Gyms come in all shapes and sizes, and memberships for these facilities can vary quite a lot too. Some gyms are very affordable, whereas others can cost hundreds of dollars a month. If you’re looking to sign up for a gym, you might be wondering whether a more expensive gym membership will be worth it, or if you should just save your money and go with a lower-cost alternative.
As someone who has worked out at many different gyms in the past, from free community gyms to high-end fitness centers, I’ve been able to try out what many of these different price levels have to offer. Therefore, from my own experiences, I want to share what the main differences between cheaper and more expensive gyms are to help you decide what kind of membership is right for you.
Workout Quality
First and foremost, gyms are meant for working out, and with regards to that I’ll say that the membership price of a gym has no impact on your ability to exercise and train effectively. Pretty much any fitness center will have enough essential weights, machinery, and equipment for you to get in a good cardio session and properly work out any muscle group.
I started out my fitness journey at my local community fitness center, a small facility with not that much equipment. Even then, over the course of a year I was able to put on significant muscle and transform my physique. Nowadays, it wouldn’t be ideal for me to train there full-time, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be possible.
Amongst public gyms, the differences become even more subtle. Gyms that fall on the cheaper side will still have more equipment than you need to get a good workout in. Nicer gyms may have newer machines and more advanced equipment, but this doesn’t mean they’ll be any more effective at helping you achieve muscle growth. In the end, building muscle and strength mainly depends on how good your technique is and how hard you train. If you focus on mastering these elements of your workout, you really don’t need that much equipment to reach your fitness goals.
So if premium gyms don’t necessarily provide you with better quality in your workouts, what do they offer?
Amenities
Well, where nicer gyms really shine is their ability to provide their clients with a better workout experience.
This starts with providing many more amenities. Whereas more basic gym will just have space and equipment for cardio and weightlifting, more upscale facilities will have extra spaces for exercise classes, floor workouts, and spin sessions. Provided there’s enough room, these gyms may also incorporate spaces like basketball courts and swimming pools so you can engage in a variety of sports and physical activities while you’re there.
However, it doesn’t stop there. The nicest, most expensive gyms not only aim to provide you with a great workout experience, but they also try to provide you with a great recovery experience afterwards. Many of these places contain saunas, massage chairs, cafes, and plenty of room for lounging and working. Essentially, you’re not just paying for a place to work out; you’re paying for access to an exclusive, multi-recreational facility where you can exercise, do work, or just relax.
Workout Environment
In addition to all the amenities, part of the improved experience also comes from more intangible factors. Firstly, although any gym should still have friendly staff and great personal training, you’re more likely to have an even better experience with staff and more personalized treatment from trainers and coaches at premium gyms.
Secondly, a common complaint about working out is how crowded gyms can get. When the gym fills up, you can easily spend a lot of time simply waiting to use equipment. In addition, when there are people all around you, there can be lots of noise, disruptions, and general chaos, which may not be ideal when you’re trying to focus on your workout.
On the other hand, because of the higher price for entry, more upscale gyms aren’t typically as crowded. Add in the fact that these facilities tend to have more equipment and more space to house it all, this means that even during peak hours, you may still be able to have a peaceful and efficient workout session.
Motivation Levels
Lastly, I want to discuss one more potential difference between a cheaper gym membership and a pricier one. For people who struggle to maintain a workout routine, the amount of money they pay for their memberships can be a strong influence in how much motivation they have to keep going to the gym.
If the monthly membership is a considerable amount to an individual, they’re more likely to continue going just to get their money’s worth. Instead, when the fee isn’t all that significant, people aren’t going to be as concerned about maximizing their value. If they lose the motivation to keep working out, it’s easier for them to accept a cheaper membership as a sunk cost and be OK not going to the gym anymore despite having paid for it.
This certainly isn’t a form of motivation I’d recommend relying on to build a long-term fitness routine; there are much better and more sustainable ways to build your motivation to exercise. However, it can’t be ignored that money will definitely play a motivational role for some people, so it’s something you should be aware of.
Are Expensive Gyms Worth It?
Based on all this, the question that remains is how much should you pay for your gym membership? In reality, there’s no one right answer; it simply depends on what you value. There are plenty of perks to going to a nicer gym, and if you’re someone who finds those things to be particularly beneficial for your fitness routine, then it’s justifiable to pay up for a more upscale fitness center. After all, it’s an investment in your health, which is something you can’t put a price on.
However, does this mean that everyone would benefit from a costlier gym membership? Absolutely not. Like I stated in the beginning, when it comes to finding a place where you can effectively train and work towards your fitness goals, just about any public gym will do the job. Going to a nicer gym doesn’t mean you’ll be able to build more muscle, lose more weight, or achieve anything different than what you would elsewhere.
Therefore, if you’re someone who just needs a place to work out, isn’t interested in extra amenities, and doesn’t mind when it gets a bit crowded, signing up for a more premium gym won’t be worth the cost. In that case, you’re probably better off saving some money and going with a more budget-friendly and basic option.