Have you ever walked into a gym and felt lost? Out of place? Uncomfortable? You’re not alone.

A lot of people go to a gym for the first time and never come back. They don’t know what to do, they don’t feel like they fit in with the people there, and some pushy salesperson just got them to sign-up for a 3-month commitment. What a waste.

There’s a better way to find a gym that can support your fitness goals and where you will fit in.

Why Gyms Build Cultures

As described by Simon Sinek in Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, long-term successful companies understand how to build a company image and culture that gives prospective customers a reason to care about their product.

While many companies can focus on their unique selling proposition, their ‘what we offer and why it’s better,’ a lot of companies forget to tell people why they should care. As entrepreneur Ryan Daniel Moran frequently describes, successful companies need to understand who they are selling to and how their product serves the customer on their journey.

Gyms are no exception and gym-goers are not monolithic. Picture a 28-year-old bodybuilder associate walking into a gym two weeks away from her next competition. Now picture a 55-year-old stressed BigLaw partner who just wants to lose 50 pounds as she walks into the gym. The goals, mindset, and equipment these people need isn’t the only difference. They want a culture that supports their goals.

Gym Culture Examples

When you think about an Equinox gym, you may think of luxury, wealth, and young energy. If so, the perceived culture and Equinox marketing line-up. A lot of people identify as ‘gym people,’ Equinox wants you to identify as an Equinox person, incorporating their gym into your lifestyle vision.

A gym like 24 Hour Fitness, one of the largest gym chains in the country, caters to a broader audience than Equinox. Its tagline is “Exercise Your Happy.” It states that its goal is to create a ‘healthier, happier world.’ Inside their gyms, you may seek banners challenging attendees to “conquer [their] goals.”

As a final example, Planet Fitness puts its culture front and center. Its ‘judgment-free’ focus permeates its literature, marketing, and in-gym banners.

If you were to think about an ‘80s macho gym culture where everyone is jacked and newcomers are viewed with skepticism, Planet Fitness does the opposite. It also clearly markets itself as an affordable option catering to people who don’t want to drop $150+/month on a membership.

Local Differences

While corporate guidelines and marketing certainly shape gym cultures, it’s worth noting that ‘local’ gym cultures also exist. I’ve exercised at multiple 24 Hour Fitness locations and the feel can be very different.

One beachside location was filled with a bunch of incredibly strong-looking people while another location a few miles away included a lot more average-looking health people, and certainly included more young and old people.

What Are Your Fitness Goals and Challenges?

To decide on the right gym for you, your current cultural preference will be very important to get going, but you should also consider where you’re headed. If you’re on a fitness journey, and you want to improve your fitness level, you should consider what environment will move you forward.

For example, if you currently never workout, and are incredibly uncomfortable in gyms, a Planet Fitness or a gym that offers beginner fitness classes may be a good place to start. If you’re looking to build a ton of muscle or increase your functional fitness, you may want to find a gym with a good selection of free weights and cable weights—rare items in a Planet Fitness. If you want to pair your classy attorney lifestyle with an equally highbrow gym, an Equinox or other luxury option may fit your lifestyle.

Getting Past the First Step

Regardless of which gym you choose, remember that it’s normal to feel uncomfortable in the beginning. Think back to your first day in law school, your first day at your first legal job, or your first time in court or at an in-person client meeting. Chances are if you cared about the outcome, your nerves were elevated. That’s normal.

Like with those experiences, going to a new gym and building a workout plan may feel strange and uncomfortable for a while. With practice and effort, the experience becomes less stressful and more fun.

After you become comfortable in a gym, do your best to make other new people feel comfortable. Encourage friends to come, work out with a buddy, and exercise patience and positivity around new gym-goers.

Keep working on your LawyerBody

If you want to learn more about building habits, check out this quick read.