Where should you go to get into shape?

It’s that time of year, when the effects of Christmas and New Years are truly showing. We promise ourselves to get fit, and sign up to the gym.

But are you being honest with yourself? There are a few questions you should ask yourself:

- How often will you go to the gym?
- What facilities will you be using?
- How much can you afford to spend?
- How far are you prepared to travel?

Now that you have thought about this, you can select the type of gym that best suits you. There are actually quite a few types available, for example pay as you go gyms, pay monthly gyms, and health clubs to name a few.

The Gym

If you’re looking to get built up, or just get fit, without any of the fuss then the gym is the way to go. The gym is mainly full of cardiovascular and resistance machines, however some even have other exercise classes. Some will interest you, whereas others would be a waste. These classes are run by professional teachers, and range from body pump classes to aerobic classes.

With gyms, you do have the option to select different kinds of memberships, depending on how much you are planning to use it. Most gyms offer cheaper memberships if you only want to use the gym during off peak hours.

The Health Club

Your local health club is probably known to many as your local gym. But unlike a gym, a health club is not just about your fitness, but also about your health. You have probably heard of Fitness First, Virgin Active, David Lloyd Leisure…all of which are health clubs.
If like me you’re looking for somewhere where you can exercise and relax all under the same roof, then a health club is perfect. As well as having all the standard gym stuff, they also have swimming pools, saunas, exercise studios and lots of other activities.

For some people having a membership isn’t cost effective, then make sure you look into one off pricing, which allows you to use all the facilities for a set period of time.

The Leisure Centre

You may be lucky enough to live close to a council run leisure centre, which is pretty much the same as health club minus the over inflated monthly charges. Leisure centres are non-profit organisations, and are solely created for your well being. They also include swimming pools, gyms and steam rooms and even cafés.

Even in your local leisure centre, you get the option to do pay as you go pricing, which basically means you only pay for what you use.

Pay-As-You-Go Gyms

If you’re the kind of person who likes to know where their money is going, then a pay as you go gym maybe perfect for you, especially if you don’t go quite enough to make full use of a monthly membership. This is also great if you travel round a bit, or simply can’t commit to a single gym.

You can also opt to pay as you go at health clubs, which is ideal if you want to test it out, before you commit yourself to the membership.

Budget Gym

The great thing about budget gyms is that there are no frills. There are no contracts to sign, but don’t expect luxury when you go to one. It’s got all you need to get fit, lose weight or tone up. A budget gym is simply that, they have mass amounts of equipment, for a low monthly cost. With some you can even go to another site and exercise, for a small additional cost. You only get basic facilities like a place to shower, a locker, and changing rooms.

As with all contracts, make sure you read it properly, clearly noting how to cancel the membership should you ever wish to. Also be aware of all the costs you have to pay.

Do remember to take advantage of hotel gyms when you go away for your holidays. They are usually empty, and most of the time, are free of charge. Well if you’re paying for the hotel room, you might as well.

If you use a gym of any kind we’d love to hear from you so please leave your review over on Review Centre.