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Thomas Johnson

This is the weight set in Snap Fitness. Senior Patrick Sullivan says, "All of the machines, weights, etc. are all in very good shape and the gym is clean too."

Belonging to an athletic gym has some great benefits, but there seems to be a common issue involving gym memberships, that people don’t know which gym they should join. There are a myriad of choices even in our local community, and a lot of them are really similar as far as their amenities.

The three athletic gyms will include Snap Fitness, River Valley Athletic Club and Lifetime Fitness. All three gyms are located here in the local community, and many athletes use them to prepare for their sports seasons or just keeping in shape. All three gyms have their own little perks for their members as these gyms are some of the most popular in the area.

Snap Fitness is located in Afton and is a relatively small gym with no lockers or showers, but has everything that someone would ever need for working out including dumbbells , treadmills,  and bench presses. A huge perk with Snap Fitness is that it’s a 24 hour gym so people who like to work out late can do just that. There are aerobic classes involved with Snap Fitness at some locations too.

Athletes tend to have different workout schedules and Snap Fitness is perfect for those who like to work out at night.

Senior football player Patrick Sullivan said,  “One of the main reasons I love Snap Fitness is that I never have to worry about gym hours because it’s a 24 hour gym.” He added,  “Snap Fitness has everything I need to have a successful workout, so one day I can go running on the treadmill and another day I can go lift weights.”

River Valley Athletic Gym is an affordable and efficient gym that has all the amenities people are looking for when they join a gym.

Junior basketball player Evan Parker said, “I love belonging to River Valley because it’s not a ton of money to join unlike other gyms, and a lot of my friends belong there, so playing basketball with them is really fun and worth the membership.”

River Valley is one of the least expensive gyms for memberships, and has just the perfect amount of equipment for workouts.  There are exercise classes offered daily at River Valley and it has an outdoor and indoor pool along with a hot tub. In addition, there’s a basketball court, racquetball courts, and an upstairs with the weights, treadmills, and other workout equipment. All in all, River Valley may not have the high end equipment, but may be a perfect fit for any college or high school student looking to join for a few months at a low price.  Additionally, it offers the only outdoor pool in the Stillwater community.

Lifetime Fitness is the creme of the crop when it comes to equipment, but their price reflects that. Lifetime is a private gym and has a lot of amenities along with top quality including basketball courts, swimming pool, hot tub, weights, and clean locker rooms. However, Lifetime is about $80 per individual and is a costly endeavor for people who join, but many members seem to love the gym.

One of the members who loves the gym is junior athlete Sadik Ibrahim. Ibrahim said, “I really enjoy going to the gym and playing basketball with a lot of my friends who are members too.” Ibrahim added, “The only way I would change gyms would be if I move to a different community and then I would just go to their Lifetime gym,” showing how much he loves being a member there.

All three athletic gyms have their own perks and differences, and joining a gym may help to prepare for sports seasons or staying in shape to keep your physical and mental health up. Gym membership depends on member needs and there is a gym for everyone, once the research is done.