Choosing a gym - 24 Hour vs. Anytime

[benenglish]

Unless I search and do a major necropost, the general topic of how to shop for a gym membership hasn't been covered recently.

I went gym shopping today. I visited the 5 places closest to me and went through all the spiels. The market seems very competitive; I can remember when gym memberships were very expensive. Now, the memberships are fairly affordable but they really want to sell personal training services.

I've decided against 3 of the contenders. All were local, non-franchise places with either insufficient equipment, high prices, or personnel who did not inspire confidence. I'm down to 24 Hour Fitness or Anytime Fitness.

My personal requirements will figure into this decision, of course, but I'm initially interested in knowing if anyone has memberships at either of these chains. If so, what are your impressions? What pros and cons reveal themselves only after you've signed on the dotted line?

TIA for any insight.

 

[rl96ss]

I have Anytime and I like it, though I dont have many options in Seguin. It gets pretty crowded sometimes thats the only problem I've had. Mornings are the best time as far as less crowding.

 

[kurt]

Anytime fitness seems to have one or two of most pieces of equipment. I often end up waiting for or skipping a station during busy periods. It is cleaner and closer than 24-hour fitness, but I'll look at other options when my contract expires.

 

[robertc1024]

I am not a member, however I do have some thoughts about our local Anytime Fitness. Our HR person at work has some of their coaches come into our work each month and we can sign up for a time slot with them so that they measure our body fat, weight, and talk about our health goals etc. If we don't do it, our health insurance rates go up. (makes me livid but it is directed at our company than Anytime.)

A little background - I used to be a moderately competitive 10k runner, have run a marathon, 30k races etc. I've also raced bicycles - albeit poorly. I learned a bit about exercise and nutrition trying to better myself doing those.

The college aged "health coaches" they send to my work know less about that than I do. There's a new one every few months and they are not any better than the one they replaced. They are somewhat disorganized and have lost my "health goals" several times. I'm not impressed with them.

Caveats:
1. I live in a college town with a physical therapy & physiology programs. The "coaches" they send might just be graduating and moving on to real jobs. Your location might be much better.
2. I've got a lot of decent workout equipment in my house. Treadmill, Nordic Trac, weight gizmo with all of the cables in it, free weights, bicycle trainers etc. I'd rather do something watching the news, than spend my time going to a gym - however, if you don't have that stuff I could see going there.
3. People are different - my wife loved crossfit. She liked getting to know the people there and shooting the shit with them before and after they worked out. I hated it. I want to spend as little time yakking with sweaty people who just threw up as possible.

Whatever comes out of it, good luck to you. Getting in better shape can be a real life game changer. Not only with the likelihood of living longer, but it can change your attitude about life too.

 

[Saltyag2010]

I recently switched to planet fitness.
Pros- 100+ cardio machines (treadmills, bikes, other bikes, different ellipticals)
cost 20$ for VIP membership
3-4x each weight machine
10 different TVs that you can see from the cardio room
free trainers to help you figure it out
massage machines
hair cut person on staff
Cons- (sorry not so much) fatties and uglier people around
Terrible pop music

 

[benenglish]

I recently switched to planet fitness....cost 20$ for VIP membership...free trainers to help you figure it out...
Cons- (sorry not so much) fatties and uglier people around
Terrible pop music

I'd go to Planet Fitness because it's so cheap. Problem is, there isn't one near me. There are at least 10 gyms between me and the closest Planet Fitness.

Cons- (sorry not so much) fatties and uglier people around
Terrible pop music

Since I'm fat, ugly, and like terrible pop music, it sounds like I'd fit right in.

In any event, I've decided on Anytime. It's second-closest to me and strikes the best balance of attributes, afaict.

 

[winchster]

I'm a member at 24 and I love it. Especially like that I can go to multiple locations.
I have no experience with anytime.

 

[rl96ss]

Anytime is the same. You can go to any location.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

When I "used" to work out (which I did for quite a while until I injured my neck), I bought a weight machine, free weights, & did it at home.
I could not see myself going to a gym & working out, & there were no excuses when I got home from
work because everything I needed was right there.

just my .02

 

[Hizzie]

If you are gonna go 24HR check Costco for a reduced rate membership.

 

[grasshopperglock]

When I "used" to work out (which I did for quite a while until I injured my neck), I bought a weight machine, free weights, & did it at home.
I could not see myself going to a gym & working out, & there were no excuses when I got home from
work because everything I needed was right there.

just my .02

I can see your view. But at a gym, when a pretty girl walks in. Or is already there. It's man instinct to work out twice as hard. You might be on your 3rd set. But let a firm butt soccer mom walk by you. And she smells like strawberries and spandex....

That 3rd rep go's to a 4th...5th. When you usually do, say, 5 pull ups. You'll do 7 to 10.

I'm not joking. I'm being serious.

 

[benenglish]

I'm not joking. I'm being serious.

The man has a point. Me and my personal trainer:

 

[peeps]

If you are gonna go 24HR check Costco for a reduced rate membership.

I had a great 24 hr membership back in the day, and had great results. But I put it on the backseat and lost it. Years later, this Costco/24 membership may put me back on track. Great deal, but I hear they won't offer it forever. Dunno about this Anytime gym, but whatever gets you back on track can't be bad. Good luck!

 

[coachrick]

There was a Fitness 19 at the central intersection of our subdivision for at least 6 1/2 years. For quite a few of those years, I refused to set foot in the place as long as they kept littering the roadside with their sign spam every week. Seems they cleaned up their act and didn't spam the neighborhood for a couple of years and THE DAY I was going to check on joining, they LOCKED THEIR DOORS and moved out within a week !!!

A new kid on the block called OrangeTheory fitness is going into the same location...doesn't look like a fit for me. Oh, well...so much for being able to WALK to the gym

(And those who know me KNOW how I need a gym!!!)

 

[57K]

Geez, didn't even know there was a subforum for such things!

Can an old guy offer some advice? Don't burn yourselves out by taking on too much, too soon.

I believe in what I've heard from physicians and health experts. Walking 15 miles a week works about as good as the human body needs.

I am, however, a firm believer in strength training. Particularly circuit training. Simple description: 1 minute between stations with 30 seconds between reps. The point being that it isn't how much you can rep, but the number of reps you can do. Look at the NFL Combine. They're no longer interested in how much you can lift/press whatever, it's about how many reps you can bench at 225#. If you do it right you get the aerobic benefit while strengthening your heart. That's what counts for me, personally.

Do as I say, not as I do! I've been to XYZ gym, worked out with free weights, Nautilus machines, a Soloflex back in the 80s before buying a BowFlex. The thing is, I've got to feeling my oats to the point that I've tried the 3 mile a day speed walk (36 minutes peak) and then coming home and getting on the BowFlex about 6 days a week.

The reason I mention the BowFlex is because vast numbers were sold where you might find one for sale in the classifieds or a garage sale under $200. I kinda went whole hog with mine and bought the lat tower and leg curl/extension attachment. Because of my age I've learned to be a bit more realistic and now speedwalk 3 days a week and work out on the BowFlex the other 3 circuit training. Not to mention that I consider mowing my corner lot with a push mower a pretty decent workout for that day.

So far, my walks have only been cut to 41 minutes where the BowFlex W/Os run about 28. For those interested, I don't mind listing my routine. I've only been back on the BF about a month.

1. 50 Rows, another reason I love the BF, 60# both hands.

2. 40 Roman Chair situps. Better than the 35 I started with but not quite like the 60 I used to do!

3. Incline Bench press, 75# both hands rather than using both on a barbell. Both arms get worked evenly and helps with coordination.

4. Flying, 50# both hands.

5. Curls, 45# both hands.

6. Lat pull-downs, 170# with the bar.

7. Leg extensions, 140#.

8. Leg Curls, 140#.

9. Squats . . if I weren't smoking a few cigarillos a day (and inhaling). You don't want to see an old man croak and neither do I! LOL. The thing about squats is that 1 set requires the same amount of oxygen as running a 100 yard dash. It works but definitely don't get yourself hurt!

All of these stations other than sit-ups and rowing get 3 sets of 12 repetitions. When 12 reps become fairly easy, increase weight by 10# and go to 12-10-8 until you can get to 3 sets of 12, etc.

That's as honest as I can get, folks, and I ain't happy that I can't do 36 reps, 3 sets of 12 with 240 # on the bench press (single bar) and squats like I used to. The key is minimizing time between stations and reps. If it's easy for you to do that routine in 28 minutes or less, than you have my permission to call me an old-fart! Don't forget the importance of walking, and swing those arms! It will help work up to a good pace, and unlike riding a bike, machine, whatever, you're pumping oxygen through your upper body the better you swing.

Oops, forgot to mention another do as I say, not as I used to do. If you're 6'-3" tall in your workout/walking shoes as I am (Dr. Scholl's work fine for me), your wingspan may be less or greater than your height. In my case, wingspan is slightly greater. If you're 5'-8" buddy can do 36 reps at 250#, forgetaboutit. Don't get hung up on numbers. If his wingspan is also 68", what he presses is the equivalent of 226# if you have a 75" wingspan. Same with any exercise where you bend 90 degrees with weight extended in front of you. The taller you are, the more weight you lift and the more likely you are to suffer a back injury because of it. Remember our Swiss friend Benz! Ben ze knees!