Free FITNESS CONFIDENTIAL by Vinnie Tortorich, Dean Lorey Page A

It’s time to up the exercise program. Walking got us moving but, to really start seeing results, we have to move more. How do we go about doing that? We have to ride a bike in the open air, run across grassy fields, hike up tall mountains, or swim across wide lakes.
    And where do we usually go to do all this outdoor activity?
    In a small building called a health club.
    Now I realize that many of us, me included, rely on health clubs to get our exercise. We don’t all have access to mountains and clean lakes and, even if we do, we don’t always have the time to visit those places. Some of us have local parks we could work out in but, if you don’t have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, they may not be the safest choice.
    So, somewhere along the line, after you’ve gotten up off the couch, you’re probably going to find yourself in a gym. And, when you do, I just want to make sure you don’t get screwed.

Chapter Eight
    THE BIG SLEEP
    So you’ve finally recovered from your New Year’s Eve hangover and now it’s time to make good on those resolutions to get fit, which means you’re probably going to join a gym. But which one? Luigi’s Gym and Pizza Emporium? Probably not. Instead, you’ll find yourself at one of the mega gyms—Bally’s, 24-Hour-Fitness, Equinox, just to name a few.
    Here’s what’s going to happen.
    You walk in to collect general info on the place. What’s it look like, how much does it cost, what’s the commitment? Your hopes are high and you’re eager to get started on your road to health and sex appeal. The only problem is that you’re an innocent. You think you’ve walked into a fitness center, but what you don’t realize is that you’ve actually walked onto a used car lot, where they’re selling memberships instead of clunkers.
    You see that good-looking girl behind the counter? The blonde one with the killer smile who just welcomed you with open arms? She’s stage one of their evil plan. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find an unattractive male or female behind the desk of any gym. I also dare you to find one older than twenty five. Why? Because youth and sex sells and they want you to look at that person and think that could be me after a month at this gym . That’s their sole job, by the way, those people at the front door. They’re the bait. But as soon as you say, “I’m interested in a gym membership,” it’s time for the switch.
    They immediately page a sales rep.
    The sales reps usually live in the little glass cubicles to the side of the front desk, so that as soon as the perky counter person pages them, they can all look out to size you up. They want to match you with the rep most likely to make you comfortable and get you to sign on the dotted line.
    If you’re a black guy, they’re going to send out their black rep. If you’re a woman, they’re most likely going to send out a muscular dude who looks like a soap opera star. If you’re a middle-aged guy, prepare for a hot chick.
    Out one of them comes, smile on their face, hand outstretched. You’re supposed to look at them and think here’s my partner on the road to fitness but do you know what they really are?
    Salespeople. Hardcore salespeople.
    You might tell them you’re looking at a few gyms in the area and they’re going to tell you how great that is and promise to give you directions to the other gyms when you’re done. Their goal is to find out your interests and make you think that they share those interests. They want you to believe that after you’ve done thirty minutes on the treadmill, you’ll probably go out together and grab a Guinness.
    If you like country music, they’re from Nashville!
    If you like fly fishing, they’re going to Montana next weekend and think you should come!
    Now that you’re best buddies, they want to show you what they like about the gym. And here’s where they differ from used car salesman—and I know about this because I was one in college. A used car