Can't decide on a gym!

soccerkon26

There's a gym across the street from my work that is $50 per month. It's very convenient in terms of location because I could go during my lunch hour, and it has all of the bells and whistles. But, I won't be using a lot of those bells and whistles (don't like Zumba, prefer not to swim, etc). But I do like gang they have kickboxing and cycling classes, as well as a nice locker room with towels.

There's also a gym near my house, and they are having a special where you pay a $90 initiation free but the monthly price is $4. I've been to this gym before as a guest and it has everything I use (treadmill, free weights, squat rack etc.). The only issue is that it is taking me farther from the public transportation system I use to get to work, so I'll be spending more on gas to get to the gym from my house, and get to the train from the gym.

I can't decide! Fitness is important to me, but I feel like everything I need is at the cheaper gym. The only things that are better at the more expensive gym are that it's very convenient, and it has kickboxing and cycling classes (that I may go to once or twice per week). But with the expensive gym, it would allow me to be able to ride my bike to the train station because I live very close to it. To get to the cheap gym I have to drive in the opposite direction.

Any thoughts?

spartan_d

First, I'd say that cheaper isn't necessarily better. This is your health we're talking about, after all, so going cheap can cost you thousands of dollars in the long run. Having a gym with better equipment and that allows people to do the more effective exercises makes a world of difference.

Having said that, if this less expensive gym has a genuine squat rack, that's a pretty good sign.

Chef_Barbell

The gym that you will use regularly. That's up to you to decide.

futureicon

I'll never underestimate the convenience factor when it comes to gyms. It's way too easy (for me anyway) to make excuses and decide not to go if I have to go too far out of my way. If you're paying a little extra and its right across the street from your work, that to me=motivation.

TR0berts

Is that correct - $4/month?

If so, how much are you going to spend in gas - that you wouldn't have spent otherwise - to get to/from the cheaper gym?

How important are the classes to you?

I/we can't answer those questions for you. But, those are probably the big questions to ask yourself, considering you've said the cheaper gym has everything you use. Once you answer those questions, I'm thinking the answer will present itself to you.

tulips_and_tea

I'm all about convenience AND having the amenities I actually use. Is there a long-term contract with either gym? If not, try one for a while and see how it goes. You can always switch, right? As long as there are no financial repercussions then sometimes it's worth it to try all your options and then decide.

cwolfman13

You always have to weigh the convenience factor pretty heavily I think...it's easy enough to make excuses as it is...if you have to go out of your way, it makes it that much easier to just skip it.

When my wife and I got started with all this good livin' stuff almost four years ago, we picked a gym that was pretty well out of our way...but it was a phenomenal deal in that we had a family membership for $90 that included child care and the kids and us had access to the pool. It had pretty much everything...full gymnasium, weight room, cardio room, indoor track, pool, classes, etc. It was a fantastic place and we loved it but after a couple of months it became harder and harder to be consistent with things because we were basically having to go 20 minutes one way out of our way and then another 20 minutes home...total of 40 minutes just to get to and from the gym as it was across town and not on a route to anywhere we'd otherwise need to be going.

We ended up canceling there as it just became too much of a PITA and finding a gym that was closer to home and also en route to and from our offices. It was actually cheaper too but pretty basic so I guess it's somewhat opposite of your dilemma...

We're currently at a more expensive gym ($100/mo for both of us) that is also pretty convenient to us...our friends own it and allow us "executive" access...most people who train there only train there when they're working with my buddy (and trainer) or his wife or one of the other trainers...it's not an open gym...it's nice for us and worth the price in that basically we have our own personal gym.

kuftae

Go with convenience. Whatever one that is.

Keladelphia

For me convenience is key. The easier it is to get there the more likely you are to actually go consistently in my opinion.

Tweaking_Time

kuftae wrote: »

Go with convenience. Whatever one that is.

^^^Yup^^^

And make sure you are still there, regularly, 8 weeks (and more) after joining.

lorrpb

It seems like the gas cost would be minimal. You say it's close to your house, so I would interpret that to mean within a few miles. How many mpg does your car get? Even at 20 mpg you could get several trips on one gallon of gas that costs $2.50-$3 depending on prices in your area. If you can afford the gym then you can prob afford an extra gallon of gas every few weeks!

cmuise19

I love Goodlife way better than Fit4Less. Assuming that those are the gyms you're trying to decide between

pomegranatecloud

The one near work.

Ready2Rock206

Whichever one you realistically will go to more. There are at least 3 gyms in my town - including one very cheap one. I still go to a location in another city because it offers more of what I want - and I can go to any location (it is a big chain vs the local gyms in my town). For me it is worth the extra drive.

12Sarah2015

Do you need a gym? Ivelost 30 pound without one. Walking which led to running outside, skipping, YouTube Leslie sansone walking videos. Spend the extra money on other things

musicfan68

I determine my gym based on what I need, not convenience. The closest gyms are 15 miles in one direction or 18 in the opposite direction. I've been to both. Changed to the one farther away because I get a free trainer and regular changes in routine. This is better for me and worth the 20 minute drive each way.

47Jacqueline

4 years ago I joined yet another gym. I picked the one that was a block from my apartment so it would reduce the resistance of going. After a year or so there, I joined the Y because it had a pool. It was 10 blocks away, but by that time I had a habit of going to the gym and it wasn't a problems. Then I added an all-city membership at the Y so I would have access to additional classes and i started traveling around to the activities I wanted.

I think it's about what is important to you. We always make priorities (time, distance, financial) for what we want to do.

haroldrios1692

Any gym that does not incorporate the color purple in their company logos is good!!

Trish1c

I'm no expert but I joined the Y last year at a significant cost ($500) because I love to swim. I hoped the price would motivate me not to waste the membership. I got sick & was in bed for 10 days. I never got back on track & wasted all that money because the location was inconvenient. I just re-joined Planet Fitness $10/mo no commitment because it's by my office & I went much more faithfully.

You know yourself better then we do.

Alidecker

I think convenience was key for me when I started. Back when I tried to get in a routine and it didn't stick, I had to drive past my house on the way home from work to get to the gym...I went home way too much. 7 years into the healthier life and a habit of working out 5-6 days a week, I will go out of my way for classes and to meet up with someone else with no problem.