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My daughter went to Goldgym in Ann Arbor,all her belongings were stolen from the locker. They found out that the employee took the master key and stole everything from the locker. She has stolen this in the past, known drug addict but they continue to hire her as a baby sitter in that gym. The owner protected her and did not do anything. They refused to return our belongings, claimed that she threw away everything. Initially, the owner promised to pay for our loss, but later, he changed his mind and said he was not liable for anything despite hiring somebody with criminal record and his negligence,gave his employee a full access to the locker room master key. Who cares about protecting the customer?? That thief is still walking around with our belongings and nobody would do anything.Will you let somebody babysit your kids at that gym? They also tried to cover up for her. GOLDGYM is a franchise and not cheap for the membership fee, does not worth your money.

I'm a pers. trainer. My advice for joining a gym/hiring a trainer is to qualify your investment. Ask for and research the gym's required trainer certifications. Above all talk to members of the gym, preferably in your demographic, personal aspects: age, sex, previous/present fitness level, work schedule, fitness goals, etc.. If they are quite happy then you probably will be. Ask sales for a trial run. That should easy for sales to do. Don't let sales pick the person that you speak with. Members/clients were once in your position and will probably help you. The articles author would have done well just to do some minor research instead of just giving glaring generalities, which are always incomplete. Good luck with your experience.

I think pflamb11 and xl1973 have a little misguided, underlying motives.

Walking 30 minutes a day (outside) and eating a well rounded diet will get you in shape. Best of all, the exercises is FREE! Nobody said you have to look and act like a gerbil in a gym to get proper exercise and benefits.

Besides, the seniors your taking about were alive and well before gyms came into the capitalism realm... and I've seen many live way past 70, that's probably due to the fact that they were part of a supportive community and not a self-absorbed idiot... similar to the ones you'll meet at the gyms.

One more note... When it's time for you to go, it's time for you to go... no amount of exercise will reverse that !

Relax, Exercise (Walking) and eat smaller potions and have fun while at work!

I have seen four young senior neighbors drop dead of heart attacks or strokes all before age 70. The classes are giving you exercises and postures that bring you enormous value. Continuous attendance lowers blood pressure, increases lung capacity and cardiac endurance, detoxifies the body through sweat to help prevent cancer, increases blood flow to the brain to deter dementia, provides skeletal challenges to ward off osteoporosis, moves T and B cells to supercharge your immune system, increases metabolism to fight obesity, blasts abdominal fat to reverse diabetes, increases your Chakra energies (Yoga), blasts colon clog and constipation, prevents dowagers humps and skeletal incontinence (Pilates), keeps joints freely moving to ward off arthritis, releases endorphens to avoid depression, and allows you to clean house, garden, lift, move, and support yourself to avoid nursing home care and assisted living!

Im pretty sure luckygirl23 who refuses to go to a gym based on a phone inquiry to LA FITNESS is still out of shape & unhealthy(but she showed that salesman). I believe if your truly serious about changing your life, you simply have to join a gym & stop making excuses.I understand why gyms dont like to give prices over the phone, its because people truly need to take that 1st step(actually). I think all gyms are great & you can't allow some outside force to determine how healthy you are or how long you'll live.just doit!!!

Thank you for the helpful tips in this story. When I phoned the local LA Fitness for prices, I was immediately put on the phone with a salesman whose 'pearly whites' were practically blazing right through my end of the receiver! Forget accomplishing ANYTHING over the phone. He did everything BUT send a cab to my front door to get me there to avoid the simple q & a I was hoping for. That, in my opinion, was a major red flag. Needless to say, I have yet to call around & try again!