How much does it cost to work out in the gym?

The consumption span of domestic gyms is very wide, ranging from a few hundred yuan for an annual membership to more than a thousand yuan for a single session of personal training. It all depends on the city you are in, the location of the gym and the type of service you need.

Two years ago, I applied for a membership at a community gym in my hometown in the third and fourth tiers. It was a small shop at the bottom of the community, with only basic equipment and one or two group classes in the evening. The annual membership fee was only 699 for store celebrations, which worked out to less than two yuan a day. Many retired elders usually go to the elliptical machine after dinner. The price/performance ratio is really high.

The price is completely different from chain gyms in the core business districts of first- and second-tier cities. I am now in a gym downstairs in the Binjiang office building in Hangzhou. It has a constant-temperature swimming pool, and about ten group classes are scheduled from morning to night every day. The shower room is also equipped with a Dyson hair dryer and body lotion. The annual price is usually 3,600, but it can be obtained at a discount of 2,800 just in time for the store celebration. Calculated, it is more than 200 a month, which is more cost-effective than signing up for swimming classes and yoga classes separately.

Most people will be asked if they want to buy a personal trainer when they first enter the gym. The price difference in this part is even greater. A session of personal training in a small gym like my hometown is only 120. Many coaches who have just received certification are enough to teach beginners the stroke pattern. When I first started practicing, I bought 10 sessions and spent over 1,000. After I understood the basic movements of squats and deadlifts, I practiced it myself. For first- and second-tier high-end gyms, personal trainers generally charge 300-400 per session. If you look for a coach who has received international certification and has trained competitors, the price per session can be several hundred or even thousands.

Of course, there are a lot of controversies about gym pricing now. Some people think that annual passes worth a few hundred yuan are just a trap. My former colleague got into this trap. He paid 800 yuan for a two-year card, but the store closed within three months of going there. The boss couldn’t be contacted. After struggling for rights for half a year, he still didn’t get his money back. Some people think that an annual card that costs several thousand is an IQ tax. In fact, this is not necessarily the case. If you have a regular exercise habit and love swimming and aerobics, a fully equipped gym can save you the money of signing up for various exercise classes separately, which is more cost-effective.

If you are a complete novice and want to test the waters, you don’t have to apply for a card for several years. You can first buy a sub-card or a monthly card and try it for two weeks to see if the equipment is suitable for you and whether you like the group classes. Then decide whether to apply for a long-term card. The probability of getting into trouble will be much smaller.