Kayla Young
If you’ve decided that you really do have to honor that Resolution you made to yourself and join a gym (better late than never, eh?), then you may be overwhelmed with the choices on offer. Some may feel like a rest stop cafeteria. Others feel like a swole cult.
Does the thought of sweaty equipment and wet floors in the changing rooms turn you off? Then you’ll need to choose an upmarket gym, where the staff is also top-notch.
So you may have already made the decision to join a club like Equinox, which means paying an above-average price. But is Equinox worth the money?
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Is Equinox Worth The Money?
Out of all the fitness clubs around, Equinox is probably the most premium of them all. However, if you’re all about the luxury, then this lifestyle choice may be the only way to go.
Membership prices vary depending on the club location, whether you choose multi-access options, and the amenities available at each branch.
But as a guide, the lowest-priced membership starts from about $185 per month and rises to the VIP executive option, which will hit up your wallet for more than $5000 per year. The VIP option gives you access to any Equinox location worldwide.
But that’s just the monthly cost.
There’s also an initiation fee that you’ll need to fork out for when joining. That said, there are various promotions run throughout the year that offer discounts or even waive the fees altogether. To find the price for your nearest location, visit the company’s website.
All memberships require you to sign a 12-month contract.
If you only go to the gym to do a spin class every now and then or just to use the weight equipment, unless you are flash for cash, Equinox may not be the best option for you. Hit up Anytime Fitness or OrangeTheory for a much cheaper, but still high-quality, experience.
At Equinox, it is all about the experience. The exclusivity and high price are part of the luxury experience. Where this fitness franchise really wins is in the amenities available.
For starters, the premium price for membership means that the environment is more respectful than your average gym. So: the staff is pleasant, the facilities are kept in tip-top shape, you’re less likely to be harassed by grunting thugs on steroids, etc. And even during peak hours, overcrowding is never an issue.
For serious gym-goers, these factors alone give Equinox a heads-up. But still there’s more
Unique Experience
You may have heard about the ambient atmosphere, chilled eucalyptus towels on offer, and the Kiehl’s products available in the changing rooms. But Equinox is so much more than the superficial stuff.
And although most of the equipment available are from the same manufacturers that you’d find in some other gyms, it’s the overall experience and focus on body evaluations that make this place so unique.
It’s impossible to be bored with an Equinox membership because of the sheer variety, number of classes, and upbeat instructors on offer.
The most popular activities include:
- Spin Classes
- Pilates
- Yoga
- Crossfit-Style classes
- Boxing
- Dance
- Barre
- Aquasport (for branches with swimming pools)
- Climbing (for branches with climbing walls)
- Running (for branches with an indoor or outdoor track)
- Basketball (for branches with courts)
As well as the variety of resistance training equipment, the cardio section of all Equinox fitness clubs has treadmills and bikes that are able to connect to the Equinox+ app. You can easily follow the fitness plan given to you by your personal trainer and track your progress.
The app not only automatically shows you how far you walked, ran or cycled and how many calories you burned, but it will also connect you to digital scales and asks for your ratings of instructors whenever you attend a class.
This accountability for instructors means you’ll attend the best fitness classes around.
You’ll also be able to search for and schedule classes, according to location and instructor, via the app, which will also hold you accountable for showing up! If you miss three classes in a row, you’ll be locked out of these privileges for a week.
You will still be able to sign up in person, though, and after your week in ‘jail’, you’ll be handed your online privileges back.
At the moment, upon signing any Equinox membership, you’ll receive a free private Pilates or personal training session.
After your workout, you get to experience the spacious and luxurious changing rooms, with some branches featuring private vanity areas and all including power showers with multiple heads and digital temperature controls.
There’s even a discount on Equinox’s super deluxe spa services for new clients who have signed up for a membership:
Included with membership:
- Steam rooms
- Sauna rooms
- Hot tubs
Additional cost:
- Waxing treatments
- Body wraps
- Anti-aging facials
- Massages focused on tissue regeneration, muscle recovery and flexibility.
And not to worry if you feel the need to spend some time indulging in yourself, because branches also have a childcare facility on-site to look after your little ones while you recharge.
The cost runs at about $10 per child.
This is a big advantage, considering many other gym franchises don’t have childcare.
X Marks The Spot
An added extra, at $150 per hour, but well worth it, is the Tier X Evaluation. This five-hour evaluation will test your metabolism, body fat ratio, and flexibility and movement. It will give you a full-body analysis of how you can further improve your workout and results, and also your food intake and sleep.
Conclusion
After reading this you’re still unsure whether or not to choose Equinox as your next fitness club, there are a couple of options you can look at before making your final decision.
First, ask if your employer has a policy of fostering employee wellbeing. This is because Equinox offers corporate discounts, which could save you money on your monthly membership.
And second, you can ask your local Equinox branch for a free day pass. Or if you have a friend with a membership, then get them to give you a guest pass and have a day together enjoying the services on offer.
Having a workout buddy will also make things more fun.
After indulging in this experience, you can finally make the decision whether or not Equinox is worth the money.
