Buying and maintaining a health club membership can be pretty complicated, but if you follow these 10 tips, you'll save money and be on your way to greater fitness.

1. Make a list of your specific fitness needs and wants. Will you be comfortable working out in a large club with both men and women? Will you need access to more than one club? Are you looking for one-on-one personal training services? How often do you think you'll work out each month? Do you think you'll be able to keep up your fitness regimen? How much can you afford to pay for a membership each month?

2. Once you've identified your requirements, visit health clubs that meet your needs. Get a free pass for each club (at least a one-week's pass) and workout at each club as often as possible during the free periods.

3. Don't sign up for a membership at any of the health clubs while you're using free passes. You'll be under a lot of pressure from salespeople and managers, and they will tell you that you need to sign up today in order to get discount pricing. Don't. Health clubs offer discount pricing all the time.

4. When you've decided a health club, go back and speak with a salesperson about membership choices. Don't feel pressured to sign a long-term contract at any health club. Remember that long-term contracts are really installment loans with high interest payments. If you don't think that you're going to keep up your workouts, don't even think about signing one of these contracts. Gather all of the written information about each type of membership, then go home and review it at your leisure. Don't feel pressured to sign up for any membership at the club.

5. When you're speaking with the salesperson, ask all of the questions you want. Don't feel rushed or pressured. Never forget that any contract you sign supersedes any promises a salesperson gives you. Even if the salesperson writes it into the contract, it probably isn't legally enforceable. The contract is king. Read it carefully before signing.

6. Compare the costs of each membership type, and remember that you should make the ultimate decision based on your own needs, not on short-term discounts that may sound like you're saving money, but will end up costing you more money in the end.

7. Make sure you fully understand the cancellation requirements of each membership type. Many long-term health club contracts are almost impossible to cancel. A month-to-month contract may be a better solution.

8. Don't sign up for automatic payments via credit card. If you no longer want a membership, and you're able to cancel, you may find it difficult to get payments stopped.

9. Keep track of all your payments in case there are any disputes with your health club.

10. If you do cancel you membership, make sure you get the cancellation in writing from your health club.

By following these 10 tips, you will certainly set yourself up for fitness success.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

1. To increase your flexibility and to avoid injuries, stretch before and after workout. Almost everyone knows that stretching before workout prevents injuries during the exercises, but only few people know that stretching after workout, when muscles are still warm, can increase flexibility.

2. Hold your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility. While holding your position for 20 seconds is enough for warm ups, holding each position for at least 60 seconds will develop the body's flexibility.

3. Do not go into a stretching position then immediately return to the relaxed position, and do it repeatedly. This is more appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position. When stretching, hold that position for several seconds, and then slowly relax. You may do this exercise repeatedly this way. Bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage some joints or muscles.

4. Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to doing the hardest exercise or position.

5. Make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups. For some people, even if they have strong bodies, they tend to neglect the neck when working out of stretching. Stretching the neck muscles can be as simple as placing the palm of one's hand against the front of the head and pushing it. Then, do the same to the sides and the back of the head.

6. Stretch regularly to continually increase your range of movements and your level of flexibility and strength.

7. Workout considering only your capabilities and not of others. Do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are people who can do it. Increase your limits slowly. Listen to your body. There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your range of motion.

8. Learn to rest. Rest in between sets and stations to make sure that the body has enough time to recover its energy. Also, it is advisable that you don't work the same muscle groups consecutively for two days. The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out.

9. Do aerobic exercises to strengthen your heart. Aerobic exercises are those physical activities that much oxygen for fuel. This includes cardiovascular exercises such as skipping rope, running or swimming.

10. Music may help you when you want to train for longer periods or to increase your intensity. You can use mp3 players, CD players or lightweight am radio receivers for this. Just make sure that you brought your headset with you so you wouldn't disturb people who don't prefer music while exercising.

Apart from preventing injuries and increasing one's limit, it is also said that stretching is good for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password: