Last updated
17 October 2009

Choosing your gym or health club

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How to choose your new health club

Before you chose your health club, you really need to ask yourself a number of questions to find out what you really want from it.

For instance, do you want a gym with a spa so you can relax after your workout, do you want access to personal trainers, do you want the gym to have a large membership base and facilities such as a bar so that the gym can become part of you social life etc......

Therefore, in chosing your gym, we at Purple Weight Loss suggest that you ask yourself the following key questions to determine your needs:

What facilities do I really need? (gym suite, squash courts, personal trainers etc.)
What do I actually want to achieve? (weight loss, fitness improvement etc.)
What times can I go to the gym? (daytime, evenings, or weekends?)
Do I require access to professional advice? (nutrition, fitness instruction etc.)
How often will I go to the gym? (membership vs pay per use)
How will I get there? (car, tube, bus etc.)

And to determine whether the gym you have in mind suits your requirements, you might choose to ask the following questions before signing up for membership:

Financial

How much is it to join?
Is there a one-off joining fee as well as monthly fees?
How long is the tie-in period and how much notice is required to terminate my membership?
How much is it to bring a non-member?
Do you offer a free trial period to evaluate the facilities?

Practical

What facilities do you have? (swimming pool, squash courts, gym suite etc.)
What is included in the basic membership cost? (full access to the gym suite, squash courts etc.)
What is not included? (e.g. creche, sunbeds, towels etc)
Can I use other gym's in the group?
How many members are there and do you have a limit so that excessive queues for equipment do not build?
Is car parking available?
What local transport exists to get to and from the gym?
What are your opening hours?
Do you have air conditioning?
Are complimentary drinks / access to drinking water provided?

Professional Advice

Are professionally qualified fitness instructors available through the gym?
Do I get professional advice on using the equipment when I join?
Do I get a free personal health and fitness check up when I join?
Are there periodic reviews of my programme and fitness?
How often can you have a professional trainer advise you on your programme?
What qualifications do the professional staff have? (e.g. fitness, nutrition etc.)

Classes

What classes do you offer? (yoga, pilates etc.)
When are these run and are they always full?

Female-specific questions

Is there a separate ladies gym?
Are there separate ladies-only classes?
Are female personal trainers available?

Purple Weight Loss Top Tip: Don't choose a gym just because it has the most facilities if you are only ever going to use a treadmill twice a week...... you will be paying a premium for facilities that you will never benefit from! Try and choose a gym that has the facilities that best match your requirements.

Health Clubs (Professional Gyms) versus Leisure Centres

Local leisure centres are generally funded and managed by local authorities and as such the quality of the facilities on offer is often "no frills".

Although a full complement of facilities is usually on offer, such as a gym suite, swimming pool, squash courts, aerobics studios etc, these tend to be more basic in nature than privately funded health clubs. However, as leisure centres are subsidised by local authorities they are usually a much cheaper option than the private health club alternative.

In terms of range of facilities, a private health club will offer much the same as a leisure centre. However, the quality and quantity of the facilities will typically be much greater.

Also, a private health club will normally provide a whole host of additional complementary facilities such as Jacuzzi and spa treatments, saunas, tanning studios, members bars and lounges and the rest.......a premium is therefore paid for this!