Picking a Place to Sweat

"Sharon Morgan liked the variety of fitness classes. Wendy Chrisman was impressed with the friendliness of the staffers and cleanliness of the place. Plus, it's close to home. It's convenient for Tanner Gronowski, too. Better yet, it has 24-hour access. And for the first-year medical student at the nearby Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, it's free. A gym membership at YAC Fitness in Terrace Heights is part of the enrollment package. ‘You had to sign up for it, but I definitely did because I really liked the place. It's close by where I live and where I go to school. And it's 24-hour access. You can't beat that,’ the 23-year-old says. Each of the three was drawn to the club for his or her own reasons. Whatever an individual's appeal to a specific facility might be, local health club managers agree the key to finding the right gym to meet your workout needs -- without emptying your pocketbook -- is evaluating your budget and particular exercise needs. ‘One of the components of fitness is enjoyment,’ says Carrie Sattler, general manager of both YAC Fitness and the Yakima Athletic Club. ‘You've got to have the right fit.’ So a must-do in deciding where you'll be sweating, Sattler says, is an on-site visit. Other local club managers concur. ‘You want to get to know the place before you actually commit to it,’ says West Valley Fitness manager Memo Galvan. ‘For most people, it generally takes a visit or two.’”

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/09/13/picking-a-place-to-sweat