Hey, I finally joined a gym, you got something to say about that?

In late March I decided to start taking yoga classes.  As a runner I'm putting my legs through a lot.  My legs aren't always happy about this.  I felt that  yoga could make my legs happier and if my legs were happy my performance would improve.    I searched around and found that a local rec center offered yoga classes. I didn't want to join the center because it's pretty expensive but did more digging and found that I could get a class pass for $50.  This would give me 10 classes ($5 per class).  Then when my 10 classes were up, all I had to do was give them another $50.  I could take as many or as few classes as I wanted.   This was perfect.  My husband saw that spin classes were an option and suggested I try that. He has mentioned it in the past, thinking it's something I would like.  So I took one.  I liked it.

I had a new routine.  Sunday was my long run day, Monday was a rest day with yoga, Tuesday was a run, Wednesday was strength training, Thursday was a run, Friday was spin class, Saturday was either a rest day in anticipation for a long run on Sunday or another workout that I decided that day.   Repeat.

Then a couple of weeks ago at an employee meeting one lady talked to us about this Vitality program my work started using last year.  I have been using the Vitality program but she introduced me to something I was unaware of.  Vitality has partnered with some gyms in the areas where Vitality is available.  Ok, I did know that.  What I didn't know was that if you link up your gym account with Vitality you could get a subsidiary.  To make it simple..they give you money towards your gym membership.

Front lobby

Hmm....now I'm interested.  I quickly got on Vitalities website and started looking up the info. I found a couple of gyms in my city that were close to me. One I drive by frequently and it's fancy smancy.  Every time Husband and I would drive by and he would catch me looking at it he would tell me to not even think about it.  So at first I didn't look at that one.  But then on a whim I decided to look at what the subsidiary would be.  For the level I'm at with Vitality (you earn points for working out, doing other healthy things and this allows you to move up levels) the subsidiary for this fancy smancy gym would $50.  How expensive is this freaking gym?!  I went to the gym's website and couldn't find it so I contacted them.  I found out it's $60 per month.  That seems like a lot, but knowing I would get $50 back I knew it was affordable. I knew it was cheaper than what I was paying now for only 2 classes per week. Plus once I reach the next level with Vitality the subsidiary will be $60 per month, that covers the membership!  I'm working on moving to the next level by August.

I mentioned all this to Husband and he was not on board with it.  So I created an excel spreadsheet detailing the cost of the 2 classes I was doing and both gyms I was looking at.  I did cost from May through December, pointing out when I would start getting the subsidiary, when I would break even, and ending with out much money I would save by joining the gyms compared to the current method.  He still wasn't sold.

I made an apt with a sales rep at the fancy smancy gym and dragged Husband along to look at it.  We talked to the sales guy first, got a tour of the gym, went back to the office, and Husband agreed I could join.   I was super excited!!   This gym has everything I wanted.

locker room

The gym is Life Time Fitness.  The benches in the locker room are granite. The lockers are wood.  There is granite in the showers.  There is a huge spin room with a projector.  There are a ton of treadmills, bikes, and other equipment.  There is an outdoor pool and an indoor pool. Including a lap pool.  The gym is open 24 hours.  There are two sauna's in the locker room.  There is a spa inside the gym.  There's a cafe inside the gym.  I don't need to continue do I? You're already sold right?

How much will I use the gym? Only time will tell.  I know I plan on taking at least 2 classes each week. There's a third class I will probably start taking too.   I joined a week ago Saturday.  Since then I have used it  for a spin class, barbell strength training, treadmill, pool, and I had a fitness assessment. (By the way, the fitness assessment has determined that my body age is 21, so from now on that's how old I'm telling people I am. haha)

cycle room

One of my goals for this year was to do a sprint triathlon.  I know how the pool so I can start swimming and access to bikes.  I'm pumped!

After my half I kinda lost it.  I still wanted to run and still wanted to be active but I wasn't. The half was a bad race for me and that took something out of me.  It was hard to get back into the swing of things.  Combine that with no big race until Fall and I had nothing to work towards.  With the gym, I've got my interest back. There is so much I can do there.  I'm excited about working out again!  I won't use it to run a lot, but I will use it sometimes. I'll use it when the weather is bad. I'll use it when I want to work on pace.

I think it's funny when I talk to people about the gym and mention the cost.  I think $60 is very expensive for a gym but can understand why this place is so expensive. It truly is super nice.   However a lot of people think it's a decent price. In fact, those who know what you get with the gym think it's a decent price and not expensive at all.  I guess it's all in how you view things.

**copyright info - all pictures were taken from the lifetime fitness website for the location I go to. I didn't snap the pictures myself.  However..they are accurate as to what those areas do look like**