YMCA

Of all America's health club chains, the YMCA are the hardest to categorize, yet the most familiar. Everyone has been to their local Y at some time or another, and each of us has an image of what Y represents.

Because Ys operate under the philosophy of being community based and driven, each YMCA is different. While some might focus on child care, teen leadership, and sports clubs for older adults, others may provide kids' swim lessons, Adventure Guides, and after school programming.

When you start to look at the numbers, then the YMCA dwarfs anyone else. They are the largest providers of child care in the US, operating nearly 10,000 child care sites across the country. They also serve nearly 10 million children under the age of 18 through activities such as camping, sports and summer programs.

However, since their founding, YMCAs have provided health and fitness programs as an integral part of their mission. That means your local Y probably has a gym. If they do, it will be a friendly, welcoming place. In addition to a good range of equipment it will offer child care facilities and a huge range of programmes for children.

All of this means that if you have a family, there may be no better place to workout than your local Y.