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Choose your gym wisely

© Matt Danielson

Today we have a wide array of different gyms to choose from, ranging from the dungeon kinds of gym with chalkdust covering the free weights to the modern, high-tech health clubs with spas, a juicebar, a gazillion aerobics classes and all the latest machines in catchy colors.

Of course, the right choice for you depends on who you are, your goals etc., but there's a few basics that one should always take into consideration before joining, regardless of who you are.

Checkpoint 1: Atmosphere
This is one of the most important, perhaps the number one checkpoint: You must enjoy being there. If you walk in there and feel like an American in Paris, you can forget about getting optimum results from your training. The hardcore powerlifter might feel misplaced when all the other members stop and stare at his non-fashion clothes, just as the 50-year old guy who hits the weights twice a week because his doctor said so might feel equally misplaced among the 300+ lbs monsters in a dungeon down the street. Simply put: Make sure it's your kind of people, that the interiors don't give you the creeps and that the gym is at a comfortable distance from your home.

Checkpoint 2: Equipment
OK, so you found a few nice places that are "you," so to speak. Now for the equipment. There should be a certain balance between free weights and machines, and if the clerk starts giving you some clever speech about how their twelve machines is all you need - leave.

If you have a little experience in lifting, you'll recognize a good machine when you see it. Hammer Strength-kind of machines are usually good. Don't be afraid to ask other people in the gym if you're unsure. A few pointers to look out for:
1.Does the equipment seem to be well-maintained? Are there cracks in the pads? Are there lots of taping and bad soldering to keep the machines together? Do the foot-plates have two bare spots from thousands of feet through the rubber on the leg-presses? Do you see any "Out of Order"-signs anywhere? What you see is what you can expect for the coming years.
2. Make sure that it's not only the most popular machines being present. What do they have for calves? Do they have a seated legcurl for hamstrings? How about neck and forearms? Everybody has good chest, back and ab-machines, so it's the "weaknesses" you have to look out for.

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