How much are you willing to pay for a gym membership? For most people, the answer would be as little as possible. After all, who has the money to waste on luxury gym memberships? We’re not all lingerie models or royalty!

The industry has adapted to this mindset with cost-effective gyms like PureGym popping up. There’s an explosion of similar businesses all over the UK and everyone can benefit from their ability to offer flexible memberships and passes. Considering this, you may be inclined to think luxury memberships have to adapt and lower their prices/change their general policy. Well, much to my surprise, there are still plenty of people that prefer a high-end gym experience. 

But how could this be? Well, there is a reasonable explanation for this: the quality of services is exquisite and people who can afford the membership feel it’s a worthy investment. Let’s see the main three reasons why. 

#1: People Actually Take Care of You

When you join a regular membership or even a cost-effective one, all you get is a tour of the premises and a half-dragged tutorial (if that). Once this is done, you have to figure things out for yourself, or spend the day trying to find an instructor and quickly ask your questions.

When you join a luxury gym you get a lot more. Starting with a complete tutorial for each type of equipment and ending with a profile of your body (percent of fat vs. percent of muscles plus physical tests to assess your strengths and weaknesses). After the first visit you’ll know exactly how much weight you have to lose and why - and have defined goals in place.

#2: You’re Actually Motivated

When you pay a small amount for your monthly membership you can allow yourself to forget about the gym for a couple of weeks from time to time. When your membership costs more than your weekly food shop, you can’t afford to lose a day just hanging.

An expensive membership can motivate you a lot more to get in shape - you’re psychologically more committed given the relative spend on your fitness needs.

#3: State-of-the-Art Fitness Equipment

Yes, you can work with anything, even your own body weight; you just have to want it. However, high-end technology can be a bit more compelling than your own will at times. Luxury gyms offer access to machines you never knew existed and regular technology is highly improved.

Even more, you have access to accurate apps that track your progress and allow you to check in and out of the gym without using a card. You can even use an app to reserve a spot for a class you want without having to pick up the phone.

In conclusion, if you have the money and time, a high-end gym is totally worth the investment (at least for a while). But what happens when you’re looking for an alternative to the regular gym all together?

Alternatives to Gym Workouts

Some people don’t like going to the gym or don’t have the time or money to invest, so it’s normal to want to know the alternatives. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Home Workouts

Most at home workouts are done using the weight of your body. The cool thing is that you can work out whenever you want and with whoever you want. There are plenty of resources to use online from YouTube videos to fitness bloggers to hundreds of forums on the topic, so all you need is a bit of research time and lots of determination.

Home Gym

Isn’t this the same with home workouts? Yes, it’s mostly the same, but the main difference is the presence of specialised home gym equipment. Even better, instead of buying it, you can simply hire it for as long as you need. Rowing machine hire, treadmill hire and even vibration plate hire is relatively easy to find. 

This way, you have access to a diverse pool of fitness equipment and you enjoy the intimacy and comfort of a home workout.

Outdoors workout

Finally, the third alternative to going to a gym is enjoying the outdoors. You don’t even have to call it a workout since you can go hiking, cycling, or you could simply play something with your friends (like tennis). This is particularly key for those with children and a great way to encourage kids outdoors whilst also meeting your own fitness needs.

When it comes to being active outside the possibilities are limitless and you get to reap the benefits of being in the sunlight and breathing fresh air.

At the end of the day, regardless of the fact that you prefer high-end gyms, regular ones, or you simply want to be outside, the most important thing is to be active. This is what will keep your healthy and happy for a long time!