When to cancel a gym membership might even be a more fitting title. Joining a fitness facility can be a major commitment, depending on the kind of contract that you sign when you start. While there are certainly facilities that “don’t have contracts” you’re still going to perform some transaction. Generally, you’re paying them fees and signing a liability waiver, to protect them from the injuries you might sustain on their grounds. At the end of the day, or your membership, you might have easily given them hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Far too often, as a gym manager, I saw customers request massive refunds for the years that they hadn’t used the gym. It should never get to that point; as a member, you’re responsible for your membership. Sure, there are certainly exceptions. There are many gyms with questionable business practices and far too many “mistakes” when it comes to ending someone’s auto-pay on their billing cycle. My favorite gyms are often the ones that require you to come in person, at the beginning of every month, and pay. Not only does this allow you to cancel whenever you want, but it also gives you the opportunity to work with the staff.
Now, that might not work as well with higher volume facilities, but the most important factor when you’re going to a gym is that you need to feel comfortable there. You need to feel as though they want your business and you should also be able to ignore what is going on around you. If you’re at a place with a great sense of community and where you fit in, then you might want to consider yourself lucky. Unfortunately, you may often feel as if you’re not wanted by the staff or even offended by the other members.
I recently cancelled two of my gym memberships. Why? Because it was simply time to do so. How did I know? Progress. Your fitness journey is all about progress, and while regression will come with injuries, you need to be somewhere where you feel like you can grow. Mind-muscle connection is a popular term used, especially in bodybuilding, to describe how you feel exercises. Unfortunately, distractions at the gym can really inhibit your ability to feel exercises properly. When you’re unable to focus on your workout because of something personal going on, that’s one thing. If you’re unable to focus because of an offensive member or rude staff, that’s a red flag.
You need to put YOURSELF first!
When it has gotten to the point that you feel the team behind a fitness facility no longer cares about the quality of their product, it’s time to go. That can mean so many things, but it is most obvious in a few ways. Either equipment isn’t being fixed, chalk isn’t getting refilled, communication isn’t occurring or poor behavior isn’t being dealt with. No one member is more important than any other, and one member who negatively impacts many others needs to be swiftly removed. If leadership isn’t willing to do that, that’s another red flag. When these things happen once, you might ignore them. That’s okay. When they occur constantly for a long period of time, when you feel disgusted by the people around you and when you’ve gotten so distracted that you’re not progressing anymore, it is time to go.
It is time to head to the front desk and simply ask to cancel your membership. There are far too many options out there, especially when your time and health are so important, to not be taken seriously. If you’re in a major city there are other facilities; if you’re in a small town you can exercise outside; if you like staying inside you can behind your own gym at home. Find a place where you’re comfortable, whether that means a facility that values its integrity or just doing your thing in isolation because considering your health important will keep you hungry and fit!
