The big health club chains, with the
exception of Life Time Fitness, fell to the bottom of the
ratings, which were based on responses from more than 10,000
subscribers to ConsumerReports.org. The magazine also used
mystery shoppers to determine how easy it was to join a
particular club.
The best clubs in terms of overall
satisfaction were independent yoga/dance/pilates studios,
followed by LifeTime, the gym at work, community centers, the
Jewish Community Center, school gyms, and the YM or YWCA.
Commercial chains such as Curves, Gold's Gym
and LA Fitness ranked in the bottom half. At the very bottom was
Bally Total Fitness, which emerged from bankruptcy last Fall.
Some good guidelines for evaluating a health
club include the following:
1) Decide how much your budget is
2) Be honest about the facilities that you
will actually use
3) Initiation fees are usually negotiable.
Most gyms will waive this fee, especially at certain times of
the year.
4) Seek out discounts from other groups, such
as sports clubs or employers.
5) Be sure you understand the contract before
you sign.
More Info.
For in-depth profiles on the fitness and
weight loss programs (and their true and total costs)
offered by some major health club chains, see
BestDietForMe.com's Top 60 Reviews. We have reviews for 24
Hour Fitness, Bally total Fitness, Curves, and the YMCA.
From the home page...
Also see our page called "More Popular
Reviews": for profiles on:
* Contours express
* Liberty Fitness
* Healthy Inspirations
Also see our Fitness Channel for articles on:
yoga and pilates, exercise videos, and personal trainers.
Also see our stimulating Health & Fitness
Videos, link on our home page.