Copyright (c) 2007 Jess Harley

I don’t know about you, but it took me years before I got up the nerve to join a gym. I had seen too many TV shows and read too many books about how the gym was a place to see and be seen. In my head I imagined all the women in the gym to have hard bodies and tanned skins. They never broke a sweat and their hair always looked perfect no matter what they were doing. I did not think I would ever have enough nerve to join a gym, but I finally did. I could not get the workout I wanted at home. It took me a while to find the perfect gym but this is what I looked for.

One thing you might want to keep in mind is if it is a coed gym or a female only gym. You might feel more comfortable in an environment with other women rather than in a gym that is mixed. If you are not sure what you would prefer, then make sure you check out both and compare the following If you have never step foot in a gym before, they you might not be able to tell a good gym from a bad gym. So where do you start in your quest for the perfect gym for you? First thing is to look at location. Is it near your home or your work? If it is, great that means it is convenient for you to get to. If it is not, do not even bother looking at it.

The next thing to check out is the price. Joining a gym can be expensive so really watch out for prices. There are some gyms that might have extra options such as a sauna, racquetballs quart, etc etc. The cost of these is what might that one gym so expensive. Are you going to use any of those amenities? If not find a different gym and make sure it has what you are looking for. For a decent basic gym, the average rate is between $30-$50 a month.

If at all possible, see if you can get a free class or a trial workout before you sign up. There is no better way to see if you like the atmosphere other than actually working out there. Not only will get a feel of the environment you can also check out the quality of the facility. Is it clean? Are the locker rooms kept clean as well as the showers? Also check out the equipment, is there enough cardio equipment? Or do you notice people waiting around for cardio machines?

Another thing to look at is the staff. Do they greet you with a smile or a scowl? Do any walk around to offer help with any of the equipment or do they just stand at the desk in on the phone? A good staff is important because they are the basis for the gym’s environment. A gym with a moody staff is not going to be a happy place to work out.

The last thing to look at is your contract. If they are pressuring you to sign because the deal they are offering you is good for today only, do not do it. A good gym will allow you to read the contract before you make any decisions. Make sure if you ask about payment options. Some gyms will require a full year’s membership up front while others will offer you a monthly fee. Ask them what happens after you contract is up, does it automatically renew and lock you into another year or will you be able to cancel at anytime? Also find out what the cancellation policies are.

You want to make sure you find a gym you are comfortable with, because the more comfortable you are there, the more likely it is that you will stick with your workouts.

As a personal trainer and fitness professional, its my passion to help people get in shape. One of the things that can certainly help is joining a good gym. But there are so many choices out there. There is the good, the bad and the ugly. Ugly because if you choose the wrong gym, you will get so frustrated and may give up on your fitness goals altogether! I would hate to see that happen.

Bad service, bad ethics, bad trainers, bad customer support, refusal to refund purchases for valid reasons, charging customers who have already stopped their contracts and so on…

With all the bad press the fitness industry is getting lately about poor service I thought I would talk about what makes a good gym good so that people in Singapore (my home town) and elsewhere don’t start thinking that the fitness industry is a scam, and can make good choices about the gyms they join.

“It’s a shame that so many complaints have been made about the services, staff and ethics of big gyms.”

The way business has been done in the big commercial gym chains has been going on for a long while and the complaints and reports of poor standards have only increased over time.

“My role as a fitness professional is to help as many people as possible with their fitness goals. Boosting their health, helping them prevent diseases and helping them life full lives, and look great. Frustration with poor standards, ethics and customer service in the fitness industry discourages people from getting fit and living to their full potential. That is what makes me most upset.”

I will now explain how things are done at a well run fitness coaching facility.

“There are some things that can be done to make sure that everybody that steps into our place has a positive experience and feels totally at home.”

These are also things you can look out for when choosing a gym or a fitness training studio.

Here is how a good gym differs from a sales oriented and money motivated gym which does not care about their customers.

During the sales process…

In a good gym, when a prospect is given a sales presentation there is never a “hard sell” at the end. Each visitor is asked what his/her goals are, shown a program that can help achieve those goals, and asked if they would like to join. There is never any pressure or obligation.

In a good gym they never ever use negative words like “Your body is in such bad shape!” to get a sale.

A good gym will never propose a high cost, leaving it up to the customer to bargain it down. The cost to the customer should be very clear with no hidden meanings or fees.

A good gym will never call or email people who don’t want these calls. All communication is to people who have already asked to be called or contacted.

A good gym shows clients a contract that includes a 100% MONEY BACK guarantee if they do what is asked but are not satisfied with the results or the services they receive.

A good gym offers a free trial if the client would like to “try” before buying. Again NO obligation or pressure. simply the best they can provide in terms of service.

When a client signs up…

A good gym will take them through a complete assessment of body fat, measurements, nutrition, photographs, mineral testing, digestive tests, hormonal and genetic tendencies and a movement and posture screening.

A good gym will individualize program design and nutrition according to this assessment. They will never simply “show a person around the machines” and call it a session. There are no “cookie cutter” programs that are “one size fits all”. Because every client is different.

A gym that cares will help you with coaching and correction of your posture and movements. This will result in better progress and a lower chance of a frustrating injury.

A good gym will build a healthy community so that the new client makes friends and enjoys the training experience. This also helps the client maintain the new, healthy habits that he or she forms because there is social support to help them.

A good gym will spend effort building a great gym environment that is all about encouragement and a positive atmosphere. There is no negative talk, no showing off, no bad attitudes in the training center.

Yes a good gym will be doing their best to run a business that really puts the client’s well being first.

I don’t believe that we need to compromise ethics, morals or integrity to be a good business.

Personally, I’m committed never to compromise even if it means a few less dollars in the short run.

This should be the point of view of all good gyms.