Joining a gym is a commitment. Okay, so it may not exactly be puttin’ a ring on it, but we thought you could use a little nudge in the right direction. Here are some Q’s to ask yourself before taking the plunge.

 

Pro Tip: Pretty much all gyms offer a free orientation nowadays, if you’re not sure if yours does make sure to bring it up to the sales rep.  

 

Location

You’re going to want to make sure that your gym is on route to either your work or home. Don’t add another excuse to your gym avoidance list.

 

Workouts you enjoy

Make sure your new potential gym has equipment that you enjoy. Big into cycling? Make sure they have a good number of stationary bikes. Love working out with kettlebells? Check out their kettlebell inventory.

 

Fatigued Equipment

Workout equipment starting to look like it’s getting it’s own workout? Talk to your sales rep about how frequently they update their equipment.

 

Enough equipment

Stop by on a busy day to see how long you may have to wait for certain machines.

 

Hours / locations

There is nothing worse than finding your perfect gym only to realise that they have not-so perfect hours. Most gyms do a week-long trial so do a couple of test runs and make sure that you have the time to go no matter what comes up (because something will always come up).

 

Inspect the change room

You can ask your wives or girlfriends about this one (they are likely trained in the art of the bathroom checkout). Think about this: if the change rooms aren’t fresh and clean imagine what the equipment is like.

 

Gym personalities

Gyms are a little like people – they each attract a gathering of people with similar personalities. You can find everything from yuppie gyms to hard-core gyms to corporate-style gyms. Make sure that yours speaks to you.