Merritt Clubs Blog

In 2012, Merritt Athletic Clubs 24 hr Canton was voted one of the best gyms by the Baltimore Magazine. There are a lot of gyms out there so why did this club surpass all the others? First, the membership fees are pretty competitive and reasonable, ranging from $50-89 per month but that also gets you access into the other nine Merritt regional locations. Price typically is one of the deciding factors and when you are able to pay one fee for 10 gyms, that’s a pretty good deal. It’s very convenient, too, especially if you travel around town a lot.

The next thing that put the Canton club above other gyms is the amazing facilities that they offer 24 hours a day. The spinning studio has an amazing light and sound system, the pool has a beautiful view of the harbor, and if that’s not enough the full-service day spa can help you relax. The basketball court and two squash courts are good for pickup games or just to practice some drills. You won’t have to worry about getting bored with the group fitness schedule since you’ll have 70 classes a week to choose from. And while you are doing all that, you’re little ones will have a cheerful day-care to go to.

Being the official club of the Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders, you’ll have fun while working out. contact us to find out more information about how to become a member.

Feeling bored in your usual workout routine? The cold winter months are a great time to investigate variety as the spice of a healthy life.

According to researchers at the University of Florida, “One of the main reasons people stop exercising is that they get bored.” Adding variety to your exercise routine is a way to avoid boredom and continue your commitment to healthy living.

Adding variety to your workout routine is most simply done through your choice of exercise mode. Some examples of exercise modes include cardiovascular exercise (such as walking, running, cycling, or swimming), interval training (such as circuit training), and strength training (such as kettle bell exercises or traditional weight lifting exercises). These options and many more are available to you at Merritt Clubs! Friendly and knowledgeable staff members are ready to assist you as you search for new workout options to add to your routine.

As you try new kinds of exercise, make sure to take note of the amount of fun you are having! With so many options available to you, there is no need to stick to a monotonous routine that leaves you dreading every trip to the gym. Find activities you enjoy and keep them part of your routine! For example, if strength training is your preferred mode of exercise, you can add variety through the equipment used in your workouts. A dumbbell workout can be alternated with a TRX workout; or a kettlebell workout can alternate with a workout of body weight exercises.

So remember, variety is the spice of a healthy life! There is no limit to the creativity and variety one can enjoy while pursuing a healthy, balanced life.

Merritt Athletic Clubs is the largest fitness center operation in the Baltimore area with several 24 hour gyms to fit your lifestyle. These include the 24 HR Downtown Athletic Club, 24 HR Buckingham, 24 HR Canton, and 24 HR Cranbrook facilities (Eldersburg, Fort Avenue, Owings Mills, Security, & Towson). Contact us to learn more.

A new poll provides evidence that exercise at any time of day is good for sleep, which makes 24 hour gyms sound better than ever. The 2013 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) poll may make you want to reconsider any curfew you set on working out.

Researchers found that exercise at any time of day improved sleep quality for most people compared to getting no exercise at all. The overall results about the connection between exercise and sleep quality were dramatic with 67 percent of exercisers reporting good quality sleep compared to 39 percent of non-exercisers. While conventional wisdom used to warn people that exercising too late at night might keep them up, the NSF has now changed its position to encourage exercise at any hour. The one exception is for people who already suffer from insomnia, who are advised to stick with their doctor’s treatment plan.

This is all good news if you enjoy normal sleep. The new recommendations provide you with more options for when to schedule your workouts. If you travel frequently or work rotating hours and evening shifts, the overnight hours may be the only time you can visit a fitness center. Even if you follow a typical work week, there may be times when a 24 hour gym is convenient like when your schedule is thrown off by holidays or house guests. Of course, you may just be a night owl and like the perks of less traffic and shorter lines for the abdominal machine.

No matter what time of day you work out, you’ll find the doors open at one of our 24 hour gyms. Merritt Athletic Clubs is the largest fitness center operation in the Baltimore area. Contact us to learn more about our 24 hour facilities including 24 HR Downtown Athletic Club, 24 HR Buckingham, 24 HR Canton, and 24 HR Cranbrook.

Exercise and rest are both vital to your wellbeing, and 24 hour gyms may help you sleep better. If you’re tossing and turning because your schedule doesn’t match the nine to five world, maybe you need a new fitness club.

You’ve probably heard advice about not exercising vigorously right before bed, but you may not have known why. It’s based on the theory that intense aerobic exercise increases stimulating hormones like adrenalin in your blood and raises your body’s core temperature slightly. Once elevated, your body temperature stays higher for a while and then falls to a temperature a bit lower than normal about six hours later. That cooling off makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

This is all great if you get off work at 5, squeeze in a kickboxing class and loll around for several hours before bed. If you travel extensively or have a schedule that varies due to shift work or different classes each semester, it gets a lot more difficult.

A 24 hour gym will let you work out whenever is ideal for you. In addition to avoiding intense activity before bed, you may also want to work out as soon as you wake up no matter what time that happens to be. Some studies show that people burn more fat during workouts before breakfast or anytime their stomachs are empty.

We should mention that some experts think that working out regularly is the important thing and don’t attach much importance to the time of day so experiment to find what works for you. Almost everyone does agree that reducing your exposure to light for a couple of hours before you retire promotes better rest. That’s because TVs, computer screens and other sources of light trigger your brain to stay alert making this another good reason to visit a fitness club earlier in your day or evening.

Merritt Athletic Clubs is the largest fitness center operation in the Baltimore area with several 24 hour gyms to fit your lifestyle. These include the 24 HR Downtown Athletic Club, Buckingham, Canton, and Cranbrook facilities. Contact us to learn more.