How do people usually choose which fitness club to buy a membership to? They look at the price, whether it’s convenient to get there, and the appearance – based on a photo or a personal visit for a couple of minutes.
And as a result, then unpleasant “surprises” begin, for example:
- The price of the subscription does not include group classes, or they are included, but there are very few of them, and most are paid;
- the club was watched on a weekend or during the day, and in the evening on weekdays, just when you go, it turns out to be terribly crowded;
- in the hall itself everything is fine, but the locker room and shower, which we didn’t bother to look at, are very old and cramped.
And so on, just read any dissatisfied reviews about fitness clubs. Clubs do not deteriorate sharply; the service and number of services in them are always approximately the same from the opening. It’s just that when buying a subscription, for some reason many people seem to have their eyes closed.
This is what the fitness club looks like from the photo on its website
Therefore, below we will outline more different points that are worth considering when purchasing a subscription. Much is obvious, but often forgotten. And at the end, we will provide a short checklist of the main points that you should not forget to ask the sales managers at the fitness club.
Fitness Goals
Determine your priorities and goals. For example: - tone yourself up; - lose weight; - gain muscle mass, pump up; — master or improve skills in some direction (for example, boxing, crossfit or tennis); — play for fun: volleyball, football, basketball, water polo, etc.; - just swim, etc.
An important question: will you work out in a fitness club on your own, in individual classes with a trainer, or in specific group classes? Most often, people combine things, but one thing stands out.
It’s worth taking all this into account when choosing a club. Some fitness club memberships are all-inclusive, while at others you'll pay extra for all or certain group classes.
Perhaps a fitness club is completely unnecessary: if you want to “tighten up” your shape a little and sometimes run for health, working out at home and running on the street are quite suitable for you. Or not an annual subscription, but less or instead of unlimited - for a certain number of classes per year.
Convenient location of the fitness club
Most people go to a gym near home, work, or on the way in between. Spending extra time on the road is rarely justified, because there are probably clubs near you with a similar level of service and price.
Therefore, pay attention to transport accessibility when choosing a fitness center or sports club. If you are by car – travel time, whether the entrances are convenient, whether there is parking. If by public transport - distance from the metro or stops. Even if on foot - how many minutes to walk and are you really ready to walk this route all the time? . The location itself where the club is located may also have a slight influence. It is much more pleasant to go there if it is in a good area than in an industrial area.
The building itself also has an impact. If the club is located in a shopping complex, this is rather a small plus. After training, you can eat, buy groceries for home, and relax. Although there may be a minus if the transparent glazing overlooks, for example, a food court.
Which side of the window would you like to be on?
Think about the location
Experienced athletes believe that the fitness club where you will go is good.
But even if, like professionals, there is no desire for record numbers, it still wouldn’t hurt to find the one that you want to visit all year round, ignoring workload and bad weather. Many are tempted by advertisements for luxury “apartments” on the outskirts of the city, but you need to be honest with yourself: how many times do you have the energy and time to get there? Even if you have a car, you cannot rule out traffic jams, unexpected breakdowns, and simple human laziness. And if you use public transport, then the prospect of traveling for half an hour by bus in only one direction will cease to please you after two or three classes.
At the same time, you should not completely exclude the option of fitness in a technically well-equipped gym located far from home. It is better to listen to the advice of an experienced trainer:
— It is not necessary to buy a subscription for a month or more on the first day of classes. If you have the opportunity to pay for several one-time classes, take advantage of it. During this time, you can evaluate the technical equipment,
- says Victoria Nikitenko.
— In general, good exercise equipment is perhaps the main selection criterion, so it is important to pay attention to their brand and characteristics. High-quality ones are always comfortable to use, because when they are created, the principles of biomechanics are taken into account - the anatomical structure and natural trajectories of body movement. This approach allows you to use the right muscle groups without damaging your joints, and get the maximum effect from your training without harm to your health.
Fitness club opening hours
Ideally, the fitness club is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. But this happens very rarely. And not many people need it. A good and most common option is from 7 to 23 hours on weekdays, from 9 to 22 hours on weekends and holidays. Sometimes it’s a little better - up to 24 hours on weekdays or on weekends the same operating hours as on weekdays. Sometimes it can be worse – let’s say, the option from 9 to 22 o’clock on weekdays is less convenient. But again, it all depends on your schedule. Some people only go to the gym during the day.
Convenience Factors in the Gym
1) The gym must have a shower and a locker room.
The locker room should have lockers with a key, and as for the shower, the water should be hot at any time of the year. Regarding personal belongings, this is generally a sore subject. Let me give you a simple example... it’s unpleasant to come and find out that you are left without a mobile phone or even worse. Therefore, take care of this in advance.
2) Ventilation. Many fanatics say that this is not a very important point.
However, I think this will greatly facilitate your training, especially in the summer when the heat is very intense and it is almost impossible to train. The presence of air conditioning is welcome (it should be).
3) The number of people involved in a sports club.
The fewer people who go to the gym, the better for us.
Therefore, if the gym is overloaded, this makes the training quite difficult, because standing in line for half an hour for dumbbells, barbells or exercise machines is not good, we need to train fully, and not sharpen our lasses...
Moreover, there is no fresh air (unless there is proper ventilation) when there are a lot of people...
4) Order. There are many people (beginners or insolent experienced athletes) who leave behind chaotic piles of dumbbells, unassembled barbells or exercise machines. This is terribly infuriating!!! So if the administration is not able to keep order, I also recommend not to stop at this choice of hall.
5) Hours (schedule) of the gym. Your work schedule should not tie you to a specific time during the day.
If the gym is open from 10.00, and you need to train at 8.00, because then you won’t have time, then this is bad. Or, on the contrary, you stay at work until 19.00, and the gym is open until 20.00 - naturally you won’t have enough time.
Therefore, the work schedule should be convenient for you (I rarely encounter such situations, but they still exist, usually self-respecting sports clubs work from 8.00 to 22.00 on weekdays, and on Sat-Sun from 10.00 to 20.00, and it depends on the specific club also , there are some fitness centers that are open 24 hours a day, which is actually cool).
By the way, don’t forget about holidays and weekends, so if a fitness club doesn’t care about the calendar for all these holidays, weekends, etc. and he is ready to accept you even on official weekends, then this is a big plus (usually fitness clubs don’t give a damn, and they arrange weekends on holidays, some gyms are not open on Sundays, so be vigilant).
Call to the fitness club
If the fitness club's website doesn't list prices, you'll probably have to call them first. And 2/3 of the clubs in Moscow and 1/2 of the clubs in St. Petersburg do not write down their prices (but that’s why we have collected on our website FitnessTop.ru the cost of annual passes for all fitness clubs, with a convenient filter by price).
They do not specifically indicate prices in order to encourage customers to call. And there the manager will try to convince you to come to the club, where he will also persistently sell a subscription. Even if you ask a simple question about the price of classes on their social networks, in most cases they will ask you to leave a phone number or write your own. A strange and annoying sales technique, but it is used in all fitness clubs.
Moreover, you will feel the fullness of the clinginess after a while. Even after a simple call, they will usually call you back within a week to ask what you decided. And they will repeat it later, with less frequency. And sometimes - even if you immediately refuse them. The best tactic here would be to say that they violated the Federal Law “On Personal Data.” You did not sign permission to use them, and calling you based on the fact that they once had your number is a violation of the law. They may even face large fines if you take the time to write it all down and send it to the right authorities. Well, or just enter the number in the phone block, if there is such an option.
Instead of calls or in parallel with them, SMS spam may begin. Various promotions will be showered on your phone, and this can continue for years. You can, of course, write to them with a request to remove your number from the mailing list, but not everyone is lucky. It’s better to simply block receiving SMS from this fitness club. This is easy to do if the sender's number is visible. But even if there is a name instead of a number, you can block it through the operator in a few seconds, while simultaneously complaining to him about spam. Google short numbers on how to do this - each mobile operator has its own procedures (for example, MTS 6333 and 4424).
Therefore, resume - better not leave your phone number! :) Although this is not a guarantee, alas, if you called them yourself.
When talking with the manager, ask immediately what you need. Otherwise, they will take the initiative with questions like “what do you want to attend in the hall,” etc. And for a few minutes they will scatter advertising slogans in front of you and invite you to come to them, emphasizing “only now a unique promotion.” And they will definitely try to sign you up somewhere - it would be nice for a free guest visit to a fitness club, when you can work out, or even just to the managers.
An artificial excitement is created, a feeling that they are supposedly busy. In fact, at almost any time you can come and calmly inspect the club and conclude an agreement (except perhaps during peak hours in large clubs during promotional periods).
The goal of managers is not to help you, but to sell.
Visit to the fitness club
Viewing photos and reading reviews is only enough to decide whether this fitness club is worth considering for yourself. And the decision to purchase should be made only after a personal visit. Especially if you take an annual subscription, and it’s not the cheapest one. Half of the fitness clubs, even expensive ones, offer a free trial visit (look in the additional services filter on FitnessTop). Sometimes it can be negotiated individually, even if there is no such option.
This is what the fitness club looks like on your first visit
Criterion 6. Sports for children
Often, parents want to instill a craving for a healthy lifestyle not only in themselves, but also in their children. Therefore, a variety of family fitness clubs, as well as specialized children's fitness centers, are very popular.
The advantages of the first are the opportunity to come with children and work out in parallel with them, leaving the kids with children's trainers and working on pumping up their own body.
Special fitness centers for children offer exclusively classes for children, also offering rooms of various functions - there can be dancing, yoga, a swimming pool, and many other physical training options.
Responsible parents should also first of all pay attention to the equipment - all equipment must be new, firmly fixed, as well as to the professional suitability of the trainers.
Don’t be lazy to ask managers for teacher education diplomas to avoid unpleasant situations, because the health of your children is at stake.
So, if you decide to change your usual rhythm of life and add a little sports to it, spend a little time searching for the ideal fitness club for you.
After all, in the case when you attend each of your workouts under pressure, you will receive minimal benefits from the exercises.
Your main task is not just to lose a couple of extra pounds, but also to enjoy the process of working your own muscles and leading a healthy lifestyle.
Total area and number of halls
The more square meters, halls and their visual separation, the more freely it will be to study later. Large clubs have several rooms. There may even be game rooms or tennis courts.
Of course, everyone has their own idea of what a fitness club should be. But even in small fitness clubs there should be a standard in any case: a gym with a separate cardio zone and at least one, and preferably two rooms for group classes. As well as men's and women's locker rooms with showers and preferably a sauna.
Quality and quantity of equipment
It’s worth walking through the hall and looking at what you need: strength training equipment (weight block, lever, cable, electronically controlled), cardio equipment, free weights, additional equipment for aerobics and other activities (mats, step platforms, body bars, jump ropes, weights, fitballs , rubber bands).
When making sales, the manager will talk about equipment from “well-known brands.” But the brand does not always mean the best, only the minimum guarantee. And even if it is really famous, it is worth assessing the condition of the simulators. And even more important is the quantity, so as not to stand in line for the simulator later.
Evaluate the dumbbell row: ideally from 1 to 10 kg in 1 kg increments, and then in 2-2.5 kg increments up to at least 50 kg. How many barbells, what kind of bars? There are Olympic ones with a smooth glass with a diameter of 5 cm, there are amateur ones with a diameter of 3 cm and a screw-on nut.
Look how many pancakes there are in the hall. Are there many racks? Are there benches with adjustable angles? Is there a weightlifting platform (useful at least for deadlifts).
In old halls, the equipment is often welded by hand, riveted together from bolts and nuts. And prefabricated dumbbells. Of course, the main thing is that it works, but some people won’t like it, and the risks during the work are higher.
There should not be a high density of exercise equipment. Treadmills, exercise bikes, and ellipsoids should be at least an arm's length apart from each other.
Schedule of group classes
Find out about the types and number of group programs at the fitness club. See if their schedule works for you.
It often happens that not all such classes are included in the price of the subscription. And if there are many paid groups, managers will try to hide this point when purchasing a subscription. Therefore, it is better to immediately ask to familiarize yourself with the schedule of classes at the club and other conditions. For example, there may be limits on entries into groups.
Be sure to check the class schedule if you plan to attend group programs.
Criterion 5. Coaching staff
The excessive self-confidence of people who come to the gym looking knowledgeable and experienced can sometimes play a cruel joke on them. According to statistics, the largest proportion of accidents occur during independent training.
Therefore, to avoid traumatic situations, it is better to pay for personal training. The trainer’s tasks include monitoring the correct execution of exercises, monitoring the dynamics of the process of losing excess weight and gaining mass, and even monitoring nutrition.
It is impossible to overestimate the work of a professional instructor, because taking care of your body falls on his shoulders. That is why, when purchasing a subscription, it is worth checking all the certificates and diplomas of the coaching staff of the fitness center employees, because in order to perform coaching duties properly, it is clearly not enough for a person to have just special training courses.
The best option is for your coach to have diplomas conferring the title of Candidate Master of Sports or Master of Sports, because this is a clear sign that the instructor really knows his job from the inside.
In addition, it would be a good idea to communicate with the chosen trainer, because interpersonal contact also plays a role: you are unlikely to be enthusiastic about visiting the gym if the instructor is unpleasant to you or does not inspire confidence. Also, with personal communication, you will be able to find out even more accurately the level of professionalism of the fitness center employee.
Condition of the main and additional premises
You will immediately notice the comfort of the gym and the quality of the renovation. But also immediately pay special attention to the ventilation systems, especially in summer. It is better if the ceilings are high - this is the only way to ensure high-quality ventilation of such a large and complex room as a fitness center.
It should be a little cool and fresh, especially in the cardio zone. Note whether the lighting is good. Too bright is tiring, but weak is worse and more dangerous.
Go to the locker room, look into the shower or sauna. Many reviews then complain about the lack of cleanliness there.
If the hall has a swimming pool, that’s a plus. The presence of hydromassage and Turkish hammam is also a plus. Although if you don’t need a pool, then this is rather a minus, since it is already included in the price. It is advisable that the pool be 25 m long - the minimum acceptable length for professional swimming pools. Very often there are only 3-4 lanes, not 6. Many reviews complain about the pool being full. If it is important to you, check immediately at the time you need how many people are there.
You've finally decided to take the important step of buying a gym or fitness center membership. However, choosing a good club, whose regular visits will bring only positive emotions and results, is by no means an easy task that must be taken with the utmost responsibility.
What should be the criteria for choosing a good gym? Before an introductory trip to a fitness center, you need to learn to distinguish a good club from a mediocre one, and this is not at all easy to do.
Many fitness center owners prefer to show off their clients by investing a significant portion of their funds in beautiful and stylish interior design and aggressive advertising support. However, many important little things and mistakes that are often made in the management of a club can ruin the entire impression of a club that you like at first glance, no matter how beautiful its interior design is.
In this article we will try to talk about all the possible nuances that you need to pay attention to when choosing a sports club.
Fitness center occupancy
Nobody likes to exercise surrounded by a crowd of people fighting for every piece of exercise equipment or treadmill. And overcrowded showers and cramped locker rooms can really ruin the pleasure of training. The most important rule here is that when choosing a sports club, plan an introductory visit only at the time when you will be going to it in the future.
For example, if you select a club on a weekend or during working hours, you will see half-empty training rooms with many free treadmills and exercise equipment. In fact, the busiest time at any fitness center is weekdays from 6 to 10 p.m. Plan your visit during this period of time. This is the only way to clearly assess the workload of the center.
Trial visit
When communicating with the club manager, be sure to ask about a trial visit. Most centers provide this opportunity to potential clients, although, as a rule, they do not announce it. Information about free visits can also be found on the website of the selected fitness club.
The previous rule also applies here - if you are allowed to visit the club for free, choose exactly the time at which you will go there in the future. When visiting, try to pay attention to various little things, which will be discussed in the continuation of this article. Take sportswear, swimming trunks (if the club has a swimming pool) and do a real workout - this is the only way to reveal those nuances that cannot be noticed from the outside.
Ventilation
Before purchasing a membership, pay attention to the size of the fitness room, its ventilation and lighting.
Ventilation and air conditioning is a real problem for many fitness centers. When inspecting the club, it is quite difficult to determine whether there are problems with ventilation, because... they become noticeable after the start of training. When visiting the gym with the club manager, try to take off your outerwear and pay attention to how you feel. The room should be a little cool and fresh. This is especially important for the cardio zone (treadmills, exercise bikes, etc. exercise equipment). There is nothing worse than running in a stuffy environment.
Pool and water area
If the fitness center you choose has its own pool, be sure to check it out before purchasing a membership. It is highly desirable that the pool in the fitness center have at least six to seven lanes in length, ideally at least 25 meters. This length is the minimum acceptable for professional swimming pools. Otherwise, intense training will be quite problematic.
A large swimming pool also means a large room with high ceilings. This is the only way to achieve high-quality ventilation of such a complex object.
In many good fitness centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other large cities, in addition to the pool, the water zone also includes hydromassage baths, a Turkish steam room, a Finnish sauna and a Russian bath. A visit to the Turkish steam room after a workout or swim will help you relax your muscles and relax after exercise. But visiting the sauna immediately after physical activity is undesirable. It's better to do this on the days between workouts.
Be sure to check with the manager, or find out yourself during a test visit, the number of showers. In a large sports center there should be at least 20-30 of them for each locker room. Otherwise, there may be situations when during peak hours you will have to stand in the shower, waiting for the stall to become available.
Hall equipment
Good equipment of sports facilities is also important. If the fitness center you choose has several rooms for different types of training, this will be an extremely positive thing, because... you can always choose the training program you need at a convenient time.
The standard now is: two rooms for fitness and aerobics, a large room for team sports and a main room with weight training equipment and a cardio area.
Pay attention to the location of the exercise equipment. Treadmills should not be placed close to each other. It is advisable that they be located at least two arms' length away. This way, you will not experience the discomfort of having a hot person next to you during training.
The room should be clearly divided into several different groups. This is a cardio zone, a strength training zone and an area with “lightweight” fitness equipment for those who want to keep their muscles in good shape (for example, Life Fitness equipment).
The sound background for training is also important. It is advisable that quiet, unobtrusive, but quite active music be played in the hall.
The room should not be too light or, conversely, dark. Bright light quickly tires, and in poor lighting it is easy to get injured.
A positive aspect is the presence of a fitness bar right in the hall, where you can drink juice or a protein shake immediately after your workout. In addition, coolers with free cold and hot water must be installed in the hall.
Subscription cost
A subscription to a good fitness center, by definition, cannot be cheap. However, you need to remember that even the most expensive clubs regularly hold promotions and discounts to attract customers. Most clubs provide special discounts for students. The subscription must include a shower, sauna, free visits to the club and classes in fitness groups. However, classes with a personal trainer in the gym and pool, boxing classes and other types of individual training are always paid separately. The cost of such classes, as a rule, is no less than a thousand rubles for an hour-long training session.
Be sure to visit the website (or groups on social networks) of the sports club you have chosen and look for the “Discounts and Promotions” section. There, you can often find out about current promotions and special offers.
An excessively low price for a subscription can lead to the fact that training in such a club will be seriously complicated by an unnecessarily large number of visitors who fell for the low price. We recommend choosing network clubs of the “golden mean” and higher class. In St. Petersburg these are SportLife Club and FizKult, in Moscow World Class and FizKult.
Club location
If you plan to get to the fitness center by car, it is important to check parking in advance. The best way to check whether there will be problems with free seats is to come to the club in the evening on a weekday. If the parking lot is packed, draw your own conclusions. It’s great if the club is located in the building of a large shopping complex (such as the SportLife clubs in St. Petersburg), in which case, as a rule, there will be no problems with parking. True, in some shopping centers it may be paid.
Ideally, however, it would be desirable for the club to be located so close to home or work that it can be reached on foot. This way, you will arrange a kind of walking warm-up before training and allow your body to calm down after it. A car in this case is less preferable.
The author of this article himself has been giving preference to the SportLife club chain in St. Petersburg for many years. All SL clubs have excellent trainers, many of whom are winners of many prestigious competitions, the premises, showers and pool are always comfortable and clean, and all the news and schedule can be found through a convenient mobile application.
We hope our tips will help you avoid making mistakes when choosing a good fitness center and enjoy every workout!
Additional services
Individual lessons are available everywhere, the question is the quality of the trainers and the price. If you are definitely not ready to study on your own, look in advance at what kind of trainers work here and their qualifications. Do you have medical or sports education, certificates, or work experience?
Some people need a fitness bar, solarium or massage. Not all fitness clubs have this all. But usually clubs from middle level and above already have them. Expensive clubs may also have a doctor or nutritionist and test clients.
Parents will find it useful to have a working children's room. There are paid ones and with limited operating hours.
It is very convenient when the fitness center provides free towels and there are coolers with water and cups.
Some clubs give clients several free guest visits for their friends, which can be convenient.
It will be an additional advantage if the fitness club has a convenient website or application. All well-known online clubs have their own applications. There you can view the schedule of group programs, sign up for classes, and freeze your subscription.
You can download the application and check its operation and schedule without a subscription.
Even something as seemingly trivial as whether music is playing in the hall can be important. It’s better if it plays, but in the background – quietly, unobtrusively and actively. And under no circumstances is it radio.
You can try to evaluate the politeness of the staff. There are many reviews on the Internet that are negative about this. However, for now you only communicate with sales managers, and they will definitely be as courteous as possible before the purchase. :)
And this is what the fitness club looks like a month after starting there
Gym location
I think I won’t discover America if I say that it’s convenient when the gym is located close to home. This will allow us to quickly get to the gym, and also quickly rush home after training and eat properly. Plus - it's very convenient!
To get started, I would recommend surfing the Internet, talking to people you know, and making a list of all the existing gyms in the area. Sit for a while with the map, see which ones are most convenient to get to. If you plan to get there by car, it would be useful to find out whether there is a guarded and illuminated parking lot. Make a list of the most convenient ones and call them one by one. The next question that should concern you is the ratio of price and quality.
Subscription cost
There is a conditional division of fitness clubs into economy, business, premium and luxury. But it is not always true. Often a club says one thing in advertising, but in reality everything is different. It’s easier to look at the price and compare it with the quality and volume of services.
An annual subscription to cheap fitness clubs costs up to 10 thousand rubles. in St. Petersburg and up to 15 thousand rubles. in Moscow. This will be a standard rocking chair, several cardio machines, plus several group classes a day. Usually this is aerobics, yoga, stretching, Pilates, and sometimes boxing. The total area of the club is often in the region of 500-2000 m2.
In such fitness clubs there is almost never free water and towels, a children's room, or massage services. There is not always a sauna, solarium and fitness bar.
Often in such clubs, some of the classes are not included in the price of the subscription and are paid separately. If you go to such a paid group (3-4 thousand rubles per month), then it is logical that it is more profitable to immediately buy a subscription to a more expensive fitness club, where all classes are included in the price.
Average price category – 20-30 thousand rubles. in a year. There is a larger area (usually from 1500 to 4000 m2, although sometimes more), better equipment and service. There is almost always a sauna, solarium and fitness bar.
Half of the clubs will have a swimming pool, usually even a sports pool of 25 meters, usually with 3-4 lanes. There are also more group classes – both in quantity and in areas. Although some of them may also be paid.
Unlimited yearly passes to expensive fitness clubs cost 40-50 thousand rubles. in St. Petersburg and 50-100 thousand rubles. in Moscow. In general, in Moscow the price tag for fitness is higher, this is especially noticeable in expensive segments, where the difference can be 3-4 times for a club of the same level in the same chain.
In such clubs there are 15-20 types of fitness areas and the same number of workouts per day. Usually everything is included in the price. In addition to many additional services, such a fitness center often has a beauty salon or body care service.
These prices are valid for Moscow and St. Petersburg. In cities with a population of over a million, prices will be slightly lower, and even more so in small cities. There, the best fitness club in the city can cost 15-20 thousand rubles. per year (and at the same time be of average quality compared to the capital).
In our opinion, more than excellent quality of services for sports can be found already at a price of 30 to 50 thousand rubles. Anything higher is, as a rule, an additional payment “for VIP”, and not the quantity and quality of fitness services. For involvement in the community of wealthy people, but not for fitness. Exercise equipment or renovations in the shower should be good and nothing more.
Gold toilets and a trendy, but often not the most useful exercise machine will not help you get in shape.
Types of subscriptions
The subscription can be:
- for a certain time: a year, several months (usually 3 and 6), a month;
- for a certain number of classes (for example, 100 classes during the year).
It's worth finding out what's included in the price. In inexpensive clubs, very often group classes, all or only some, are not included in the price and are paid separately. And then the price of a subscription is 5 thousand rubles. will turn out to be a beautiful enticement if you definitely want to attend yoga or boxing classes.
Therefore, find out this moment in advance and count. Perhaps yoga alone is worth going to a specialized yoga studio. And if several areas are important to you, buy a subscription to a more expensive fitness club. There, all this will be included in the price, and as a bonus you will receive a higher level of service.
Card types: full, day, family, corporate, youth, pension.
The subscription can be with or without freezing. The better the freezing conditions, the cheaper fitness will cost you. The conditions include not only the period of freezing (usually about a month), but also the ability to split the freezing (for example, 7 days at a time - and not just 30 days at once), and whether this can be done remotely or retroactively.
It is worth finding out in advance whether there will be discounts on renewal. Usually, the longer a client goes to the gym, the cheaper the subscription costs him (up to 15-20%).
Nobody pays attention to the conditions for terminating a contract with a fitness club. And then it turns out that they will return to you not the part that you did not pay (for example, 50% for six months), but much less, since the contract stipulates the withholding of a large part of your payment. This is probably contrary to the Consumer Protection Law, but how many people will then go to court with this?
Exercise close to home
Find a fitness center close to home. As consultants in the fitness industry note, many, despite all their good intentions, will not travel more than 15 minutes by transport every time. Therefore, use Google Maps or any other online map to select all the fitness centers located within a radius of 8 km from your home. When analyzing your results, pay special attention to parking conditions, as they can become a potential obstacle to getting to the gym.
Get to the Gym at the Time You Plan to Workout The best time to check out the fitness center might be Saturday night, but is that the time you'll really be putting in the miles on the treadmill? Come check out the gym specifically at the time you plan to visit. It is very important to go through the exact machines you plan to use. If there is a line three rows deep for the press bench, and you want to build huge muscles in a year, look for another gym.
Find out if the fitness center interacts with other similar organizations Usually people don't think about it until the need arises. Some large networks have offices throughout the country, and many youth organizations have mutual cooperation agreements. Thus, gyms participating in a special program of the International Association of Sports and Health Clubs provide visitors with guest discounts around the world.
Savings on a subscription
You can reduce the price for a subscription in the following ways:
- Don't buy a full subscription.
The day card limits visits on weekdays - usually until 17:00, rarely until 16:00 (usually there are no restrictions on weekends). If you almost always go only during the day, then why overpay? Moreover, during the day there are fewer people in the hall.
If you are a youth or a pensioner, and the corresponding subscriptions are sold, then everything is clear. :) Corporate (purchased on behalf of the company) and family subscriptions give a discount for wholesale. Although on the Internet you can find offers to purchase corporate fitness cards. Just make sure that they are not scammers.
- Discounts on promotions.
The discounts are greatest in summer. Sometimes the price can be 2 times less.
Some clubs offer promotions all year round. That is, first “the best prices only until August 1st!”, and then - “don’t miss the discounts until September 1st!” Etc., in a cycle. For buyers, this is, of course, a plus. Although there are two disadvantages. In such clubs, clients usually complain about how full they are. And secondly, it can be a shame to find out that a month after you someone bought a subscription even cheaper. :)
Preferential prices are always available for pre-sale, before the opening of the club. But let us warn you right away: the Internet is full of negative reviews about delays in opening times or even outright fraud. Including information about well-known network fitness clubs - “Zebra” or “Dr. Loder", for example.
- Compensation from work.
Some employers compensate their employees for fitness expenses. You should find out whether to any fitness club or only certain ones, and in what size.
- You can look for offers to resell season tickets online.
People sell them for less than they are worth. Usually they are already open and have less than a year left (of course, the price decreases proportionally). If you want to study longer, it is worth finding out whether it is possible for you to extend such a subscription at the same price. Sometimes they charge a fee for re-registration.
Checklist: how to choose a fitness club
- Read reviews about the fitness club on the Internet. When viewing, you will know the main complaints of visitors and what additional attention to pay attention to.
- Decide how and what you will do. On your own or with a trainer, in the gym or in groups. It will be clear what is important to you in the schedule and prices.
- The location of the club is an obvious but important criterion. The more inconvenient it is to get there, the less often you will go to sports.
- Try not to leave your phone number - otherwise you will get spam.
- Be sure to go see the fitness club in person. At a minimum, the sales manager will give you a tour of it. At the most, sometimes there is a trial lesson.
- It is better to come at a time when you can go yourself. Don’t look at the gym during the day if you plan to study during peak hours (from 18 to 22 on weekdays) - the number of people in the hall may then unpleasantly surprise you.
- Inspect the exercise machines and equipment you need - are there enough of them, what is their condition, are there any queues for them.
- Check out the group class schedule. Find out if they are included in the price of the subscription.
- The overall area and use of spaces in the club will be immediately obvious. But don’t forget to also note lighting, ventilation, music. Are there water coolers or free towels.
- It is worth looking into the locker room, shower, sauna, swimming pool. It’s free and clean there – or cramped and dirty.
- Evaluate the general atmosphere in the fitness club. How the staff behaves, how many coaches there are, do they look like professionals.
- Decide what type of subscription you need. You can save on a daily pass or not take an unlimited pass. Find out about the conditions for freezing and extension.
- During the discount period, fitness passes can be sold 20-50% cheaper. Most often in the summer.
- You can buy a used subscription cheaper. Sometimes they are sold in club groups on social networks.
- Ask the manager questions, don’t be fooled by presentation tricks. Many dissatisfied clients write in reviews that managers sometimes even deceive just to sell. Just look around yourself more actively, ask and check if possible.
- Read the contract. Incl. conditions for termination of the contract. Of course, they won’t rewrite it for your sake, but then there will be no surprises.
How to find a suitable club
The cost of a subscription depends on a number of factors. Is it a network club or not, does it have a pool or not. Any little thing can increase or, conversely, reduce the cost of the subscription. Think about what you really need. For example, the club where I first came promised for 45 thousand a year the presence of a gym, cardio zone, hammam, infrared bath, sauna and swimming pool. In general, a fairly standard set. In addition to this, there were group classes, which I did not plan to participate in (as it turned out later, even with a strong desire, this would not be easy to do due to the large number of applicants).
But, as a rule, when choosing a club, price takes a backseat to such criteria as geographical location (proximity to home or work) and workload during peak hours. Believe me, you won’t make it to an inconveniently located club in the end. And you won’t get any pleasure from visiting an overloaded club. So instead of saving, you'll just end up wasting money.
According to my observations, it is still better to try to choose a non-chain club: there is no policy there to catch up with a crowd of clients at any cost, and then at least the grass will not grow. In my first club, which was part of a large chain, I had to spend a lot of precious time in line for exercise equipment, not to mention the pool, where there was literally nowhere for an apple to fall. A small club is a homely option: here they know you by name, they remember the number of your “favorite” locker and give you the key to it, and in general the atmosphere is more friendly. But there is also a disadvantage (relative) - there is not the variety of simulators and special equipment that network clubs can offer.
