What Are Boutique Gyms?

You probably love the feeling you get after hitting the gym. You may not love having to share your personal space with the guy drenched in sweat on the next treadmill -- or waiting in line for the chance even to use the treadmill -- or paying for 24-hour access when you always come at 5 p.m. A boutique gym may offer a better fit for your workout needs.

  1. Advantages

    • Boutique gyms are more like studios than traditional gyms -- they are smaller and individualized to give you a more personal experience. When you walk through the doors of a boutique gym, expect the staff to give you a pleasant welcome using your name without having to look at the computer screen. Boutique gyms are usually for a specific workout, like yoga or kickboxing, instead of a general whatever-you’re-feeling workout. Other perks might include a spa or juice bar. Workouts are generally by appointment and classes are held at specified times, making it easier to say no to the inviting couch and yes to the running shoes. And since it is more one-on-one, the boutique gym may give you the motivation to get through that last five minutes of a workout.

    Disadvantages

    • Boutique gyms may charge more for their use than a commercial facility, since they usually have a fraction of the membership. If you like the freedom of choice with your workouts, boutique gyms may be too restricting. You won’t be able to go from the treadmill to weights to the basketball court to the indoor pool. If your only time to hit the gym is at 2 o'clock in the morning, boutique gyms may not offer you that choice.

    Instructors

    • Most boutique gyms have staff members who are highly certified in the areas that they are teaching. For example, a yoga instructor at a boutique gym usually has to obtain a certification in the specific yoga class that she is going to teach. Commercial gyms may not be as particular with their instructors if they offer classes.

    Tips

    • If you are unsure of whether you'd like to join a boutique gym, many will allow you to sit in on a class to see if it's for you. Just call ahead to ensure that the class has space for you to observe. Usually the class schedules of boutique gyms will be posted online and will include a bio of each class instructor along with her certification and knowledge on the exercise.