Help for a beginner how to choose a fitness center?

There are many aspects to improving your body that need to be taken into account for a positive result. These nuances are not limited to choosing the type of training, creating a program, and buying the necessary things. Perhaps the first thing you should start the difficult path of self-improvement with is choosing a gym.

Many people underestimate the importance of this choice, believing that in sports, it is the internal attitude and approach that are important, not external conditions. This is a mistake, because an unsuccessfully chosen fitness club can nullify your efforts, discouraging you from exercising or in every way hindering the normal course of your training.

On the contrary, the ideal gym will stimulate your growth, encourage you to achieve new things and give you a sea of ​​positive emotions.

What to look for when choosing a fitness center

Please note that you will have to rely not on reviews and recommendations, not on information on the Internet pages of fitness clubs, but only on your own observations and conclusions. Therefore, when choosing a gym, find options that are acceptable to you and analyze them according to the criteria that we offer you.

Location

This point is very important, because it is the distance from your home/work to the gym that will largely determine the mood in which you will come to classes: in high spirits from a short walk or spoiled by traffic jams and congestion. Beginners are advised to choose gyms that are located as close as possible, and more experienced athletes can afford remote fitness clubs (but on the condition that it can be reached without problems)

Large selection of free weights and exercise machines

When choosing a fitness club, pay attention to its technical equipment. The number of exercise machines and free weights should be proportionate to the number of visitors. You should not give preference to halls with an abundance of exercise machines and a lack of barbells, weights and dumbbells, because free weights play an important role in fitness. Remember that equipment should be assessed not only in quantitative but also in qualitative terms.

Hall occupancy and equipment availability during peak hours

The best time to choose a gym is during a personal visit during peak hours. Gyms are usually at their busiest between 6 and 10 p.m. on weekdays, when office workers compensate for their sedentary lifestyle with exercise.

Assess how spacious the premises are during these hours, whether there are queues for equipment, whether it is comfortable to be with a large number of people in a large hall. This is worth doing even if you plan to visit the fitness club during the daytime, to make sure that the establishment operates efficiently.

Ventilation

It is difficult to imagine how important this aspect is when choosing a gym. It may be superbly equipped, you may like it in every way, but insufficient ventilation of its premises can easily put an end to comfortable training.

It's quite easy to evaluate ventilation: when you enter it, you feel a little chilly without outerwear, but during exercise it's already warm. Pay special attention to ventilation in those areas where cardio machines are located, because that's where you'll have to sweat the most.

Purity

Yes, cleanliness does not directly affect the quality of training. But you must admit, it is much more pleasant to work out in a clean room. Both the gym and the locker rooms with showers should be perfectly cleaned if you plan to work out seriously.

Qualifications of the coaching staff

Any self-respecting fitness club provides information about its trainers upon request, and many publicly display it on special stands. Even if you do not want to use the services of a trainer, pay attention to the qualifications of the coaching staff. A fitness club that values ​​its reputation will hire only trainers with diplomas and certificates confirming professionalism and competence.

Availability of additional services

More often than not, additional services are a tempting ploy for the female half of visitors. You should not overestimate these offers, just as you should not underestimate them. Perhaps a pedicure, solarium and beauty salon will be superfluous, while a sauna, swimming pool and massage rooms will be a pleasant addition to your workouts.

Group lessons

For many people, the prospect of individual classes is not the most pleasant, while group classes will allow you to feel more confident. If you feel more comfortable working out in a group, then pay attention to the fitness club's offers for group classes to choose the right option for you.

Dietitian consultations

A trainer is not the only specialist whose help you will need in a fitness club. It is very good if you have the opportunity to consult a nutritionist who will be able to competently tell you about proper nutrition during training and, if necessary, create a personal diet.

Of course, a nutritionist at a gym should be a real professional with a medical education, and not a bad doctor whose knowledge is limited to a set of popular diets on the Internet. Therefore, do not be afraid to ask for documents confirming their qualifications.

Subscription cost

When it comes to choosing a fitness center, many people focus only on the cost of the membership, focusing on the most advantageous options. In fact, the low cost of classes should be a warning sign, because a quality service cannot be cheap.

There are a few exceptions. Only newly opened fitness clubs that want to attract as many clients as possible offer low prices for their services. Also, the low cost of some classes can be justified by seasonal promotions and special offers. In these cases, the low price of a membership should not cause you any concerns. In other situations, there is a catch behind the free cheese.

Trial lesson at the gym

Many fitness clubs offer a free trial visit for potential clients. If the clubs you like offer this opportunity, be sure to take advantage of it. Only by seeing the gym in action in person can you be sure you made the right choice. Talk to the visitors, inspect the locker rooms, showers and gyms, meet the staff and feel free to choose the option you like.