Joining the gym is always on our New Year’s Resolutions list, right? And it always comes back to haunt us in the summer time if we’ve not quite hit the goals we wanted to. But with PureGym’s epic new offer for new joiners of the 1st month free and no joining fee between 1st and 15th August on no contract monthly memberships, you’ve got no excuse! Plus, there’s still up to 20% off fixed term memberships too.

With this in mind we thought we’d run through 7 of the best ways to make sure you get the most out of your gym membership. Goals, come at me!

1. Actually go

This is obvious but before you even commit to joining a gym it’s a great idea to make sure that it’s actually convenient for you. Be honest with yourself about how many times you want to go. Make sure your gym is within a convenient distance from your uni or where you live. If you can’t make it a habit, it won’t last. It’ll become a habit if it’s easy to do. There are over 180 PureGym locations in the UK so there should be one that’s in a great spot!

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2. Be realistic and holistic

First up, think about your goals and what suits it. If you're getting a PT then know what you want to get out of your training with them. It’ll be much easier for them to offer you training when they know your goals. Be realistic and make sure that you try everything before you settle on one form of training if you’re not already set on one aspect. If you’re new to the gym, try all the cardio machines, have a go on the weights and jump into a class. Always ask for help if you don’t know how to use something.

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3. Follow a plan

Once you’re set on your goals and you know what you do and don’t like in the gym it’s time to build a plan. If you have a set of workouts that you know you enjoy you’re more likely to be motivated. Wandering into the gym with no plan means you’re more likely to walk out quicker! A PureGym PT can help you identify a training and healthy eating plan and there are so many great resources online to help as well. All you have to do is search!

4. All the gear, no idea

Don't worry about buying everything you see every Instagram fitness star with. You don’t need fat burners, specialist food, fancy trainers and weight lifting gloves until you know what you want to achieve. Don't spend money you don't need to if you’re a gym beginner. If stuff doesn’t work you’ll start to resent it because you’ve spent money on it and you’ll feel like you have to use it all up. Not a good headspace to be in.

5. Try the classes

PureGym have over 50 free classes a week for you to choose from! From spin to bodypump and their epic PureBattle that we took on a few months ago. If you don’t know what you’re doing in the gym, the best thing is to head to a class. It’ll be led by an instructor that can guide you through all the moves and what weights to use. Don’t be scared about heading to classes on your own either, everyone was new once.

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6. Don't be afraid to buddy up

At uni, it’s so much easier to do things in pairs or groups because everyone has FOMO. Like, all the time. Heading to the gym together, starting a 30 day squat challenge or trying a new class with your bestie are all great ways to get motivated whilst getting the most out of your gym.

You’ll be more likely to keep going with something if you’re doing it with your workout bud. You can both complain when you’re sofa-bound after that epic leg day and you feel each other’s pain!

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7. Track your progress

Seeing progress is the number one way to motivate yourself. When you can actually see results you’ll be more inclined to carry on. Take notes about your heaviest lifts, rep ranges and your longest or fastest runs and try and beat yourself each time! When you improve you’ll know how long it took you to get there and you’ll be fired up to get even better.

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PureGym is a commercial partner of UNiDAYS. Our members can get a discount through our services which is detailed on our website.