26 Jun Exploring the Drawbacks of Gym Memberships: Your Valuables May Not be Safe

In addition to the physical dangers you may face after joining a gym, your valuables may not be safe while you are at the gym either.  Even if you use a locker with a lock on it, your valuables can be easily stolen from the gym.  In fact, the FBI put out a bulletin several years ago to health club members along the East Coast due to the high rates of theft taking place in the clubs.

Although the gyms do issue locks to be used on the lockers, they are often flimsy and easy to cut through.  Therefore, you might want to consider bringing your own padlock and key to use on your locker.  A padlock with a key is better than a combination lock because they are harder to pick.  But, even with your own lock, a determined thief will still be able to cut through the lock.  So, in order to reduce the chances of having your valuables stolen, you should take as few valuables as possible with you to the gym.

If your valuables are stolen, don’t expect the gym to lend a helping hand in getting the items back.  While you can certainly file a police report, gyms take a neutral stance on these incidents and do not actively assist with trying to determine who did the stealing.

Obviously, the gym has no control over who is a thief and who is not.  But, many people who join gyms start to feel a sense of community with the other members that can lead to a false sense of security.  In addition, most gyms do not make it a priority to monitor the belongings of their members or take steps to keep their valuables protected.  This responsibility lies with you, so it is important for you to act wisely while working out in order to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of theft.

If you really want to make certain your valuables are properly protected and cared for, you might want to set up your own home gym instead.  This way, you don’t have to worry about strangers who may be interested in walking away with your personal belongings.