbell. For example, the biceps curl is considered the main exercise for developing the biceps brachii muscle. And the deadlift is an excellent workout for working the abdomen, lower back, abdominal, gluteal and hamstring muscles. But that’s not all:

— The inventory list should be as diverse as possible. For fitness, body bars, balancing bars, step platforms, balls, jump ropes, expanders, weights and weighted dumbbells will not be superfluous.

Types of subscriptions

The subscription can be:

for a certain time: a year, several months (usually 3 and 6), a month;
for a certain number of classes (for example, 100 classes during the year).

It's worth finding out what's included in the price. In inexpensive clubs, very often group classes, all or only some, are not included in the price and are paid separately. And then the price of a subscription is 5 thousand rubles. will turn out to be a beautiful enticement if you definitely want to attend yoga or boxing classes.

Therefore, find out this moment in advance and count. Perhaps yoga alone is worth going to a specialized yoga studio. And if several areas are important to you, buy a subscription to a more expensive fitness club. There, all this will be included in the price, and as a bonus you will receive a higher level of service.

Card types: full, day, family, corporate, youth, pension.

The subscription can be with or without freezing. The better the freezing conditions, the cheaper fitness will cost you. The conditions include not only the period of freezing (usually about a month), but also the ability to split the freezing (for example, 7 days at a time - and not just 30 days at once), and whether this can be done remotely or retroactively.

It is worth finding out in advance whether there will be discounts on renewal. Usually, the longer a client goes to the gym, the cheaper the subscription costs him (up to 15-20%).

Nobody pays attention to the conditions for terminating a contract with a fitness club. And then it turns out that they will return to you not the part that you did not pay (for example, 50% for six months), but much less, since the contract stipulates the withholding of a large part of your payment. This is probably contrary to the Consumer Protection Law, but how many people will then go to court with this?

Criteria for choosing a gym[edit | edit code]

Many people don't have much choice. If there is only one sports club nearby, then that’s what they join, even if it doesn’t offer God knows what. A mediocre fitness center around the corner is often more enticing than a top-notch gym an hour away. In addition, if you are used to being content with the most basic exercises, you can get a good workout in any barn that proudly calls itself a gym.

Don’t be too intimidated by the name of the sports club or the number of people who participate in it. Any club welcomes people of all ages, fitness levels and physical abilities. Of course, some gyms attract more serious athletes, but take our word for it: almost any sports club is also visited by ordinary people like you. In addition, by communicating with veterans of strength training, you can get a lot of useful information.

If you are lucky enough to have a choice, the first step is to carefully weigh your options. You may have to visit several clubs to compare the range of power machines and mechanisms on offer. Pay attention to the staff - are you happy and ready to help? When choosing a hall, consider the following points.

Opening hours.
Some gyms are open 24 hours a day; others work only until lunch on weekends. So make sure the club schedule fits into your normal daily routine.

Membership Cancellation and Refund Policy.
Many sports clubs provide the opportunity to suspend (freeze) membership for medical reasons or pregnancy. Some even refund unused money if you, say, move. However, in general, be prepared for the fact that you will not be able to get the money you paid back - and this, by the way, is an excellent motive to work hard!

Personnel qualifications.
Ask about the qualifications of the staff. It is desirable that the trainers are professionals.

Purity.
Make sure there are no stains on the ceiling or dirt on the floor in the shower. Check weight benches and other equipment for sweat stains. Most gyms provide their clients with bottles of cleaner and special rags to wipe down equipment before and after use. Remember, you join the club to improve your health, not to contract diseases.

Quality of equipment.
The quality of free weights is usually the same in all gyms, but if the barbell discs rattle loudly when working and tend to fall on your foot, this is a bad sign. The same can be said if you see “Out of Service” signs everywhere. Well-known brands of high-quality strength training equipment include Cybex, Nautilus, Galileo, Body Masters, Hammer Strength and Icarian. Try working out on a couple of cars. Does the load move smoothly in them? Are there any rust stains on the moving parts? Such seemingly insignificant details serve as indicators of the attitude of the club management towards its clients.

Kindness of management.
Are you welcome? Or looking askance? If the staff isn't particularly helpful when you first join the club, you can imagine what awaits you after you sign the contract.

Price.
Cheaper is not always better. Imagine that the club’s machines and mechanisms are constantly broken down, and the shower rooms are cleaned not once a day, but about once a month. In this case, you can easily spend more on treating injuries and various infections than on a monthly membership in a good club.

Additional amenities.
The locker rooms of many gyms are equipped with hair dryers. Sometimes clients are also offered blood pressure measurement, access to the Internet, competitions between members and classes with specially invited instructors. All these pleasant little things are designed to keep you motivated during long workouts.

Connections with other clubs.
If you travel a lot, consider joining a club that has chapters or partners throughout the country and even abroad. Large network organizations do not have the most qualified staff and you do not always get as much attention as you would like, but with their help you can save money on one-time guest permits.

How not to include theft in a contract[edit | edit code]

Getting the information you want from a health club often requires persistence and ingenuity. We offer some tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of deception.

Be clear about future expenses.
Perhaps, at first glance, the cost of membership seems quite reasonable. However, sometimes it does not include payment for important services such as renting a locker in the locker room, using club towels, etc. Be careful! The final amount may double.

Ask what is included in the price.

If it doesn't include the services you need, such as additional training, ask if it's possible to shake up the package a little. Also, do not allow the staff to cheat by offering you a price other than what is listed on the price list. If you notice an advertisement in a newspaper or magazine promising discounts or ultra-low prices, cut it out and take it with you when you go to sign up for a club. When you hear such an announcement on the radio, remember the time it aired and the station.

Don't be fooled by beautiful promises.
Sometimes the staff tries to influence your ego, persuading you to conclude a deal. They tell you how good you'll look if you lose another five pounds by taking extra classes. Don't give in to provocation! Remember, these people work on commission, so they will say anything to get you to shell out more money.

Don't rush to make a decision.
The sports club is not going anywhere until tomorrow, and carefully considering its proposals is very useful. Therefore, do not rush to sign the annual contract.

Don't pay a high entry fee if you can lower it.
Some clubs require an entry fee - and this is just a fee for the opportunity to join the club, and does not cover the monthly use of its services. Some gyms often reduce the entrance fee, or even don’t charge it at all, at certain times of the year or when registering several people at once. So a little patience and ingenuity will not hurt you. Try, for example, to persuade friends or relatives to join you.

Do not sign up for more than a year.
You don’t know where you will be in a year - moreover, you don’t know what will happen in a year with this sports club. Many gyms offer a monthly subscription, which is a little more expensive than an annual one, but much more convenient.

Bring a friend and ask for a discount.

Know that the best deals are often found during the slow season - the summer months and Christmas Eve. Some clubs will also give you a big discount or give you free months of classes if you refer a friend who will pay for their membership.

Savings on a subscription

You can reduce the price for a subscription in the following ways:

Don't buy a full subscription.

The day card limits visits on weekdays - usually until 17:00, rarely until 16:00 (usually there are no restrictions on weekends). If you almost always go only during the day, then why overpay? Moreover, during the day there are fewer people in the hall.

If you are a youth or a pensioner, and the corresponding subscriptions are sold, then everything is clear. :) Corporate (purchased on behalf of the company) and family subscriptions give a discount for wholesale. Although on the Internet you can find offers to purchase corporate fitness cards. Just make sure that they are not scammers.

Discounts on promotions.

The discounts are greatest in summer. Sometimes the price can be 2 times less.

Some clubs offer promotions all year round. That is, first “the best prices only until August 1st!”, and then - “don’t miss the discounts until September 1st!” Etc., in a cycle. For buyers, this is, of course, a plus. Although there are two disadvantages. In such clubs, clients usually complain about how full they are. And secondly, it can be a shame to find out that a month after you someone bought a subscription even cheaper. :)

Preferential prices are always available for pre-sale, before the opening of the club. But let us warn you right away: the Internet is full of negative reviews about delays in opening times or even outright fraud. Including information about well-known network fitness clubs - “Zebra” or “Dr. Loder", for example.

Compensation from work.

Some employers compensate their employees for fitness expenses. You should find out whether to any fitness club or only certain ones, and in what size.

You can look for offers to resell season tickets online.

People sell them for less than they are worth. Usually they are already open and have less than a year left (of course, the price decreases proportionally). If you want to study longer, it is worth finding out whether it is possible for you to extend such a subscription at the same price. Sometimes they charge a fee for re-registration.

Introduction

In previous articles, we have already talked about the fact that the most common questions are: how to create a training program, how to adjust your diet and when to expect results. But we have not yet touched upon the topic of building a training process based on the presence or absence of the necessary equipment. And the equipment in each particular case can vary greatly.

Let's start, perhaps, with a small lyrical digression. It must be done based on the considerations that the option of going to a fitness club is not the only possible one, since many who want to join heavy sports are looking for opportunities based on their current financial and social situation. Here, we mean that in one form or another, more or less equipped classrooms can be found in various educational institutions (schools, lyceums, institutes, etc.), in dormitories at these educational institutions, in holiday homes, all kinds of camps, sanatoriums, health institutions and even in the fresh air.

In addition, there is also a category of people who, again, due to their financial capabilities, can afford to equip a small training room at home. Such people, as a rule, no longer wonder how to choose a fitness club. Such a home gym can be equipped with either one bench for bench press with a pair of dumbbells, or a very serious list of equipment from strength and cardio equipment, barbells, dumbbells and other equipment, the presence of which can only be dictated by the size of your wallet and, accordingly, lack of desire or opportunity visit a sports club.

Based on the information above, we will divide potential followers of iron sports into two categories - those who can afford to buy a subscription and, accordingly, are wondering how to choose the right fitness club, and those who, for one reason or another, cannot afford it ( or doesn’t want to) and doesn’t burden himself with relevant questions.

Each category can also be divided into levels of material wealth. Those who can afford to buy a membership will choose one of three club segments: luxury, standard and economy. Those who cannot afford to buy a subscription, as a rule, are also divided into three categories - those who have at their disposal a full set of necessary equipment, those who work with what they have, and those who have nothing but desires. You can see the schedule of those interested below, and we will describe what to do in each particular case below. At this stage, your task is to determine which segment you are in and, with the help of this article, understand what your next steps will be.

To understand what is happening, let me explain that the category “wishers” is indicated in gray, since these are people puzzled by intention, but not burdened by action. And quite often, not everyone who intends to moves into the active category. The blue color indicates the category of active individuals who not only want, but have definitely decided to act. In both categories, green means “full stuffing”, and as a result, the most comfortable conditions in choosing equipment for training. The yellow color in the first category indicates quite decent conditions for training in the gym, where there is a full set of equipment, it is no longer so expensive and not in such quantities, there is no longer a swimming pool with a spa, as well as storage rooms, towels for clients and others excesses. The yellow color in the second category means a self-assembled sports club or hall, in the organization of which the entire dormitory, cadet corps, or medical sanatorium took part. The red color of the first category indicates a strictly basic set of the most necessary equipment, which may not even be enough for everyone. The red color of the second category characterizes you as a person who does not want (or does not have the opportunity) to visit a fitness club and at the same time does not have any equipment at hand. But even this option is not hopeless, as Baron Munchausen might have put it.

Checklist: how to choose a fitness club

Read reviews about the fitness club on the Internet. When viewing, you will know the main complaints of visitors and what additional attention to pay attention to.
Decide how and what you will do. On your own or with a trainer, in the gym or in groups. It will be clear what is important to you in the schedule and prices.
The location of the club is an obvious but important criterion. The more inconvenient it is to get there, the less often you will go to sports.
Try not to leave your phone number - otherwise you will get spam.
Be sure to go see the fitness club in person. At a minimum, the sales manager will give you a tour of it. At the most, sometimes there is a trial lesson.
It is better to come at a time when you can go yourself. Don’t look at the gym during the day if you plan to study during peak hours (from 18 to 22 on weekdays) - the number of people in the hall may then unpleasantly surprise you.
Inspect the exercise machines and equipment you need - are there enough of them, what is their condition, are there any queues for them.
Check out the group class schedule. Find out if they are included in the price of the subscription.
The overall area and use of spaces in the club will be immediately obvious. But don’t forget to also note lighting, ventilation, music. Are there water coolers or free towels.
It is worth looking into the locker room, shower, sauna, swimming pool. It’s free and clean there – or cramped and dirty.
Evaluate the general atmosphere in the fitness club. How the staff behaves, how many coaches there are, do they look like professionals.
Decide what type of subscription you need. You can save on a daily pass or not take an unlimited pass. Find out about the conditions for freezing and extension.
During the discount period, fitness passes can be sold 20-50% cheaper. Most often in the summer.
You can buy a used subscription cheaper. Sometimes they are sold in club groups on social networks.
Ask the manager questions, don’t be fooled by presentation tricks. Many dissatisfied clients write in reviews that managers sometimes even deceive just to sell. Just look around yourself more actively, ask and check if possible.
Read the contract. Incl. conditions for termination of the contract. Of course, they won’t rewrite it for your sake, but then there will be no surprises.

Membership Demographics

Another factor to consider is the demographics of the membership. Some women prefer to go to a women's gym. They don't like the feeling of men watching them while working out. For others, a mixed gym is the perfect solution because one of the reasons they go there is to socialize and maybe even meet a potential partner. Whatever your needs, be sure to ask.

What are you looking for?

What should an athlete's equipment be like?

In order for clothing and footwear for sports to help achieve your goals, they must meet the following requirements:

provide thermal comfort;
be comfortable when moving;
comply with safety standards;
do not distract others from training;
present your appearance in a favorable light;
always be clean and tidy.

In addition to these points, some fitnessists believe that sportswear for fitness should have status, and choose only products from prestigious brands. This is a personal matter for everyone, but beginners are unlikely to spend significant sums on sports equipment. High-quality sportswear can be bought inexpensively, and in addition, with regular training, the size of your clothes can soon change significantly.

Let's consider each of the requirements for clothing and shoes for the gym in more detail.

Thermal comfort

Whatever the temperature in the gym, you definitely won’t freeze during intense physical activity. You will likely feel hot and sweaty during your workout. Therefore, the best choice would be a short-sleeved T-shirt made of jersey that absorbs sweat well, and shorts below the knees, or sports pants made of fairly light and hygroscopic stretch fabric.

Do you need tracksuits, trowels, and sweatshirts in the gym? Yes, having any of these things is desirable. They usually do a warm-up before strength training. If it's cool enough in the gym, then by warming up, you'll be more likely to warm up your muscles during the warm-up.

When working out on exercise machines, you can take off your sweatshirt or trowel while remaining in your T-shirt. And at the end of the workout, when you head to the locker room, outer sportswear will come in handy. By insulating your body, which is hot and damp from sweat, you will protect yourself from drafts and avoid colds.

There is an opinion that by exercising in warm clothes, feeling temperature discomfort and sweating heavily, the exerciser will lose weight faster. Actually this is not true. Weight loss with increased sweating occurs not due to accelerated fat burning, but due to getting rid of fluid. A sauna has a similar “weight loss” effect. Having restored the water balance, the body returns to its weight. Extra layers of clothing do not affect the intensity of fat burning; they can only make the workout more difficult and uncomfortable.

When talking about thermal comfort, we cannot fail to mention gym shoes. Sweaty feet are a common problem, especially among men. When choosing sports shoes, there are many criteria that will be discussed in detail below. To ensure that your feet do not overheat during training, you should pay attention to sports models with mesh inserts. They promote good ventilation of the feet, prevent excessive sweating and all related problems.

Materials

What types of materials are best for sportswear? Previously, it was believed that clothes made from natural fabrics: cotton, linen were best suited for sports. But the experience of athletes completely refutes this statement. Cotton and linen knitwear absorbs sweat well, but it takes a long time to dry and, remaining wet, cools the body. Constant skin contact with sweat-soaked fabric can cause diaper rash and chafing.

Clothes made from synthetic materials designed specifically for sports are much more comfortable during training. They are highly hygroscopic and breathable, quickly absorb and evaporate moisture. Due to this, they are much more comfortable for sports than cotton and linen. This is exactly the rare case when synthetics are preferable to natural materials.

The same goes for socks. Contrary to popular belief, the best socks for sports are not cotton, but special socks for sports, characterized by increased hygroscopicity and the absence of any seams.

However, for those who want to lose weight and only do cardio exercises for now, cotton jersey T-shirts will do just fine. They are especially suitable for those who are embarrassed about excess weight, because unlike tight-fitting sports jersey, a loose, elongated cotton T-shirt does a good job of hiding figure flaws.

Comfort while driving

Items must be properly sized. When working out in the gym, you have to move not only a lot, but also in a variety of ways. Therefore, clothing for fitness should stretch well in all directions so as not to restrict movement when performing any exercise. Clothes that are too tight are not acceptable. Tight belts, tops that pinch the armpits, and pants that cut into the crotch should be excluded. Choose low-cut socks, without elastic that compresses the shin.

When choosing a T-shirt, shorts, trousers, evaluate whether it is comfortable to squat, bend, or stretch in them. Pay attention not only to freedom of movement, but also to ensure that when performing exercises, certain parts of the body, for example, the lower back and buttocks, are not excessively exposed. After all, not only physical, but also psychological comfort is important.

An important condition for the comfort of men's and women's fitness clothing is the absence of rough seams. Sweaty and hot skin with constant contact with rough seams and hard labels will chafe and become injured, causing pain.

Safety standards

The safety of training largely depends on sportswear. Clothing that is too loose is dangerous because it can get caught on protruding parts of the exercise equipment and cause you to lose your balance.

Another danger of loose clothing is that the instructor cannot see how correctly the strength exercises are being performed. Only in tight-fitting sportswear is it possible to notice from the outside the incorrect position of the body and errors in movements. This gives the instructor the opportunity to correct the student’s mistakes and teach him the technique.

Hiding in a robe, you can avoid criticism, but at the same time master strength exercises incorrectly. And incorrect technique will not only not allow you to achieve the desired results, but can also cause injury, which happens quite often.

Shoes play a big role in ensuring the safety of training. It must be selected for a certain type of load. Read more about this in the corresponding section.

Moral standards

The desire to demonstrate the advantages of a figure and attract the attention of members of the opposite sex is quite understandable, but people usually go to the gym for a completely different purpose. Provocative sportswear that reveals the details of your physique distracts you from your workout, which can have a bad effect on both your workout results and your reputation.

When choosing clothes for the gym, it is recommended to be more modest; all the advantages of a figure can usually be appreciated even without provocatively revealing clothes. Moreover, open sweaty areas of the body leave unpleasant wet marks on benches and seats of exercise equipment. To the one who is noticed, excessively revealing clothing will help to arouse not sympathy, but, on the contrary, hostility from others.

Attractive appearance

When choosing clothes for the gym, your priority should be comfort and safety. But we must not forget about the aesthetic side. You should like yourself in these clothes. Even if your physical shape is still far from perfect, the reflection in the gym mirror should be pleasant for you. This will create an uplifting mood and increase motivation for regular exercise.

How to dress for the gym so that your appearance is presented in the most favorable light? The principles for choosing sportswear are the same as for the rest of your wardrobe:

emphasize the advantages of your figure;
try to hide flaws as much as possible;
choose shades that match your skin and hair tone, eye color.

There are many opportunities to follow these recommendations when choosing sportswear. Depending on whether it is necessary to emphasize the beauty of the legs and hips or, conversely, to hide their shortcomings, you can choose: tight or loose shorts of various lengths, leggings, loose sports trousers. The same applies to the upper part of the sports uniform - by varying the sleeve length, neck shape, degree of fit, you can choose the most suitable model of a T-shirt or top.

Remember that light shades visually increase volume, while dark shades reduce volume. This allows you to visually adjust the proportions of the upper and lower parts of the figure.

Cleanliness and neatness

One of the most important conditions for an attractive appearance in the gym is cleanliness and freshness of clothes. It is necessary to wash your underwear, T-shirt, shorts and socks after each workout. Shoes also need to be dried and aired; you should not forget them in your bag until the next workout, as this can lead to the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

The lifespan of sportswear is determined not only by its appearance, but also by its freshness. Even if the T-shirt has not faded or stretched, it is time to replace it if the unpleasant odor absorbed into it does not go away after washing. On average, replacement of sportswear with intensive use is required once every six months.