I technically belong to a gym. It is the local city rec center. $120 per year. Not as much equipment as regular gym, but good enough.
I have weight bench and treadmill and total gym at home. Personally don't care for total gym. Not a big fan of the free weights from a safety pov (not that I lift much anyways). For whatever reason, my wife and I go to the gym instead working out at home. I like the track much better than the treadmill.
Got the treadmill as a gift and won the total gym in a sales contest.
If you want to workout...and dont' like going to a gym...get the P90X program. We got the tapes 2 years ago to use in the offseason for a football team I coaches and you would not believe how much stronger the players got from doing the workouts. Their cores were so much stronger, and the workouts changed so much the guys never got bored.
I always thought the body for life program was one of the best programs out there until I started to do the P90X. The program is much cheaper than joining a national chain gym and you don't have to set aside so much time for travel....you can work out in the morning, noon, or night...whatever works into your schedule.
JMO.
Get a free 2 week pass before you even consider talking to sales. Go during the busy times. Ask about parking. Ask about the tv channels. Check craigslist for comments on the gym you want to join.
If that checks out, do a month to month contract. If you still like the gym in 6 months, negotiate a long term contract.
If that checks out, do a month to month contract. If you still like the gym in 6 months, negotiate a long term contract.
I belong to a boxing gym. I would highly recommend doing the same. I used to run half marathons, 10ks, 5ks, etc on a daily basis and got bored with it. So I joined a boxing gym about 6 months after I quit running. Boxing is in my opinion one of the best workouts ever. And just for your information you can join a boxing gym and if you chose not to spar then you don't have to spar. There are a lot of guys who go to the gym that I go to and don't fight. The fighters and non fighters go through the same exact training and workouts.
You'll always get better workouts in at a gym.Give a gym a trial period-
go at different times to see how crowded it might get.This is the
most important thing for me.If a place is too crowded,its too frustrating & not worth it.Gyms offer a lot of variety which you can't really get at home;this will help significantly with your workout routine.
go at different times to see how crowded it might get.This is the
most important thing for me.If a place is too crowded,its too frustrating & not worth it.Gyms offer a lot of variety which you can't really get at home;this will help significantly with your workout routine.
I own the P90X program and will second everything stated above. It is extreme if you follow the plan (workout schedule and diet plan), but you will get results. The workouts are about an hour a day, 6 days a week, and be ready to eat. There is also a less extreme version called P90 that is not quite as intense, more designed for people that are not really in good shape. P90X is designed for people that are already in pretty good physical condition that are looking to chisel up. The program is worth the money and will require limited investment in equipment (dumbells, pull up bar, yoga mat.) I already owned the Bowflex select tech dumbells and they are perfect for this program (and probably the best piece of equipment that I have ever bought.)
Sure. Trainers don't care because they are making the same money. So if you want to pay them just to get in shape its fine by them. I am not trying to become a big time fighter. I go there workout like I said 2 or 3 times a week and once a month I spar. I would say 50% of the people who go don't even spar.
My trainer charges per session. The first time I go is $40...If I go twice in a week he charges me $30 the second time and if I go three times a week he charges me $20 the third time. All trainers are different with their payment system.
As far as finding one I would say use google to find one. I see that your from Texas. I am not sure if you are a boxing fan but one of my favorite boxing trainers trains in Texas her name is Ann Wolfe.
I don't think you need to join a gym. Unless you are trying to gain serious muscle mass, which I assume you aren't, you can get where you want to be without joining. Getting in shape is a lot of what you eat. Get your diet right, jog a little either on a treadmill at home, or outside, and maybe some push ups and sit ups and your fine. A healthy diet is basically all you need. Without eating properly the gym is pointless.
I know the program is for the diehard but then again you only get out of the program what you put into it. Im sure you can downplay your intensity to just "stay in shape" but I am going to tell you what is going to happen.
After about 3 weeks you are going to start feeling GREAT and getting compliments about how you look. Suddenly you start to work a bit harder each workout and before you know it Men's Fitness is calling you up for a photo shoot.
Good luck in whatever you find.
