Does anyone faitfully use their gym membership

[lynn]

If so how many days do you go? How many days did you plan to go when you signed up? What should I look for when looking at the couple gyms in my area? Suggestions/ opinions/ ideas welcome.

[gamommy]

We joined the local Y last year. We tend to go more regularly in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. We peak during the really cold months. We go much less often in the summer, as we also have a pool membership, and we end up there most every day from May-Labor Day.

 

What's important for us is cleanliness, friendliness of the staff, scheduling of class times, and the availability/quality of childcare. Most gyms where I live offer a 1 or 2 week trial period. We took advantage of that and tried to attend on different days and times (like early AM vs. evening for example). We asked the staff about peak and slow times and days. We used that information to help fine tune our schedule. For instance Saturdays and Sunday afternoons are pretty quiet there but Monday nights are packed. Since I don't like waiting in line for an elliptical I factor that in.

 

A Christian friendly enviornment and relatively modest clothing were also considerations for us. Really that was one of the deciding factors in joining a local Y branch versus some of the other private gyms in our area.

 

We take kids to a cardio class one afternoon per week (I use treadmill or eliptical), then dh and I take 2-3 spinning classes per week together and use childcare for the younger of our two kids. So we attend 3-4 times per week, say on average 14 times per month. We pay $60 per month for a family membership. That works out to slightly more than $4 per visit in our case.

 

Oh, I'd also check into whether discounts are available through your employer or health plan. Our iniation fee was waived due to an agreement with dh's workplace. Our former healthplan also offered a yearly reimbursement.

[TwinMominTX]

For me the key to using it is to go early in the morning - 5:30am - when my dh is at home and hte kids are asleep. I am home by 7:00am and can start my day with a workout over.

 

However, my dh travels a great deal so it was important to me to find a gym that had kid watching hours in the late afternoon. Many I looked at previously only had kid hours in the morning which is when we are in the middle of school.

 

It is much more of a struggle to go in the afternoon, but I try to make myself go as I really enjoy the after effects of a workout!

 

We don't have a lot of choices in my area with a population of less than 2000 people so I ended up joining the local Y.

[Karenciavo]

I go to Bally's 4 days a week 6:00 - 7:30 AM with a few other homeschool moms; it helps to have someone waiting for you.

[WTMindy]

I go 4-5 times a week and have for about 8 years now. I agree with Karen that it is really helpful to have someone to do it with.

[laylamcb]

I went 3-5 days a week at 5 AM to World Gym for spin classes and weightlifting until I injured my back on New Year's Eve. Since finishing PT I've been working out haphazardly at home. It's SO HARD to get into an exercise groove without going to the gym. Karen and Mindy, I wish you lived in Northern VA--I'd love workout partners!

[susie in tx]

I went 5 to 6 times a week. I found that if I made it an everyday routine, I was more likely to go. I also hired a personal trainer. Having a trainer waiting for me, was added incentive to show up.

 

Being pg has screwed it all up.

 

I look for a nice and clean gym. I want it to have all of the equipment that I use on a regular basis. I like treadmills, ellipitical machines and at least 2 choices for every body part. I look for lighter free weights as well as heavier ones. I want to be able to go up in 5 lb increments, at a minimum.

[Ohio12]

We belong to the Y. When I had just one baby, I would go 3-4 times a week, now it is 2-3. We love it though because the kids go to the childcare and get to play with other kids and I get to work out. I try to go at the same time every time to make it a habit. We also get good rates on swimming lessons with our membership.

 

Make sure that the hours are going to work with your life. Our childcare is only open before noon and after 5, so I can't go in the afternoon, but mornings are good for us. My sister's gym only has childcare after 5 and she ended up quitting because she wasn't wanting to go then.

[Ferdie]

I love the diversity of workout options offered at a health club and the people are so inspiring. I have been working out at a health club for years.

 

When choosing a health club it needs to be convienent, (the closer to your home the better) and you need to feel comfortable with the club's atmosphere. When you take your tour ask for a free pass to come back so you can workout before you join. Also find out where you friends and neighbors are working out because it is more fun to workout with a friend and it will make you more accountable.

 

When you find a health club that you like, negotiate a 3 hour personal trainer package. They should give you one hour free and another 3 hours for $99, (I like to split the hour workout sessions into two 1/2 session to get more for my money). It is totally worth the $100 to hire a PT because they will design a reasonable work out plan, explain the machines and weights, help adjust the machine to your exact body requirements and most importantly make sure that you are doing things correctly so you don't injure yourself. You are going to feel so much more comfortable working out if you feel like you know what you are doing.

 

I know you mentioned joining a couples gym, but you might want to check out the family friendly health clubs, too. During the summer, our health club has a free Kid Fit program everyday for 1 hour. It is so hot in Texas that some days that is the only exercise that my kids get plus it gets me to the health club. Also our health club has a small indoor track and they we can use as a family, (very helpful in 100 degree weather). They also have an indoor gym with family hours that we use during basketball season for extra practice. We pay $60 per month for a family membership so it doesn't cost any more than a couples health club.

 

My favorite feature of our health club is that they have individual TV's on the cardio machines. I hate doing cardio, but it is not so bad when you are watching HGTV.

 

Hope you find something that works for you.

[SnowWhite]

We are members at our local YMCA. Like a previous poster, I have decided we will make it more often if I make it a daily event. Thankfully, I found their Family Fun Pool is going to be open from 10-1 on MWF instead of T-Th, which is going to make it a much easier goal. Here is what we will be doing, starting today:

 

M, W, F: Go to the family fun pool right after lunch (likely 11:30 or 12), stay an hour

T, Th: Right after lunch, the kids will go into the adventure room for 45 min, I will work out on the elliptical and toning machines.

 

Once I get this base laid, I'd like to join a water aerobics class. Right now I just want the basics.

 

For us it is imperative that there be quality child care. We have found it works better mid-day when the "day shift" child care workers are on duty. Also there are fewer children in the room, which is better for my boys.

 

My dh goes often before work, and occasionally takes the 7yo from 5:30- 6:30 or so (there are special hours for Youth Fitness).

 

If they have "Homeschool PE" class again, I will give the 7yo the option to do that in place of swimming one day per week.

[G5052]

Most places will also give you a week or more of free membership to try it out, and I'd recommend that.

 

I used to belong to an all-women place that I loved, but they had financial problems, closed down and then reopened in a location not at all convenient for me.

 

I tried out another place that I really like (lots of moms), but they were moving in six months to new location down the street from the all-women place (not at all convenient) that would offer more but also result it much higher rates.

 

Then I tried a place a mile from me, and it was OK. The facility was clean but older. The rates were decent and I liked the early classes, but I didn't know a soul there and then we had a financial set-back that made a gym membership a luxury that had to go.

 

Now I walk and have a "Total Gym" that serves me well. I had ankle surgery a year ago and am just now getting back to where I was several years ago, and the at-home approach is working fine.

 

Maybe someday. I did enjoy the fellowship of belonging to a gym.