Get the Most Out of Your Gym Membership
With pandemic lockdowns and restrictions taking such a large toll on health, it’s important to get the most out of your gym membership. Many people report that they’ve gained weight, lost fitness, and are feeling high levels of stress. All of these impact our immune system negatively.
The good news is working out at a gym can get you back in shape and help you get your stress in check. However, we also know that many people are concerned for their safety as they start to participate in activities again. Rest assured, here at New Milford Fitness & Aquatics Club, we take your safety seriously. We have strict cleaning protocols and have taken many extra precautions to ensure your safety. We also have a private workout room available for signup and offer on demand classes so that you can take your favorite classes at home.
Are you ready to get back into workout mode? Let’s talk about how to get the most out of our gym membership!
9 Ways To Get the Most Out of Your Gym Membership
Find a friend to work out with. When you have someone to hold you accountable, you’re more likely to do your workout. And it’s more fun to work out with a friend too!

Get into a routine. Pick days and times that work for you to work out and put it into your schedule. If your workout is a regularly scheduled activity, you’re less likely to skip…especially once it becomes habit.

Sign up for classes. Classes can be fun, create camaraderie, plus they give you the opportunity to try something new! They’re also scheduled at specific times, so once again, if you’ve signed up an activity, you’re less likely to skip your workout. Research shows that people who attend group acitivities classes are more likely to consistently show up for their workouts.

Take the opportunity to increase your fitness by cross training. Are you a runner? Yoga and Pilates can help your flexibility and mobility. Strength classes will help you work on your support muscles and improve imbalances. Spend most of your time in the weight room? Cardio classes will increase your endurance and cardiovascular output. Yoga and Pilates again will improve your flexibility and mobility. Struggling with an injury or need to take some strain off your joints? Swimming or running in the water is great for that.

Learn how to use the equipment. If you’re not quite sure, you can always ask. We almost always have a personal trainer or our personal training manager in house, and as long as they are not in the middle of something, they are happy to happy to show you how to use a particular piece of machinery.

Step out of your comfort zone. Try new types of workouts or machines / free weights / resistance bands that you don’t have at home…you might find something you really enjoy!

Set some goals. Once you’ve done so, break them into bite size pieces. Consider working with a personal trainer. A Personal Trainer can help you reach your goals, design fitness programs specific to your needs, show you how to use equipment properly, keep you accountable, and show you how to use good technique, which will help you get the most out of your workout, as well as prevent injuries. Here at New Milford Fitness & Aquatics Club, we offer an introductory special for those new to Personal Training. Whether you’re training for a specific event, want to up your fitness level, or simply want to make sure your technique is correct, Personal Training can offer the opportunity for significant fitness improvements.

Take advantage of amenities. We have a private workout room, and a hot tub, which is great for sore muscles. We also have steam and sauna rooms.

Don’t forget to take rest days. Rest day doesn’t mean you have to take the day completely off. If you are sore, you need to listen to your body, but rest days can still include activity. Consider walking or swimming.

If you’ve been neglecting your exercise routine, now is the time to prioritize yourself and get back in shape!

Michelle is a long time runner, fitness enthusiast, former healthy food blogger, and she’s one of the owners at New Milford Fitness & Aquatics Club. She ran cross country and track for the University of Colorado and still runs as well as hikes to stay healthy and avoid injury.