Health clubs: Getting the most for your money

Where can you find a health club?

First look in the Yellow Pages, under "health clubs" or "gyms". If you are a college or university employee, you are probably eligible to use its fitness center. If you are retired from the military, find out if your local base has a workout facility. Call your town's recreation department. Many towns have pools and ice rinks, or use the high school pool and gym to provide very low cost swimming, tennis, and aerobic programs.

Don't forget to call your local YMCA. Most of them have been refurbished with fully outfitted fitness centers, racquetball courts, Olympic pools, multi-purpose rooms, and have very accessible hours of operation. Although the Y's all charge a one-time (good for life) initiation fee, it is transferable to any other YMCA. So, if you move, you can join the new local Y without paying another initiation fee.

First, determine your work-out goals.

When shopping for a facility, decide what it is you plan to do there. If you want to work with a personal trainer who has credentials in exercise physiology, you'll probably want to join a full-service fitness center. If you want to relax and be pampered, you will probably want to find a health club that has a swimming pool, sauna, and whirlpool. If you only want to play tennis or racquetball, a racquet and sports club may be the answer. If a good, solitary workout without swimming is all you want, then you should consider a less expensive, large membership club, usually referred to as a gym. Many gyms are outfitted with state of the art, high-tech equipment and offer exercise and aerobics classes as well as personal training.

To get the most clubs and services for your money

Watch for the following when selecting a club:

• Discounts
• Search out a club that offers family, couples, single parent, or other promotional discounts. Membership fees and conditions are almost always negotiable. If you travel frequently or might be relocating, ask if the club offers discount guest passes to other clubs or relocation discounts. Many clubs will give you a three- or six-month free membership extension if you bring in new members, but you'll probably have to ask.
• Insurance coverage
• If price is your main concern, first check with your health insurance or employee benefit plan. Most health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and third-party private insurers either offer discounted health club memberships as part of their benefits plan or will pay a portion of an initiation fee.
• Buyer beware
• Be wary of lifetime memberships or multi-year contracts that require a large payment up front. If you're not sure about the reputation of a club, check with the local Better Business Bureau or Attorney General's office. NEVER join a health club before it opens, no matter how sterling its prospects. Look for a club with at least three years of continuous operation, or a new branch of an established chain. Do not sign on for any more than a year in advance, and make sure that your contract has an "escape clause," allowing you to cancel your membership or receive a rebate if you relocate or become disabled. Don't be pressured by a promotion that ends "tonight;" the deal will still be available whenever you decide to sign up. Make sure the contract covers everything you've discussed with club management. Never rely on verbal agreements.
• Trial run
• When you find a club you like, take advantage of a trial membership or one-day pass, and a complimentary workout evaluation with a personal trainer.
• Convenience
• Is the club within 15 minutes of home or on your commuting route? If not, you're likely to drop out. Do the club hours and class times fit into your schedule? Do the classes interest you? Is the facility open on weekends? What is the guest policy?
• Atmosphere
• Go at peak times (at lunch and after work) to see if there is a wait to use equipment, and look at the instructor/client ratio. How quiet or loud is the club? Are people talking to each other? How does it "feel" to you? Your gut instinct is usually a good guide here.
• Extra fees
• Are all services included in the fee? Do you pay extra for aerobics classes, racquetball court time, etc?
• Instruction
• Is one-on-one instruction available? Does it cost extra? Can you have your fitness level tested when you begin an exercise program, and periodically after that?Are there special programs for children? Are there programs for people with disabilities? Is it disability accessible? Do they have special times and workouts for seniors?
• Certification
• Are the club's exercise instructors certified by a nationally recognized organization such as the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Council on Exercise, or the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America?Make sure that at least half of the health club's staff members are certified in CPR and trained to administer first aid.
• Staff and Facilities
• Is the staff pleasant? Are the bathrooms, locker rooms, and equipment clean? Is there security inside the club? Do you need to provide your own lock or towels? Can you park close by, and will you feel safe parking at night?
• Safety
• Make sure that aerobics studios have suspended wooden floors to help prevent joint injuries. Equipment should be in good repair. Each electronic machine should be plugged into its own outlet, not into multiunit extension cords. Faulty, worn, or overloaded equipment can cause injuries. Each piece of equipment should have instructions attached directly to it, facing you as you perform the exercise.
• Child care
• Is child care available, and if so, who watches the children? Are they left unattended in a play area, or is there a babysitter hired to watch them?