Before you join a new gym there are some things you want to check BEFORE you sign your contract and join. A couple of important basics are 1) to make sure that it’s within a convenient distance for you to drive, and 2) check if it is crowded during the hours you’re likely to be there.  These may not seem like important suggestions but you’d be surprised how unpleasant your workout experience will be if you have to drive a ½ hour to get there and then wait for 10 – 15 minutes to use a piece of equipment.  Your 45 minute workout just turned into 90 – 120 minutes.

The bottom line is that you need to determine if the gym measures up to your needs and if you can you get a good workout there.  The list below will help you in this.

Atmosphere
If you walk in the door and the front desk is staffed by blonde, fitness model types, the music playing is some boy band or R&B song, and the dumbbells are covered with soft, purple rubber, then the gym is probably not suited for hardcore weight lifting.  You’ll probably feel out of place even if you can find enough weight plates to give you a decent workout.

Likewise, if you aren’t interested in following a hardcore workout then you probably won’t like the dark basement gym where there is no front desk, the music is the hardest of metal, the weight plates are all rusty, and the guys there scream during every rep like they lost an arm.

It all comes down to what you like, what your goals are and where you feel most comfortable. If you feel awkward about working out there, you’re not going to be very motivated to go there at all.

Equipment
The next important issue is the equipment. Regardless of which category you belong to in the question above, you want to make sure that you have a nice selection of both free weights and machines:

•    The dumbbells should range in weight from 2 to 160 lbs, in 5 lb increments.
•    There should be at least two squat racks with plenty of weight plates easily accessible. You don’t want to lug your plates around more than necessary.
•    Look for plenty of adjustable, movable benches.
•    Enough barbells and plates to make sure you won’t have to wait forever when it’s crowded.
•    Several cable pulleys (both upper and lower) with a variety of ropes, handles and other attachments.
•    At least one cable-crossover station.
•    A preacher curl pad.
•    A pec-deck station.
•    A set of dip-bars as well as a weight belt.
•    A leg press station.
•    A hack squat station that allows you to stand in a natural position
•    A leg extension machine that gives you both a full range of motion and a seat, and pads that adjust to your body type.
•    Both seated and laying leg curl machines.
•    Both standing and seated calf press stations.
•    Several lat machines with plenty of different handles.

Other Checkpoints

The Locker room:
•    Are the shower walls and/or ceiling clean or covered with mildew?  Are the shower floors covered with hair and soap scum?  Regardless of how clean it looks, you should always wear some type of flip-flops or sandals into the shower and around the locker room.
•    Are there any signs of lockers having been forced open? If so, you might have a security problem.
•    Does it stink like year old B.O.?

The Staff:
•    Are they helpful and courteous?
•    Do they make an effort to keep the place clean and safe?
•    Do they play good music, or only their own policy-approved variety?

The Equipment (cont’d):
•    Are the machines well-maintained? You don’t want to tear a muscle because one side of a machine suddenly came loose, putting all the weight onto the other side.
•    Are the rules of replacing the plates enforced, or do you have to spend 5 minutes finding the right plates every time you need them?
•    Make sure that if you grunt or are loud when lifting heavy weights, you don’t get booted out for violating the rules.  Believe it or not some gyms actually have this rule!  For some reason they think exercising should be done quietly.  However, there is a difference between normal grunting or straining, and outright yelling, though.
•    Are cell phones allowed? And phone paging? These things can be very distracting.
•    Are there any set time limits for using the cardio equipment? Or can people use them for hours at a time, regardless of how many others are waiting in line?  One gym I used to frequent had a lady that did the stair master constantly.  She would be on it when I arrived, throughout my workout, and after I had showered and dressed she was still there when I was leaving.  At least 90 minutes while I was at the gym and who knows how long before and after.  Talk about overkill!