the Price of Prepaid Gym Memberships

The service includes full access for a year to the gym at the local university. The gym's amenities include a fully-equipped weight room, a cardio area with a variety of tread mills, stationary bikes, rowing machines, and stair climbers, two Olympic-sized outdoor pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, a 0.7 mile track, a soccer field, a baseball diamond, and a variety of ball courts. Personal training and equipment rentals are available at extra cost. The gym is open to both alumni of the university and to the general public and the cost of the annual pass is the same for each. The gym also offers a restricted use pass (weekday mornings only) for a reduced price.

As I graduated school and expected to stay in town for at least another year I signed up at the gym I'd been using the past four years. The staff is friendly and I can work out with my friends who are still in school, plus it averages out to $30/month, which is competitive for the area. But it's not quite suitable for CrossFit, if that's your thing as it is becoming mine.

Local to school or work or home is important if you actually expect to use it. Make sure it has the equipment and services you need, whether it's barbell free weights, machine weights, cardio equipment, Then shop around and see what else is in the area at what price. Don't forget to look at the gym's policies as some refuse to let their members use essential safety equipment like chalk and others won't let people do overhead barbell lifts or the Olympic lifts. Many will try to lock you into a contract for years, then as a scheme to clear floor space to move more members through some might try their best to alienate you by denying you the ability to workout how you want.