Things haven’t been going as well as I’d hoped with my “exercise at home” plan. I’ve only managed a couple of workouts, and they’ve been a challenge. I did lunges, push-ups and bent-over rows (lifting a file-box of papers) – better than nothing, but still not much, and it’s not very comfortable at all: I’m working out in the basement, on the cold tile floor in the kitchen. Blech. Even the daily yoga has died down.
Well, last weekend, Extreme Fitness called me.
Strength and Conditioning Centre at the University of Toronto
I should probably step back and explain how Extreme Fitness even knows I exist, let alone is calling me: When I left my job at UofT this summer, I also left my membership at the campus athletic centre. My new employer, OCAD University, doesn’t have any athletic facilities. I thought I might try out some of the nearby gyms (though I was pretty sure I couldn’t afford the rates at a “real” gym). One of the gyms I tried was Extreme Fitness. I went in for a free 10-day trial membership. They tried very hard to sell me a full membership, but I stood my ground and just did the 10 days. That was back in late August.
So last weekend, Extreme Fitness called: Apparently, my name had been entered in a draw, and I had won a free one-month VIP membership! I was perfectly aware that this was just an excuse to get me into the building and try to sell me a membership, but hey, who cares? It’s still a free one-month membership. So I made an appointment to go in and activate my prize.
I had no intention of actually signing up for a real membership, but I thought to myself “Hey, if they’ll give it to me for $10/month, I’ll take it. I’d even take it for $20/month…” This, naturally, got me wondering : How much was I willing to pay for a gym membership? Money is tight right now, so I knew it wasn’t a lot. I was paying about $50/month at UofT, so I thought that if I could actually get something for that price, I might just take it.
Sure enough, they had an offer for me: Instead of the free one-month membership, I could upgrade to a one year membership for the low price of $76/month (instead of $130), with two free months! 
Who could pass up a great deal like that? Well, I could, and I told them so. I explained that all my money was going toward paying down renovation debts. The fact that this was a great deal, and the fact that I did value health and fitness, didn’t inject money into my bank account.
I sat in their offices for almost an hour discussing this. They tried everything they could think of to sign me up, and I kept saying no: They looked for OCADU in their corporate accounts; they asked if I was taking any classes so I could qualify for a student rate; they even tried fear-mongering. Finally, they offered me a corporate rate of $60/month if I could bring in a UofT business card, and they agreed to throw in a third free month.
Do the math: $60/month, with three free months, averages out to $45/month over the year. Right in my budget.
So I said yes.
I am now the proud owner of a one-year membership at a real gym. They will be giving me a full fitness evaluation on Tuesday (included in the membership), and they’ll give me another one in six weeks to help me track my progress (also included in the membership). I’ve worked out twice already, and it’s pretty good: They have plenty of equipment, they provide as many towels as you like, they have shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion and hair gel in the locker room. There’s a location right next to my work, and one very near my house. The music is too loud, but I’m sure I can work around that.
Treadmills with personal TVs at Extreme Fitness
So, now I have one year to make the most of this membership – to get my money’s worth, so to speak. We’ll see if this membership provides the extra motivation I seem to need. I’m looking forward to the fitness assessment, and to the re-assessment in six weeks. I’ve even taken some serious “before” pictures, and if the “after” pictures are any good, you might even get to see them… in a year…
So, would working out at a “real” gym motivate you?