When it comes to choosing a gym there are always several things to consider. Luckily there is an organization called IHRSA that tracks all sorts of gym and fitness related stats to help you decide what is going in with the fitness in our country and abroad. IHRSA is kind enough to track everything fitness and tell us what makes the world go 'round, at least our world.
So what criteria does IHRSA say should you use to choose your gym? The answers may surprise you...
So what criteria does IHRSA say should you use to choose your gym? The answers may surprise you...
- Location - The single most important aspect of choosing your gym should be ensuring that it is close enough to either your home or your work for you to be able to use it easily. Regardless of features, classes and other offerings if you don't use it then they are useless.
- Location - I know that this is listed twice because it is twice as important as anything else...
- Amenities - If you have to have a kids club, if you love classes, if you are required by a doctor to do low impact water aerobics, then this is what we in the biz call a condition. This means that if your gym does not offer you what you need then it had better far exceed your needs, otherwise you just won't use it.
- Hours - For many people a facility has hours that easily meet our needs, but if you are one of those people that works out at odd hours then this is certainly important. For example, if you are waiting at the door every morning for the facility to open then it might not be the right choice for you because if that front desk person is a few minutes late it could screw you out of a workout.
- Price - Sadly, this is the main factor that most people use to choose their gym but should not be such a factor. This is important and if all factors are equal then by all means save yourself a few bucks, but be cautious about what you give up to save yourself $.30 per day...
