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Find A Gym: What do you look for when selecting a gym membership?

George Spellwin

George Spellwin

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Guys,

I finished my article on how to Find a Gym, the top 10 things to look for. Thanks for your help. Here's a link to the article "Find a Gym"!

I'm researching an article and I need your help. When you are looking for a gym membership, what do you look for?

Also, is there anything about your gym that makes it great? Or that really sucks?

Please post up.
 
Last edited:
Hours of operation ever since I joined a 24/7 place. Going elsehwere would be annoying n=knowing I would miss workouts.
 
i just recently joined a gym that has alot of stuff but one thing that has really annoyed me is the amount of weights. to do leg press i find myself walking around the gym to get enough plates to load it up. they have alot of hammer strength free weight machines just not enough weight racks.

i look for variety for each body part, how clean it is, some extra amenities are nice. the gym i just joined has tanning included and that is nice and easy.

as said above, how close it is to your work or home is pretty much the number one thing.
 
Power Racks/Squat Racks, plenty of olympic bars and free weights, and they absolutely must be ok with me using chalk (and quite a bit of it). I refuse to work out in a gym that won't let people use chalk so they can keep it pretty for all the people who go there but don't really work out.
CHALK!!!! One of the best performance enhancing substances available IMO.
As a bonus: bumper plates and olympic lifting platform/floor.
 
My gym in New York has digital locks built into the lockers - so no schlepping your combination lock to the gym - I like that a lot.
 
There's also two ballerina instructors that give me a private Pilates lesson each week. I like that a lot too. :devil:
 
the set up... i like the gym i go to because where the free weight area is when our looking into the mirrors you can see the upstairs right behind you where all the ladies use the tredmills, elipticals etc...
nice ass views (literally) plus i can work out with good scenery! although it does get difficult to concentrate at times lol
 
Usually the distance to the gym is a big factor in which one I go to. After that, I check to make sure they have the machines/weight I need. The only thing that sucks about my gym is it is a commercial gym (NYSC) and a lot of people go there just to talk. They literally sit and talk on machines for 20 minutes and don't even use it. Another thing that sucks is most people have no idea what they are doing and take up my time using the machines. You know, that overweight guy that comes in once every 15 days and hops off and on machines in between your super set. Things like that. I seriously hate the people at the NYSC, the only thing I like is they keep their machines up to date and throw a lot of money into it.
 
1. Distance from my house
2. equipment (i like to have a variety of equipment and heavy dumbbells)
3. hours of operation (must be open 24h/day, sometimes precontest i like to do cardio at night)
 
I think one of my biggest factors is how busy it is... i absolutely hate a crowded gym. Most ppl at my gym are douche bags, or just do the cardio machines. I've seen about 2 ppl that are actual serious lifters. Also its annoying that they only have one place for me to do deadlifts, so enough squat racks or whatever so i don't have to wait around would be a huge plus.. there just aren't many options where i live unless i wanna go to golds or the Y, where basically my entire town goes :\
 
Yupp how crowded and close it is i go to my neighbourhood gym rather then 24 or ballys... saves so much time driving there and back and inbetween sets!
 
But big picture....
Hours of operation definately. My gym is open 24hrs.

I like having a steam room available. And there also signs saying a bathing suit is MANADATORY. Otherwise you get your membership revoked.

I hear people say cleanliness. Yes you want the place to be kept up with, but at the same time, you're at a gym dude, not a day spa. Go to L.A. Fintess if you want to workout wearing make up, see your reflection off shiny equipment and don't want to break a sweat during the course of your workout.

I like not having to listen to top 40, hip hop, or fuckin dance club music. No prob with my gym there either.

Lots of equipment is a must. If you like that too, then join a big gymm, not a small one.

Parking is nice. My gym now, the lot can get packed, but you can always still get a spot. The old corporate gym I used to work for, forget it. People used to seriously say all the time, that they just said fuck the workout and went home cuz they had to drive around for days trying to get a spot.

And I like that my gym is not corporate. There's a big differene between making members happy and getting down on your hands and knees to kiss their ass. I also like that as a trainer we get paid very well and don't have to try and sell RIDICULOUSLY INFLATED CORPORASTE PRICES, and that we as trainers keep the majority of the money, with only a portion going to the great people that run the PT Dept at my gym. And that they aren't up our ass all day every day asking where our sales/session counts are at.

That's my input. And as you can tell, I love my gym!
 
I go for atmosphere. I actually prefer there to be a decent crowd. It makes the place feel energetic. I use a YMCA which has everything I need. I would like for the showers to have stalls and curtains. The Y just has a big open shower area. One time there was an old man in the shower and I guess his Viagra kicked in and he got a big boner. That was awkward. Everyone pretended not to notice.
 
Priorities in order are:

- hours of operation
- maintenance of the equipment
- variety of machines
- cleanliness
- race and class of humans
- distance

Being a member of bally, I don't like it. Hours of operation are useless, equipment is not properly maintained, a few machines needed to isolate muscles do not exist, people is nasty and they speak too much spanish and/or creole.
 
Being open 24/7
decent price
being able to use chalk but the place is still fairly kept up
lots of mandatory equipment like squat rackS, place for deadlift with extra padding or platform, deadlift and squat bars, heavy dumbells, cardio area is seperate, variety of machines.
parking
less gay music
 
I look for a gym thats under $25 a month. Also, gym's that have those stupid step, spin and whatever classes must be avoided because those people clog up the parking lot at prime time. Go build a gym just for those classes somewhere else. Everyone wears headphones so the surrounding music isn't a problem, plus, when you wear headphones no one bothers you.
 
open floor space, heavy dumbbells, quality barbells, multiple squat racks and benches,
 
DJ_UFO said:
- race and class of humans

people is nasty and they speak too much spanish and/or creole.
Click to expand...

wow cant believe what I am reading from this guy. we are supposed to be ambassadors to bodybuilding on this site not attack other members or races I dont care what race or class of human you are, if you need help I am gonna hook you up, END OF STORY. I am dissapointed in you.

where are the moderators?
 
Bros,

I finished my article on how to Find a Gym, the top 10 things to look for. Thanks for your help. Here's a link to the article "Find a Gym"!
 
Equinox in NYC I have an absolute love hate relationship with.
Great equipment, most are very open, and the girls at several of the locations are absolutely unreal. Very good energy, clean, and great atmosphere.
Cons....most people are pretty serious about working out, but good deal of d-bags as well. Lots of gy dudes that have no shame. $175 a month is a bit pricey, even for nyc.
 
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