Picking The Right Gym

Whether you are an athlete or an accountant, you should be doing some form of exercise throughout the week. By now we know how important it is for you physically and mentally. Most, find it hard to stay motivated due to their lack of knowledge with exercising or have no accountability. That’s why it is important to find the right gym for you.

As I thought about this, I worked backwards from happy. I thought about what exactly my athletes liked about my facility, and also other facilities that have a consistent client base. Three words came to mind to sum up all of the adjectives that made up these gyms, weather it is sports performance, CrossFit, pilates, spin, etc. Cordial, Educative, and Motivative. These are written in a specific order that will come more clear as I explain each one.

Cordial: According to Oxford Dictionary, cordial is an adjective, and it means: warm and friendly.

• When you walk into a gym, or anywhere, it is nice to be greeted with a sincere hello; talking to people who genuinely care about you as a person, not just your money. When other trainers, coaches, clients interact with you, it makes you feel like you are in a comfortable environment, not judged by others. I know many people who won’t go to the gym or will just stay on the elliptical due to the fear of looking like an idiot  at the gym. Find a place that you feel great walking into.

Educative: According to Oxford Dictionary, educative is an adjective, and it means: intended or serving to educate or enlighten; educational.

• Now, it’s not that hard to be welcoming and care about your clients, but being a competent coach is very important as well. While you're working out, it is a learning opportunity; your trainer is teaching you how to move properly in order to achieve an effective workout without getting hurt. I am not suggesting you need to know the ins and outs of anatomy and physiology, but a general understanding of squatting, deadlifting, and other basic movements. This will do three things for you. One, you will not get hurt. Two, you will get an effective workout. Three, you won’t feel like an idiot in front of others. So, I urge you to make sure your trainer knows what they are talking about!

Motivative: According to Oxford Dictionary, motivative is an adjective, and it means: Serving to motivate; providing a reason for, or a stimulus to, action or thought.

• Maybe the people at the gym being nice and smart is enough motivation for you to return, but some may need more. Especially, those who have found themselves starting over frequently in the past. Not everyone likes a “Ra Ra!” trainer who is going to yell at them for being a lazy bum, some may just need the right plan. It could be as simple as properly setting goals with your trainer or constantly getting reminded why you are here. Everyone is different and needs to be dealt with accordingly.

Going back to the order of the words, I hope you can see why I ordered them like this. First, you need to feel like you are in a place you belong, then, a place that will effectively train you, and lastly, a place that will keep you coming back for more. Sometimes it takes a few gyms, but do not settle, keep looking until you find it!

Feel free to leave a comment below and if you need help looking for the right fit, I may be able to lead you in the right direction!