January is join-a-health-club month

You've overindulged this holiday season -- or maybe for all of 2006. So New Year's resolution number one is to join a gym.

You won't be the only one. January is the single biggest month for new membership enrollment at health clubs, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. Joe Moore, the Boston trade group's chief executive, says step one to finding the right gym is to consider "what you want to accomplish at your particular stage in life."

If you're more interested in being able to touch your toes than bench-pressing your body weight, you're in luck. Changing membership profiles driven by the influx of families, women, and aging baby boomers are remaking gyms.

"More people cite an interest in clubs offering mind-body classes than dumbbells these days," Moore says. So group classes such as yoga, tai chi, and Pilates "are a big part of many health clubs that are very successful."

Even the gyms known for building muscle are adjusting their offerings. Gold's Gym, for example, "has a reputation for being a muscle bound club, but that's changing," says Tom Kidd of membership services with Gold's Gym in Braintree. This location is beefing up its yoga and Pilates classes to entice more women into the club and will offer belly-dancing classes next month.

When picking a gym, Moore says, consider one located close to home or work, which will increase the likelihood that you'll stay with your new exercise routine. On average, a health club member uses the gym about 100 days a year, or about twice a week, according to the sportsclub association.

Another way to increase attendance, Moore says, is to join a gym with people you know because you're "more likely to continue using [the gym] if family members or friends are also members."

When you've narrowed down the choices, be sure to give the gym a white-glove test. Tour locker rooms and take a good look around to determine if the facility is clean and organized. Guy Caracciolo, fitness director of the Dedham Health & Athletic Complex, suggests asking the club for a free week long pass so you can test out whether you feel comfortable there.

"Most do offer these passes," he says, "and it's a good idea to give a gym a try before signing up."

Caracciolo also suggests asking how often the club's equipment gets upgraded. Once every three years is a good benchmark, especially for cardio equipment -- treadmills, stationary bikes, stair steppers, and the like. "These get a lot of wear and tear."

So how much should you expect to pay for a gym membership ? The median membership for an individual is a $150 enrollment fee, plus $55 in monthly dues, according to the sportsclub association. A family membership entails a $200 enrollment fee, plus $102 in monthly dues.

January can be a good time to join gyms because some offer discounts to entice newcomers. For example, Curves, the chain of women-only clubs, is knocking 50 percent off its joining fee, and the West Suburban YMCA in Newton is waiving its $100 enrollment fee if a customer brings in a mall brochure from the Arsenal Mall in Watertown. Your health insurance also may defray the costs with a reimbursement; Blue Cross-Blue Shield, for example, gives $150 a year.

Should you negotiate those fees? "It's worth asking, since some clubs will negotiate," Moore says.

But Caracciolo says reputable clubs don't do that. "Dues should be even across the board," he says. "Members talk to one another," so if the club gives some members a reduced rate while charging full fare to others, "it can create an unhappy environment."