by Mary Ann Mcgivern

Created on: January 27, 2009

Bally's fitness centers are a franchise. The benefit is that they offer the same basic services - work out machines, swimming pool, exercise room for step and yoga classes and a court for basketball or handball. They all have good parking, plenty of lockers and clean showers (at least on the women's side). They are all adjacent to middle class neighborhoods, accessible for anybody who wants to stay in shape.

I taught water aerobics at four of the local clubs for about three years and, in my opinion, the best club is the one nearest you. I belong to the one in Clayton at 7393 Forsyth. The pool is big, the sauna is hot, the machines are new, and staff are friendly. The Wednesday night yoga class, though, is way beyond my capacity.

The pool is small and noisy at the Crestwood club, 744 Watson Road. But it has all the other amenities.

Alas, the new Fairview Heights club in Illinois was build without a pool. I was only in it once, for an instructors' training, but it looked to be well equipped - other than the lack of the pool.

The Maryland Heights club, 12703 Dorsett Road, is the biggest. It has pool, machines, sauna and hot tub, space for classes and games, just like the others. Perhaps it deserves the label "best" because it is biggest. But because I've belonged to Clayton for so many years and because it is closer to home, I prefer it.

But there are other factors in determining the best: whether you meet friends, if the classes offered suit your schedule and your need, if you like the instructors. I can't help you like the people you exercise with, but I can tell you a little about instructor training and certification. All the staff are, of course, certified in basic Red Cross techniques to keep your heart beating and empty your lungs of water in case of heart attack or drowning. More than that, the instructors and personal trainers pass exams, are evaluated regularly and take instructor classes to improve their teaching. They all teach at several clubs if not all four. They are reasonably well paid and they like their work.

For me, it's the classes that motivate me to maintain my own fitness schedule. So the quality of instruction is important. And at Bally's it's good at all four sites. Go on line to see what your choices are.

Finally, I like the focus of the people who come to exercise. We're all ages, both genders, black and white. And we work hard, intent on strengthening our abs, increasing our endurance, developing our flexibility.

Give yourself a break. Whatever you do, wherever you go, get some exercise today.

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