Your gym environment can play a big role when it comes to the success of your fitness goals.
A friend of mine was going to a budget gym which she hated attending. She found the environment intimidating, cold and overall unpleasant. And as a result she was inconsistent and would find any excuse to skip a gym session.
Fortunately, a short walk away, there was a luxury gym which she could become a member of and, even though the gym membership was 4x the price, she signed up in hopes improving her consistency...
5 months later and not a week has gone by where she hasn't attended the gym at least 3x per week!
There was nothing inherently 'wrong' with the original gym but, as you can see, she was infinitely more consistent with her gym goals in the new luxury gym and as a result, saw much better results.
So what was so special about this new gym? Why did she like attending it so much more than the other gym? Is your gym setting you up for failure when it comes to being consistent?
I think there are 3 main things to consider when it comes to choosing a gym that will help you achieve your goals:
1. Equipment
More equipment can provide us with greater variety to keep our workouts interesting as well as more optimal options to help you achieve your fitness goals. However not all gym equipment is created equal. The best gyms will choose the most reputable brands and will make sure to choose equipment that fits the needs of its members.
However there was plenty of people who did almost identical workouts at the gym as to what they did at home, so it's clearly not just availability of equipment that plays a role.
2. Physical Environment
Many gyms, particularly in London, are located either underground or in an industrial unit with minimal natural light, equipment scattered around randomly and no consideration for design. It leads to an intimidating environment that simply isn't pleasant to exercise in.
The design of our private personal training gym in Fitzrovia is often complimented for the design, natural light and inviting environment. This was a huge consideration to help break the norm of other personal training gyms in London that were repelling clients away.
3. People
I'm sure we've all been in a gym where one guy is dropping the weights in between loud grunts, another is lifting up their shirt in the mirror and a third is giving you dirty looks from 10 metres away. Not a comfortable environment.
Imagine going to a gym that has a community of people who are uplifting you, not judging and just want to see you succeed. That's the dream right!? Think about how much more you'd achieve if you felt more confident in the gym!
That's the kind of environment we aim to cultivate at ClubQ and, since we're a private personal training gym, we're able to control this better than most membership gyms.
I strongly suggest you aim to find a gym that you not only feel comfortable in, but you feel excited to attend! It will do a lot for your enjoyment of your workouts, your overall consistency and therefore the results you get.
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