Signing up for a fitness membership is a new and exciting step for many people however quite often I meet people that have signed a contract, paid for a membership and stop using it within a few short months. Instead of throwing away your hard earned cash check out these 10 tips to help you get the most out of your gym membership.
How to Take Advantage of Your Fitness Club Membership
1. Schedule Your Workout
Block off some time in your calendar and make your fitness time a priority. Treat your workout like it’s an appointment and use this time to get away and take a break for your personal health and self-improvement.
2. Have a Fitness Plan
If your workout has a purpose you’ll be more productive, have a better workout and stay on track with your training regime. Pack everything you need the night before so you can get up and go. Have a plan ahead of time so you aren’t wandering around the gym trying to figure out what to do and wasting time when you get there.
3. Use Your Free Personal Training Session
Many gyms offer a free session with a trainer when you join so take advantage of that session by asking the trainer to show you how to set up and use the equipment as well as proper exercise technique for various exercises. Have the trainer show you all of the amenities that the gym has to offer and try everything at least once before deciding what works best for you.
4. Variety of Fitness Exercises
It is important to include both strength and cardiovascular exercises to get the most benefit from your fitness regime. If you always do the same thing you will get bored and stop seeing results. Be sure to train every muscle group, change the workout regularly and increase the challenge to avoid training plateaus, boredom and get continued results.
5. Music
Studies show that music is motivational so create a playlist of your favorites tunes and get in the zone!
6. Meet a Friend
You are more likely not to skip a workout if you have plans to meet a friend. It’s not only a great way to socialize but it makes the time go by much faster. Just be sure to pick a friend that is going to be a positive influence and help motivate and encourage you to stay on track, not convince you to constantly skip your workouts.
7. Attend Group Fitness Classes
Group fitness classes are a great way to meet people and make new friends. If you’ve never done a class before you may find it intimidating but just remember that everyone there was a newbie at some point and over time you’ll start to see familiar faces and begin to feel more comfortable. A great instructor always shows up early and is approachable so feel free to introduce yourself to the instructor so they can let you know what to expect. You may not jive with every instructor or program so try every class at least once and you may discover a new activity that you love!
8. Hire a Fitness Trainer
Hiring a personal trainer is a great way to stay accountable to your workouts and get the best results in the shortest amount of time. A good trainer will lead you through fitness assessments, discuss your goals, design a plan specifically for you and track your progress on a regular basis.
9. Keep It Up
Consistency is key so try not to let more than a few days go by between visits otherwise it may be harder to get back into your routine. Many people quit the gym because they expect to see huge changes in a month but be patient, stick with your workouts and eat healthy and you should begin to feel changes right away and see changes within 3 months.
10. Enjoy Yourself!
Fitness should be fun and something that you look forward to doing so if you just can’t seem to motivate yourself to get to the gym perhaps you need to find something else that motivates you. Maybe join a sports team or try outdoor activities like snowboarding, hiking or kayaking as it may be a better fit for you.
Yours in health and fitness, Michelle
