gym advice ...

Chose the one that you will actually go to - so, how close is it to work or home, how friendly is it, what are their opening hours, what classes do they run that you might take, how much is it...

Location and price. If a pool is important to you, that might be another consideration.

I like to choose a gym based on the clientel. When I first started my weight loss journey 1 1/2 years ago I was 270 pounds and joined Bally's fitness with my husband and I really felt out of place. Everyone there was already fit and I was just the fat girl walking at a cvery slow pace on the treadmill. So I kept paying for my membership and never went back. Then I joined planet fitness and felt better about the environment. Everyone there was just like me either bigger than me or just starting out. It was a mixture of fit and not so fit people there. I loved it. By then I dropped 30 pounds on my own doing weight wathcers and wanted to tone up and lose more. Now I am still a member at Bally's and Planet fitness and I love them both. Now I can keep up with the little skinny girls at Bally's on the elliptical and I crush them. You just have to go to the gym take a tour and see what works for you. Good Luck!

I chose one I had friends at, and that had the most group fitness classes.

hmm this differs w everybody probably. No matter what, its up to only YOU to actually keep yourself going back once you join but of course a gym that is prob the nearest to you will help so you dont hafta travel far. my gym has an awsome, friendly enviroment. its private owned by a husband and wife and they really get to know their members and everybody that goes there really get to know one another so I like the atmosphere! of course make sure the gym has enough equipment that you like to use and a gym thats 24/7 def is a huge help too. my gym is 24/7 and they never close, not even on holidays so its always open to members so i can go no matter what my days schedule looks like and my gym also offers a different excercise class each day of the wk and its free to members so I love that and that def keeps me going back to take advantage of that! a lot of gyms charge you extra for the fitness classes so if you can find one that throws that in there w your membership, thats good as well. whichever gym your comfortable with is key but ultimately its up to you to keep going back!! good luck!

I had a family membership for a long time, and did not go very frequently because it was real busy and it was difficult to get on a machine. My kids went when they were younger to swim and play racquet ball, but as they got older, they did not do that much anymore.

So, when I changed gyms, I found one easier to get to, open 24 hours, no pool or raquetball courts, but all the weights and cardio machines that I use. Also it had great membership terms where I can bring a friend for free everyday, for just 20/month. the parking lot looks crowded, but it is never busy inside except between 4 pm and 8 pm monday-friday. Weekends are never crowded and during the day it is not crowded. Almost sounds too good to be true.

So shop around and find a gym that has what you are looking for.

I go get a week free pass and actually use it. That way I can see if the place is packed where I can't use the equipment I want at the times I will be working out, get an idea of how the people are there (both members and staff), and see if it fits me. If it doesn't fit me, it doesn't matter if it is literally next door to my house or only $5 a month because I won't use it. Trying it out first also gives me the option of seeing if I will be using certain amenities (like tanning, sauna, classes etc.) or not. A big class schedule for example, is useless if I don't like the classes or the instructors. Also, I like a chain gym that allows me to use other locations so that I can still get a workout in when I'm on vacation or whatever. And probably 99% of chain gyms offer those free trial periods whereas the local Mom & Pop may not.

looking at your info, I think you're asking for general "what's important to you?" stuff rather than "what should I look for?" as you're opening your own gym, yes?

One of the things I love about my gym is their Facebook page - members can interact with each other even when we're not working out, there's online details of class changes, as well as studio fun nights out and get-togethers

i love my gym!! admittedly, it's pricey and years ago i would have balked at paying $90/month for a gym membership, and i was only used to paying $30. but now that i view my health as a very important priority, my membership is completely worth it, esp. with the great services it offers, including:

-amazing fun group classes, including zumba -- if a gym doesn't have good classes, i'd be utterly bored
-3 pools
-convenience - just 2 min drive away, and open 24 hours
-awesome personal trainers
-cardiovascular/BMR testing and nutritionist services
-free daycare - i'm not a parent but if i were, this would be a fabulous benefit
-clean and odor-free environment
-no wait at all for machines
-weight loss/boot camp/etc programs in small group setting
-salon/spa/cafe

it really depends on what's most important to you. for me, it was selection of group classes, PT and other fitness testing services, and convenience. the other benefits also matter but to a lesser degree.

OMG!!! I don't know where you live, but I pay LA Fitness $20/month, and I get all of that! Oh my!! I couldn't afford 90...

i live in the northwest chicago suburbs, near my workplace, and my neighborhood is well-off so the gym prices reflect this. even the ymca is $60!! considering all the other gyms in my neighborhood and their pros/cons, my gym ended up being the obvious choice. being just 2 min away was probably the biggest factor. the only other gym that resembles mine in terms of benefits offered is equinox, which is $150/mo!!! it's all relative, isn't it?