So we’re officially well into the new year. And by now, you’re probably regretting the three million wines you had over Christmas, and seriously considering a gym membership so you can achieve some of those fitness goals you set yourself for 2014.
But please don’t do what I once did and let yourself be coerced into an expensive membership by one of those overly enthusiastic people who hang out on the street, throwing pamphlets at people. Think about it carefully. To help you do just that, I’ve put together some of the pros and cons of joining a gym…
Seven reasons to join.
1. There’s a huge range of equipment
This is the obvious one. Walk into a gym and you’ll be overwhelmed by the possibilities – unless it’s a really terrible gym, they’ll have a whole lot of different cardio machines, as well as weight machines and free weights. Some gyms might even have a pool. And everything’s included in the cost of your membership, so you can mix it up as much as you want and work different muscles every day – important to make sure you get the most out of your training.
Sure, home gyms are convenient, but you’re also probably limited to just a few pieces of equipment and one treadmill or spin bike. And if you’re the kind of person that gets bored easily (like meeeee) you might enjoy changing up your exercise session every night, rather than just doing the same old thing every day.
2. You’ll have a built-in support network
Most gyms will offer some kind of introductory PT session that will get you started on the machines and work out a program for you to follow. From there, if you’re ever struggling with something, there’s always staff around to help you out – which doesn’t exactly happen when you’re just out running in the park.