Health Club and Fitness Center
Pre-Listening
What do you do to stay active? Do you have a fitness routine that you follow?
Listen and Read
Listen to the recording about health and fitness clubs, answer the questions, and then read along with the audio recording.
Listening Quiz
Select the best answer for each question, then press Check Answers.
Use arrow keys to choose between options within each question.
1. The man goes to the health club ______ a week.
2. The man ________ on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
3. On Sundays, the man ________.
I go to a health club two or three times a week to stay in shape and stay fit. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I run several miles on a treadmill and then cool down by walking around the indoor track. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I lift weights and discuss nutrition with my personal trainer. On Fridays, I play racquetball with a friend and then relax in the Jacuzzi for a few minutes to relax my muscles. On Saturdays, I do aerobics to improve my cardiovascular fitness. Exercise also lets me burn off stress from work. On Sundays, I take a day off from exercising, but I might take a stroll around the park with my dog.
Vocabulary and Expressions From the Audio
- health club (noun): a facility that offers exercise equipment, fitness classes, and other wellness services for members
- She joined a health club near her office so she could work out during her lunch break.
- stay in shape (expression): to maintain a good level of physical fitness through regular exercise
- He goes to the gym three times a week to stay in shape.
- stay fit (expression): to keep the body healthy and strong through regular physical activity
- She found that swimming was the best way for her to stay fit without putting stress on her joints.
- treadmill (noun): a piece of exercise equipment with a moving belt that allows a person to walk or run in place
- He warmed up on the treadmill for 20 minutes before lifting weights.
- cool down (phrasal verb): to do gentle exercise or stretching after a workout to allow the body to gradually return to its normal state
- She always took ten minutes to cool down with light stretching after her run.
- track (noun): a path or loop, often found at a gym or sports facility, designed for walking or running
- He did several laps around the indoor track before heading to the weight room.
- nutrition (noun): the process of eating the right foods to support health, energy, and physical performance
- Her personal trainer emphasized that good nutrition was just as important as exercise.
- Jacuzzi (noun): a large bath or pool with jets of water that massage the body, often used to relax muscles after exercise
- After her workout, she soaked in the Jacuzzi to help her sore muscles recover.
- personal trainer (noun): a fitness professional who designs and leads individualized exercise programs for clients
- He hired a personal trainer to help him reach his fitness goals more efficiently.
- aerobics (noun): a form of exercise that increases the heart rate and improves cardiovascular fitness, often done to music in a group class
- She attended an aerobics class every Tuesday and Thursday morning.
- cardiovascular fitness (noun): the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to the muscles during sustained physical activity
- Running and cycling are both excellent ways to improve your cardiovascular fitness.
- burn off (phrasal verb): to use up or release something through physical activity, such as calories, energy, or stress
- He went for a long run to burn off some energy after sitting at his desk all day.
- stroll (noun): a slow, relaxed walk
- After her intense workout, she ended her session with a gentle stroll around the track to cool down.
Discussion
Staying fit is important for your physical and even emotional well-being. What do you do to stay in shape? Or if you had the time and motivation, what would you consider doing to stay fit?
Online Investigation
Compare two health or sports clubs you find on the internet in terms of facilities, membership costs, years in business, and hours of business. Which one gives you the better value?
Online Listening Practice (from www.esl-lab.com):
- A Healthy Lifestyle
- A Hiking Family
- Hobbies
- Exercise Program
- Running Shoes
- Trail Running (Video)
- Ultrarunning (Video)
- Cycling (Video)
- Winter Soccer (Video)
- Hiking Mt. Timpanogos (Video)