I want to quit the gym....

remember that episode of Friends when Chandler wanted to quit the gym? I felt that same frustration today except I was trying to join the gym. My original plan when I moved was to join the gym that Craig has at work and just go with him but I have been there three weeks and he hasn't gone to the gym yet. Hmmm. So, then I started being real with myself and although I have a gym in my complex and sidewalks to run on, the thing that gives me the most pleasure is going to aerobics classes. I like having them be 'on my schedule'. It is more fun for me because I am there for an hour without feeling like time is standing still. There are always people to inwardly laugh at or I am the person who is being laughed at as I concentrate to do the right move. I also think that it will be a good way to meet people if I start to notice regulars. I just like it better than trusting myself to go on my own. I know myself and I know I will make a million excuses (none of which will actually be good, and really they will all just mean I am being lazy). So, since all the classes at Craig's gym are either at 6am, 12pm or 5pm, I am not going to make any of them...plus they seem stupid. So, I set out to find a new gym that I could go to. I found one called Fitworks and then they have LA Fitness there. Both of them have locations a couple miles from work and in Beavercreek between Craig and I (which I drive both of those routes practically daily). Perfect. So, let's see what the classes look like. They both have spin (my fav) and they have other good classes and at lots of times...include 5:30, 6:30 and even 7:30 which is perfect for me. Score. Now, let's call them and see what the rates are so I can make an informed decision.

First I go to the Fitworks website to get the phone number and then have a special running. It is $1 to enroll and $19 a month...that is only $5 more than Craig's gym, but surely there is a catch, right? So I call. yep, catch. It is $1 to enroll but then a $39 processing fee and you can only go to the gym 3 days a week....Wed, Fri, and Sun. Probably the days I would go least. BUT, the go any day you want package is only $27. Still not bad. (This was all done on Wednesday before I thought of the fact that it would be cool to have a gym I could go to near work and near home so today I called back).

So, LA Fitness. I call them because I used to be a member a while back before I had a gym at work and I liked the classes so why not try again. When I get this chick on the phone it goes something like this:
me: Hi, I wanted to find out about your membership options. I am specifically looking to find out about a membership where I can go to any club.
her: We aren't allowed to give prices out over the phone but if you want to come in...
me (cutting her off): Are you serious? You can't give prices over the phone? Don't you think that is a little sketchy (yes, I used that word). I mean I just want to find out how much it will cost and you are the only gym that won't tell me over the phone (true, most have it on their website or you can call).
her: would you like to pay an enrollment fee?
me: no, and how come you can't give me prices but you will ask what I want to pay? That seems a little backwards to me, do you think?
her: We can give you a range but we can't tell you the amount.
me: ok, what is the range?
her: $24.99-$39.99 a month
me: ok and what are the differences between the $25 and the $40?
her: You get different benefits
(Yeah, no shit...)
She invites me in again and I finally get out of her that the enrollment fee STARTS at $149. I know this is not really true because I remember the first time I joined and all the "I don't think this is for me" stuff I had to go through before finally they somehow could waive the fee. I ended up telling her that it was weird that she couldn't give me prices and although it wasn't her fault, I was probably going to go with a gym that could.

This time I called the Fitworks near work to ask questions. I asked about the mulit-gym package and he kept saying he "didn't want to confuse me". Seriously? I have two degrees and am an accountant, yet different packages at the gym will confuse me? Yeah, not likely. I tell him the prices that I got the other day from the Fitworks in Beavercreek and he tells me that his club is the "mothership" club. He said it was executive or something like that and was an extra $3 a month...whatever. I finally got out of him that in addition to my $1 enrollment and my $39 processing, there was another $39 one time multi gym fee. Ok, sure. But when I started asking what the difference between the $22 a month and $39 a month package was, he really wouldn't answer...just kept telling me he didn't want to confuse me and I should come in for the 3 week trial. Yep, gonna do that when I get back in town...just TELL ME HOW MUCH IT COSTS!!! The stupid thing is that I could tell him exactly what I wanted in a gym. I want to go 4-5 times a week (probably mostly during the week but the occasional weekend) and I want classes...other than that I could care less. I can run outside and that is about the only other thing I do at the gym (the classes include weights).

After this I called the Beavercreek one back from Wednesday and asked them the prices since the dude at the one near work said they were a mothership club and it cost more I wanted to see how much it would cost to do the Beavercreek one and the work one. He told me $68 (at least he didn't pretend with the whole $1 enrollment) and that covered all the fees. It left me wondering if he accidentaly added $39 +$39 and got $68. Now who is confused?

UGH...such a pain. I don't understand why joining a gym has to be like visiting a used car lot. Seriously, just tell me the price and then let me decide. I don't need a huge sales pitch or a tour. just let me come in one day...see that people are on the equipment (so it obviously works) and let me see that the changing room is clean. That is all I want.

Anyway, I think that I am going to do the 3 week trial membership that Fitworks has when I get back in town and then go from there. I just think that it is stupid that I have to negotiate with the meathead at the gym....