Working out, part 1: Finding a good gym to train

“Mens sana in corpore sano” - a healthy mind in a healthy body

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As you learn more and more things, it’s always important to take care of your body. That divides into two parts: what you eat, and how you work out/play games/swim/etc - we’ll be focusing on the 2nd thing for the moment. Working out is getting more and more popular, especially training in a gym, because most of the times it’s impractical to have all that gear at home and it’s not very expensive. But where to begin, and most importantly, what to look after when choosing a gym ? It’s more important than you would think at a first glance.

First thing: location, location, location. Take a look at your Yellow Pages. Chances are that some gyms will be near your present location. If not, they should be within walking distance or a couple of minutes drive. For those gyms that don’t have a website, call them and ask about prices, equipment and hours. This can be a good way to eliminate right from the start the gyms that are too expensive or have a schedule that is inconvenient for you. Also, asking some friends could just work for you, especially in avoiding those gyms you just don’t want to be in.

The next step is paying a visit to the gyms and especially around the time you would normally train and if you go in, don’t make a subscription. You must see all the areas in the gym, not only the training grounds, but also the bathrooms, locker rooms and other facilities the gym may provide. Don’t be pushed into signing up. When in the gym, try to answer the following questions in order to rate the gym:

But the main thing you have to understand is that you should find the gym in which working out is the most comfortable for you. It’s “me time”, and if you’re like the most of us, it’s perhaps one of the only places you’ll get that kind of time, so which ever seems right, that’s the right place to do. It’s also something which you’ll have to do for a long time, which makes being comfortable much more important. This is an activity in which your mind will play a very important role, and it has to work hand in hand with the body to achieve your objective.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions to find out if the gym is for you. Try to get the most value for your money and think ahead of what you might want from a gym. When you found a good gym, go for a trial workout and if nothing’s wrong, sign up for a month. Don’t forget to read the membership contract, especially the small print.

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