Gym & Personal Training Contract Checklist

What it should state. What's commonly not stated. What to ask before you sign.

You're about to sign a gym membership or personal training contract. This page lists what a complete one states, the lines that are commonly not stated, and the questions worth asking before your name goes on it.

This is a reading checklist, not advice. Spend Defense doesn't tell you whether to sign — we make sure you've actually seen what's on the page, and what isn't.

What a complete gym contract states

Total cost of the term — the full amount over the contract, not just the monthly number.
Fees — enrollment, annual, and maintenance fees, each with an amount and date.
Term length — the start date and end date.
Auto-renewal — whether the contract renews or converts to month-to-month, and at what rate.
Cancellation method — exactly how to cancel — in person, mail, online — and the notice needed.
Freeze terms — whether you can pause for injury or travel, the cost, and documentation required.
Training sessions — number of sessions, price per session, and when unused sessions expire.
Trainer substitution — what happens if your trainer leaves or is unavailable.

What's commonly not stated

The cancellation method — the method can be the hardest part — certified mail or in-person only may sit in fine print.
Annual fee date — a once-a-year fee may be charged on a date you never see in the sales summary.
Expiring sessions — unused training sessions may expire without a refund.
Relocation terms — what happens if you move away is often unstated.

None of these gaps decide anything by themselves. They're the lines to ask about before you sign, not after.

Questions to ask before you sign

“What is the total cost over the full term, including all fees?”
“Does this renew automatically, and at what rate?”
“Exactly how do I cancel, and how much notice is required?”
“Can I freeze the membership, and what does it cost?”
“When do unused training sessions expire?”

Want a second set of eyes on the actual document?

Send us the paperwork before you sign. A Quick Check reads your document and shows you what it says, what's not stated, and what to ask — for $4.99 (up to 10 pages). Longer documents: Document Review $19, Premium Review $49.

Check my document →

We don't decide for you. We make sure nothing on the page — or missing from it — surprises you later.

FAQ

How much does a gym membership usually cost?

We don't price other people's memberships — cost depends on the gym, the location, the term, and any training add-ons. What you can check is whether your contract states the total cost of the full term, every fee, and how to cancel. If it doesn't, that's a question to ask before signing.

What if something on this checklist is missing from my gym contract?

Ask for it in writing before you sign. A missing cancellation method or fee date isn't a verdict on the gym; it's an unknown in a contract that bills you every month. Getting it stated on the page costs nothing and settles it before the first charge.

Can Spend Defense read my actual gym contract?

Yes — that's the Quick Check. Send the document and you'll get back what it says, what's not stated, and what to ask, for $4.99 (up to 10 pages). Most gym and training contracts are short, well within that limit.

Related checklists

Spend Defense — we read the paperwork before you sign. We don't decide for you.