The monthly fee of my fitness gym is 7,800 yen (the equivalent of about $75). It is rather high, but I will continue to be a member to extend healthy life expectancy.
I have been going to a membership-based fitness gym this year. This fitness gym opened five years ago and I became a member at that time.
Because the admission fee was lower during the pre-opening campaign. But I gradually became reluctant to go there. So this is the second try to become a member of the gym.
When you become a member of a gym, you might end up wondering if you should continue or quit.
If you can continue exercising such as walking or biking without going to a gym, you may not need to be a member at all.
But fitness gym has many benefits that are unique to them.
Advantage 1: Various Menu Can be Used At One Location
I would like to explain the benefits of a fitness gym, along with the importance of continuing to exercise.
Various menus and exercise machines are available at a fitness gym.
After all, the greatest advantage of a fitness gym is that you can perform various exercises and receive services in one place with a professional trainer.
- Various gym machines and equipment
- Support and advice by professional trainers tailored to individual purposes
- Refresh with a bath, sauna, hot yoga, and beauty salon treatment
- Relaxation facilities are also available (extra charges may be required such as
- massage)
- Facilities and menu for kids
- Individual type and participation type
It may depend on a gym but a variety of menus are usually available. And they are shown in a calendar every month.
A wide variety of “participation menus” where you can apply for yoga or other activities with a small number of members are available as well.
If you do not prefer “participation type” (me too), you can exercise by yourself. But in that case, we recommend that you seek advice from a trainer in the gym.
You can get valuable advice from trainers.
A trainer will teach you how to use various gym machines, how to select the right machine for your purpose, and a “load” that can be adjusted for each machine.
For example, in the case of a bike, a load can be selected for each machine, such as heavy (= heavy load) or light (= light load) applied to the pedal of the bicycle.
In my case, I am not fond of participation type and learning from a trainer on how to use machines, so I was a bit worried at first.
However, the trainer gave me an explanation of each machine as an orientation on the first day after becoming a member of the gym, which helped me understand what was necessary.
After listening to the trainer’s explanation, I felt that “it may be dangerous if you use machines by yourself without proper knowledge.” Again, please seek advice from your trainer as much as possible. It is very important to protect your body.
Advantage 2: Paid Membership
You might think why paid membership is important. BUT it is very important that you pay for a membership because it can motivate you to continue as long as you are spending your money.
There are, of course, days when you are too annoyed to go to a gym or do not feel like exercising at all. Sometimes I just go to the gym just to take a bath. But I still continue going there because I feel like I have invested in my money for my health.
You can’t keep exercising with a strong will alone.
Starting exercise doesn’t harm your body, so we recommend that you try it first.
You can relax, save-money and may lose weight.
I’ve always loved hot springs and saunas. When I was working, I went to bedrock bath about once a week, which is 1,500 yen (about $15.-) a day. When I went there, I always got my hands-on food and drinks. So I ended up using around 7,000 yen to 10,000 yen per month.
On the contrary, now I sweat through exercise, sweat in the sauna, and relax in the bath. I can’t eat food at the gym because of people’s eyes surrounding me. Also, the gym I go to doesn’t have a restaurant in the first place.
It costs me less than when I had spent on the bedrock bath and also, I feel I am doing something good for your body while enjoying a bath and sauna!
Advantage 3: Prolongs healthy life expectancy and prevents locomotive syndrome
“Healthy Life Expectancy” is an important keyword to live a healthy life.
“Locomotive Syndrome” is a common name for the musculoskeletal syndrome, and refers to a state in which your musculoskeletal state is lowered or weakened. In modern society, it is said that people of all generations need to be careful with the syndrome.
Now, average life expectancy has become longer due to the progress of medicine. But there is a big gap (= difference in period) between average life expectancy (period of living) and healthy life expectancy (period of being able to live a healthy and daily life).
This has become a problem.
Life expectancy is currently longer than a healthy life expectancy and the average difference is said to be around 10 years.
In other words, your living period is about 10 years longer than the period in which you can live a healthy daily life.
Therefore, it is very important to extend healthy life expectancy. It is also important to make a healthy life expectancy closer to the average life expectancy as much as possible.
A healthy life expectancy is closely related to locomotorium.
And healthy life expectancy is closely related to the decline of locomotorium, which is the locomotive syndrome.
Due to the weakening of the exercising organs, human basic locomotorium (motion function) such as “stand up,” “walk,” and “sit down” will decline.
A locomotorium function is a mechanism that moves your body through the coordination of the spinal cord and nerves in addition to bones, muscles, and joints.
In fact, in modern society, we have fewer opportunities to use our legs. Working on a computer every day, looking at a smartphone and forget the time so that getting stuck in the same posture. Or using elevators and escalators rather than stairs, or traveling by car for nearby shopping. . .
In particular, the PC is a great invention of modern society. But at the same time, it has the potential to cause illnesses that have never existed before.
It is said that not moving for a long time may directly link to the deterioration of motor function. Especially the movement of legs and shoulders.
As the locomotive syndrome progresses, everyday life will be limited at first. If the symptom gets worse, the possibility of requiring support and nursing care is said to increase.
Many things are caused by the weakening of the musculoskeletal muscles. For example, breaking your hips by rolling over while sleeping, tipping over on a slight step, breaking an ankle, or nerve and joint pain.
A The answer is “Getting Exercise Habit”. It is said to help to maintain your mobility function.
It is necessary to use your locomotorium continuously, and with care by having a habit of exercising moderately.
Wrap Up
Ir is very important to continue exercising moderately and optimally to maintain your physical condition while getting appropriate advice from your trainer at the fitness gym.
Then you can expect a healthy life expectancy.