You could choose to train in a big chain commercial gym with no sense of community where you will remain anonymous and the staff will not get to know you.
You could train in a big chain commercial gym where you will struggle to get on equipment, no one will be willing to ‘work in’ and everyone will be avoiding eye contact with headphones on.
You could choose to train in a big chain commercial gym where the manager will not recognise you even after months / years of you being a member.
You could choose a big chain gym where the coaches are more concerned about their Instagram following than learning how to be better.
OR….
You can choose a smaller independent gym where the staff, owner and management will know you not only by face but will have regular positive interactions with them and you may even become firm friends.
You can choose a smaller independent gym which chooses and sets up its equipment to ensure you have the best experience possible and are never waiting for equipment (down to the fact that there are multiple stations to train any exercise).
You can choose a smaller independent gym where you will not have to worry about getting a spot because you will instantly become part of a welcoming group of people who will help you, spot you, train with you whenever you want.
You can choose a gym with not only a high level of experience (decades) from the staff but members who have benefitted and learnt over the years to the point they are more knowledgable than most PTs out there.
Yes there are cheap big chain gym options out there but you get what you pay for. Big chain commercial gyms prefer when you don’t use the gym so long as you keep paying your membership. They also price their memberships purposefully low so you don’t think that much about the payment going out each month regardless of whether you use it or not.
Small independent gyms will message you to see how you are if you don’t show up to train for a few days and do everything possible to help you stick to your training.
The expression ‘we are all one big family’ and ‘gym community’ are phrases which have become a bit cliche because they have been hijacked and used as tag lines by corporations who have zero intention of living up to the promise. Small independent gyms will actually care about you being in the gym for what you bring to the atmosphere and environment.
I know I would always prefer to walk into a gym where I was welcomed as a friend and by people who had taken the time to get to know about me and my training.
There will always be cheap alternatives to the genuine article but it’s a false economy. When spending money on your health and fitness can you really afford to scrimp?
Especially when the difference is a price of a few coffees each month.