Every January, fitness professionals gear up for an explosion of new participants in their classes. All of the New Year Resolution-ers will be out and ready to make 2014 their healthiest year ever and some just want to burn off those extra winter pounds that Santa and Pillsbury left behind. I LOVE teaching specialty group fitness classes. I've said it before, Zumba feeds my passion and Yoga feeds my soul. But, sometimes, I miss the gym.
We live in an area where outside physical activities are mainly done 8 months out of the year. Once the winter coats come on, we tend to go into hibernation. Zumba classes get smaller, bodies get weaker and the tummies...need I say more? Membership to a gym can be an awesome investment in your health and provide you the support you need (and pay for) to achieve your health goals year round. Options, Options, Options, there are PLENTY of options, but which option is right for you? Like schools and churches, shopping around for the right gym can be the key to your success. It can turn that new year's resolution a blast or a bust.
The Mega-Gym
Machines Machines Machines! Wall to wall cardio machines and strength equipment. These types of gyms are a fantastic place to start. Most of them have very affordable rates. If you take a group exercise class here and there and would like to add a few days of elliptical or treadmill work, Mega-gyms are the perfect place. They are also ideal if you are rehabilitating from an injury and need a place that is designed around your own pace. Everyone has had those days where you just can't make it to class, or it was cancelled and you had every intention of doing something active but it just didn't happen. Mega-gyms are the perfect place to put in 30 minutes of SOMETHING. If you have never been to a Mega-Gym, you might be a little overwhelmed with the variety and look of the equipment. I assure you, the staff at these places WANT to show you how to use the equipment. They are most likely people who have some type of personal training background or fitness degree. Many chain mega-gyms only hire people who have some type of certification or license through a recognized national organization like ACE or AFAA. You probably won't find many group fitness classes or child care at mega-gyms. Unless you and your girlfriends all have memberships and plan to meet up there, you probably won't find much socializing either. It's pretty much take care of business at a mega gym. With the new year just a few days away, you WILL however find some great deals going on designed to attract all the resolution-ers. Be sure to take a tour and ask about getting a free day pass before you commit to anything. Also, ask about their policy on bringing in non-members as your guest and above all, if you can discontinue your membership at any time without penalty.
The Lifestyle Gym
The lifestyle gym specializes in exactly that: your lifestyle! They want you there several times a week. They want your family there. They want you to meet up with friends for coffee right after Pilates in their very own cafe. You will find childcare at most of these places and you will probably find various fitness activities and programs for your children. Adding to that, these places probably have classes geared toward active seniors as well. See where the LIFE in lifestyle comes into play? Group fitness is the name of the game and plenty of it! Sure there are some machines and strengthening equipment, but you are more likely to wait in line to use it here than at a mega-gym. Pick up a schedule and check out what's available. Spinning, Pilates, Yoga, BodyCombat, Barre, BodyPump, Zumba...and that's just Monday! What's awesome about the variety is that if you enjoy group fitness classes and camaraderie, you have a very high chance of finding a class at a lifestyle gym that you will love. If it's ever cancelled for some reason, or it's full, hit the machines. It's never a wasted trip to a lifestyle gym. Your staff will be a mix or fitness professionals and specialty teachers. I am one of those specialty teachers does not have a nationally recognize general fitness certification after my name (yet). But, while working at a lifestyle gym, I could easily send you to the nutritionist they probably have on staff to assist you. I belonged to a lifestyle gym in the area that had a salon in it. How awesome is that! Even if I was a little under the weather, I could bring my kids to the childcare, walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes and read alone for about 40 in the cafe. There are a few things I'd strongly encourage people to think about before they join a lifestyle gym. Consider the investment. All of the conveniences listed above cost. You will probably pay anywhere from $30-$75 a month for a basic membership to a lifestyle gym. Is childcare really important to you? Will you be at the gym several times a week to make it worth your while? Again, take a tour, ask about membership changes or cancellations, and guest policies.
The Boutique Gym
You might know boutique gyms as studios. I love the name boutique because special attention is paid to decor and ambiance as well as the services they provide. Specialty group fitness classes as well as private instruction are the bread and butter to these places. You will probably find the owner checking people in, teaching the classes and cleaning up after. It's a second home for the people that work there and they want you to feel comfortable so you will keep coming back. If mega gyms and lifestyle gyms are family practice, boutique gyms are the surgeons. You want long and lean muscles, there's a Barre studio nearby. You want to ease that back pain with some core workouts, a new Pilates studio is opening in January. Ready to focus on that Yoga journey, or dance your way to fitness? You get the idea. Boutique Gyms can provide a very individual experience. You generally see the same people in various classes and you get to observe them becoming stronger. The staff will most likely remember that you couldn't touch the floor with your hands when you first started and be genuinely excited when you finally do! It is not uncommon to find an instructor talking to a class participant they just met for 30 minutes after class.You won't see machines here, but you will see props. Weights, resistance bands, core exercise balls etc... Keep in mind however, that most of these boutiques have mats and towels for participants to use, but that could be an additional rental cost. There isn't a washing machine in the back room with a custodian on staff. The owner is probably taking these items home and cleaning them herself, and that costs. Some of the specialty classes might not be included in the general membership and could cost extra as well. It is also very rare to find a boutique gym that offers childcare. As far as membership goes, we are talking anywhere from $50 to over $100 per month. Dropping in just for a class here and there will almost always run you over $10 per class, but it's easy to do so at a boutique gym and you aren't locked into a membership. They probably offer class punch cards which are a great way to save a few dollars. Yes, this might be a bit of a pricey option for some, however, these are specialists in their field and they are investing in you.
So wherever your health journey takes you, I assure you that you are not alone. There are hundreds of instructors and fitness professionals who picked their job to serve you and help you become the best person you can be! There are MANY quality fitness facilities and instructors in our area. Below are a few places I'd like to particularly mention because of my personal experience with their facility or staff. They are all on Facebook and have wonderful people working there waiting for you!
