The Mind Over Body Matter Letter

If all misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be contented to take their own and depart. — Socrates

(If you want my guide on beating the health club game, go to Health Club Secrets and grab your copy… no charge for a VERY limited time)

With our fast-paced lifestyles and our less-than-ideal dietary habits, it’s no wonder that health clubs and gyms are appearing everywhere. These centers are important for many people, because it forces them to have the discipline to workout on a regular basis. But do remember that most health clubs exist to make money. And where money is involved, trust that there will be some people who will go to great lengths to take it away from you! Disgruntled gym and health club clients have plenty of stories to tell. Learn from them and save yourself from shady health club operators.

Health Club Scams 101

Ridiculously Low Rates It’s becoming increasingly crowded out there. With so many gyms fighting each other over customers, membership fees are plummeting. However, you should remember that operating a gym is a very expensive endeavor. In order to provide customers with the best experience, the gym or health club must have plenty of operating capital. Low-end gyms, while having much cheaper rates, mean bad exercise equipment, crowded areas, less sanitary facilities and less customer focus. When choosing a gym or health club, remember that results matter, not rates.

False Advertising There are many health clubs that advertise low-rates, zero-membership fees, or some other way that you can save when joining. However, most of these gyms get the money out of the customer, one way or the other… most by making it so cheap that you have no real leverage to actually go, or cancel out.

Be sure to read the contract for any hidden charges (like facility improvement fees that never go toward actual improvements) that they may impose. Others advertise huge discounts, only to cripple or limit much or their services until the member pays in full. Others, on the other hand, flat-out lie about their services and member benefits. Be sure to ask a lot of questions and inspect the service agreement fully.

Dubious Accreditations - There are so many certificate-giving bodies out there from state and community organizations that few are worth more than the paper it’s written on. Be sure to double-check on what accreditations the gym claims to have and see if they come from a truly prestigious or note-worthy organization. The same goes for the so-called certified-instructors many gyms have. Be wary and be sure to research these claims.

(Note: Anyone can get an online personal training certificate)

Poor Equipment and Facilities This is what you pay for the most, the ability to use large, specialized equipment. Always inspect the entire gym and its facilities before you commit to signing up. The place should also be spacious it should not be crowded. Many gyms sign up more customers than they can actually handle. The result is that many customers have to wait in line to use the gym equipment they want. This also means that their equipment is constantly being used and prone to more damage.

Sleazy Contracts Always read what’s printed on any health club contract (they’ll conveniently call it an “agreement”). Three year memberships, high deposit fees, extra charges these can be all hidden inside the contract and its existence conveniently not mentioned by the sales team. Always turn on the alarm when you encounter provisions requiring you to shell out more money or penalize you for cutting your membership short.

Remember always remember that health clubs are much more expensive to run than most people will ever know. Corners can and do get cut.

Don’t get beat… download my Health Club Secrets manual while it’s free.

Health Club Secrets

Out of the many health clubs out there for you to join, the one that is most familiar to you will normally be the one you gravitate to. After all, if it’s well known, it has to be good right?

Can you name another brand name club that has more familiarity than Gold’s Gym?

Sure, you’ve got 24 Hour Fitness, Life Time Fitness, Bally Total Fitness, as well as women’s only clubs like Curves and Living Well Lady. But seriously, is there another name that rings “fitness” like Gold’s Gym?

With that being said, should your local Gold’s Gym be the recipient of your business?

Maybe, maybe not. And here’s why.

Most people don’t know or understand the fact that many of the clubs under the Gold’s Gym “umbrella” are franchised operations. What this means is that each of these clubs is owned by an individual other than Gold’s Gym. These people license the name and systems that Gold’s has created in order to take advantage of name recognicion and business stability.

But this is a good thing, right?

In most instances, it is. However, there are over 500 Gold’s Gym franchises in the world. Do you really think that the Gold’s Franchising Center can actually police everyone to make sure that the Gold’s name is being represented properly?

Some owners form the exception and not the rule in the manner in which they run their clubs. Unethical behavior like slow or no customer service, unclean facilities, poor membership management, hard selling tactics, and other awful business practices plague these organizations and create distrust in the local community.

Of course, most Gold’s Gym franchise holders operate in a well developed manner and will not have anything to do with the practices listed above.

What does this mean to you as the consumer?

Obviously, it means you need to do your homework. Do not assume that just because the name states “Gold’s Gym” on the outside that it actually represents the true embodiment of what Gold’s is supposed to be.

Make sure to do your local Better Business Bureau search and ask around the see if you can dig up any dirt from friends and coworkers.

Should your research prove fruitful and your local Gold’s passes the initial tests, grab a week pass to test the place out. Beware of any hard sell tactics as these are a dead give away of the customer service level

(I go over all of this in my “Health Club Secrets” special report)

All in all, just because the name sound familiar, don’t let that sway your judgment until you’ve done the proper research. After all, you know what they say about assumptions.

There’s a certain comfort level that is associated with working out in a health club, especially a “co-ed” version. For many women, there are a few stretches and exercises that seem to be a little bit more risque than most would like to admit.

So do you stop going? Do you stop exercising?

Hell no.

You just find replacement exercises.

Check out this article in Women’s Health that can show you a few substitutions for some of these embarrassing exercises…

If you need more information on health clubs and gyms… be sure to invest in my $7 report… Health Club Secrets

With a sizeable portion of the population in danger of being clinically diagnosed as overweight, health clubs are all the rage nowadays. But why is it that so many people fail to achieve the promise of enduring fitness when they do join a health club or gym? Why is it that many people complain about the level of service these clubs provide?

The fitness industry is one that is filled with a lot of false promises. It is essentially an industry that provides people with plenty of hope but little useful advice. What happens after you sign the contract and pay the membership fee can sometimes be… surprising.

How the Trickery Works

It’s funny how the successes of many fitness centers rely on the failure of its very members. This is not always the case, especially when it comes to the more expensive health clubs. Let’s face it - because they are already making a lot of money from the membership fees, there really is no incentive to play dirty games. However, for lower-end gyms and health clubs - it’s quite a different story. Because of the low membership fees, these clubs need a lot of members in order to be profitable. And many clubs, as you would have guessed, will stoop low enough to fool people out of their money.

From false advertising to hidden charges, many health clubs will employ every conceivable technique to simply get your money. These types of clubs, unfortunately, have set up a trap from which there is little chance to escape. Customers in these establishments rarely become content with the service and end up leaving them soon. Moreover, because these health clubs advertise in the budget category – the clients they attract have historically been the most hard to maintain. The result is an endless cycle where new members come in as fast as existing ones leave.

The most tired strategy in signing up new members is with ambiguous advertisement. Promises of discounts, freebies and privileges that don’t exist also come in handy. The trick is to corner you at the first meeting and force you to sign the contract at that very moment. Other dubious sales strategies also come into play. Be very careful about what you sign. Most of the time, these are cunningly crafted documents designed to confuse the hell out of you. Hidden inside these documents could be expensive cancellation charges, hidden fees or two year-long terms that cannot be canceled.

Further, do not think that you will get peace once you have signed up for a health club membership. Oh no, a week or so after your membership you will get a FREE sampling of this or that service, and this or that product… ALL guaranteed to help you lose weight of course. And after the free sampling, rest assured you will receive endless encouragement to sign up and buy those additional products and services, which just so happen to be on discount… this week only.

So how do you find a good and reliable health club? Does that mean you have to sign up for those expensive clubs? Not necessarily and not all expensive clubs are free from the same shady operations, anyway. All one has to do is inspect, check and verify an establishment for its authenticity. Advertisements, especially those that focus on savings, should be a red flag for anyone. This is because successful gyms don’t really need to advertise much. By doing a little research, you can save yourself a lot of headaches.

Are you looking for the best resource on the health and fitness industry today? If so, log onto http://www.HealthClubSecrets.com and get the book, “Health Club Secrets: The Information Advantage Everyone Needs Over Health Clubs and Gyms.”

How many infomercials have you seen on TV that really tout a specific piece of equipment?

If you’re like me, then you’ve seen equipment and gadgets come and go each and every year.

So, if that is the case and the latest and greatest piece of equipment most likely isn’t going to be here next year, what pieces of fitness equipment do you actually need?

Necessary Fitness Equipment

Are you ready for the list?

Did you see it just then?

You didn’t. Maybe because there isn’t one. I can’t think of a single piece of equipment that is going to be absolutely necessary to get in shape.

What about shoes?

I’ve seen people exercise barefooted before. The used to do it all the time in the “old” days. Think about running on the beach in the sand. Do you need shoes for that?

What about weights?

People get in shape all the time without using any type of weights other than body weight. Push ups, pull ups, body squats - these all can be done with nothing but your own weight. You don’t need a specific piece of fitness equipment to see results.

The best advice: go join a gym.

They have all the fitness equipment you need (other than shoes) and you don’t even have to pay thousands of dollars for one measly piece of equipment.

Most gyms and health clubs will carry all sorts of fitness equipment plus, you now don’t have to find a place in the house to keep it.

Remember, most home fitness equipment never gets used based on it’s convenience. You don’t need anything to get in shape… other than some heart and a little creativity.

Recommended Resources:

• Health Club Secrets