Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 8, 1995 TAG: 9511080056
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MEGAN SCHNABEL
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Nope, it isn't the middle of November yet. But it is a good time to start mapping out your holiday-season fitness plan - before you hit the "I can't believe I ate that much" stage and throw yourself heedlessly at the first health club whose advertising lands in your mailbox.
Think about what you want from a club. Will you go crazy if you can't swim laps at least three times a week? Do you like to work out late at night? Are you joining by yourself, or do you have three kids who also need something to do?
While some clubs, such as the Downtown Sports Club, are geared toward adults, plenty of health clubs offer family memberships that cover both parents and children who still live at home. These clubs often offer special kids' activities and free nurseries. The YMCA of Roanoke Valley, for instance, offers karate and gymnastics classes. And in December, the Roanoke Athletic Club will open a workout room designed specially for kids ages 10 to 14. And, within the past few weeks, two more fitness centers have opened in the Roanoke Valley - Cory Everson's Aerobics and Fitness for Women, and CustomFit.
Membership costs vary widely from club to club, depending on the facilities and programs that are offered. For example, at the nonprofit YMCA, $32 a month pays for an individual membership, $47 for a family one; while at the RAC, a unit of Carilion Health System, an individual membership costs $52 a month, and family memberships run $84. And the list goes on.
Most clubs offer special rates from time to time, especially during membership drives and around the holidays, and students and senior citizens usually can get cheaper memberships. Clubs also may offer discounted corporate memberships. Whatever the monthly fees, be prepared to pay an initiation or joining fee that may be as little as $20 or as much as $150.
Health clubs typically offer several monthly payment options. Most prefer to deduct the fees from members' checking accounts. Others allow you to pay for six months or a year at a time, and some may give you a slight discount if you do this.
But before you go out and buy a whole new Spandex wardrobe, do some homework.
First, read the contract carefully. Most clubs require commitments of six months or a year, and once you've signed, getting out of the agreement may be tougher than surviving the high-impact aerobics class. At most clubs, you're obligated to pay monthly fees for the duration of the contract - even if you never set foot on a stair-climber after the first month and a half.
But don't just assume that you're stuck with a membership you may not want. The YMCA allows you to cancel your membership if you give 30 days' notice. Other clubs let you back out early for a price. The Downtown Sports Club, for instance, charges a $50 cancellation fee. And clubs with branches in other cities usually will let you transfer your membership if you move.
The Virginia Health Spa Act, which went into effect in 1984, gives you some consumer protection. It requires health clubs to give you three days to cancel your membership without penalty. Some clubs may offer up to two weeks to decide, but make sure you get any no-risk promise in writing.
The act also allows you to cancel your membership if you become disabled and have an explanation from a doctor. And if your club closes and doesn't provide comparable facilities within five miles of the old location, you have the right to cancel.
Keep in mind that this act does not govern nonprofit organizations such as the YMCA, private clubs owned by their members or martial arts studios.
Since January, 25 Virginia health clubs have been closed for failing to comply with the act's regulations, says Marion Horsley, a spokeswoman for the Division of Consumer Affairs, part of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. If you have complaints about your health club that you can't resolve by talking to the facility's management, call the DCA at (804) 786-2042.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***