When you’re taken on a tour of the club, notice whether your tour guide actu-
ally answers your questions, instead of spewing fitness jargon in hopes of
impressing you. Suzanne was pedaling on the recumbent bicycle at her gym
when one of the sales staff came by with a prospective member. “These are
the recumbent bikes,” the sales guy said, to which the woman replied, “What’s
the difference between these bikes and the other ones?” The sales guy’s
response: “These are different because they’re recumbent.” Ideally, staff
members should be able to provide a wee bit more information. (To find
out what a recumbent bike actually is, see Chapter 8.)
Cleanliness .........................................................................................
Is the place clean and well-ventilated? Pay special attention to the locker
rooms: Are the bathrooms spotless, or is it foot fungus city? Open the shower
curtains and check the floor, the soap dish, and the walls for gunk and mold.
If a club isn’t clean, don’t join — it’s not worth the health risk. Ask how often
the cleaning crew makes its rounds. And take a gander at the air vents to see
whether they’re dirty or full of mildew.
One club in Florida has banned soap, shampoo, and shaving cream in the
showers to stem the tide of lawsuits filed by members who claimed to have
slipped and fallen. Although we sympathize with the management, we do
wonder what sort of odors emanate from the club.
Hours ...................................................................................................
There are 24-hour gyms and gyms that close at 8 p.m. Check your club’s
hours, particularly on weekends, when most gyms close earlier. Generally,
the larger the club, the longer the hours.
Extra amenities ..................................................................................
Competition is forcing many clubs to offer more than a Jacuzzi, towel service,
and juice bar. A club may organize hikes, ski trips, and softball teams for sin-
gles. Or it may offer stress-management workshops and seminars on training
for a marathon. Many clubs offer a whole array of spa services. You can treat
yourself to a massage, facial, mud wrap, salt scrub, aromatherapy bath, or
power shower (a super-strong shower that we personally find a little scary).
Prices for these services vary greatly, as does the quality of the services.
Remember:Make sure that your massage therapist is properly licensed.
(See Chapter 25 for more tips about massage.)
Chapter 18: Health-Club Primer: Getting the Most Out of Your Gym 275