So you’re absolutely busting to get stuck into some workouts at the gym.
You’ve already starting doing some training at home.
And you’re keen to take your fitness to the next level.
You google the classic: ‘gyms near me’.
And that’s when you realise.
Choosing a gym for the first time can be a very confusing and overwhelming experience.
There’s everything from big box bodybuilding gyms, to pilates studios, to outdoor bootcamps (& everything in between).
You’ve got no idea which one is which, where to start, or even what’s going to suit your needs.
You’re wondering, what are the different gym types out there to choose from?
Fortunately, the fitness industry has you covered, with all types of gyms to suit every personality and goal.
The different types of gyms are:
- Big Box Gyms
- Council Gyms
- Group Fitness Studios
- Fitness Boutiques
- Women’s Only Gyms
- Personal Training Gyms
- Powerlifting or Weightlifting Gyms
- Athletic Development Gyms
Today we’ll be giving you the rundown of the different categories of gyms as well as explanations and examples for each.
So that you can make a more informed choice and feel confident and comfortable in your new fitness facility.
Let’s get stuck in.
Open Table of Contents
| Big Box Gyms
The first type of gym out there are big box gyms.
I once heard a gym owner describe box box gyms to me bluntly (and somewhat humorously too):
‘You’re pretty much paying for a big room full of fitness equipment. Unless you pay extra, you don’t get a lot of support’.
And I definitely think he’s hit the nail on the head.
Big box gyms are the most common type of gym you’ll see around and they tend to be the least expensive too.
In my experience, I’ve identified three different types of big box gyms:
Basic, Bodybuilding & Hybrid.
Basic Big Box Gyms
Basic big box gyms are almost always open 24/7 and give you access to many different locations across the country.
They usually vary in price from around $10 – $20 per week, depending on how long you sign up for.
Basic big box gyms typically only offer basic equipment, are limited in space and are usually quite busy during peak times of the day.
Group fitness classes usually aren’t included in the membership either, or are quite limited and you won’t get much support from the staff unless you pay extra for personal training.
These types of gyms are perfect if you have a small budget, don’t care for anything fancy and just need the basics.
Some examples of these include:
-
- Snap Fitness
- Zap Fitness
- Anytime Fitness
- Plus Fitness
- Jetts Fitness
- Planet Fitness
Bodybuilding Big Box Gyms
Bodybuilding big box gyms are very similar to the basic big box gyms, except they are usually a lot bigger, offer more equipment (especially bodybuilding machines) and aren’t always staffed 24/7.
They usually vary in price from as little as $10 but can also be as expensive as $25 a week.
Group fitness classes usually aren’t included in the membership either, or are quite limited and you won’t get much support from the staff unless you pay extra for personal training.
If you’re into the bodybuilding culture and want a lot of equipment to go with it, bodybuilding gyms could be perfect for you.
Here are a few examples you might know:
-
- Doherty’s Gym
- Derrimut Gym
- Nitro Gym
- Gold’s Gym
Hybrid Big Box Gyms
Hybrid gyms vary in price from around $10 – $30 per week, depending on how long you sign up for and your membership type.
What makes them ‘hybrid’ is that they:
1: Give you access to a wide range of equipment and space for you to work out independently and;
2. Offer various group classes such as Zumba, Body Step, HIIT, yoga, pilates and much more.
Most of the time, they are open 24/7, but not always. They sometimes have limits on how many different locations you can visit.
You won’t get much support from the staff unless you pay extra for personal training.
Hybrid gyms are perfect if you want a little more space and equipment as well as group fitness classes as part of your membership.
Some examples of these include:
-
- Club Lime
- Crunch Fitness
- Goodlife Health Clubs
- Genesis Fitness
- Fitness First
| Council Gym / Recreation Centres
Next up we have gyms that are run by the council or external organisation such as the YMCA or Belgravia Leisure.
Pros
Recreation centres may also give you access to a pool and other facilities such as group fitness, squash courts, basketball courts and more.
They are far less intimidating than other environments and usually have a breadth of different members, from the guy with the big muscles who’s been training for years, all the way to the elderly members who are just trying to keep up their health.
I’ve personally worked in a council gym called Boroondara Sports Complex in Victoria.
The culture was extremely friendly, welcoming and non-intimidating, which makes them perfect for beginners just starting out.
Every member that came through the doors was offered a huge amount of support, with the ability to get an individually tailored program written up by one of us trainers at a regular point in time.
You’ll also be supporting your local community, rather than a big gym chain.
Cons
Recreation centres vary in price from around $20 – $30 per week, depending on how long you sign up for and your location.
This can be a little more expensive than big box gyms, but in my opinion you’re getting great value.
Almost always, they are not open 24/7 and you will only be able to visit one the one single location, which could pose a problem if you want flexibility with your membership.
| Group Fitness Studios
Group fitness gyms are perfect if you want a social environment, supportive community and need extra motivation and accountability.
Some examples of group fitness studios are:
- F45 Training
- OrangeTheory
- CrossFit
Pros
They have an electric atmosphere and a friendly and social environment. They’re more of a community than just a gym.
You’ll get plenty of support and advice from the trainers during sessions, often building relationships with them along the way.
In my experience as a fitness coach for several years, I’ve noticed that people who join group fitness studios are far more likely to achieve their fitness goals than those attending big box gyms.
The environment becomes an engrained habit and something you genuinely enjoy going to and you feel far more accountable.
Having everyone else pushing themselves beside you also encourages you to give everything to each workout.
Cons
On the down side, more often than not, they don’t offer you the ability to complete workouts independently.
If you’re therefore hoping to work out independently and quietly by yourself, group fitness studios are probably not the best option.
They are also not open 24/7 and depending on the chain, you may or may not be able to access more than one studio.
Group Fitness Studios are also on the more expensive side, coming in at usually at least $50 per week.
| Boutique Gym / Wellness Studio
Boutique wellness studios are aesthetically beautiful in nature, friendly and social environments and they’re more of a community than a just a gym.
Boutique gyms offer dedicated group fitness classes, in particular – yoga, pilates and tone style sessions.
Some examples of this type of gym include:
- KX Pilates
- FS8 Training
- KAYA Health Clubs
- Happy Melon Studios.
However, most boutique gyms are independently owned and operated.
Pros
You’ll get plenty of support and advice from the trainers during sessions, often building relationships with them along the way.
Dedicated group fitness gyms are perfect if you want a social environment, supportive community and need extra motivation and accountability and prefer this style of training rather than weight training.
Cons
On the down side, wellness centres are usually at least $50 per week.
They are not open 24/7 and depending on the chain, you may or may not be able to access more than one studio.
More often than not, they don’t give you the ability to complete workouts independently.
| Women’s Only Gyms
Women’s only gyms are (as their name suggests), gyms that are only open to women.
Some examples of women’s only gyms are:
- Curves
- Fernwood Fitness
Pros
Although I have never visited a women’s only gym (because I am a male), I have heard from many women that they can be a fantastic option.
I’ve had some close female friends of mine talk about their frustration or anxiety caused by men at the gym.
They’ve spoken about:
-
- Being hit on
- Being stared at
- Receiving unwanted attention
- Their personal space not being respected
- Some men having bad body odour
Although these events don’t happen very often, as a woman you may feel more comfortable and confident opting for a women’s only gym instead (at least to start with while you find your feet).
Cons
What I’ve noticed when researching women’s gyms (and this is a bit of a generalisation), is that they tend to be very machine focused.
You’ll find treadmills, bikes and other cardio equipment as well as gym machines, rather than free weights such as barbells and racks.
For women who are keen on getting strong and building muscle, this may not be the best environment to do so.
So, make sure you find somewhere that has the equipment you need for the goal you’re trying to achieve.
| Personal Training / Small Group Training Gym
Small group training or personal training gyms are a fantastic option if you’re hoping to get serious about achieving specific goals, or want extra attention from a trainer.
Most personal and small group training studios are independently owned and local in nature. They tend to be in small studios, rather than big warehouses.
A few chains you might have heard of are:
- EFM Heath Clubs
- Vision Personal Training
Pros
In this type of gym, you’ll have a trainer all to yourself, or be sharing them with only a handful of other people.
As a coach myself, I’ve noticed that clients getting this extra level of accountability and individualised programming makes it a lot more likely for them to achieve their fitness goals.
It also allows you to learn how to learn new exercises and movements in a supervised setting, reducing the injury risk.
Furthermore, you’ll usually receive some sort of pre and post measurements to track your progress objectively, such as waist circumference, body fat levels and body weight.
Cons
The most obvious downside of personal training and small group fitness is the hefty pricetag.
Usually you will be paying between $40 – $100 per session, with multiple sessions expected per week.
This can really start to add up if you’re a member for months or years.
Another negative I’ve seen as a trainer is that some clients become dependent on a trainer.
As soon as they stop being coached, they put the weight back on because they haven’t learnt to take personal responsibility for their own fitness.
From a coach’s perspective, I believe that personal training is a great option to begin with as you’re finding your feet in the gym.
But over the long term becoming more autonomous in fitness is what you should strive towards.
| Powerlifting or Weight Lifting Gyms
Next up we have powerlifting or weight lifting gyms, which are specifically purpose built facilities for this type of athletic pursuit.
You’ll see a lot of weightlifting platforms and racks in this type of gym, and not a lot of cardio or weight machines.
Often you will have a weightlifting or powerlifting club with competitions as part of this gym too.
On occasions, these gyms will also be open to the public for general working out purposes.
If you’re keen on competing in these types of programs, these gyms can be a great choice.
However, if you’re more a general fitness goer just starting out, these types of a gyms can be a little advanced and intimidating.
| Athletic Development Gyms
Finally we have athletic development gyms, also known as strength and conditioning facilities.
These gyms are dedicated to improving the athletic characteristics, such as strength, power, speed, agility, flexibility, etc. for specific sports.
You will most often find young aspiring or professional athletes in these facilities.
You’ll often see a lot of sleds, athletic tracks, bands, cones, agility poles among weight lifting equipment in these types of arenas.
Strength and conditioning specialist coaches also work out of these facilities.
If you are someone who is taking your sport very seriously and/or want to take it to the next level, an athletic development gym could be a great option.
However, if you’re just an everyday gym goer trying to improve your health and fitness, these types of gyms won’t really suit you.
| What Type of Gym is Best?
So, with the thousands of gyms around, and the many different types on offer…
…how do you choose the right one?
How do you know what type of gym is best?
The best type of gym is one that matches your ambitions, personality, location and budget. Selecting a gym that you feel comfortable and confident working out in is going to help you stay consistent and ultimately achieve your fitness goals.
In order to find the best gym for yourself, start by asking the following questions:
- What are my fitness goals?
- What type of gym will help me achieve these?
- What gyms within my area and budget can I join?
This can be easier said than done, so if you need any help, complete the quiz below:
