Is that Fitness Center Membership Too Pricey?

Joining a fitness center might seem like a sure ticket to better health and a leaner body. To get value for your money, however, you have to get a gym membership with features that'll keep you going to the gym week after week.

Check out the gym before you sign up
Don't just take a tour; give your prospective gym a real workout. You need at least a week to evaluate a gym before you commit to a gym membership. Visit the gym at different times of day, both during the week and on the weekend. If the gym representative balks at this request, consider taking your gym membership dollars elsewhere.

Note cleanliness level
Sweating is expected at the gym, but you don't want to experience someone else's perspiration firsthand. Look for attendants continually cleaning the workout areas, restrooms locker rooms.

Are instructors around?
Instructors should be identifiable by a uniform or name tag, and should look approachable and eager to help. Find out what type of training and certification the gym's instructors and trainers receive.

Check out the crowd level
Too few people could be a sign of poor service. On the other hand, if all the machines are occupied, you'll have trouble getting enough workout time to make your gym membership worthwhile.

Test out classes
Classes should challenge you, but they should not push you beyond your limits. If your gym membership includes pool use, take a swim so you'll know if the water conditions are to your liking.

Does it fit your schedule?
All the amenities covered by your gym membership fees should be available during the hours you are likely to frequent the gym, including child care. Of course your gym membership should include as many weekly visits as you want.

If your commute to the gym is more than 12 minutes, consider a gym membership closer to home or work. According to statistics gathered by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), 10-12 minutes is about how long the average gym member will travel to work out. Distances greater than that tend to cause people to drop their memberships.

Before You Join
If you have checked out the gym and think that it will work for you, the time comes to sign up for your membership. Here are some tips for when you are haggling details with the gym staff:

• Be commitment shy. Sure, the salesperson would like you to sign up for a 1 or 2 year gym membership, but if you ask, you can probably get a month-to-month membership for a slightly higher rate. Once you know you're happy with the gym, you can sign a longer gym membership contract.
• Know what you're getting. Ask if any of the classes or features are not covered by the basic gym membership fees. Gym membership amenities that sometimes cost extra are child care, towel service, racquet court usage, personal training, nutrition consultation, body composition testing and tanning.
• Beware of add-ons for features you've never thought of using before. Maybe tanning and towel service are only $5 more each month, but if you're not a tanner and you do your own laundry, that's wasted money. Or, if you do opt for extras, ask if you can change or cancel these independent of your basic gym membership.
• Ask if the gym membership includes regular visitor passes. Often a standard gym membership contract will permit you to bring a friend once or twice a month. Also, find out if your gym membership will allow you to bring your own personal trainer. Many gyms grant privileges to independent personal trainers, but particular certifications may be required.
• Pay as little as possible. This one is self-explanatory.
• Don't assume you'll get more value from a higher-price gym membership. Some of the most successful and well maintained gyms are relatively inexpensive. Depending on the type of club, monthly gym membership fees run $20-$125. Memberships at clubs geared toward a particular sport such as racquetball clubs tend to be pricier than gym memberships at more generalized clubs.
• Don't pay a sign-up fee. Gym membership initiation fees can be waived, but you may have to wait until a seasonal deal is offered. This can save you as much as $200 on your gym membership fees, so it might be worth the wait. Or, if there's no "sign up free" gym membership offer on the horizon, find a competing gym offering free sign up. Then ask your gym to match the offer.
• Before jumping into a gym membership, know how to get out of it. An exit strategy may seem pessimistic, but gym dropout rates are around 35 percent, according to the IHRSA, meaning these members only get a leaner bank balance. So ask about cancellation fees and find where these are specified in the contract. Also find out if the gym membership renews automatically at the end of the term, and how to cancel before renewal.

Finally, a full month free trial gym membership can be great for trying out a facility before buying a full membership. But usually you have to sign the gym membership contract at the beginning of the month. If you don't cancel exactly according to contract terms before the end of that month, you'll have to pay for the full gym membership.