How to find the right gym for you — at the right price

Shot of a group of yoga students completing lunges into the warrior pose during a class. Kriya Yoga Teacher Training. Photo : Courtesy https://templeofkriyayoga.org/

Whether you are starting a new exercise regimen, coming back from an injury, or have relocated, finding a gym or health club that fits your needs and budget takes an investment of time, energy and, of course, money. It’s not unlike buying a car: You need to search for the best deal, take advantage of promotions, test drive several options and sift through the contractual fine print.

The fitness industry is moving away from its self-inflicted reputation of treating clients as marks and always upselling, but it’s still important to do your homework to find the right fit for you. “The best gym or studio should be an environment you want to return to and feel comfortable in within your price point,” says Sarah Luna, president of Xponential, a franchise of boutique fitness brands including Club Pilates and Pure Barre.

Here’s what to consider before committing to a fitness facility.

Learn about the options

Depending on where you live, you may find one or more supersize chains, luxury amenity-filled clubs, independently owned gyms and/or specialty (such as Pilates or barre) studios. Before shopping around, figure out which type of environment will help you meet your personal fitness goals. Then, make a list of your must-have amenities (a dedicated cardio area, free weights, a private studio, a swimming pool, on-site child care, a locker room, showers, sauna, etc.) to help you narrow your options.

Prioritize convenience

Ideally your fitness facility will be within five miles – or a 10- to 15-minute drive – from home or work. Anything farther increases the chances of logistical issues (think: traffic) that can keep you from getting there. Search online for fitness, barre, Pilates or gym + near me to identify the closest options, Luna says.

Hours also matter, says Bryce Henson, CEO of Fit Body Boot Camp. Look at the general operating hours as well as how late and early classes are offered, and whether there are weekend sessions. If the only class you’re interested in is at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays, can you make that work with your schedule? Ask front desk staff about how easy it is to book a spot in classes and gauge their reaction. “You want classes and a schedule that can be built into your routine,” Luna says. “If you can’t get into the ones you want, likely this isn’t the place for you.”

Take a tour

Once you’ve narrowed your list, tour your top options, with an eye toward the look and feel of each place. First impressions count, says Nick Barshick, chief operating officer for Chuze Fitness, a chain of nearly 60 centers across the West, South and Southeast. Is the facility clean and well-maintained? Is equipment wiped down after each use? Is the equipment dated or out of order? No detail is too small. Check lockers and restrooms, as well as the exercise studios and child-care space. Also consider safety. Visit before sunrise or after dusk to see the lighting in the parking lot and building, as well as how far you have to walk to the entrance.

Sample before you commit

Any reputable business should allow you to take some classes or try out the facility at no cost. If a gym won’t do this, consider it a red flag and look elsewhere. Planet Fitness offers a one-day pass, while 24 Hour Fitness lets you test a facility for three days, and Chuze offers a seven-day trial. A free trial allows you to get a realistic idea of how the place operates. How does the staff make you feel? Do instructors welcome new students to classes? Is the place quiet or mobbed at the time you are most likely to attend? Most important: Do you feel out of place or like you’re part of an inclusive community?

Ask about deals and promotions

When asked if they offer any special rates, “the answer will always be ‘yes,’” at pretty much any gym, Barshick says. But generally speaking, the best deals are offered in January, followed by the summer. You may also find some sale prices over Black Friday. Also ask if the facility offers any incentives, perks or discounts if you refer friends or family, Henson says.

Be leery of long-term contracts

“If an outfit wants a three months or longer contract, that’s a red flag to me, because it likely comes with a cancellation fee,” Henson says. “I like a low barrier of six weeks or less.” The best deals, Luna says, are programs that ask for a 60- to 90-day commitment to start, then shift to a month-to-month membership or offer class packs – say 10 passes that can be used over a three-month period.

Read the fine print

Look over your contract carefully to make sure you understand all of the policies. It should be easy to cancel. Some gyms still require 30 days notice to cancel a membership, while others offer immediate cancellation through their online portal or app. Also make note of any penalties for terminating early. Some facilities charge a flat cancellation fee, while others may ding you for an additional month.

Don’t be surprised by an annual fee of $40 to $60. This is industry practice for most high-value, low-price gym chains such as Planet Fitness, Crunch, 24 Hour Fitness and Chuze. The rationale is that consumers seem to prefer paying a low monthly rate plus an annual fee to paying slightly more each month, with no annual fee.

“Add up all the fees you pay and divide by 12 so you know what you are actually paying per month,” Barshick says. Also, watch out for any hidden charges, such as processing fees, towel service fees, locker rental or an automatic monthly increase after the first year. How to find the right gym for you — at the right price
Read More........→ Categories: ,
→

How much do friends influence teens’ mental health? What a new study can (and can’t) tell us


During adolescence, young people become especially sensitive to peer influence – more so than any other time in life.

So, how does this affect their mental health?

A new study from Finland, released today, analysed data from more than 600,000 young people born between 1985 and 2000 (meaning both millennials and early Gen Zs).

It found that people whose peers had been diagnosed with a mental health condition – such as anxiety or depression – were more likely to develop a mental health condition themselves.

The researchers say these findings support the idea of “social transmission” of mental health conditions. But we need to be careful: this doesn’t mean these conditions are “contagious” in the same way as an infectious disease.

Many other factors, including genetic predisposition, also play a role in teen mental health. The data also can’t tell us if the “peers” are actually friends. Let’s take a look.

Mental health conditions on the rise

Around the world, depression and anxiety are increasing among young people. In Australia, recent data shows rates of anxiety in young people have increased from 13% to 28% over the past 15 years, while suicide attempts have doubled.

Despite greater awareness and expanded mental health services, young people are experiencing more severe and complex mental health challenges than ever before.

We know both friends and family play an important role in mental health. Family factors – including genetics – and environmental influences – such as peer relationships – each uniquely shape the development of mental health conditions.

What the study did and what it found

The new Finnish study explored the relationship between young people’s mental health and that of their peers. It aimed to find out whether having a peer with a diagnosed mental health condition, or a peer with a family history of one, increases your own likelihood of a diagnosis.

The researchers did this by analysing nationwide data in Finland, including health records and school enrolments.

The study made some interesting key findings:

  1. if you had a peer with a diagnosed mental health condition or a peer with diagnoses in their family – for example, anxiety – you were more likely to be diagnosed with this same condition

  2. the effect was stronger among peers who attended the same school, rather than lived in the same area – particularly in later adolescence.

The authors conclude that the findings support the idea of “transmission” of mental health risk in adolescence.

But there are some important caveats

It’s important to note that terms like “transmission” or “contagion” are not used in the same way as for infectious diseases. You cannot “catch” a mental health condition.

Instead, these terms describe how emotions, behaviours and social norms can spread between peers over time and influence mental health. For example, if there is increased awareness of mental health and reduced stigma within a group of peers, people in that group may be more comfortable seeking help (although the study didn’t test this).

Importantly, peer relationships and genetic risk are part of a complex mix of factors that shape adolescent mental health.

Because this study defined peers by school year or location, findings likely reflect shared school and community influences. In other words, these “peers” were likely exposed to similar environmental conditions, ranging from school cultures and educational approaches to neighbourhood features such as green space.

What the study couldn’t measure

The size of this study is a key strength. However, because this is achieved by using “register data” such as health records, there are some constraints:

  • the data can’t tell you if people actually knew each other or were friends. So the study defined “peer networks” according to school (for example, those in the same grade and born in the same year) or where they lived (for example, people in the same postcode born in the same year)

  • “genetic risk” was inferred from family diagnoses, rather than DNA, and there may be various reasons someone with a mental health condition doesn’t get a diagnosis

  • the study couldn’t account for all the factors known to increase or lower someone’s risk of having a mental health condition. For example, it included someone’s sex, age and their parents’ income and education level. But it didn’t consider other factors known to play a role in adolescent mental health, such as their gender identity, ethnicity and what their school is like, as well as lifestyle behaviours, such as whether they smoke, drink alcohol or get regular exercise

  • the study also found that if someone’s peer had a family history of a mental health condition, such as a substance use disorder, they had a higher chance of receiving the same diagnosis. But because the data only looks at diagnosis, it can’t capture other factors which might better explain the link – such as shared factors in families’ social environments.

Where to next?

This study shows both peers and their family risk are linked to adolescent mental health, but it cannot explain how these effects occur.

To understand how mental health conditions “spread” within peer networks, we still need research that disentangles the effects of peer selection (choosing similar friends) from peer influence (how friends shape each other).

But the importance of school environments is clear. School-based mental health programs which harness the influential role of peers are key. In Australia, a program called Mind your Mate, has already shown promise in lowering depression risk in teens through education about mental health and how to support peers.

Together, these findings point beyond individuals to the wider environments young people are part of. Ultimately, improving adolescent mental health means investing in the people and places around them, such as the schools and communities where peer relationships take shape.

Thank you to Professor Cath Chapman for her role in developing this article.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can also call 13YARN on 13 92 76.The Conversation

Scarlett Smout, Research Fellow, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney; Louise Birrell, Researcher, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney, and Tim Slade, Professor, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read More........→ Categories: ,,
→
Subscribe to:Posts (Atom)