What do you look for in a gym and why? What makes a gym worth it for you? Gym feature chat!

natruallycurious

I like to have a good variety, and for it to be open 24 hours. I agree with @cwolfman13 as well. The gym I recently switched to has the power racks with attached olympic platforms, and I am really loving them. I also look for a gym with competent workers, and if they say they have personal trainers, that they are good and qualified trainers

Caporegiem

Just needs a squat rack for me to do curls in. Anything other than that is an added bonus.

abbynormalartist

Timshel_ wrote: »

Plenty of openings and not crowded.
Lack of idle chit-chatters wasting time and space.
Variety of equipment for strength and conditioning.
Competent and knowledgeable leaders.

Pretty much this.

Ideally, I want more than three squat racks and a large, quiet gym with a few bros lifters doing their thing and not paying any attention to me. Small gyms make me feel a little uncomfortable because I feel like I'm either taking a machine/weights that someone else wants, or I'm waiting for someone so I can do my next thing. And I've been to a few gyms where there were lots of ladies lounging on the floor taking insta selfies and hanging out in cliquey groups and the introverted hobbit in me just can't deal.

peaceout_aly

AdamAthletic wrote: »

I spend almost as much time in one gym or another as I do lurking around the MFP forums making a pest of myself and replying to one discussion or another.. all about dem cat memes!!!

But, over the years I have been a member of a huge amount of gyms - ranging from state of the art £/$300+ a month country clubs (no, I didn't have to pay - there's no way I could have afforded that! I'm a PT so, I was able to train there after a client had left), down to simple £/$10 a month basic.

You know, strangely - I've found the very lowest end of a budget to be the gyms I prefer the most and simply because they concentrate on getting the best lease deals they can afford to get the member base they want!

For me, they have to have a good number of treadmills and the ability to set the treadmill to 2 hours +.

What are your gym prerequites?

Maybe you don't like being surrounded by Olympic lifters? Maybe you want the freebies.. I hear some gyms over there in the US give free pizza!!!

And... out!

Non-bumper plates, a spot to deadlift, and a good view is always a perk. My one friend goes to a gym that's $300 x month and I couldn't even imagine. It's all about the classes and spa treatments, but that definitely isn't for me.

jdlobb

I have most of the regular gym equipment in my apartment complex's facility, so I don't need a regular gym.

I have been shopping for a CrossFit gym recently though. Some of the things I look for in a good "box" are:

Plenty of open space
Ability to work out independently, outside of schedule classes
Strong sense of community, non-workout events, fundraising, family days, community days, etc.

Katiebear_81

Bumper plates, enough power cages/squat racks (with safeties because I'm a wuss) to meet demand, a cable machine for rows, etc.

If I changed gyms, I'd look for one with a proper platform, with bench press racks (vs. using a mobile bench in a cage), and ultimately one with a hot tub/cold tub combo.

aeloine

24 hrs
a pool
a place to deadlift/platform
not super skeezy

MonkeyMel21

I utilize whichever gym I get a discount at (or is free) with my job. Before my current job the gyms weren't anything fancy but at hospitals, some focused on patient cardiac rehab. No squat rack, no pool, etc. I got lucky now where the hospital works with the YMCA and I got a 50% discount and can go to any YMCA and they all have tons of stuff and pools. I left the hospital to stay with the doctor when he left under the terms that he would just outright pay for my current Y membership, lol. Otherwise I don't think I'd stay paying $64 a month.

To answer your question more directly, it's based on my job perks and I just make it work.

Keladelphia

I love where I train but if I had to start looking

The "must haves"- multiple lifting platforms, quality olympic bars, plenty of bumper plates (preferably kg plates), jerk blocks, dumbbells (wide selection up to 100 pounds at least) and lots of squat stands/racks

The "would like to haves" - a pull up rig, a couple sets of rings, some open space for yoga/mobility work, a GHD, a rower, a sauna

The "could care less if it has" - treadmills/ellipticals/bikes, weight machines, kettlebells, sleds, turf, classes

EricLFC1892

squat rack.. free weights.. done

PWRLFTR1

Gym with plenty of places to squat (cages and monoliths), deadlift and bench (really hate having to work in with someone), doesn't care if I grunt or use chalk or make noise when deadlifting. Oh and a clean bathroom. My current gym is great, just small and I have to bring cleaning wipes if I want to use the bathroom.

pravda_iskra

Because of my knee, I need a running track (I hate the elliptical and bike, and I can't run on treadmills). Where I live that means the YWCA.

nexangelus

I need more than one squat rack or power cage. That is my only thing when I go into a gym. No squat rack no deal. It has to have more than one cos inevitably you get the shruggers in there when you wanna work legs lol. Cardio machines do not interest me, I can run, cycle, walk (for free outside) or swim elsewhere. I cycle most places anyway. Rowing machines are a bonus in a sweat and sawdust gym though...

Carillon_Campanello

Nacho cheese fountain in the locker room. Seals the deal.