Avoid Health Club Pitfalls

Health club membership can have many advantages, but membership can also be an expensive proposition and even a waste of money if the club and the contract do not meet your personal and financial needs. Be a savvy consumer as you shop for the club that is right for you and your lifestyle. Before joining a health club consider:

• The distance of the facility to your work or home. Convenience is impor- tant.
• Whether you have time to enjoy the benefits from the club. In other words, will you use what you are paying for?
• Whether you can use your member- ship card at the same club in another town or at a club on the other side of town.
• The qualifications of instructors or trainers. Are they certified instructors or trainers? Many gyms charge for popular classes. Be sure to add up extra fees to help determine the best deal.
• The condition of the health club. Is it clean and sanitary? Do staff use daily sanitation procedures with the equip- ment? Is the equipment in good condi- tion and not worn, torn or outdated?
• The condition of the locker rooms, pools and showers. These areas should be clean and sanitized.
• The availability of discounts. January and May are two popular times each year when gyms actively recruit new members
  by offering discounts.
• The security in and around the facility. Is the parking lot well lighted?

Find out as much as possible about the health club before signing a contract. Talk to other members. Read every part of the contract including the details and ask questions of those who run the club. Do not count on the instructors or the receptionist to provide the answers to questions about the contract.

Read the contract carefully before signing. Each club handles membership enrollment and monthly payments differently. Some clubs draft payments from your checking or credit card account. Be sure to read the fine print in the contract. Some contracts permit you to cancel membership if you notify them in advance, some do not. According to Phil Telfer, senior policy advisor of the North Carolina Attorney General’s office, health clubs can automatically renew your membership and continue to deduct money from your account because they fall under the pre-paid entertainment laws. For this reason, it is important to read and understand the contract before signing.

There have been cases where a club member experienced an unexpected illness, an accident or surgery and could not continue their membership. The members obtained signed statements from their medical doctor indicating that they could no longer participate as a member of the health club for health reasons. However, because of a statement in the contract, medical reasons were not considered a justifiable cause to cancel membership. Read and think carefully before signing the contract.

Consider a short-term membership arrangement which will allow you to be sure that you will enjoy and participate in the club services. Do not prepay for a long-term contract. Make sure that the only place you’re going to feel the burn is in your biceps!