There comes a time in most peoples lives when they decide they need to get back into shape. This is usually after the excesses of Christmas or before going on holiday when you have tried on that swimsuit or pair of shorts. The temptation is to rush off to your local health club and sign up straight away. This is not a good idea.
There I nothing wrong with joining a health club but there are some steps you can take to ensure that the get value for your money. In these stricken financial times health clubs are going through a tough time just like everyone else. This you can use to your advantage. In an attempt to attract members many clubs have scrapped the joining fee requirement. If the club you are interested has not tell them that you do not want to pay this fee. If they insist tell them you will go elsewhere, this usually works.
Ask for a week or twos trial membership to see if you like the facilities. Before you sign anything also check that you can cancel your membership at any time. You do not want to get trapped into a contract which means you have to pay for 12 or 18 months even if you have stopped using the club.
You should also find out at what times the club is busy, does this coincide with the times that you would want to use the facility? If so is there enough equipment to cater for the demand? You do not want to be hanging around waiting for a treadmill or bench to become free.
Some clubs have extra facilities such as exercise classes, personal fitness training and yoga. Before joining you should find out which of these are included in your membership and which you will have to pay extra for.
During your trial membership period take a good look at the equipment and facilities. Is the equipment reasonably new and in good repair and how clean are all the facilities? Just because you have a free trial membership you do not have to feel obligated to join the club if it does not come up to your expectations.
Don’t let a little bit of flab or cellulite rush you into joining a health club. Take your time and look around before committing yourself and this way you should find a health club that meets your needs and suits your pocket.
