Gym membership at Welcome Gym represents extremely good value for money. For far less than the cost of a daily coffee, we offer a great range of equipment, a clean and vibrant space and friendly staff, all dedicated to the important cause of helping you get fit and healthy.

Once you have plucked up the courage to join the gym, familiarised yourselves with the layout and equipment, made some friends and got to know the fitness team, you may be wondering how to get the best value from your gym membership. This shouldn’t be measured solely in financial terms, although as we’ve already mentioned, our memberships are very inexpensive. As well as money, you’re investing your precious time in working out at the gym, and you want to ensure that you spend this time well, get results and really enjoy your membership.

If you’re aimlessly working out on your own, there’s a risk that you may soon feel bored and disheartened, because you don’t really know what exercises you should be doing and how to do them and frankly, it’s a bit lonely trying to embark on a new fitness regime without any support. Your enthusiasm may wane and you find yourself making excuses to skip your gym visits and give up on your initial good intentions.

To avoid this and to add variety, focus and a sense of direction to your workouts, and to keep you coming back for more, why not try some of our big range of free instructor-led classes, ranging from high octane to more paced and controlled sessions? You’ll soon find that you relish the challenge, camaraderie and fun of exercising in a group and you’ll work muscles you might not have realised you had! Our experienced instructors will show you the correct techniques, to make sure you exercise safely, and offer you advice and encouragement when you need it.

Here are just three classes that you might like to try: -

• Power Bar
Shape and sculpt your body, using traditional weightlifting exercises accompanied by music. This class targets all major muscle groups and gives you a full body workout, concentrating on your core stability and posture. This motivational class is suitable for both men and women and you’re sure to enjoy it, so the time just flies by.



• Zumba
This is the class that started the dance exercise revolution and can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities. Zumba combines Latin American dance moves, including hip-hop, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo with aerobic elements, such as squats and lunges, all performed to infectious music with a strong rhythm and thumping beat. Especially appealing to women, Zumba offers a way of getting fit by having fun and releasing those happiness hormones. It provides a great cardio-based workout that helps sculpt and tone the body.



• Yoga
Undertaken at a slower tempo, yoga focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing and aims to boost physical and mental wellbeing through a series of postures and stretches. Yoga improves your functional strength, balance and co-ordination, increases your flexibility, and promotes relaxation and concentration. It can help in weight loss by making you more aware of your body and its range of movements. It may also boost your self-esteem, relieve depression and make you feel happier and more positive.



Most of these classes are available at all our gyms and if a particular class, such as Yoga or Zumba, doesn’t appear on the timetable, you can always try a similar alternative, such as Pilates, Dance and Tone or Street Dance. You can book classes on line here welcomegym.co.uk/classes/

Through taking part in classes, and the free half hour PT session that comes as part of your gym membership, you’ll also get to know some of the in-house personal trainers that operate out of our gyms. Personal training need not be expensive, especially if you team up with a friend or two to share the cost, and it’s a great investment in your physical and mental wellbeing. You can see our PT’s profiles on our website welcomegym.co.uk and they’ll be pleased to have a chat with you to discuss your needs, whether you’re interested in weight-loss, toning, muscle building or general or sports-specific fitness.

So, whether you try some classes or invest in some personal training sessions, or both, don't just do the “same old, same old”, try something new and exciting, put some focus into your fitness and make the most of your membership. We’re sure you won’t regret it.