Gym Memberships

[VelvetGloves]

I know there are a lot of different ways to lose weight. I want to focus on diet and exercise. In the past, I have always worked out at home using basic exercises (squats, sit-ups, etc.) and free weights.

Now...I am thinking about joining a gym. I was wondering if any of you use a gym? If you do, is it a national chain? How much is your membership? My husband doesn't know it yet, but he would also be joining, and I am trying to figure out how much it would cost for the two of us. We live in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I know different areas often charge different amounts.

Any help would be appreciated! I've been lurking off and on. I posted long ago...back when I only needed to lose ten pounds or so. Now, I need to lose more like 60 pounds. Let the adventure begin.

VelvetGloves

 

[crewmatt]

Hey, I'm in the DC area and goto Washinton Sports Club. I also had a membership at Bally for a while. I pay 45 or so for WSC, and I had paid like 32 or so a month for Bally.

So gyms aren't always one size fits all, you should find one that fits your lifestyle, offers the things you want, and that most of all you're comfortable working out in. Things you should consider (both what I personally look for as well as what I know people specifically looking to lose weight look for):

1) What are the hours? Can you easily fit it into your schedule with those hours?

2) Cleanliness - is it clean, well lit. Some people care that the equipment is all new and in good repair, some people who are focusing mostly on lifting weights - well it doesnt matter so much.

3) Locker Room/Showers - I personally love being able to head into DC early, get a workout in, shower and head into work. WSC has towel service (they provide towels for you) and very clean locker rooms

4) Do you feel comfortable working out there. I'm a marathoner/triathlete/rower so I'm both a) in decent shape so I dont really worry so much about people watching me and b) have lost my shame long ago in various transition areas, boathouses, etc. Some gyms are like fishbowls with large glass windows. Others offer more private workout rooms. To each their own, some people care, some people dont.

5) Do they have classes that you'd be interested in taking. One of the best ways to get in shape is to make it a social and enjoyable activity. If you look forward to meeting up with a group of people you'll be way more likely to get out of bed or leave work early to get to the gym.

6) Are there multiple locations you can use? This becomes convenient especially as some gyms might have things like pools that you could use. Same thing when travelling either for work or the holidays.

7) How crowded is it? Obviously you'll want to get in a workout not wait in line. Now's a good time to guage interest as all gyms see a massive spike on new years, which tapers off by say Jan 21. But if its totally empty maybe that says something as well.

8) Are the trainers knowledgeable and helpful? How many of them are there? Do they just sit on the sidelines or do you see them out and helping people? Again this is a matter of preference, some people want to be left alone, others want the help.

9) How much, how long of a contract, what are the cancellation terms - make sure you understand this before you sign.

 

[FireDancer]

I have to belong to a gym. I think weight training is essential to being in shape and there is no better way to get access to all the equipment than with a proper gym membership. I belong to two, Urban Active and Fitworks. One is free through insurance and the other one I pay for (at least for now, it will also be free through my insurance once my paid for membership expires).

If you are willing to spend some time working them down you can get into UA for a little under $40/month. I paid about $515 for 3 years at FW (which is less than $15/month).

 

[fashionista311]

well the cost definitely depends on your geographic location, and the level of "luxury" at your gym. when i lived in nyc, i paid $80 for new york sports club, and that was by the cheapest deal - i saw some more luxurious gyms go for over $200. craziness.

now that i'm in the burbs of ct, i'm paying $20/month for a regional chain. i also have a small gym in my apartment complex. i'm also thinking of joining up a national chain - la fitness - for another $30/month since neither gyms have indoor pools...and I want to take up triathlons. most gyms by me are in that price range - with the exception of equinox, which is an astronomical $170/month.

my best advice (besides what everyone else has said) is to figure out what works best for you. for me, location is #1 - if i have to sit in 10 miles of traffic, forget it, i would never go. my favorite workout is spinning, so no decent spin classes is a deal breaker. is there a particular workout that is a must have for you? finally - figure out how many times a week you'll go and make sure you going to get your money's worth. even though i work out 6 days/week, i''m only at the actual gym i pay for twice a week max. once the weather turns nice and i get my road bike up here (yay!) that will probably dwindle down to once a week. so as much as i'm dying to equinox because it's super luxurious and the instructors are absolutely amazing...it just doesn't make sense to spend that much on gym that i really don't use that often.

 

[haleyknits]

I'm in NC and go to Planet Fitness. I like that they are open 24 hours Monday-Friday at 9, then Sat and Sun 7a-7p. It gives me plenty of opportunity to go. They don't have classes, so if that is something you want/need it isn't the place for you. Their rates are very reasonable @ $10 per month. There are times when it gets really busy, say rush hour, but I prefer the mornings when it is quieter. I have a friend that goes to either Anytime or 24 hour fitness (can't remember which) and she likes it a lot.

 

[SAHDad]

We pay somewhere between $70 and $80 a month (forget how much it is right now, but it's probably closer to $80 than $70 anymore) for a family membership at the Y. It is more than I would pay for a single membership at another gym (since DW usually uses the one at her employer), but the big draw is the free child watch (plus we get a discount on the Y-affiliated pre-school). So, today, I went to the gym for an hour or so, and DD enjoyed playing with the other kids. Tomorrow, I will drop her off at the preschool, and go running (plus weights, bike, whatever) until I need to get cleaned up and pick her up.

I figure, on a per hour basis, I actually don't pay that much, since I can be there 4-5 times a week, easily, plus the odd Saturday (and very rare Sundays). The childwatch alone is worth the membership fees some months.

 

[cewait]

An advantage of being a trainer/instructor is that you have a membership.

You may have missed the boat on great deals but all is not lost. The membership sales person you are dealing with is working for commission at the chain stores - so push for a new year's deal even now in March.

as mentioned above, the large format outlets offer a lot of perks like child care, pools, spas, restaurants. All that costs money so make sure you compare your options.

The BEST piece of advice I can give you is to look for a club that is on your way to work and closer to home (for most folks) If you drive by you are more likely to stop. Also, take your workout clothes with you. Once you hit the front door you are sunk and less likely to get back out to the gym. Ask for discounted or free training sessions as well as a discounted or waived entry. Oh, before that, ask for a week or so worth of passes so you can get a feel for the club.

 

[FireDancer]

The BEST piece of advice I can give you is to look for a club that is on your way to work and closer to home (for most folks) If you drive by you are more likely to stop. Also, take your workout clothes with you. Once you hit the front door you are sunk and less likely to get back out to the gym. Ask for discounted or free training sessions as well as a discounted or waived entry. Oh, before that, ask for a week or so worth of passes so you can get a feel for the club.

I second this. Unfortunately the gyms I go to aren't really near my house but they are both not too far out of the way if I hit them after work so I bring my gym bag to work on gym days and go right after work. As gas prices go up it is also more cost effective to work the gym into your commute as opposed to going home and then back out.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I absolutely agree that you need to figure out what you need/want before you go. I just joined Planet Fitness which is a no frills, very basic style of gym. I knew that all I wanted was exercise bikes and weight machines. I looked at a One Life Fitness location and it was beautiful and really had all the bells and whistles including a dark movie room with a huge movie screen and cardio machines and woman's only area. Planet Fitness is basically a former large grocery store in a strip mall-- one big room with everything. While the One Life was beautiful it was way more than I needed.

Cost was also a big issue. DH joined a gym near his work so he could go at lunch time. He gets a discount through his company but it is still about $40 a month. But he needed a location that was close and has towel service and more access to different machines and weights, as well as a pool. Since I am a SAHM I have no problems bringing my own towels and usually just come home and shower. So being able to not "double pay" by my also joining a more expensive gym was important. His work is no where near where I am during the days and would be beyond inconvenient for me to get to. Both of our memberships are "no contract" and we can quit any time which was also important to us. We don't want to be stuck with payments if our situation changes.

We would have liked to join the local Y (we had a membership a few years ago), but the times DH would use it are very crowded so we decided it was not a good option.

 

[tggrrstarr]

I have to belong to a gym. I think weight training is essential to being in shape and there is no better way to get access to all the equipment than with a proper gym membership. I belong to two, Urban Active and Fitworks. One is free through insurance and the other one I pay for (at least for now, it will also be free through my insurance once my paid for membership expires).

If you are willing to spend some time working them down you can get into UA for a little under $40/month. I paid about $515 for 3 years at FW (which is less than $15/month).

I work at Legacy Village, my manager goes to Urban Active! I almost signed up there, but I didn't like their Sunday hours.

I very recently switched from Bally's to Lifetime Fitness. Bally's was cheap, near $30 a month. It was just the basics but I hated it. The locker rooms are awful, I refused to use either the bathrooms or showers there. Gross!

I debated for quite a while before signing up at LT, it was really expensive, close to $70 a month. I finally decided it was time to treat myself to something that is good for me. The locker rooms are like a spa, there is towel service and even an outdoor pool for summer. And its 24 hours and really close to my house. Also, its only month to month, so its no risk if I want to switch or leave them.

 

[KarenAylwood]

I LOVE my gym membership. There are many things I'd give up in my budget before I'd give up my membership.

I used to belong to the Y, which was in a big city so it was amazing. It had 6 levels, tons of classes, personal TV's on every machine and was close to my apartment, while also having a location close to work. It worked the best for me at that time in my life. It was about $65/month which included $10/month parking (in the city- no other location charged this). This was also a discounted rate through my company.

Then the local Gold's Gym chain opened up a new location and they were offering a special- $28/month with only a $50 joining fee (normal is $30/month and $150 joining fee) for all locations in the area. I knew I'd be moving out of the city soon, and I disliked most of the Y's in the area other than mine, so I decided to switch. It took me at least a year to get used to it (I'm a creature of habit). Within that year they changed to One Life to make it more friendly to families and people who believed the stigma that Gold's was for body builders or something. The clientele has changed since. I love my gym now- it's got multiple locations so I can go to whichever will work best depending on if I'm at work or I need to take a different way home because of traffic. There are certain locations I like better than others depending on the layout.

DF used to belong to Planet Fitness because it was so cheap. Well they oversold his location and even after most of the new years resolutioners were gone, he still couldn't get on a cardio machine after work without waiting a long time! He used to pay $10/month. He switched to One Life after I showed him my gym and paid $150 down, now pays $30 per month and doesn't regret it a bit. Loves it. Sometimes paying more really is worth it.

I wouldn't go to a gym that makes you pay more for classes. This may or may not be important to you.

Check out the gym during the time of day you'd be working out on a regular basis. Don't look at the gym on a Saturday afternoon if you'll be there at 5:30pm during the week!

 

[FireDancer]

I work at Legacy Village, my manager goes to Urban Active! I almost signed up there, but I didn't like their Sunday hours.

Small world. I've been to that one but I live on the west side so I usually go to Crocker Park. Before the economy tanked they had planned on opening a branch in Lakewood and Strongsville. Either would have been a bit more convenient for me but Crocker isn't bad.

 

[cewait]

I work at Legacy Village, my manager goes to Urban Active! I almost signed up there, but I didn't like their Sunday hours.

I very recently switched from Bally's to Lifetime Fitness. Bally's was cheap, near $30 a month. It was just the basics but I hated it. The locker rooms are awful, I refused to use either the bathrooms or showers there. Gross!

I debated for quite a while before signing up at LT, it was really expensive, close to $70 a month. I finally decided it was time to treat myself to something that is good for me. The locker rooms are like a spa, there is towel service and even an outdoor pool for summer. And its 24 hours and really close to my house. Also, its only month to month, so its no risk if I want to switch or leave them.

I work at LTF...or did. It is by far one of the better club systems out there...but it is not the cheapest. I am still able to use my employee card to get into the club and will until the fine folks at 24 hour complete a brand new club near my subdivision. I am looking forward to the 24 hr... It's new so one will get a good 4-5 years use out of it before it starts to fall off. I am pumped because it is a simple cross country 5k from my font door.

 

[VelvetGloves]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their feedback. My husband and I joined and gym and have gone the last two days!

We utilized the advice you guys gave to make our decision. We ended up at The American Athletic Club. They are only three miles from our home and have twenty-four hour access. With hubby's shifting hours(he is a Sam's Club manager), it's perfect. We figure our average time to visit will be around seven in the evening. Both nights we were there, we were the only people on the treadmills!

I have heard that the early morning are busy, but we are unlikely to get in there early because I work at a bank and just don't have the drive to go before work. Maybe someday I will...

Thanks again for all the input!

VelvetGloves