Tips Of All Sorts

I have been on Rogaine for 13 months with no regrowth. I have switched to hair support products because I had micropoint links done to add more hair on top. But I have went from shedding 30-40 hairs a day to 60-80 a day and it seems really brittle (More than usual). Is shedding this [...]

As many of you would realise, I shot a bit of footage of Adro and I training together in the lead up to the final weigh-in for The Biggest Loser Australia. Well I've finally got it all together, learnt how to do a basic editing job, and it's up and live!

You can check it out here: The Biggest Loser Video

You'll see how much work he really did put in!

Ray

 

 

 

I’m new to the website and am encouraged that you have this website for those such as myself searching for real options.  I recently went to MHR in Houston Texas and was given “info” but found your site and became discouraged as to the reputation of Dr. Carlos Puig and the chain hair restoration centers. I [...]

Hi Patrick, I am 24 and I have been slowly thinning in my frontal areas for the last 5 years or so. I have tried many things over the years like minoxidil and finasteride but nothing could stop the inevitable. I was wondering if it is a good idea for me to have my thinning areas [...]

I've noticed a great deal of confusion from people when they first make the decision to join a fitness centre. I mean, if you haven't spent a lot of time in them how could you know a good one from a bad one?

So here's an article I wrote about a year ago that will provide some guidance:

A good fitness centre has their members as their number one priority. They are customer service oriented. A bad fitness center is only looking at your dollar value. Once you join they will not want to know you.

Telling the difference can be as simple as following this simple checklist:
 

Type of Gym
What type of people use the gym at the times you will be training? Unless you’re into bodybuilding you probably want to stay away from ‘muscle head’ gyms after 3pm. These gyms are easy to identify. They have loads of weights, no aerobic classes, and no (or very old) bikes and treadmills.

Equipment
Take a walk around the gym and have a good look at each piece of equipment. Get on and use some. If they grind, or seem loose or unstable then that’s a sure sign that the equipment is not serviced often. Any gym that doesn’t service their equipment is not going to service you.

Service
If you don’t know much about exercise and nutrition, this is the most important of all. A quality gym will want to help you in any way they can. You should be given a new program every 4-6 weeks and another fitness assessment every 8-12 weeks. There should always be someone around to answer your questions. The staff should also be friendly and easy to talk to.

Cleaning
This is a great way of seeing how important the owner’s business is to them. If it’s not cleaned daily then they’re probably cutting costs, which isn’t good for a prospective member. When you’re walking around have a good look at how clean the machines are. If they’re covered in dust, they are probably not cared for.

Ethics
Are they constantly trying to push their products? This is often done with nutrition supplements. There’s nothing wrong with selling these products as some are quite good if you need them but some unethical centers try to push supplements onto all new members. If the salesperson or instructor seems pushy with their products, run for cover!

Staff
Whilst qualifications are important, it’s not everything. The most important trait in a good fitness instructor is that they must care. If they are tertiary qualified as well then you have yourself a great trainer, but the even the most knowledgeable person in the industry is of no value if they’re not interested in helping you. It’s easy to identify staff that care because they are friendly, courteous, and listen! (They may even remember your name)

Membership Price
Every region is different but the membership price should reflect the service, equipment, and instructors. You shouldn't judge a fitness center on price alone (this is why they rarely give prices over the telephone!). Have a look at a few gyms in your area and compare each one. That is the only reliable way to measure true value.