A fitness center is like a gym, but it's smaller and access is usually limited to residents of an apartment complex. A fitness center may be a large room in an apartment building or it may be contained in a clubhouse.
1. Fitness centers may charge an additional fee for access
Most apartments that have fitness centers only allow residents to use them, but even then, any resident that wants access may need to pay an additional monthly fee.
2. Fitness centers are smaller than gyms
While fitness centers may contain a lot of the same equipment as a gym, they're usually in a smaller space. And since the space is smaller, there aren't as many pieces of equipment. For example, a gym might have 10 treadmills, while a fitness center may only have two or three.
3. Fitness centers can save time and money
Instead of paying for a monthly gym membership and spending time driving to the gym each day, you can stroll down to your apartment fitness center. Although many apartment complexes charge residents to use the fitness center, the price will be about the same as, or even cheaper than, a regular gym pass, but you don't need to do much traveling to get there.
Photo courtesy of Plymouth Court
Is a fitness center important to you?
Fitness centers are a great, convenient alternative to a regular gym. But to some people, it's not something important, while to others, it may be a deal-breaker. Decide if it's really important to you. Not all apartment complexes have a fitness center, so if it's something you want, you'll need to double-check to make sure the apartments you look at offer them.
