Why I Moved to a Private Gym & Why I am Glad I Did! #FitNHealthy

When I joined a gym for the first time in years, I turned to a gym which is part of a large chain simply because it was the cheapest and I knew some people who had memberships. This worked for me for a while but eventually I found that I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the impersonal feel of the place. I began researching private gyms in my area and in late August of this year I finally made the decision to move to a private fitness facility.

I am now a member of Headwaters Racquet Club, an Orangeville Gym which is a family owned club established in 2009.

This decision wasn’t easy for me, there were many factors involved in my decision and today I want to share my reasoning with my readers in case any of you are unaware of the benefits of a privately owned gym.

Benefits of a Private Gym

Supporting Local Community: This matters to me, I try to support my local business owners when I can and Headwaters Racquet Club is an independent, local family run business. The owners and employees live here, work here and hire from here.

Variety of Equipment, Classes and Services: Private gyms offer a variety of equipment, classes and services based upon the need and input of the clients.

My personal gym, Headwaters Racquet Club has squash courts, tennis courts, a kids club, numerous fitness studios, steam room, sauna, a restaurant, juice bar, pro shop and they regularly canvass members to ascertain any gaps in the schedule or equipment. When is the last time a large chain gym asked you for your input on class scheduling?

The variety of classes at  my gym is amazing, from yoga, cardio tennis to REV fitness classes (my favourite) there’s many choices to spice up my workouts and keep it from being boring.

As silly as it seems, the air conditioning is always at the right temperature. At my past gyms this was constantly an issue, at this gym the environment is always cooled effectively and the fans are on  and in the right locations.

Excellent Customer Service

From my very first tour in the gym, the difference within this privately owned gym was apparent. The staff members actually remember your name and you feel instantly at home. Every member receives the free towel service, use of the steam rooms, daily lockers and so much more.

The equipment is in stellar shape, no more beaten up yoga mats for this girl because this gym strives to ensure top notch quality at all times. The instructors are fully qualified…that means that the Yoga instructor really is educated and isn’t just someone trained by the gym’s trainers or filling in.

The owners are actually on site and welcome interaction with the members….stop and think about that for a moment, that just doesn’t happen in corporately owned facilities. These people are invested in ensuring that you as a member have the BEST experience possible and having access to them on a regular basis ROCKS.

With all of the people who work for my gym available and involved, I can actually feel their investment in my health. As I’m working out they’ll stop by to point out a tip or two or ask how I’ve been doing. This feels natural and forms a bond between us.

Family Fitness

Most corporate owned gyms don’t allow children to use the facilities but check out a private gym in your area as they often have programs for children.

Headwaters Racquet Club has really thought this one out and offers a solid program for children from as young as 4 years old! This was the final decider for me, having a place where my girls can go and have FUN while exercising at a reasonable cost is invaluable.

Headwaters offers Junior Memberships for fitness, squash and tennis. There are also classes available in the KidZone Fitness schedule including:

The Zumba® Kids program is the ultimate dance-fitness party for young Zumba fans ages 6-13, where they can play it loud and rock with friends to their own rules! This program features age-appropriate music and moves that get kids movin’ to the beat. It’s all about feeling fearless on the dance floor, reinforcing the idea that it’s okay to just be yourself and dance like no one’s watching!

Kindling the maturing independence of children, these classes encourage a deeper sense of body awareness, self-exploration and interpersonal skills. They will explore flowing sequences, balancing poses, breathing exercises, and creative relaxation techniques that will help your child feel more relaxed and comfortable. These classes are a great benefit now as well as into their golden years. Ages 7-12

BAM Box! Kick it up a notch with BAM Box! Learn the basics of boxing and kick boxing and then put it together to heart pumping music. You’ll experience tons of fun while getting your heart pumping! BAM Box will knock you out (not literally, of course!)! (8 – 13 yrs)

BAM Tennis (Junior Cardio Tennis)! No tennis experience required! This fun fast-paced tennis program is designed to get your feet moving and your heart pumping. Add to that the opportunity to practice tennis skills in movement based drills and you have a perfect recipe for fun and fitness, Racquets provided. (8 – 13 yrs)

These KidZone classes are just some of the offerings, there is also Tiny Tennis, Tiny Squash and parent and tot programs for children 4 years old and up.

There really is SO much more I could say but could go on forever, suffice it to say that I’m SO glad I made the decision to move to a privately owned gym who actually do have my best interest at heart. If you’re in the Orangeville area, check out Headwaters Racquet Club! It’s a friendly, inviting atmosphere where I know you won’t be disappointed.

If you’re considering changing gyms, remember that you should be utterly satisfied! Look beyond the immediate costs and see all of the facilities services and benefits before making your decision. Perhaps even get a 1 month membership and go often to get a real feel for the place, I wish I’d gone to a private gym to begin with.