Gyms are not the preserve of the finely physically honed, or indeed, those looking for the best last minute deals, but also the people that just want to feel a little fitter and experience the benefits that exercise can bring. And those that regularly take exercise, know that those chemical elements called endorphins are tantamount to the body’s joy pills. Exercise creates endorphins which can provide the being human a sense of well-being and comfort.

A good gym can accommodate people at whatever level: the experienced runner, the weightlifter, or the occasional. They can look after the fanatic, as well as the person who might be called the ‘weekender’.

Most modern gyms are divided into two sections: the aerobic exercise area and the weights area. They have different functions, although, both are related in many aspects and can be used to achieve the desired result.

For many gym goers, it’s the aerobic exercise section which is the most popular. And it would be fair to say that most people taking advantage of last moment deals head for this part of the gym. It’s the home of the exercise bikes, the treadmills and the rowing machines. And it might also include a number of Nordic exercisers.

Exercise bikes are self-explanatory. They are stationery bikes which emulate the effort required to ride a bike on a given surface. The speed with which the rider pedals governs the amount of effort and the machine will also use resistance say on the flywheel to copy the effort of riding a bike uphill. A treadmill does the same thing, but to get the extra effort required when running uphill, the treadmill itself raises up. Rowing machines are great for those that prefer to sit down! Using a flywheel as utilised by the bikes, this way of exercise is also ideal for people who want to limit the impact damage to the joints as when running. Nordic exercisers attempt to emulate the action of Nordic skiing which exercises both legs and upper body.

The weight sections of a gym can be daunting to newcomers, but they should be designed so as not to put off the first-timer, or infrequent user. Weights are designed to build muscle (heavy weights, few lifts), or indeed lose weight (light weights, many repetitions). The issue with weight-training, is that great care has to be taken if injuries (muscle tears, joint strains) are to be avoided. This is why many gyms insist on a starter session for newcomers.

So, if you want to combine a love of exercise with a love of getting the best last minute deals, then think about the gym.