It's not easy to find the best gym. There are so many available to choose from. Each one offers something different in terms of amenities, services, and price. It's essential to do your research before deciding because it can be a considerable investment of time, money, and energy.
If you are in the market for a new fitness club in the Chino, CA area, there are many factors to consider before selecting. The most crucial factor to consider is your fitness level and how the gym will meet your needs. M-Power Fitness is a Chino CA fitness club that is right for your needs and your fitness goals.
Here are some things to look for:
1. Location
The proximity of the gym location from home or school, or work is vital if you want to use your time productively. Also, convenience is the motivating factor, with:
- Safety. How safe you feel at that location at any given time of day. The gym location should not be unsafe or remote, where access to public transport and other amenities is difficult.
- Gym Schedule. The gym has to be near the home or school, or work. For busy people prefer working out early in the morning or late in the evening. Hence, the location of the gym is their primary consideration.
- Unpredictable weather conditions. Location of your gym matters, especially during worse weather conditions like heavy rains or snow. Usually, people get demotivated in going to the gym under these weather conditions. If the gym is within walking distance or just a short drive away, people will be pushed to go.
- Socialization. Going to the gym is also a social affair. Some people prefer to stick with the same studio where their friends are enrolled.
2. Hours
When looking into joining a gym, make sure that you consider their operating hours because there are certain times when your schedule might prevent you from going. Some gyms have 24-hour access, but they're infrequent. Thus, you must be mindful of what times they open and close so you know for sure if it's going to work out for you or not. Many people decide to go on weekdays because it's more convenient to work out after work hours. Some prefer to work out very early in the morning.
3. Cost
The gym setting can directly determine how much you feel its price is, proportional to what you're getting out of it, including amenities within the facility, such as locker rooms, showers, cafeteria, and workout equipment available on site. If one gym has a relaxing sauna while another has basic showers, then depending on which one you prefer more will determine how much weight you place on each when looking at prices.
Gyms can be intimidating. They're filled with buffed and beautiful people working out in different ways on all sorts of equipment. This price range is dominated by the big chains, where you pay hundreds of dollars for a year-long contract instead of just paying monthly. The way the pricing works in big gyms is that they offer reduced prices for more extended warranties. So the more upfront money you pay, the cheaper it ends up being when averaged out over the year. Of course, there are also lock-in contracts on top of that. These can be anywhere from three months to five years long. If you're thinking about getting a gym membership because it's something you'll keep for a long time, it might be worth considering these deals. You'll also have more flexibility if you want to leave early or cancel part way through your contract by signing up for longer. Do not forget to read the fine print in the contract.
4. Features
Make sure the gyms have all the necessary features you need, like:
- Machine/Strength-Based Equipment. Strength-based equipment is a leg press machine, plate-loaded strength equipment (such as a rack that holds plates), or dumbbells. This equipment prevents injuries from exercises involving free weights (dumbbells) or bodyweight only (air squat, push-up variations). For example, compound movements with dumbbells and the full range of motion exercises using bodyweight can cause severe knee injuries to people who do not have the necessary strength or flexibility to do them safely.
- A Functional Training Area With Various Open Tools. No workout is complete without functional training. We live in the real world, so we need to train our bodies using movements that mimic those movements. That means squatting down, getting up from the ground (deadlift), pressing overhead repeatedly (floor press with bar or dumbbells), and moving our hands underneath us to support the weight (push up variation). If your gym only has fixed resistance training machines, you will be limiting yourself in terms of progress as you advance in your Fitness. Training gets a lot easier with the right equipment.
- Variety. Having various exercise tools will allow you to progress faster in strength training and functional training than having only one or two tools that do something but not everything. The leg press machine is an example; it does work your quads but doesn't build up your hamstrings or glutes because each leg moves independently. Here are some examples of things also popular at many gyms: Plyo Boxes, Bosu Balls, Medicine Balls, Resistance Bands (lightweight tubing), Trx Suspension Trainer. The more tools, the better. This allows for more significant variation in training.
- Personalized service. Having a personal trainer or spotter during weight training reduces the occurrence of accidents and injuries.
- Group classes. The gym should offer varying group classes such as yoga, Pilates, rumba, etc., with different skill-based levels for target clients. If childcare is part of the services, children should be part of the module, i.e., parent and child exercise sessions. Most fitness clubs will have something like this to offer their members. It should also be easy for almost anyone to find one that works with their schedule.
- Nutrition counseling. It will be an added factor if the gym has a registered nutritionist or dietician.
- Physical Therapy. The gym services should also cater to persons with disabilities and persons injured during accidents.
5. Atmosphere
A Well-Equipped Front Desk. They must answer questions like how everything works at the gym, schedule and kind of classes offered, membership payment system, or cancellation.
Competent Staff. The staff should be well trained and are willing to help the clients. The team should be accommodating and courteous. They must assist clients if they encounter problems with the schedule or equipment within the premises.
The number of clients enrolled. How crowded and busy the gym is at a specific time. If the place is crowded, it may disrupt workout sessions as more people use the machines and equipment. It's also worth knowing if the gym has some arrangement with a local community college or even a nearby high school, as this can lead to overcrowding.
6. Environment
Cleanliness. The place, including machines and equipment, should be regularly cleaned. While this is obvious, look around for places that get extra attention. There should be no dead insects anywhere, benches and seats should be free of dust, etc. Look at how they clean and sanitize equipment and towels. The bathroom and locker room should be clean as well.
Machines and Equipment. The gym should be fully equipped with the necessary machines and equipment to accommodate the clients' needs.
Sanitation. Alcohol sprays, wipes, or other sanitizing sprays must be readily available to clean the equipment and help avoid the spread of disease.
Open Spaces. The gym should be spacious to accommodate different group classes at the same time.
Scheduling. The gym must schedule clients to avoid overcrowding, including the schedule for group classes being offered and the availability of the personnel and trainers or spotter.
Acoustic. Noise levels must be minimized. Loudness and the kind of music played within the premise must be controlled.
7. Accessibility
A gym is no different from other public places like schools, workplaces, and restaurants. It should also have some parking space. Parking gives way for the customers to come to the gym without any hassles, reducing people's dependence on public transport. Avoiding traffic jams helps in a better working environment as people can reach their workplace safely rather than risking accidents due to recklessness on roads.
The TakeAway
At the end of the day, it is up to you to find a fitness club that matches your needs. Luckily M-Power Fitness in Chin, CA offers something different. To help with this process, we offer free consultations at our fitness club so you can see what's on offer before deciding where best suits your needs.
Book yours today!