Health Club Secrets -- 5 Monster Tips For Choosing a Health Club

Copyright 2006 Brad Howard With the New Year coming in, people by the droves put their New Year's resolutions in gear. For many health clubs, the month of January marks the easiest time of the year to entice and under deliver the hopes and desires of the unsuspecting public. Now, of course, that'll never happen to you...will it? For the type of person that continually gets wrapped up in the "deal of the day," it most certainly will. Most people have no idea what the telltale signs of a great health club operation are. Naturally, many clubs know this and fully take advantage. Does it really make sense for all of the area clubs to offer the most "specials" in the month where the overall demand reaches its peak? What other successful industry does this? Not one that I can think of. Understand that many clubs encourage you to join in the months of January and February knowing full well that you not be frequenting the place in two months. But your money is! The key resides in the fact that you must find the clubs that actually have your best interest at heart. Which clubs are going to encourage you to get in better shape? To give everyone a little piece of mind, I've compiled a short list of monster tips to help insure that you involve yourself with a club that will give you the most success. (By the way, two of these tips are "underground" and industry insiders are the only ones that REALLY know about them.) 1. Check the cleanliness. Clubs don't care about keeping the club clean don't care about keeping you happy. Period. Always give a good look in the locker rooms and cardio deck. 2. Gauge the pressure. The more pressure that is being put on you to join right then, the less service you are likely to get. Use your head. Today only specials are a scam. Peer pressure always puts you in a bad spot. (Important Note: monthly does not mean month- to-month. Make sure you know the difference.) 3. Judge value, not price. Price is what you pay. Value equals what you get for what you pay. Generally, the higher the rates, the more value you get. Of course, make sure to judge this for yourself. Just don't get stuck in the 'low price'