We've all had the discussion- which gym should I join? There are limitless options for fitness, both online and on-site, that claim to be the best. Since you're here on SPENGA's website, we're pretty sure you already know who the best in Austin and Cedar Park are! When making this decision, and it is a big one, the factors to consider are actually very simple. Read on to find out what 4 things make sense to think about when picking a studio or gym to help you reach your goals!
Location
Picking a gym or studio that's in close proximity to home, work, or a common errand location (think groceries, school drop off, etc.) will go a LONG way in ensuring you can stick with your regimen. Driving out of your way may seem "doable" in the short term, but consider month six, month 12, and so on. Can you really justify consistently driving 10-15 minutes out of your way (one way!) to work out? Especially when time is short before work and after work! SPENGA ATX is located just off the Lakeline exit by Target, and we guarantee you drive by the studio location almost every day!
Effectiveness
You've seen it. The huge gym floor filled with treadmills, dumbbells, squat racks, and ellipticals. They're all basically the same gym with different color schemes, right? You think to yourself, "Yeah, this has everything I need", and sign up. But does it?
Sure it has equipment- but what are you supposed to do with it? How often? What's safe to do? What's right for what YOU want to accomplish? So you hop on your treadmill and start walking. Then 5 minutes later, you pump it up to a jog. And of course you better go do some strength training, so you go check out the pin loaded machines. Uh oh. How do you adjust them? How much weight do you use? How many reps? Ew, there's sweat marks on it, and probably some torn upholstery. So you grab a spray bottle and paper towel, clean it, and "start". You do about 10 reps on maybe 5 machines and think "I'll hit the other ones next time". Hey, you should stretch! So you do some toe touches, trunk twists, and quadriceps stretches for a total of 3 minutes. Rinse, repeat for about 2 weeks until you start to lose motivation.
-- Yes, you bought access to a TON of equipment at a gym. But what's the point if you can't use it to reach your goals? At SPENGA ATX, each workout includes the perfect blend of spin (cardio), HIIT strength training, and yoga (flexibility), and the programming changes EVERY day to ensure your workouts at SPENGA are plateau-proof. An instructor is with you every step of the way to demonstrate movement, subtly correct you, and most of all encourage you for all 60 minutes.
Atmosphere
It makes a huge difference! Think of a gym- you walk in the door and the smell hits you. The gym smell. Yes, we know you know what that smell is. But okay, it'll "go away" in a few minutes when you're nose-blinded. Remember, you're "saving money" though, so you'll just put up with it. If you join SPENGA, you notice the eucalyptus, lemongrass, and lavender aromatherapy that is always pumping through the HVAC. You see staff cleaning the equipment you just used after every use! Studios like SPENGA also frequently host member events inside and outside the studio, support each other's businesses, and encourage each other in their progress because we see each other so often!
Value
First, let's get something out in the open. Yes, you can pay $10 a month (that's not the real cost every month, by the way) for a gym membership pretty much anywhere! But as you learned above, what results are you really going to get in that atmosphere with what's offered in those places?
Boutique studios, for all the reasons mentioned above, help you actually get the results you're looking for! Gyms offer personal trainers, but at $40-100/hour, it's not long before your once a week meeting with a trainer (who isn't with you the other 167 hours of the week) becomes WAY more expensive monthly than an unlimited membership at any boutique studio. Yes, the dollar amount you see will probably be higher each month- but on the back end, the dollar value is immeasurable at a studio compared to the "cheaper" gyms! Plus at SPENGA there's no contracts and no set up fees, so you are never trapped in a long term agreement. Being month to month forces boutiques to work hard for you EVERY day because we can lose your trust any time we don't. Check out our memberships and see what option might be the best for you after your free session!
