Should You Join a Health Club? .................................................................
A health club isn’t for everybody. Before you shop around, consider whether
you’re the sort of person who will thrive at a gym. This may save you plenty
of money and guilt in the long run. If you decide that a gym isn’t for you,
that’s fine. There are other places to get fit (see Chapter 10 and Part V for
more ideas).
Three reasons to sign up ..................................................................
Joining a gym requires a fair amount of guts. It took our friend Chivas Clem
two years to venture into his neighborhood health club. “I almost turned
around and walked out,” recalls Chivas, who’s a very svelte 5'8". “The room
was full of these tanned, perfect bodies in spandex cat suits, and I’m totally
emaciated. Finally, I get the nerve to ask this hulk-like man behind the
counter if I can join. He says, ‘So, you’ve never been to a gym before?’ I say,
‘No, is it that obvious?’” Don’t be put off by insensitive comments like that. If
you’re debating whether to join a gym, remember the following great reasons
to sign up.
You need inspiration
At home you can always drum up an excuse not to exercise, even if it means
dusting your bread maker or reading your VCR/DVD universal TV remote
manual. But at the gym, what else is there to do but exercise? Even if you
never talk to a soul, you can feed off the energy of those around you. You may
even find a workout partner. Some gyms will scout out a buddy for you.
You want variety
Even if you can afford $10,000 to build an elaborate home gym, you can still
find more options at a health club. At home, you may have a stationary bike,
a treadmill, or a stair-climber. At a gym, you have all three and more. The
same goes for weights. You can strengthen your triceps just fine with a pair of
dumbbells in your living room, but at a gym you also have the option of using
machines, barbells, and cable pulleys. Gyms frequently update their equip-
ment, so you can try strength and aerobic machines that haven’t yet hit the
home market or are still too expensive. You can also choose from a long list
of classes.
You want expert advice
At a good gym, a trainer is always on hand to help you figure out the chest
machine or tell you how to firm up your butt. You also have a room full of
other exercisers to watch, although they may or may not be good instructors
to learn from.
Part VI: Conquering the Gym (Even at Home) ...........
