
We did sprinkle in some variety though, including one recommendation that might get you out of your comfort zone-if you're bold enough to try something new. (Although you can still get a decent workout at a gym like that. So a chain like Planet Fitness, which discourages heavy lifting and in most locations doesn’t allow barbell squats or deadlifts, is out.
#Crunch fitness memberships free#
But we don’t care about any of that.įor the most part, we focused on the free weights they tuck into the far corners of the workout floor, and the space they allocate for the kind of training you see in Men’s Health: heavy lifts with barbells and dumbbells, challenging exercises with kettlebells and suspension systems, and multi-directional bodyweight exercises for mobility, core strength, and metabolic fitness.

Most gyms these days, big and small, are filled with similar cardio and weight machines. We looked into the national gym chains, soliciting opinions from readers and knowledgeable friends while visiting local branches when we could. My last bad gym, no kidding, made me write a formal letter of resignation, and then forced me to schedule an “exit interview,” all to chisel me out of an extra month’s dues.īut getting out of a bad gym membership is only half the battle. Next thing you know, you’re fighting to cancel your membership. It doesn’t take much to make a bad gym, or for a good place to morph into a bad one-a new owner, neglected maintenance, disgruntled or poorly trained employees. Goals are great-we all want gains and the positives that come along with them-but making sure that the gym you frequent is up to par is just as important as choosing your plan. A bad training environment can quickly ruin a good workout, matter how committed you are to your training routine.
