You’re wearing your sweatpants. Your headband and tennies are tight. Your favorite T-shirt is fitted, and you’re on the verge of becoming a well-oiled fitness machine, able to triumph over any muscular or cardiovascular goal you set.

Now your job is to find a place to do it.

To start in your search for the perfect health club for your needs, you should talk with friends and coworkers about where they work out, says Bill Howland, who works for a nonprofit organization that provides safety standards for more than 6,500 clubs internationally and is a spokesman for the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Assn.

Howland also suggests setting priorities before visiting facilities.

“A single guy in his 20s is going to have different priorities than a person with kids,” he says. “It’s very crucial to think about what’s important to them: programs and classes, abundance of equipment, personalized service, children and family.”

Here are things to consider as you visit health clubs:

Before you hand over your money, know what you’re getting into. An annual membership for run from less than $400 to more than $800.

Concern over cost is one of the reasons an increasing number of gyms have begun offering monthly memberships, which give customers time to figure out whether staying in shape is worth the price over the long term.

Before signing a contract, ask about cancellation fees, hidden costs, maintenance charges and roll-over obligations. Ask whether you would be obligated to continue paying if you got hurt or injured.

“Have the terms explained to you. Have them point it out,” Howland says. “You ought to just trust your gut, and if something doesn’t feel right, ask ‘Why am I doing this?’ or walk away.”

Ask what amenities are included in a package because many clubs charge extra for using the pool and tennis courts or taking aerobics or other classes.

Options, priorities

Families might want to ask about child-care options as well as the cost of enrolling several members of a household.

Location is a top priority for Sue Sandtveit, a 51-year-old high school teacher in the Detorit area.

After years of taking cardiovascular classes at inconvenient hours, Sandtveit recently decided to scour fitness centers for a place close to her job.

“Location is convenience,” she says.

The typical fitness center has an area with cardiovascular equipment like stationary bikes and treadmills and a designated section with assisted weight machines, free weights and benches for chest and abdominal training.

Locker rooms and showers are standard as well. The size of these areas and the amount of equipment varies.

Equipment needs

Adam Campbell, an assistant editor at Men’s Health magazine in New York, offers this advice on weight lifting and cardiovascular options:

For bodybuilders, free weights are a must, especially an adequate supply of dumbbells that allow you to perform single-limb one-arm or one-leg movements critical in creating a balance of muscle among body parts, he says.

Campbell also recommends a club with more than one cable machine. These tend to come with a variety of grips to work out different muscles.

For Jeff Allor, 32, the heavy power-lifting equipment at Fitness Unlimited in Royal Oak, Mich., made choosing a gym child’s play. Allor says the club provides a special room for power lifters and allows to perform dead-lift exercises and other activities that are banned from many fitness chains.

Sandtveit says she wanted a club with all the basics, but she was also looking for amenities like free yoga and cardiovascular classes and a free fitness evaluation from a trainer.

Extra perks

Health experts suggest looking for perks worth paying extra for, which can mean anything from tennis courts and a swimming pool to family membership options.

In addition, aerobics classes like Tae Bo, Spinning and kickboxing are gaining popularity. Many health clubs offer the classes, but some charge a nominal fee.

New conditioning classes Boot Camp and Quicksand also are gaining attention as intense workouts that involve fast-action, strength and speed drills, fitness experts say.

“Is it clean? If you’re going to be showering there, this will be important,” says Campbell.

“Are there broken machines? This will give you an idea of management’s upkeep of the place. If you stop by twice in a week and the same machine is still broken, you’ll want to ask why.”

The best way to arm yourself against injury is by ensuring that your fitness center always has a certified physical trainer on hand, says Dr. Judith Young, executive director of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.