By Rebecca Maxwell
Choosing the right gym for your family can be a frustrating and stressful endeavor. Each gym in your local area has both pros and cons, and, consequently, there is no perfect gym! However, like many other things in life, gym membership is an investment in your health and wellbeing, and they keep your family physically active.
When deciding which gym to join, you will want to pick one that provides the most benefits to you and your family. Here are some factors to keep in mind when you are looking around:
Location
One of the first elements to consider is a gym’s location. Start with the ones that are closest to your home or work. Chances are you won’t go too often if you have to drive miles out of your way. It is most helpful to choose a gym that is close to your home or work or is located on your regular daily route. After all, if you don’t use your gym, why pay for a membership?
Hours
Most gyms are open during times that accommodate a large variety of people including early birds and night owls. If you have a crazy schedule, (and what mom doesn’t?) a particular gym might not be open when you want to work out. The good news is that there are more gyms that are open twenty-four hours, seven days a week.
Children
If you are a mom with young children, you need to consider if your kids will be accompanying you or not. If so, what is the gym’s policy towards children? Some gyms offer a large variety of activities for kids, even the little ones, while others do not allow anyone under a certain age like twelve or thirteen. There are gyms that offer daycare facilities for members but be sure to check the extra costs for it.
Amenities
Different gyms will have different features and amenities. Some gyms go way beyond the typical weight and cardio rooms to offer much more like swimming pools, climbing walls, basketball courts, and so forth. Others only offer the barebones. You’ll want to weigh which amenities are essential to both you and your family members.
Cost/Staff
Of course, finding a gym that will work with your budget can be challenging. Typically, those that have more amenities will cost more. In addition, sometimes having friendly and welcoming staff will actually make you want to go the gym more. No one wants to be around a gym sourpuss, especially at 5 am!
While finding the ideal gym for you and your family might take a little doing, it is certainty possible. Just be sure and do your homework!