Find a Gym the Top 10 Things to Look For
When Finding a Place to Workout

Submitted by George Spellwin on April 30, 2010 - 11:53am.

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With all of the different gyms that are available, it can be really tough to find the best gym. But you won't have any difficulty finding a gym after reading this top 10 article on finding a gym.

The process for the first gym I found pretty much went like this: I went down to the closest gym, which was two blocks away from my apartment, let one of the representatives sweet talk me into signing up before checking anything out, and I gave them my money upfront. There was no comparison shopping, no checking out equipment, no asking about extra benefits, and no questions about their operating hours. In short, when it came to finding a gym, I was an idiot!

After signing up and forking my money over, I was left with a crowded gym where you practically had to be on a waiting list before machines opened up. Worse than that, most of the female members looked like they ran a few too many 100 yard dashes in 90 yard gyms.

So in the spirit of making sure you don't make the same mistakes as me when you find a gym, I've come up with a list of the top 10 things you should look for when finding a gym. Whether you're somebody who is looking to find a new gym, or someone who has never been to a gym in his life, you can certainly benefit from this list.

Find A Gym #1. Price

I might look like a cheapskate for suggesting price as the number one thing to look for when finding a gym, but hey, what's the point of working out if you have to drive a 93' Impala just to afford a gym membership. There is no one-size-fits-all price you can use when looking at gyms because lots of things factor into the mix such as the city you live in and your bank account size. But one thing I do recommend when finding a gym is to at least keep the amount you spend under 2% of your annual income – i.e. if you're making $30,000 a year, don't go spending $600 just to get a membership.

Find A Gym #2. Distance

Some people might list distance as their number one priority. And I wouldn't blame them since being able to drive – or even walk – to your gym is a big convenience. EliteFitness.com Forums member Ozzie87 is one of the lucky guys who gets to walk to his gym as he said, "My gym is a 4 min walk." Even if you can't walk to your gym, making sure that it is at least a short driving distance will ensure that you stay motivated to keep going. After all, think about how many workouts you'd miss if your gym was an extra 15 minutes away.

Find A Gym #3. Crowd Sizes

If you're like me, you like to get into the gym, do your workout, and get out. I don't think too many people enjoy waiting around for equipment to free up or having to hurry through sets because 2 other people are waiting on you to get off a machine. EF Member shibbs definitely seems to agree that crowd size is a big factor as he said, "I think one of my biggest factors is how busy it is... I absolutely hate a crowded gym. Most ppl at my gym are douche bags, or just do the cardio machines. I've seen about 2 ppl that are actual serious lifters. Also it's annoying that they only have one place for me to do deadlifts, so enough squat racks or whatever so I don't have to wait around would be a huge plus."

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