| More and more insurance companies are
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| | can sometimes signal that the club is in
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| offering discounts on health and fitness
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| | financial trouble, especially if the
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| club memberships in the Dallas and
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| | condition inside the club has recently
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| Houston areas and throughout Texas, so it
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| | taken a turn for the worse. These are
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| may be a good time to join a health club
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| | signs that your health club is adequately
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| to stay in shape and continue to improve
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| | maintained:
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| upon your overall health. But be careful.
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| | - The club should have routine sanitation
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| If your health club cuts corners when it
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| | procedures.
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| comes to safety, sanitation and staff
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| | - Members should be instructed to clean
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| training, you may actually be
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| | off machines after use. So look for
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| jeopardizing your health by working out
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| | adequate paper towels and spray bottles
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| there. Now that you know that you should
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| | of disinfectant.
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| keep your eyes open, here's what you
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| | - The facility should be big enough to
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| should expect from a health club:
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| | accommodate members, even during peak
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| 1. Instruction on the proper use of
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| | periods. Find out if the club limits
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| equipment and facilities.
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| | memberships to keep crowding to a
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| When you join a health club, someone from
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| | minimum.
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| the club's staff should ask you to fill
| |
| | - Exercise equipment should be relatively
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| out a health history questionnaire. If
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| | new, not outdated.
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| you have a serious health problem (e.g.,
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| | - All equipment should be clean and in
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| a heart condition or a bad back), the
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| | good repair. Worn or torn equipment may
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| club should require that you obtain
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| | be a safety hazard.
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| medical clearance before starting an
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| | - Instructions for use should be attached
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| exercise program. You should also be
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| | to each machine.
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| invited to a new member orientation
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| | - Mats and flooring should be clean and
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| session, which is usually a one-on-one
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| | resilient enough to protect against
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| session to learn club rules and how to
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| | injury.
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| properly use the exercise equipment.
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| | - Showers and locker rooms should look
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| Staff members should also work with you
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| | and smell clean, with absolutely no mold
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| to design an exercise program that meets
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| | or mildew visible.
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| your needs, taking into account any
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| | - The pool and hot tub should be
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| health problems or physical limitations
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| | sanitized regularly. Signs of inadequate
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| you might have.
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| | sanitation include pool water that burns
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| 2. Staff members who test your fitness
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| | your eyes or foam in the hot tub.
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| when you start an exercise program.
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| | - Rules of use should be posted in the
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| Staff members should check on you
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| | pool or hot tub area.
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| periodically after your initial
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| | - First aid kits should be well stocked
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| consultation. Even after you've been
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| | and readily accessible to both staff and
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| there for a few months, they should be
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| | members.
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| readily available to answer questions and
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| | 5. Adequate security in and around the
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| teach you proper exercise techniques.
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| | club.
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| This is possible only if there's an
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| | Health clubs often post signs warning
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| adequate instructor-to-member ratio. If
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| | members not to leave valuables in their
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| there are only a few staff members on
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| | lockers. Because lockers are notoriously
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| duty, they may not be able to give you
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| | easy to jimmy open, petty thieves often
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| the personal attention you need to
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| | target them. This doesn't necessarily
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| exercise safely.
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| | mean that the health club has lax
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| 3. Qualified and well-trained staff
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| | security, but it does mean that you
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| members.
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| | should find out if the health club is
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| All staff members should know about
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| | going the extra mile to protect you and
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| health and fitness issues and should be
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| | your possessions. Determine if your club
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| trained in CPR and first aid. In
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| | has:
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| addition, exercise instructors should be
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| | - Security measures in place to ensure
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| certified by a nationally or
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| | that only members or their guests can
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| internationally recognized organization
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| | enter or leave the building, such as
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| such as the Aerobics and Fitness
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| | membership cards, surveillance cameras or
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| Association of America or the American
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| | gates.
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| College of Sports Medicine.
| |
| | - Well-lit parking areas.
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| 4. Equipment and facilities are clean and
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| | - Security guards, if the area is
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| safe to use.
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| | especially dangerous.
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| Check out the condition of the equipment
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| | - A well-attended child-care facility, if
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| and the cleanliness of the facility. Even
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| | the health club offers childcare.
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| though state and/or local governments
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| | If you notice that your health club is
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| must license health clubs, there's a
| |
| | not as clean or safe as it should be,
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| chance they may not be closely regulated.
| |
| | talk to the club's director. If your
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| However, they may be certified by a
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| | concerns aren't resolved or if serious
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| national organization, such as the
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| | health violations exist, contact the
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| International Health, Racquet and Sports
| |
| | local or state authority responsible for
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| Club Association ( which requires members
| |
| | monitoring business or sanitary practices
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| to maintain clean, safe facilities and
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| | in your area, such as Texas' Attorney
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| adhere to a strict code of ethics. So
| |
| | General's office or your city's Health
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| dirty locker rooms and broken equipment
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| | Department.
|
