The Pros and Cons of Joining A Gym

With the New Year now in full swing, it’s time to start acting on those resolutions. So if one of your resolutions was to get a bit fitter, healthier, or to lose a few pounds, the chances are you’re thinking about joining the gym.

Before you do though, here are a few pros and cons of signing up for a gym membership.

Pros

You’ll be able to exercise whenever you want

There’s something quite liberating about the early opening and late closing times of gyms. At home, if you started doing star jumps and press ups at midnight, your family might think you’ve gone insane, but at the gym, it’s perfectly normal.

You’ll feel better about yourself

Going to the gym is obviously tiring if you put the effort in, but after going, you’re going to feel much better about yourself.

Exercising makes you feel good, that’s a fact, but doing it somewhere that’s got a touch of luxury (which many gyms do) can make you feel even better.

Gyms can also be relaxing

Going to the gym can be a good way to get away from the stress of normality. You can throw all of your stress into a good workout, and if your gym has a pool, you can relax afterwards with a swim and a steam room and sauna session.

You’ll be investing in your health

Gyms can be expensive, but your health is priceless. If you’re keeping yourself fit and healthy, that’s worth more than any amount of money.

Time in the gym can be seen as an investment into your health and wellbeing.

Cons

Gyms can be expensive

The cost of joining a gym isn’t cheap. Firstly there’s the join up fee, which is often something like £20, then there’s the monthly cost. How much you’re paying each month will obviously depend on what gym you choose, but a fully equipped gym can cost you between £50 and £70 a month.

You might not get your money’s worth

If you’re not going to stick with it at the gym, and you only end up going once in a blue moon, you’re basically just going to lose money.

For the monthly cost to be worth it, you need to go each week, and view your membership as an investment in your health.

You may be locked into a contract

If you’re not sure whether or not the gym is your kind of thing, signing up for membership might not be the best idea. Gyms often have minimum contract lengths, and require a lot of notice before you can cancel your membership.

So if you sign up to a gym, but decide it’s not for you after only a couple of sessions, you may still have to pay for membership for another 12 months (again, depending on your gym).