What do you look for in a gym?

JTick
JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
edited January 4 in Fitness and Exercise
I am starting to look for a gym...I have maxed out on the weights I have at home. What is most important to you? I'm not so interested in cardio. I want to start lifting more, but I'm not sure of the equipment that I need to make sure the gym has so that I can go far. Thanks!

Replies

  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    A real squat rack (not a Smith). Two is better than one. The type where you can move the catch bars. Some can't be moved and are generally too high for me.

    A bench, again 2 is better than one if it gets busy.

    Bumper plates and a power lifting pad (this is really hard to find, only my college gym has this which will be sad when I finally graduate and can no longer go for free).

    Pull-up / chin-up bars.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member


    Bumper plates and a power lifting pad (this is really hard to find, only my college gym has this which will be sad when I finally graduate and can no longer go for free).


    What are these for? I feel like such a newbie...I do plan to get a couple sessions with a trainer so that I can learn how to use everything and make better use of my time.
  • dj8052
    dj8052 Posts: 15
    Well since cardio is not your interest, stay away from planet fitness and all that hype. 24hr fitness is alright, but look for a no contract place with pull up and dip equipment. Life fitness machines are good for isolation and cable exercises. Best gyms have a big dumbbell area and mirrors to check proper form since that is key. How long do you want a trainer for? Most are under certified these days. But if you need one ask these questions for a piece of mind:

    1.What is your experience and how long?
    2. Can you talk to a client and are they happy with his/her results?
    3. Price range (some are 30-300 an hr.)
    4. Are they in shape? Any competition experience? What is their diet?
    5. Their style training (talk too much, aggressive, downloaded their plan for you off the internet?)

    Hope this helps and good luck with whatever choice you make.
  • n_gal87
    n_gal87 Posts: 85 Member
    Most gyms will give you a day or week pass before you sign up, especially if they require you to sign a contract committing you for a few months or a year. Ask about that so you can decide if YOU like it, I always try to go at different times, or the time I plan on normally going so I get a realistic expectation.

    I like to look for gyms with lots of different things, cardio, mats and weights and exercise balls, machines (I like life fitness) because I get board easily and like to switch things up.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Of course weight training is my main workout so I prefer a gym that has complete set of barbells, dumbbells, plates of up to 50kg plus a squat rack. I also want a gym that has a swimming pool since I love swimming. That's what I consider the cardio that I enjoy doing most.
  • envy09
    envy09 Posts: 353 Member
    A real squat rack (not a Smith). Two is better than one. The type where you can move the catch bars. Some can't be moved and are generally too high for me.

    A bench, again 2 is better than one if it gets busy.

    Bumper plates and a power lifting pad (this is really hard to find, only my college gym has this which will be sad when I finally graduate and can no longer go for free).

    Pull-up / chin-up bars.

    This^^^

    My gym doesn't have bumper plates. Using boxes is supper annoying! That and nine times out of ten someone is using the squat rack for shrugs.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    A real squat rack (not a Smith). Two is better than one. The type where you can move the catch bars. Some can't be moved and are generally too high for me.

    A bench, again 2 is better than one if it gets busy.

    Bumper plates and a power lifting pad (this is really hard to find, only my college gym has this which will be sad when I finally graduate and can no longer go for free).

    Pull-up / chin-up bars.

    Except I'm looking to make sure the pull up bars are high enough, and I call it an Olympic lifting platform.

    Edit: Oh and make sure the dumbbells are heavy enough. Something I learned from Puregym.
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