Buying a gym membership is a commitment. A lot of money goes into utilizing amenities and equipment provided by the gymnasium. Hence, choosing a gym around your nearby location with careful thought is more important than choosing one just for the sake of it.

If you have bought a monthly subscription and there was something about it that wasn’t right for you, then it would have been a waste of money.

You will want to find a gym that is at the perfect location, which is open at all the hours you prefer to work out, is just the right size with the right kind of amenities for you. Here are some things to consider before you purchase a gym membership.

How to find the right gym?

There are a lot of factors to keep in mind while considering which gym is best for you. Here are some of them:

1. Distance: If you do not have a lot of free time, then you should consider going to a close-by gym. You should not have to choose a gym far away just because it seems luxurious. On the other hand, if you prefer walking or running to your gym as a warm-up or cardio, then you can keep your gym at a moderate distance. You can choose a gym close to your workplace, or the gym at your workplace if it offers one.
2. Provisions: Everyone has different needs when it comes to exercising. Some people desire clean equipment and pristine bathrooms. Other people need to have nice and clean showers, saunas, or steam rooms to cool off after a workout session. Others have kids and cannot leave them out of their sight. So, your choice should support your requirements.
3. Safety precautions: Weigh the pros and cons of the provisions available and see whether they offer what you need, or whether you can compromise on certain aspects. One aspect you should not compromise on is emergency planning. The gym staff should know CPR, and at least have a defibrillator in case of a heart attack. If the gym does not have access to safety, you probably should not choose it.
4. Availability: 24/7 open gyms are the ideal choice, but if that is not the case, you should find out if it is open at the hours of your choice. If you choose to join a group workout, hire a personal trainer, or use the sports amenities, then you have to make sure they are available at convenient hours, because they tend to have more restrictive timings.
5. Type: There are large gyms, premium gyms, and specialty gyms. Depending on the size of the gym you would like to go to, the availability, or your intent for going to the gym, you can try these different gyms to see which one suits your personality as well as needs.
6. Budget: You will need to consider your budget for a membership. If you have money to spend, you can choose a luxurious gym, but you will need to see if you are getting your money’s worth. If you have less money to spend, then choose a gym that can meet at least some of your necessary criteria within an affordable price. Deals and offers are a lifesaver in these situations.

Before purchasing the membership

A lot of gyms offer a guest pass for you to give the gym a trial before committing to it. By using this, you can check the gym at several points in the day to see when it is least crowded. You will want your ideal gym to have their equipment available at your preferred time.

But if the availability of equipment is not guaranteed, you have to check if there is enough equipment in general. If yes, is the equipment clean or in working order? If it seems shabby, then you might not feel motivated to go there.

Buying a membership

There are two ways to go about this. First, if you find yourself without self-motivation and self-discipline, buying a more expensive membership might be of great help. It acts as a motivator knowing how much you are spending per day for the availability of the gym subscription.

Secondly, you can get a joint subscription with another person, preferably from family or amongst friends, or you can join at a month that they would drop the prices considerably (namely, January) because of the influx of people who choose to get a membership at that time.

To wrap up

Exercising has many health benefits. From the primitive days of man, physical activity was a necessity to our survival. Now, that we live in a world of desk jobs, opportunities to move around are restricted, and they lead to health problems.

Exercising not only improves your blood circulation, prevents obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, but it is also good for your mental health. Physical activity releases endorphins, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which are happy hormones. Hence, it can fight against depression and anxiety, a problem rampant in our society today, where 38 million people suffer from anxiety disorders, and a whopping 56 million people suffer from depression.

It has other benefits like relieving stress, improves sleep, and hence combats insomnia, improves memory, and raises the mood. Because of the tendency of exercising to improve memory, mood, motivation, and concentration, it can be a significant factor in helping people with ADHD too.

With these aspects in mind, it won’t be difficult for you to gauge the importance of exercising and visiting a gym for holistic well-being. These tips will help assess all points before enrolling at a gym.