New Gym Reviews

So I've been babbling on a lot lately about exercise and health in general. I've reported to you my own personal findings about what exercises and methods work best for me. I've done some research on the methodology of fitness and found some tips and ideas on healthy nutrition. Now, I'd like to return to reviewing some of the incredible fitness facilities available in the Hamilton Ontario area. I will be posting reviews of fitness clubs over the next few months.

Again I want to reiterate my purpose; that is to give you the reader a blog that informs, educates and with some luck inspires you to get up and start moving on your own path to personal health and fitness. My gym reviews will never be scathing or negative. The purpose is to provide you with first hand information and observations so that you can check out these businesses for yourself to see which ones will be a good fit for what you want to achieve.

So, what do you want to achieve?

That's your first step. Write down a few measurable and achievable goals. Obviously, if you have never adopted a regular exercise routine before, you will not expect to run a 10k race in the next 6 months. Keep in mind that goals which focus on weight loss tend to be short-lived and disappointing.

Weight loss is an inaccurate measure of fitness. As you become more fit, you lose fat and gain muscle. Muscle weighs more that fat, so gauging your "success" solely on what the scale tells you is false.  

Focus on simple things, like losing 2 inches from your waist at the end of 6 months. Or being able to walk up the stairs in your home without being out of breath. Or being able to kick or throw a ball with your kids without straining your back/knees/arms etc.

Next; examine your personality and current lifestyle. Do you have a regular work and personal schedule? Or is your schedule harried and unpredictable? Are you a self-starter? Are you determined and thrive on inner motivation? Or, do you need someone to kick you in the butt to get you moving?

Do you like to work on your own? Or do you need the support of a group setting to achieve your daily goals?  Are you a social animal? Or do you prefer to be solitary?

Your personality and current lifestyle will determine the type of fitness facility that will best meet your needs. In Hamilton, there are fitness clubs that offer solutions for every personality type and lifestyle. 

Basically there are four types of fitness clubs:

        1.  Large Mainstream gyms:

• These gyms offer a wide variety of services. The facilities are large and often there are more than one location. Services include complete range of equipment from free weights and resistance machines to treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes.  These gyms also have expansive change room facilities which include lockers, showers and saunas. Many of these gyms also provide personal trainers, group classes, physiotherapy sessions and some offer spa services and other specialty training such as boxing or yoga. 
• Members of large gyms are varied. Some members are the independent self-motivated type who are able to integrate their gym routine into their daily lifestyle. These members tend to visit the gym a minimum of 4 days per week and tend to visit at the same time of day every day.
• Members who need to be motivated and prefer a social component to their workouts; combine the additional features of personal trainers and group classes with their own individual workouts. Often these members visit the gym 3 or less days per week.

        2.  Small gyms that offer Big Gym services:

• These gyms offer much the same services as the larger gyms. The difference is that the small gyms provide more of a community atmosphere. Membership is smaller and members tend to know one another and socialize more in this smaller setting.  If you want a variety of services but in a cozier setting, these types of gyms would be appealing for you. Each gym has its own culture. You will need to visit the gym and try out a membership to determine if the culture fits your style.

        3.  Personal training Gyms:

• You will find these little gems in the most auspicious places. Many are nestled into strip malls and residential plazas. For the uninitiated, these small gyms offer personalized services that the larger gyms cannot provide. This makes them the ideal place for members who need the encouragement and support of a personal trainer.  Overall, they tend to be slightly more expensive than the larger gyms. However, what you receive in return is personal attention and the opportunity to really achieve those goals you set for yourself. Again, these gyms each have their own flavour or culture. Therefore; you will need to visit the gym yourself and try out a session to see if you "fit".   

        4.  Personal Trainers:

• You can also find personal trainers who will come into your home and work with you. Although I will not be reviewing these businesses; it is something to consider if you are desperately shy and need someone to cheer you on every step of the way towards your fitness goals.

As mentioned, only you can determine what type of fitness facility will suit you best. The best way to decide is try them out. Pick at least one gym from each category; Large Mainstream, Small Big Gym, Personal Training gym or a Personal Trainer and try them out for a day/session or two before signing any contract or giving your credit card information.  When you are successful at finding the right fit for your fitness needs; your own personal fitness goals will become more achievable.  And, you will also find that including daily fitness to your lifestyle will become a habit worth keeping.

until next time...don't sweat the small stuff!