Copyright 2006 Brad Howard

With the New Year coming in, people by the droves put their New Year's resolutions in gear. For many health clubs, the month of January marks the easiest time of the year to entice and under deliver the hopes and desires of the unsuspecting public.

Now, of course, that'll never happen to you...will it?

For the type of person that continually gets wrapped up in the "deal of the day," it most certainly will. Most people have no idea what the telltale signs of a great health club operation are.

Naturally, many clubs know this and fully take advantage. Does it really make sense for all of the area clubs to offer the most "specials" in the month where the overall demand reaches its peak?

What other successful industry does this? Not one that I can think of.

Understand that many clubs encourage you to join in the months of January and February knowing full well that you not be frequenting the place in two months.

But your money is!

The key resides in the fact that you must find the clubs that actually have your best interest at heart. Which clubs are going to encourage you to get in better shape?

To give everyone a little piece of mind, I've compiled a short list of monster tips to help insure that you involve yourself with a club that will give you the most success.

(By the way, two of these tips are "underground" and industry insiders are the only ones that REALLY know about them.)

1. Check the cleanliness. Clubs don't care about keeping the club clean don't care about keeping you happy. Period. Always give a good look in the locker rooms and cardio deck.

2. Gauge the pressure. The more pressure that is being put on you to join right then, the less service you are likely to get. Use your head. Today only specials are a scam. Peer pressure always puts you in a bad spot. (Important Note: monthly does not mean month- to-month. Make sure you know the difference.)

3. Judge value, not price. Price is what you pay. Value equals what you get for what you pay. Generally, the higher the rates, the more value you get. Of course, make sure to judge this for yourself. Just don't get stuck in the 'low price'� mindset. Always look for 'high value'

4. Ask about the management history. Clubs with a history of better service tend to have stable management. If a club switches managers every 3 months, it's not a positive sign and usually means that ownership either continually chooses poor management or it's a sign of dissatisfied employees. Be sure to ask.

5. Always check the Better Business Bureau homepage on any clubs that you are looking to join. If a club has a bad mark, you can bet it's pretty intentional. The Bureau doesn't just hand out bad marks without just cause.

*Bonus Tip: Check out ripoffreport.com and look up the names of clubs that you are interested in. This resource encompasses reports from many unsatisfied customers from many types of businesses.

Take these 5 tips and apply them to your area. While they will not tell you everything about a club, they will prevent you from becoming a member of the worst clubs and allow you to be more comfortable working out in the New Year.

About the author:

Brad Howard is the most prolific health and fitness marketer of this generation. His new book, "Health Club Secrets" is currently being featured in many news stories for it's groundbreaking information on health club scams. To get it for free, go to http://www.HealthClubSecrets.com