Eight Questions You Must Have Answered Before Choosing a Gym For Fat Loss or Burning Muscle
Question #1: What is my destination?
This should be the first question a gym asks you when you walk in the door. If they don’t ask what your goals are and really listen to your answers, consider it a red flag that this is not the place for you. Be sure that they are listening to you, understand your goals, and have a solution to design a plan to get you there.
Your “fitness map” can’t be designed to get you where you want to go if they don’t know where you are going. The process has to start with the end point in mind.
The first question your gym must consider when designing a fitness program is, “Where does this client want to go?” Using the approach of “starting with the end in mind” gives the bigger picture to be able to work backwards to figure out where you need to be at the half way point, a month into the program, and all the way down to what do you need to do today? We also refer to this as chunking it down or big picture thinking. You are looking for a gym that takes the approach of starting with the big picture and chunking it down into actionable steps for you to do today. A fitness program should reflect the specific goal that you are trying to achieve and the exact steps you need to take to get there.
Use the information below to help you get a good handle on your fitness destination. It contains guidelines to consider as you define your fitness destination.
Target Fat Loss Goal: (Hint #1: If the gyms you are considering talk more about the number on the scale than actual body fat, this is a warning that they may not be the best choice if you are seeking to get into smaller clothing and feel more “defined.”) Think in terms of body fat, waist measurements, thigh measurements, etc. – not just the number on the scale. Print this page off and write your Fat Loss Goals below:
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Target Muscle Building Goal (Hint #2: If the gyms you are considering don’t include strength training into your program, regardless of whether you want to lose fat or train muscle, consider another alternative. Strength training is crucial to a thorough fitness program.) Write your Muscle Building Goals below:
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Target Health Goal (Hint #3: If the gyms you are considering don’t ask about your health conditions and concerns, leave immediately.) Consider everything from lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure, combating diabetes or eliminating signs of Osteoporosis to working closely with a medical professional such as physical therapy on staff to get rid of joint or back pain. All of which an effective exercise program has been shown to improve. What are your Health Goals?
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Target Emotional Goal (Hint #4: If the gyms you are considering don’t ask about how you feel and how you’d like to feel, they may not be well suited for helping you navigate to your destination. A good gym has a “holistic” approach, and this includes taking into account how you feel.) Write how you’d like to feel about yourself below:
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Once you have a good idea of your destination in these key areas, and you learn the other seven questions, you’re ready to start interviewing. Print each of these question sheets as you receive them and then take them with you when you visit the gyms you’re interested in. Make note below of whether you feel they did a good job in step one of these key areas.
Name of Gym: ______________________________________________
This Gym asked me what my goals are, listened intently to my answers, and seemed genuinely interested in helping me map out a successful program.
____ Yes ____ No ____ Sort Of
Dedicated to your fitness success!
Randy Hartz
Owner and Fitness Expert
www.SFCompleteFitness.com
605-271-9600
Do you know someone who might benefit from knowing what questions to ask of their gym? Feel free to send them this series.