Doctor's Letter Needed For Gym?

[stevec]

Hi all,

Quick query on gym-going: my guidebook says BA gyms may require a doctor's letter saying you're fit and healthy before they'll let you work out. Anyone encountered this?

If relevant, I'm inclined towards grimy old-school gyms with a bunch of free weights rather than brightly-lit, sauna and massage and all-the-latest-equipment type spots.

Gracias,
Steve

 

[Splitty]

Most gyms stipulate this, but few follow up on it.
Just keep going and if they ask say you have an appointment for next week and blow them off.
Pretty soon they forget.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

It is a legal requirement, any gym I have been to insists on it, generally called an apto fisico. Pretty straightforward, they take your blood pressure and do an ECG. You'll get the ecg output and a note. Any decent chain will insist....dont know about any of the independents. W are with megatlon and it was 100% mandatory.

 

[Napoleon]

It actually makes sense, but seems odd coming from outside the country. And again, they don't use their own doctors/fitness testers to remove conflict of interest/liabiity.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Just re-read your post...grimy old school might not care, but beware...if you expect air con you might be disappointed

 

[nlaruccia]

Your GP will send you to get a blood test and ECG, you take him or her the rest results and they will give you a hand written note to give to the gym. All gyms required this and they won't let members enter the gym if they haven't done their yearly routine check up with their doctor. You can avoid making all the doctor's and lab appointments if your gym offers this service, which they charge a reasonable fee to do.

 

[Joe]

Megathon didn't require the doctor test for one month memberships but did if you got the cheaper 3 months auto-renew membership. They had an inhouse person that did it at the Barrio Norte branch - great gym BTW.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Megatlon do now require for all....I had a one month and was asked on day 1

 

[nlaruccia]

I've been a member of Megatlon for many years and now they do require it. They won't allow members to continue entering the facility if they don't get the certificado de aptitud fisico done. However, you can get do it in the gym, but I'm not sure how much they charge.

 

[trennod]

As others have mentioned, depends on the gym. Wellclub doesnt require well, well they didnt when I signed up anyway.