By Nick Elisano, Director of Cape Regional Miracles Fitness
It’s that time of year – you start to think about getting into shape, and joining a gym seems like a good place to start. Before you rush to join one, here are some of the top questions to answer before making your choice.
Question #1: What is my destination? It should be the first question a gym asks you when you walk in the door. If they don’t ask you what are your goals are and really listen to your answers, consider it a red flag that this is not the place for you. Most importantly, be sure they have a solution to design a plan to reach those goals.
Question #2: What assessment do they use to identify your starting point? Most gyms will do some sort of assessment to help develop your fitness program based on your destination. If they don’t offer an assessment, how will they determine where you should start and how you’re making progress?
Question #3: What is their system to guarantee you get to your destination? Ask what type of training program they will set up for you. Ask for a list of everything included in their programs – Classes, Educational Seminars, Nutrition? A complete program should include movement preparation, cardiovascular training, strength training, flexibility and recovery all at the appropriate levels of intensity.
Question #4: Will your program change every 4-6 weeks? The body is smart. Whenever we apply a stimulus, the body adapts. However, if we don’t change that stimulus often enough, the body will become stale and stop adapting, leading to no progress. Ask your prospective gyms if they will adjust exercise order, exercises themselves, sets, reps, speed, rest periods, loads and equipment used every 4-6 weeks.
Question #5: Do they work together as a team? Does the staff come together to ensure your program is followed and offer constant support and supervision? Does the gym have a Physical Therapist on staff who works closely with the trainers and members to ensure your safety? Does the gym have an Exercise Physiologist and Registered Nurse on site to develop safe and effective programming for members with health problems? Does this gym work closely with the medical community and receive physician referrals? Or does this gym just sign me up and let me figure it out on my own?
Question #6: Throughout the program, what types of things are they tracking to ensure you are getting the most out of your membership? Do they track workouts? Do they provide post-workout nutrition at the gym? Are they keeping an eye on your stress levels, your body fat percentage and your body measurements? There are several other factors that you should research before joining a gym such as membership options, location, hours and even cost. But remember quality is always better than quantity when you’re talking about your health and wellness!
Nick Elisano is the Director of Cape Regional Miracles Fitness and has been a personal trainer for over 20 years, helping thousands of people with their fitness and health goals. For more information, call (609) 886-7070, go to miraclesfitness.com, or visit them in Rio Grande in the Joe Canals Plaza.
