What to Look for when Picking a Gym

 As someone that has moved around and worked out at several gyms over the past decade or so, I wanted to set out a few of the most important factors for choosing a gym.

The biggest question for me is not necessarily the quality of the facility. In fact, I found that the key question is this: will I actually use it.

So many people buy a year long gym membership and don’t use it. What a giant waste of money. These factors should help you set yourself up for success and make sure you get a gym that you actually use.

1) Location:

This is crucially important. For me, the key determinant of whether I’ll use a gym is its proximity to my house or school / work.

If a gym is close to my house, I’ll use it way more than one that requires me to get onto the bus or into my car to get there. The same is true for having a gym that is close to my work.

I would pay up to 30-40% more for the monthly fee if it that particular gym is more convenient and easy to get to. Because after all, who cares if you’re getting a good deal on your gym membership if it’s so inconvenient that you don’t ever use it. That’s just a waste of money.

I was in the best shape of my life when my gym was just across the street.

2) Long Term Storage Areas:

I know this seems like a bit of a random factor, but I find it very important. Similar to the location factor, this one is all about convenience. I need my gym to have some long-term storage facilities. 

If you’re the type of person that does not like to bring your workout gear to the gym everyday, consider joining a gym that has monthly locker rentals.

Some gyms allow long-term rentals while others don’t. Again, I find this to be extremely convenient and it makes me more likely to actually use the gym if I know it’s really easy to go for a work out.

This also allows for spontaneous decisions to go to the gym. If you’re out and about and decide to go for a workout, there’s no need to go home and get your workout gear – you can just head straight to the gym and it’s already there for you.

3) Quality of Facilities:

As mentioned above, this is not the number one factor on my list, but it’s obviously still very important. The gym has to have the basic facilities that you require.

I’m typically a pretty simple guy in terms of what kind of equipment I need. I do mostly free weights and body weight exercises, so I don’t need a lot. I look for good quality free weights and nice cardio machines.

But if you do complex things with different machines, you’ll need to make sure they have them.

If you like doing classes, you’ve got to make sure they have the classes you like. Consider trying out some of the classes on a guest pass to make sure that the instructors are up to your standards.

4) Capacity of the Gym:

Back when I was a student, I could go to the gym at off-peak hours and have the place to myself. But since my schedule has filled up, I have to go at the peak times, like right after work.

The problem is that gyms get really packed and you can’t even find a spot to exercise. One of the most important tips I can give is to go check out the gym at a time when you actually plan on working out.

So if you normally like to go from 5-6pm, go by the gym and see how full it is. If there are too many people there, this could be a deal breaker.

Conclusions:

Well, those are my top 4 tips for picking a gym. As you can see, it’s not just about how nice it is or the price of the monthly membership.

What factors are important to you? Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know!