Ever wonder what separates the best health clubs from those that just don’t quite make the grade? You should definitely know that not all health clubs are equal. This is especially true for those looking for 24 hour fitness clubs. Health and fitness clubs have come a long way since the YMCA was the game in town, but that growth has led to an enormous difference between the best and worst. If you are really serious about finding workout routines and exercise equipment and a home gym just isn’t going to get the job done, here are some things to look for when tracking down the best health clubs in town.
- Fitness Centers Near Me
Many people miss out on all that the best health clubs have to offer because they think that answering the question of “what are the fitness centers near me” also answers the question of “where is the closest 24 hour fitness center near me.” Just because you narrow down your search for the best health clubs or fitness centers in town to those in close proximity to you in no way means that you will actually enjoy or take advantage of access to the best fitness center near you. In fact, settling for convenience may mean that you quickly tire of a second-rate fitness center. On the other hand, settling for a little inconvenience to take advantage of a wider range of workout routines or a greater choice of exercise equipment at what really is one of the best fitness centers in town may actually mean you wind up using it even more down the road.
- Qualified Professionals
Arguably more than anything else, what really separates the best health clubs from just another gym is the quality of the employees. Inquire about the qualifications of the training instructors. Because the health club industry has benefited from political oversight on regulation, it is up to you to do the regulatory legwork to find out which of the health club employees are actually certified trainers. Can they produce evidence of degrees or certification in health, nutrition or physical fitness? Don’t be fooled by a hard body and a mouthful of buzzwords; the best health clubs will feature registered dietitians, licensed massage therapists, certified personal trainers, weight management counselors and others who proudly exhibit official paperwork removing all doubt about their qualifications to work in a health and fitness club deserving of being called the best.
- Emergency Medical Training
What happens if your workout routine goes wrong and you pull a muscle or, worse, collapse from exhaustion? What if the exercise equipment isn’t regularly inspected for safety and you get injured? One element that very clearly separates the best health clubs from just another fly-by-night fitness center is the presence of at least one certified health professional person on site at all times who has emergency medical training. Check to see if there is a defibrillator on the premises. Can the fitness instructors perform CPR or is their emergency training limited to knowing how to dial 911? Getting in good shape may potentially mean a visit to the emergency room and the last thing you want are health care instructors so poorly trained that you never even make to the ER.
- Aquatics
Demand to see the pool when you stop in for a visit. Does gym membership extend to unrestricted access to the health club’s pool? And does that health club offer an indoor pool so you can do your aquatic workouts no matter the weather? The best health clubs are those that actually have the indoor pool they advertise. Stay away from health clubs that advertise a pool when a more apt description would be an oversized hot tub. If you plan on making aquatics a big part of your workout routine on your trips to the health club, you want to make sure you get what you pay for.
- Flexible Class Schedule
If you need to be with others during workout routines, then a key component in finding the best health clubs around is making sure that those classes are offered on a flexible schedule. If your job requires you to be at work from morning to early afternoon and the classes that entice you to sign up with a health club are mostly held during daylight hours, then you’ll soon find yourself giving up. While you are finding out how often and when those classes are held, you should take it upon yourself to find out how many people are allowed into those classes and how many people are already signed up and how many are on the waiting list for an open spot.