What's better, a gym or a fitness studio?

Fitness

In all fairness, there is no clear answer to this question. It all depends on what your fitness and wellness goals are and the area of expertise that you are looking for. Both are great places to exercise but the similarities stop right there.

Here are some things to consider that could help you in making a decision:

1) Consider your personal situation

Are you recovering from an injury? How about any health conditions? Or perhaps you are simply looking for an activity that you can adapt to your fitness level. Specialty activities with special populations in mind are not the kind of training developed by most gyms, it is far too expensive and requires trained personnel. So the activities that you will find in a gym, while very effective, will tend to have a specific market in mind, and you may not be part of it. You will always find trainers eager to work with you but are they the right fit for you? Or, will they give you the same routine that they prescribe to most of their clients without much consideration for your needs and goals?

This is the realm of specialty training studios. Studios provide very specific training for a variety of health and physical conditions. The right fitness studio can provide specialized training for your specific condition, which will help you achieve your goals faster, in a healthier and more sustainable way.

2) Consider the environment you want
Today’s gyms are high-tech, sophisticated places. You can find many amenities such as flat screen televisions, a variety of high-tech equipment and even smoothies, pizza and bagels! At the end of the day, you must consider the environment that you want to exercise in, after all, the amenities are only part of the story. If you are looking for social interaction, a gym is the place for you. Many studios also provide attractive amenities such as bottled water, towels and high-tech equipment but cater to individuals who are looking for a less “busy” environment and a more private and personal workout. If you don’t want to exercise in front of your closest 30 strangers, a fitness studio might be for you.

3) Consider the price you are willing to pay
Most gym memberships average cost is a dollar a day. Excellent ROI if you consider the benefits that a balanced exercise routine provides to your health. But what happens when you can’t make time to actually go to the gym? You lose money! As a matter of fact, I have inside intelligence to some facilities that gamble on this fact! They make up for a losing economical proposition, (like memberships at $10 per month) with the huge volume of memberships that they sell. What do you get at these facilities then? A crowded and impersonal place to work out, you know exactly what I mean if you have ever waited in line to get on a treadmill!

In contrast, studios are priced differently. Most studios do not require a membership fee, instead, you pay for the services that you actually receive, without long-term commitments. Studios cannot compete with gyms on price, but they can compete in value. What is the value of a personalized, intimate training session to you? Some are willing to pay for a higher quality training experience: personal attention, intimate environment, specialized training and no time wasted. If this is what you’re after, then be prepared to pay for what you get.

4) Consider your safety
Germs, germs, germs… Gyms are notorious for being a germ haven. It is not that they’re not willing to clean up, they just can’t keep up with it! Think about these items, which happen to be the top four items in the “germiest” list:
· Yoga mats
· Bike seats
· Locker room floors
· Dumbbells

Although germs are everywhere, studios do not host the same amount of people on a daily basis and therefore their cleaning efforts have a better chance to actually kill some of these resilient buggers, actually helping your chances to stay healthy. Some studios even ask you not to clean the equipment yourself, because they prefer to clean the equipment according to their own guidelines; this saves you time and effort while ensuring a cleaner and longer life to the equipment.

5) Consider your comfort
Have you ever visited a facility with brand new equipment that felt old and clunky? Nothing is maintenance-free, not even exercise equipment!

Before you make a decision on where to put down exercise roots, take a test drive! Chose the equipment that you will most likely be using and check it out: go for a run or take a ride… beware of shiny new equipment, they may only appear to be so. Equipment maintenance is costly, especially if the facility has a lot of different equipment, the costs quickly add up which is why many facilities skip this important step altogether.

Ideally, facilities should bring a knowledgeable technician to perform preventative maintenance to the equipment regularly. Broken equipment is a sure sign that equipment is only getting repaired but not maintained. Ask the following questions when you speak to the sales representative or studio owner: who services your equipment? How often is this done? Don’t be surprised if you get a few blank stares.

6) Consider your schedule
If you are subject to unpredictable schedules, you will find a lot of flexibility at health clubs and gyms. These facilities are likely to be open from 5am to 9 or 10pm giving you plenty of options. Group exercise schedules are varied and also should provide a little bit for everyone so you are likely to find something that suits you at popular and even odd times during the day.

Studios offer less flexibility in popular programming because of the nature of the specialty services that they provide but don’t discount the possibility of being able to work with you at scheduling sessions to fit your schedule, this is part of the personalized attention that you get. You are more likely to have a bigger impact on class scheduling at a studio than at a gym.

I hope that you find this article useful and it helps you make a decision if you are on the fence on this subject. I’d love to hear your comments!

Regards,
Alex