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How to choose a good fitness center. How to choose a gym so you don't have to regret later. Gym location

How to choose the right fitness club for sports? This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions from those who are just about to start training.

In previous articles, we have already talked about the fact that the most common questions are: how to create a training program, how to adjust nutrition and when to expect results. But we have not yet touched upon the topic of building a training process based on the presence or absence of the necessary equipment. And the equipment in each particular case can be very different.

Let's start with a little lyrical digression. It must be done on the basis of the considerations that the option of going to a fitness club is not the only possible one, since many who want to join heavy sports are looking for opportunities based on their current financial and social status. Here, it means that in one form or another, more or less equipped classrooms can be found in various educational institutions (schools, lyceums, institutes, etc.), in hostels at these educational institutions, in rest homes, all kinds of camps, sanatoriums, health facilities and even outdoors.

In addition, there is also a category of people who, again, due to their financial capabilities, can afford to equip a small room for classes at home. Such people, as a rule, no longer wonder how to choose a fitness club. Such a home gym can be equipped with either one bench for bench press with a pair of dumbbells, or a very serious list of equipment from strength and cardio equipment, barbells, dumbbells and other equipment, the presence of which can only be dictated by the size of your wallet and, accordingly, lack of desire or ability visit a sports club.

Based on the above information, we will divide potential adherents of iron sports into two categories - those who can afford to buy a subscription and, accordingly, are wondering how to choose the right fitness club, and those who, for one reason or another, cannot afford it ( or does not want to) and does not burden himself with the relevant questions.

Each category can also be divided into levels of material wealth. Those who can afford to buy a subscription will choose one of three club segments: luxury, standard and economy. Those who cannot afford to buy a subscription, as a rule, are also divided into three categories - those who have at their disposal a complete set of necessary equipment, those who work with what they have, and those who have nothing but desires. You can see the schedule of those who wish below, and we will describe further how to be and what to do in each particular case. At this stage, your task is to determine which segment you are in and, with the help of this article, understand what your next steps will be.

To understand what is happening, I will explain that the category “wishing” is indicated in gray, as these are people puzzled by intention, but not burdened with action. And quite often, not every intending goes into the active category. Blue indicates the category of active individuals who not only want, but have definitely decided to act. In both categories, green means "full stuffing", and as a result, the most comfortable conditions in the choice of equipment for classes. The yellow color in the first category indicates quite decent conditions for classes in the hall, where there is a full set of equipment, it is no longer so expensive and not in such quantities, there is no longer a pool with a spa, as well as left-luggage offices, towels for clients and others frills. Under the yellow color in the second category is meant assembled on their own from what was a sports club or hall, in the organization of which the entire hostel, cadet corps, or medical sanatorium took part. The red color of the first category indicates a strictly basic set of the most necessary equipment, which may not even be enough for everyone. The red color of the second category characterizes you as a person who does not want (or is unable to) attend a fitness club and at the same time does not have any equipment at hand. But even this option is not hopeless, as Baron Munchausen might put it.

Construction of the training process

In order to correctly choose a fitness club or conditionally home gym with the best, sufficient or critical equipment, it is necessary to select certain criteria so that we have the right to make certain value judgments.

As already mentioned in our article, any beginner who starts physical exercises and is puzzled by the construction of the training process has the task of working out the whole body in a workout. Such a program, as you already know, was called "full body" - in other words - "the whole body." And the meaning of it, as we have already described, is to work out all the muscle groups in one workout, as well as to be able to change exercises during three workouts a week. Based on this idea, the goal is also formed - to provide yourself with a set of equipment sufficient to perform exercises for each muscle group. Since a clearly defined goal is already half the result, now we know exactly how to evaluate the equipment of a fitness club or home gym, subject to the presence or absence of the possibility for its implementation.

Training with the best equipment

When wondering how to choose a luxury class fitness club, you should understand that you need to focus on the presence of a large number of professional simulators and a wide range of additional services, which is a fact for an institution of this level. Here we will not philosophize slyly and say right away that in such conditions you can engage in absolutely any type of vigorous activity, regardless of your level of training, since the availability of a wide selection of both basic and auxiliary equipment in conjunction with professional trainers will help you in deciding tasks of any complexity.

Since doing the basic exercises for working out the whole body requires a fairly small amount of equipment, in a luxury club you will definitely find everything you need. There will be load-bearing and lever and cable simulators, in some places even with electronic control, a free weights zone with a dumbbell range from 0.5 to almost 100 kg, and this is not to mention all kinds of treadmills and exercise bikes with their many variations.

We will not stop here for a long time, since everything is extremely clear and extremely comfortable with the conditions of classes, and it makes sense to visit a club of this level, except in the event that you confirm your status, or, for example, the status of your parents, which, in general , is not a requirement at all.

Well, if everything is less clear with a fitness club, since they are all created according to approximately the same pattern, then the organization of a conventionally home gym is usually a vinaigrette from various multi-stations with exercise machines from completely different manufacturers and cardio equipment not so much for a professional as for home use. However, this does not in the least detract from the semantic and power load that is attached to them.

In the case of the best equipment of such a hall, it will be necessary to acquire, first of all, free weights - these are dumbbells and vultures with pancakes. Moreover, it is desirable that this be exactly a dumbbell row, for a quick change of weights, for example, from 5 to 25 kg, in steps of 2 kg (5, 7, 9, 11 ...), barbell bars, it is desirable that among them were Olympic 2.2 m long and 20 kg in weight, as well as 1.5 m in length and 10 kg in weight and curved EZ-bars, preferably of the same length (1.5 m) and weight (about 10 kg) for performing biceps exercises and triceps. A bench press, a squat rack or frame, an adjustable-angle bench, a multi-functional station, of which there are a great many now sold, and, if possible, a treadmill or exercise bike. If your dormitory, for example, at the university, has a hall with the above set of equipment, which comes with a locker room, shower, ventilation, good lighting, music, and possibly even a TV under the ceiling, such a hall can be considered more than comfortable for bodybuilding.

Training with sufficient equipment

Often, those who are wondering how to choose a fitness club are interested in the middle class, since it is the most in demand and the most widely represented on the market. It's kind of the sweet spot between expensive, overpaid elite memberships and low-budget clubs where you have to queue for the bench press. Standard class clubs are equipped with a full range of both basic and auxiliary equipment. Quite rarely, in addition to the gym and fitness areas, they have a swimming pool with a massage room and spa treatments, but for sure, such a club has all the necessary strength and cardio equipment, on which you can build the entire training process. Here you will have affordable memberships, comfortable locker rooms with showers, treadmills with exercise bikes, all the same weight-block and lever trainers with a free weights area and a full set of barbells and a dumbbell row. The difference between the "luxury" and "standard" class may often not be visible at all, since it mainly consists in the design and decoration of the club, the availability of additional services and more comfortable conditions for exercising, but in terms of technical equipment, with regard to simulators, these two classes go head to head, as "luxury" does not reinvent the wheel, that is, it does not offer exercise equipment that you could not find in standard class clubs. Luxury clubs provide you with the same simulators, only from more expensive manufacturers, which increases both the status of the club and the price of the subscription.

As we have already indicated above, the gym, the equipment of which could be called sufficient, often has such a basic set of iron as a multistation, in one modification or another, on which you can perform up to 10 different exercises for all muscle groups, at least one a neck for a barbell, moreover, most likely it will not be Olympic (with a smooth glass with a diameter of 50 mm), but will be amateur (with a diameter of 30 mm and a screw nut). Dumbbell series, as a rule, the most popular weights - 5 kg, 10 kg, 15 kg and possibly 20 kg. The presence of other weights in the dumbbell row depends on each private institution, as well as the availability of the dumbbell row itself, to replace which a pair of collapsible dumbbell sets with a set of pancakes is usually purchased. Also, in such a room there should be at least one squat rack and at least one bench for bench press. Most likely, there will be no cardio equipment in such a gym, except for a jump rope, but it is also possible that there will be a treadmill or an exercise bike in the simplest modifications, that is, not electric more expensive ones, but in a mechanical version driven by the user himself. Exercising in such a hall with a large number of people will, to put it mildly, not very comfortable, including due to rather primitive locker rooms, lack of a shower and poor ventilation, but in terms of the availability of equipment for working out all muscle groups, such a hall can be considered quite satisfactory.

Training in critical equipment conditions

Once again, looking into your wallet and thinking about how to choose a fitness club, oddly enough, you will come across clubs of such a level that you can go to with a subscription. Most often, these are sports institutions of still domestic formation and quite Soviet equipment, on the basis of various sports schools, sports schools, and so on. Created during the union, which have existed to this day, but have fallen into decay due to lack of funding, these sports clubs provide an opportunity for everyone, as a rule, for a minimal fee, to join the old school of fitness and bodybuilding.

The equipment in these halls is often hand-welded and riveted from bolts and nuts, with cables purchased from a nearby hardware store. The dumbbell row in this case will be approximately the same picture, where the step of the weights will be different, each pair of dumbbells will differ in an individual assembly from improvised pieces of pipes and metal. Cardio equipment can easily be represented by domestic specimens of the Sport roller treadmills and the Zdorovye magnetic exercise bikes. In some places, such establishments can look quite decent, and sometimes, you can find peeling walls, rusty exercise machines and blinking lamps, which, coupled with the suffocating smell of the basement, will create an atmosphere of a horror movie. Sometimes, when there is cottage cheese for fishlessness and bleach, you don’t have to choose. In this case, just pay attention to the operability of the existing equipment to make sure that it is completely safe and only then purchase a subscription.

Now imagine that for one reason or another, you want to practice on your own. We know for sure that you will not go to a fitness club, so you will have two exits. The first - to perform the vast majority of exercises, and for all parts of the body, you only need collapsible dumbbells. Either you buy them, or find and requisition from friends. And the more weight you can adjust, the better for you. Dumbbells are perhaps the most necessary element of the training process, since they can be used to perform exercises for all muscle groups.

The second scenario is that to perform, again, a fairly large arsenal of exercises, you will need TRX loops. You can find information about what they are, what they are for and how to use them, in the list of articles "Accessories" in the "Hardware" section in the "Instructor" catalog. I will not spread my thoughts along the tree, and I will only say that the ideal option in this case would be to purchase both dumbbells and loops. In both cases, even in conditions of almost complete lack of equipment for training, keep in mind that both with dumbbells and with straps, it will be possible to easily build a training process with exercises for all muscle groups.

Conclusion

Well, after such a detailed biography on how to choose a fitness club, you just have to take this final and responsible step - choose a club and buy a subscription. These steps will be the beginning of your great journey. In conclusion, I want to give you a couple more tips on choosing a place for sports.

ADVICE. When choosing a place to practice, chat with friends. With those who already go somewhere or went. For those who have already changed their place of employment, it is important to find out why they did it. People communicate with each other and share information, both live and on social networks. Research all offers, collect as much information about them as possible and weigh the pros and cons before making a choice.

ADVICE. Take advantage of the first trial visit. Such a service is available in almost any club of any level. Classes "luxury", "budget" and "economy" always give their potential clients the opportunity to evaluate the environment in which they will be engaged. Use this opportunity to understand whether it is worth buying a subscription to this club or not.

ADVICE. Don't buy long-term memberships, at least not right away. Even your first trial visit sometimes cannot give you a complete picture of what is happening in the club. Something may be deliberately hidden from your eyes. For example, locker room keys that can open any locker, or gym equipment that is in disrepair, or the fact that the club sells season tickets for 6 months, but the management is going to close this business in two months. Buy a subscription for a month first, then, during this time, evaluate the feasibility of acquiring a long-term club card.

ADVICE. If you don't like the club, change it. The fact that you have purchased a subscription does not in any way oblige you to renew it. As I said above, at any time there may be circumstances in which you either do not want to or will not be able to continue to visit the club. Depending on the situation, you can contact the reception administrator with a request to freeze the subscription (in case of a business trip or illness), or with a request for a refund (in case of moving to another district or city). The reason for the return of the subscription can be the most trivial reason - you just did not like the club.

So, now you know more about choosing a fitness club. I wish you all the best in making your choice, setting goals and achieving them.

Is it worth visiting a fitness club and how to choose it? Many try to keep their body in shape all year round, and not seasonally.

After all, this is connected not only with visiting the beaches in the summer, but also with a general feeling of health and internal strength of your body all the time.

That is why many modern people consider it almost their duty to their own body to sign up for a fitness club or to issue an annual subscription to visit it.

But does it need to be done? Especially if we are talking about such an impressive period, during which a lot of things in your life can change. Let's figure it out together.

If you are an absolute beginner in sports and want to change the current state of things for the better, then you need to think about how long you need to subscribe to decide whether you pull serious physical activity.

Usually a couple of workouts are enough, but if you want to be safe, then sign up for a monthly subscription.

It is not worth visiting a fitness club solely in order to inspire respect from colleagues at work and brag about the very fact of visiting the gym.

At least, this is a very expensive pleasure in modern times, if it does not bring you significant benefits, but only moral satisfaction and complacency.

You need to sign up only if you are a sports person in life or want to become one and are very firm in your conviction.
You also need to think about ways to fall back in case your preferences change a lot after a few workouts.

No need to pay in advance for the hall for a long time,if you don't have the confidence,that you can visit. It is a mistake to think that paid money will be your best motivation for training - it’s better to work out for free, just at home.

After all, no one bothers you to do exercises in the morning, and for this it is not at all necessary to have additional tools, accessories and simulators. But you will see how things are with you in order to force yourself to regularly physically load your body.

Many novice athletes also make a very common mistake, naively believing that it will help them get into great shape without titanic efforts in the gym.

As a result, mass gain ends for such people with obesity due to laziness, but classes and their intensity are sharply reduced to nothing.

Sports nutrition is precisely why it is called that because it was created for people who actively train and have been loading their body for a long time. It is an excellent assistant as an aid, but not a panacea.

But if you are firmly convinced that you can withstand the load and even be able to force yourself to jump above your head in which case, then there remains one more important point - how choose the right fitness club and still be satisfied.

In today's society, it is difficult to find decent gyms, where training would be cheap. It so happened that demand has generated a significant increase in prices and therefore fitness clubs can now afford to increase this bar to incredible heights.

That is, you need to take into account one more thing - will not paying for a subscription become an unbearable burden for you in terms of budget planning? If not, then it's time to start evaluating the following criteria for choosing the right fitness club for classes:

1)The first and main criterion for choosing a gym for training - this is his workload at a convenient time for you. It is clear that the “hottest” will be evening hours on weekdays and weekends, because most of the people involved work according to the generally accepted schedule.

You are very lucky if you are the master of your own time and can schedule a training session for yourself at any convenient time.

But if it suddenly happened that you came to the hall on a conditional Wednesday after 18:00 and there is nowhere to go from the influx of people, then it is advisable to refuse to buy a subscription here and find yourself another place.

2) If, at a convenient time for you, the hall is practically empty and you can start classes, then you need to evaluate at the very first lesson the quality of the trainers and active fitness equipment.

Dumbbells, weights, treadmills - all this must be serviceable and of high quality. And best of all, if they are already worn-in, and not new - then the likelihood of effective training will increase significantly for you.

3) Availability of hot water in showers. It is clear that a self-respecting institution, which also takes a subscription fee for its services, will not bring its showers to a deplorable state.

But such a problem, which is usually kept silent by the way, as the periodic absence of hot water or its supply strictly by the hour, can become a significant amendment to your desire for training. Be sure to check this factor in the first lesson!

4)Convenient locker rooms and the ability to use lockers with individual keys must be present.

Unfortunately, many fitness clubs do not understand this, believing that the workout ends for you immediately after crossing the threshold of the gym itself.

5) The training room should be divided into zones, based on what kind of simulators they have. For example, it is customary to single out a cardio zone separately, where there are treadmills, simulators for developing movement speed and others, for flexibility training.

There is also a separate area where there are powerful weight machines, there is also a zone with simpler devices, which is designed to generate strength in an easy mode, such as running in place or jumping with additional loads.

Some fitness clubs also have space for a bar where you can always enjoy protein shakes or fresh juices.

6)A well-groomed and tidy room is always conducive to fruitful studies. From old movies, a well-established stereotype came to us, according to which fitness rooms should be hung with posters of bodybuilders and other people who have achieved success in sports.

In modern society, it is much more pleasant to come to the hall, where everything shines and smells of pleasant freshness.

7)Also lighting is important. It should be slightly muted so as not to dazzle, but not dull, because you can not replace small training accessories under your feet and get injured.

8) Musical accompaniment during training not necessary, but quite desirable, as it sets the right rhythm and helps to better regulate the load.

At the same time, properly selected music also motivates you to take one more set or several exercises beyond strength. True, you need to take into account that the music should not be loud and with sudden changes, as this can knock down other athletes and prevent them from exercising.

9) Be sure to help beginners instructors who have significant experience in sports and have achieved success in this matter.

Agree, it looks ridiculous when a person weighing about fifty kilograms with missing muscles tries to teach a beginner something in fitness?

It is impossible without an instructor, since you can harm yourself with irregular heavy loads without prior preparation.

10) It is important to fitness club, which you wish to choose, was close to your house. Perhaps you have your own car to go to him was no more than 10 - 20 minutes. It is highly irrational if the road takes as much time as the training itself.

11) Before you issue a subscription to the hall you like, it would be nice compare conditions and financial offers other training centers. Maybe someone else has better deals.

We hope that now you are fully equipped to approach the issue of choosing a fitness club and will soon please all your surroundings with significant results!

Natalya Govorova


Reading time: 9 minutes

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A healthy body, proper nutrition and lack of stress are the key to a slim and fit figure, and the result of self-care is self-satisfaction. And as a result - elevated self-esteem.

Today, together with the online magazine site, we will delve into the topic of a healthy body and think how to choose the right fitness club for yourself and your family.

  1. Prioritization
    First you need to decide on the main questions and answers to them:
    • What do you want to get from the new fitness club?
    • Do you want to lose weight?
    • Do you want to gain muscle mass?
    • Do you want to keep fit or is it just fun for you?

    There may be many questions, but this is the first point from which to start.

  2. Mandatory presence of a swimming pool
    Now not all fitness centers have the ability to build swimming pools on their territory or do not consider it necessary, since some visitors have enough gym and sauna or bath. The presence of a swimming pool also significantly increases the cost of fitness club cards.

  3. Convenient scheduling for group classes
    yoga, step, dancing, various programs with balls or strength training and many other items are group classes and take place according to a strictly established schedule. Before buying a card, study the schedule of the fitness club, so that later, after buying a subscription, you can visit them.

  4. Possibility of private lessons
    Is it a pool or a gym - individual lessons will make working on yourself more effective. You may not need it, but it's definitely worth trying this service to know your "problem" areas and areas that need to be worked harder. A professional will give recommendations on nutrition and the necessary training.
  5. First visit or pre-workout preparation
    A visit to a dietitian in some fitness clubs is considered mandatory before starting training. The doctor will measure your parameters - height, weight and give basic recommendations on exercise and nutrition.
  6. Cost of lessons
    When the fitness studio is just opening, there is an opportunity to buy a card with a significant discount. This card must be purchased in advance when the fitness club is still under construction or is about to open (literally the first 2-3 months).
    The cost may depend on various reasons:
    • card type : full, day, family;
    • swimming pool - greatly raises the cost of any card over other fitness clubs;
    • brand - a well-known network will cost more than a "diner" near the house;
    • additional services of the club – towels, solarium, sauna and bath, availability of safes for personal belongings
  7. Distance from home
    Most people who regularly go in for sports, of course, are looking for a fitness studio close to home, so that they can visit and work out at any time. Some choose near work or on the way from work to home, near an educational institution.
  8. Ability to choose a fitness card
    The ability to choose a day or full card, the possibility of buying a double card - different fitness clubs have a wide variety of cards available.
    Card types:
    • standard - includes a swimming pool (subject to availability), use of the gym and access to group programs during the working days of the fitness club;
    • daytime - the range of services remains the same as for the standard card, only visiting hours are usually limited to 17.00
    • family - when buying by family members, a discount is provided for using the services of the club.
  9. Children's rooms
    A place where you can leave your child under the supervision of a professional. You can safely study while your baby plays with toys.

  10. Availability of free towels
    For some, this is an important issue, since without a car it is difficult to constantly carry a couple of towels in a handbag with you - you will need to take an additional sports bag with you.
  11. Availability of safes for storing clothes for several days
    Such special lockers in which you can leave clothes and sneakers for several days, so as not to carry them with you again.
  12. Fresh bars
    Freshly squeezed juices, oxygen and milkshakes and sweets will help you rest and increase your strength after a successful workout.
  13. Atmosphere
    It is worth thinking about and looking around who works out in the gym, what clients come, how many people there are on weekdays and weekends, and whether it will be cozy and comfortable for you to work there.

  14. Guest visit
    Don't miss the opportunity to explore the club from the inside. Most fitness studios offer a club introduction service through a guest visit. This is a free feature with the ability to use all services all day long.
  15. Number of simulators
    When inspecting the club, pay attention to the number of simulators in the hall, whether there are enough of them to satisfy the n-th number of visitors during rush hour.

  16. Staff attentiveness
    It's a question of the culture of the fitness studio, whether they have a polite treatment of the client. It's nice when you ask a question - still get an answer to it.
  17. Fitness compensation from work
    Some companies provide partial or full payment for a fitness club. It is worth asking if this feature applies to all fitness studios or only certain ones. You also need to find out what documents will be needed for compensation.
  18. Yoga
    Modern humanity, trying to expand its boundaries through self-knowledge, has come to the conclusion that without this development it will be incomplete. If you want to try these classes or you are already doing them, check if there are these lessons in the studio and who leads them.
  19. Certified Professionals
    Read on the site about the fitness studio, which teachers, study their qualifications, if necessary, check with the reception or by phone.

Essentially, there are three main criteria for evaluating a fitness club:

  • professional level of the coaching staff;
  • equipment;
  • service quality.

Why do you need a good coach?

Many tend to underestimate the role of a professional in the effectiveness of classes, although the result largely depends on their qualifications.

Improper exercise, especially with weights, will not only lead to a lack of results, but can cause the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the heart. The qualification of the staff is very important, because in some exercises, a deviation, for example, of the knee or elbow by a couple of degrees, will provoke the appearance of joint problems in a few years.

Some beginners train with a hunched back year after year or, doing exercises for the press, transfer the main load to the back muscles. Over time, this leads to the development of chronic diseases of the spine, the appearance of intervertebral hernias.

When training with free weights, doing the exercise with different grips works different muscle groups. If at the same time there is no professional coach nearby, the beginner will suffer until the end of his sports career and will not only not achieve a beautiful muscular corset, but also risk earning a serious injury.

Another mistake beginners make is training not organized by time. In the absence of experience, it seems to many that an extra hour spent in the gym will do them good. In reality, everything is the opposite. Exercising too intensely when the body is unprepared does not strengthen the muscles: they can even provoke their atrophy. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Overtraining increases the load on the heart muscle, which simply does not have time to recover from hard work.

The main commandment of a good coach, like a good doctor, should be the principle of “do no harm”. He must know how to exercise in the presence of certain diseases and whether it is possible to practice at all.

From a good coach, you can expect:

  1. A well-designed training program.
  2. Oral recommendations and a visual demonstration of the technique of performing exercises.
  3. Monitoring your workouts in the gym.
  4. Evaluation of the results of your training.

Qualified fitness instructors are highly valued today. Prestigious clubs lure them away by any available means, ready to pay them a lot of money. Many visitors change the hall after the coach.

A professional must have a higher education, periodically take refresher courses. A good indicator is the teaching in the clubs of champions of various sports directions and categories.

Equipment

The concept of "quality equipment" includes:

1. Modern simulators of well-known brands that guarantee the effectiveness of classes and their safety. When developing the latest models, technologies are used that allow you to remember the data of the trainee and, in accordance with them, draw up an individual program. Some models have Internet access, where you can view the relevant instructions or videos.

2. The criterion for evaluating the fitness room is the correct operation of all simulators and the absence of queues for them.

3. It is necessary to pay attention to the availability of a complete set of devices required for group classes: all those present should have enough mats, step platforms, elastic bands, bodybars, fitballs.

4. Well-functioning ventilation. This moment is very important for the effectiveness of training. During exercise, the body needs a lot of oxygen. There will be no benefit from classes in a stuffy room, but problems with the hearts are provided over time.

5. Comfort and cleanliness in locker rooms, baths, showers, water complex. It is in common areas that you can easily become infected with some kind of infection or fungus.

As for the pool, it is not an indispensable part of the fitness club, but it would be great if there is a pool. You can just swim in it after class (this perfectly relieves muscle tension), play. Water aerobics classes are also held in the water complex: it is shown to everyone without exception, even pregnant women. However, it should be noted that just the name “fitness club with a pool” is not an indicator of quality. It is imperative that it be kept perfectly clean.

Service

The third most important criterion for choosing a club is the level of service provided. Its quality can be judged even on the basis of a single call or visit. In a serious center, the client is carefully listened to, the club is presented in detail, they offer options for cards - they can be chosen taking into account their capabilities and desires. However, the attention of the administration to the person of a potential client should not end with the purchase of a subscription to a fitness club: in high-class centers, the visitor always remains in the spotlight, and all problems that arise are solved as soon as possible.

Additional classes

Along with a well-equipped gym, a modern fitness center should offer visitors a program of additional classes designed for different degrees of fitness and aimed at different goals: overall weight loss, increased flexibility, stretching, development of individual muscle groups.

The most effective areas for group fitness are:
classic version of aerobics;

  • dance aerobics;
  • tai-bo, or aerobics with elements of martial art;
  • power aerobics;
  • classes on exercise bikes (with an imitation of a racing bike): for an hour of such training, 900 kcal “burns out”;
  • power complexes aimed at strengthening various muscle groups: for the upper body, for the press, buttocks, legs, to improve posture, etc.;
  • flex training to increase flexibility;
  • yoga as one of the types of psychophysical gymnastics that helps to control your body and relax properly;
  • pilates - exercises with a concentration on the rhythm of breathing and awareness of the impact of each exercise on a specific muscle group;
  • stretching - stretching exercises;
  • martial arts classes;
  • mixed classes combining aerobics with elements of power loads and martial arts.

Pleasant little things and not only

There are some points that you should not worry about, but their presence makes staying within the walls of the club much more comfortable. This is:

  • free drinking water;
  • free towels;
  • fitness bar;
  • massage;
  • Finnish bath (sauna);
  • children's room.

Hello dear friends! My name is Nikita Volkov! Today I would like to tell you about a very important topic. A topic that concerns absolutely every person who decides to work out in the gym. In order to go to practice and transform your body and life for the better, you need to know where to go. This is what we will do with you. So how do you choose a gym?

News: First I would like to apologize for not writing for a long time, but I did not mess around, but I had a very fruitful week! You will learn more in, and now I really want to announce the good news. I entered NRNU MEPhI, Moscow! He entered the top three universities in Russia, as well as the top 100 universities in the world, this year, so I'm very pleased.

In fact, the final list of applicants will be only on August 18, but the dean and his deputy liked my answer, they rated it 80 points out of 100, so they said to hand over the original diploma to the dean's office, because. Most likely I will do exactly what I did. I hope I don't screw up. I would also like to say that the trip was wonderful and in the next posts I will post a small video selfie about my trip. And now, let's get down to the very important topic of this article - choosing a gym.

It is important because you will have to spend a month, and possibly even a year, to achieve satisfactory results, so it is very important that your stay in the gym is as comfortable as possible.

I trained at home, and in scruffy old rocking chairs, and with my weight on horizontal bars and uneven bars, but I want to tell you that only a modern, good gym, which has a number of necessary things, gave me the maximum effect.

I'm not talking about a luxurious trendy fitness center that has everything except professional-level athletes (because they choose a simpler atmosphere), but I'm talking about a gym that allows you to clearly concentrate on training, and not to the thought: “Will my things be stolen or not while I am training?”, for example.

Yes, you don’t have to go anywhere at home, everything is at hand. Yes, no one distracts you at home, and you yourself are the master of your shells. No one will stand by and embarrass you while doing the exercises. But at home, interest in training can quickly disappear, because. home inventory is limited.

For example, I have two collapsible dumbbells at home, each of them is approximately 20 kg, but, firstly, this weight is not enough for me, and secondly, it is psychologically difficult to do exercises at home, working with the same shells every day per day, from workout to workout. And also no one can insure you so that you do not get injured. Well, you can also drop dumbbells on the floor, which will not affect the flooring very well.

In general, most of all I liked to train in a good gym. It's a working atmosphere! Even if you are tired, after work or study, come to the gym, where cool music screams, beautiful girls become even more beautiful and guys who surpass you in physical development, then the mood to train immediately appears! I have had this countless times!

You barely crawl into the hall, and something magical happens there! Strength appears, mood rises and you always leave happy! There are also competent trainers and just visitors who will be happy to tell you how to perform this or that exercise, for example. And in general:

“To get better, you need to train with the best!”

For those who don't know where to start

First you need to find out if there is a large selection of gyms in your city. For example, until I left to study at the University, in Petrozavodsk, I lived in the small town of Medvezhyegorsk, where it was a big problem to find at least some gym!

I went to the gym, which is located in our port, and it was created by an enthusiastic welder who himself made almost all the simulators in the gym. There was nothing special there, everything was old, decrepit, but nevertheless it was better than nothing. I am sure that such a problem, even now, is not only in my city, so, first of all, find out what you have to choose from.

I want to warn you not to believe all kinds of advertising, we talked about this in. Let me just say that advertising can pour water into your ears to tell you that the advertised gym has all the necessary and ultra-modern equipment, but in fact it may turn out that the gym will be crammed with ineffective, often unnecessary simulators, and shells that allow you to perform exercises with Almost no free weights. So, you can’t blindly believe in advertising here!

The best thing to do is ask your friends! Not necessarily friends. Just enough for your friend to know someone who goes to the same gym. So you can get information on the merits, without unnecessary water. This method is good for everyone, but, nevertheless, it can be problematic to find a familiar person in every room.

There is another way, this is to go to the hall you are interested in and agree with the administrator on a small tour of the hall, so that she herself will accompany you and show you the gym, as well as the locker room, etc.

I managed to do this when I decided to go to a good gym and I was even allowed to do one trial session for free! In some halls it is possible to buy a one-time lesson for little money (60-120 rubles). The amount is small and in this way you yourself will be able to assess the level of the gym.

And now we will consider all the most important points that you will need to consider when choosing a gym.

How to choose a gym

The first thing you will immediately need to think about is the distance of the hall from your home. The closer it gets, the better! With our constant lack of time (especially in large cities), the issue is very burning. Search in such a way that you had no more than 40-60 minutes to get to it. This is maximum!

The exception is when you no longer have a choice within a given time, but if you have to get to it for such a long time, then I think your city is not so small, so you should look for something closer to home.

The second thing you should pay attention to is the gym equipment, this is perhaps one of the most important points! What should be in the gym?

  • A sufficient number of vultures for rods, various sizes. It is imperative that there are so-called Olympic vultures, each weighing 20 kg, as well as locks to prevent pancakes from slipping off them.
  • Pancakes, various sizes, from 0.5-1.25 kg to 25-50 kg. This will simplify the observance of the main rule - the progression of the load. And keeping several times will accelerate your progress.
  • Well-chosen dumbbell row. That is, so that the weight of the dumbbells goes with the smallest possible gap. Not in 5 kg. At least after 2.5 kg, and even better after 0.5-1 kg.


  • Benches in which it is possible to adjust the angle of inclination. This is necessary to work out various parts of the pectoral muscles, as well as to train deltas, for example.
  • Racks for squats and bench press. These are the two most effective body building exercises. If, due to injuries, you cannot squat, then you can, as an alternative, choose the bench leg press.
  • Horizontal bar and vertical block. Pull-ups on the horizontal bar are one of the basic exercises for working out the muscles of the back, but not everyone can pull themselves up from the first days in the gym, so the vertical block is not a bad alternative.


  • Cardio zone. If your gym has a high-quality cardio zone with jogging tracks, exercise bikes, etc., then that's great! This will greatly simplify your life in winter, when running down the street will not only be unpleasant, but also dangerous due to ice, for example. Yes, and, on the simulators, there are devices with which you can control your heart rate.

Not less important

  • Dressing room with lockers and shower. In the hall, as elsewhere, there are different and dishonest people, although there are not many, but they can be, so you just need to put things in a separate box, so you won’t worry about anything. There is no point in explaining the soul, too, I think. Although some people like to smell "natural fragrances" when they go home. In general, I also think it is a necessary moment.
  • Ventilation (at least opening windows). This is very important, especially in cardio areas, because. With a lack of oxygen in the room, the oxidation of fats is inhibited.
  • Number of persons. Come to the gym during peak hours, this is the time when people work out after work - 18:00-21:00 and you can immediately understand how many people go to this gym. Admins will likely underestimate the number of people if you ask them, so it's best to check it out for yourself.
  • Inventory order. Pay attention to how the equipment lies in the gym. Whether it is scattered throughout the hall or neatly folded on racks or on special stands. It’s not very pleasant to look for the right weight, pancakes or dumbbells all over the room, and even find them littered, somewhere in the corner.
  • Subscription! This item was even highlighted in red, because. the main thing here is not to make a mistake. The network of gyms where I work out has such promotions. First they sell subscriptions at a price of 5 thousand rubles for six months, then for the same money for six months + 2 months as a gift! Then +3 as a gift! Then +6 months as a gift! There are a lot of such marketing moves. So take your time. Another 100% regularity is that, in summer, the price of subscriptions falls, and in winter it rises. Pay attention to these things. And prices can "jump" from 700 rubles to 5 thousand dollars per month, it all depends on your wallet and wishes. But you can always save. It is better to choose the "golden mean".
  • Coaches. Find out about the education, achievements of these people. Don't trust your body to a trainer who is incapable of building his physique. After all, only a true practitioner can give truly worthwhile advice.

Now let's summarize everything that we have considered today. If you are faced with the question: “How to choose a gym?”, Then here is the algorithm you should act in:

  1. Find everything halls within 40-60 minutes from the house.
  2. look, to have everything you need in the room: Olympic barbells, plates of different sizes, locks, an excellent dumbbell row, squat and bench press racks, a horizontal bar, parallel bars, a vertical block and, of course, a cardio zone.
  3. Dressing room with turnkey lockers, shower, good ventilation, order in the hall, preferably a small number of people.
  4. When you decide on the hall, then carefully approach the purchase of a subscription. Do not fall for various marketing tricks, check everything yourself.

The next article will be short, but very interesting, because. I'll tell you two great news.

To a sweet little motivating video from bodybuilding professionals:

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With respect and best wishes, !