The 5: Questions to ask before joining a gym

Today's the day. You've made the conscious decision to start a regular workout program. And, let's say, for the sake of this discussion, that you have ruled out working out at home or outdoors. You want as many fitness options as possible, and you want the convenience of having them all in one central location. Bottom Line: You want to join a gym.

With so many out there to choose from, however, it can sometimes be quite difficult to find the right one to join. The right one for you.

Since you don't want discouragement, confusion, or intimidation to get in the way of your fitness goals, you should be looking for a gym that best suits your individual needs, desires, and lifestyle. To help you along, here are five questions you should have answers to before signing on the dotted line.

1. What Are You Looking For? If group exercise classes seem to be up your alley, then a gym that does not offer any (or only a limited number) probably isn't what you're looking for. Same goes for swimming; if you hoped to build your physical and cardiovascular strength with some laps in the pool, you'll be hard pressed to do that if the best a gym has to offer is a hot tub. Also, as far as hours of operation go, if your only chance of squeezing in a workout is before work, you should be on the hunt for a gym that opens its doors early. Very early.

2. How Close is it to Your House? One of the major reasons why people drop their workout is because of a lack of time. If you only have an hour a day to squeeze in for a workout, why would you want to waste thirty minutes of that time driving to and from the gym? Finding a gym located within close proximity to where you live will help you solve this time crunch. And, as an added bonus, you can always walk or jog there if you wanted to.

3. Can You Freeze Your Membership? Granted, the idea behind joining a gym is to actually go there, but sometimes life throws us a curveball and we can't do what we'd like. If you're injured, if you will be away on business for a number of months, if you're heading out of state for college, or even if you're pregnant, going to the gym may not be a possibility. Do you still have to pay your membership? Some gyms will allow you to "freeze" your membership, while others will not. Depending upon your particular situation (or what you anticipate your future situation may be like), this could very well end up being a deal maker or breaker.

4. Can You Visit Their Other Gyms? Assuming they have other gyms in different regions of the country, many of the larger chain gyms will allow you to do this. Let's say you live in Florida, where you are a member of Gold's Gym, and you go on vacation to California. In most cases, you will also be able to work out in a Gold's Gym located in California. However, some gyms will not allow you to do this, as they are independently owned, despite their affiliation with a chain.

5. What Are You Willing to Pay For? It's important to find out what amenities a gym or health club has to offer, but it's equally as important to determine which of them you'll actually use. Do you ever see yourself spending even a minute in a eucalyptus room? Or sitting half-naked in a steam room? These added features are probably reflected in the monthly membership cost, so you may end up paying for things of which you'll never make use. Of course, the opposite holds true, as well; if you are someone who would make use of these amenities, find a gym or health club that offers them.

Once you've had these questions answered to your satisfaction, then it's time to add your John Hancock to the contract. The good news is that you're not locked in forever. Many gyms offer memberships that are divided into as few as three month cycles.

Now, what are you waiting for? Go join that gym and get your workout started!!