It happens every year without fail. Right after the holiday shopping rush, the frenzy moves from the malls to the same old place: your local fitness center.

Lines form where there wasn't one for treadmills or the leg-press machine only a month ago. Unfamiliar faces fill up every spot on the group exercise floor.

Fitness experts say January is the busiest time of the year for health and sports clubs. Members return from the holidays, sometimes with extra pounds. Newcomers sign up for memberships, flush with determination to be healthier, fitter, perhaps lighter on the scale.

"I call them snowbirds," said Laraine Kwilman of Anaheim Hills, Calif., a 56-year-old health-club member of about a decade. They roost during the latter half of winter, but fly away in the spring, she said.

What keeps people such as Kwilman exercising at the gym for many years? And what makes others quit after 16 weeks, or less?

The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association has looked at the dropout phenomenon and concluded that less than a third of people new to health clubs are still around after six months. What happens to the other two-thirds? They leave because they didn't make sufficient use of their membership, lost interest or motivation, didn't like the club atmosphere, found the facilities overcrowded, were dissatisfied with the staff.

Health and sports clubs have been working hard in the past decade to improve customer services and retain members, said Nick Devereaux, vice president of operations for the international sports association.

The number of health club-related complaints filed with the Council of Better Business Bureaus dropped from 3,140 in 1991 to 263 in 1997.

Despite the changes, joining a health club still can be a daunting, unpleasant experience for a newcomer. Once that's over, the challenge becomes how to develop an enjoyable workout habit.

SHOP FOR A FITNESS CENTER

Compare and select: boutique clubs, mom-and-pop fitness centers, chains, mega-complexes.

Most health clubs should offer a complimentary workout, said Nick Devereaux, vice president of operations for the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association. "If they try to make you sign a contract without you having tried the club at least once, look for another club," he said. "You shouldn't join a club you haven't checked out."

The length of the free workout depends on the club - some allow only a one-day pass, others an entire week. If a friend, co-worker or relative has a membership at a health club you're considering, that member can help arrange a complimentary visit.

Meet with a club sales representative who can answer questions about the club and give you a tour to review the facilities, programs and amenities.

Make sure you take, or at least observe, a couple of group-exercise classes. Try the cardio machines. Look at the weight-training equipment. If possible, make an appointment with the group-exercise director to discuss the schedule and safety tips for introductory classes. Discuss exercise formats such as indoor cycling, step, yoga and aerobic kick boxing. Visit the club at the time you plan work out, to get a realistic picture of what it will be like.

Bring a pad with you to take notes about things you like or don't like and to list questions for the membership representative. Ask members what they don't like or what needs improvement in the club.

Experts suggest the following guidelines for evaluating a fitness center:

Are staff members helpful, knowledgeable and friendly? Is the club clean and well-maintained? Do the workout and locker rooms smell pleasant? Is the equipment in good shape? Can staff members provide evidence of members provided with an orientation and instruction on using equipment? Are there long lines for equipment? Are the classes crowded, and is there a system in place to make sure people get a place in a fair manner? Is there a sufficient variety of programs and activities to help you achieve your goals? Is child care available if you need it? Is there sufficient safe and well-lighted parking? Most of all, do you feel comfortable there, and do you like the club atmosphere?

Evaluate yourself and your choices so you'll persevere

Here, some advice from health-club experts and members on how to join and persevere at a fitness center:

-- Identify your goals: Do you want to lose weight; make fitness a part of improving your health; assist your recovery from illness or injury?

Improving and maintaining health, of course, is the best goal you can set, because it is one you keep for life. And it's one to reach gradually and safely.

A specific amount of weight loss - although a highly motivating goal - should be a byproduct, not the main goal. Working toward an unrealistic number on the scale can set up people for failure.

-- Do you like to be surrounded by people or prefer to be alone? If you aren't comfortable in the company of others, maybe you should work out at home.

-- Set a budget. What can you truly afford to pay monthly: $25 or $100 or somewhere in between?

-- Determine the minimum amount of time you can devote to exercise and when you can do it. The government recommends 30 minutes of vigorous exercise daily as part of a healthy lifestyle. You don't have to exercise every day, but it's best to meet the reasonable equivalent of this recommendation - say, an hour and 10 minutes of vigorous exercise three times a week.

Think about when you are most likely to have energy and time for exercise - at dawn, later in the morning, noon, early afternoon or evening? Are you more likely to go to the gym if it's near work or closer to home, or do you want the flexibility of having several locations from which to choose?

When Dave Sherry, 44, of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., started working at Western United Auto Insurance in Irvine several months ago, he signed up at the health club across the street. His goal: health. He's kept a regular schedule of precisely timed daily workouts, which he does during his lunch hour. "It gives me energy for the afternoon," he said. He has also lost 15 pounds in three months. Location, location, location was undoubtedly a big factor in his being able to stick to his workout program.

Wayne Hazle, 32, recently moved his workplace from one suburb to another - so he was glad he'd gotten a multi-location club membership several years ago. He made a smooth transition to a new club site. Added bonus: "It's nice to see a variety of people - and it's different in every club," he said.

Read the fine print before signing

Read and understand everything before signing a membership contract.

-- Ask the membership representative to explain everything in the contract. Do not rely on verbal promises - get it in writing. If there are several tiers of membership, make sure you understand which programs, classes and services are included at each level.

Longtime health-club member Laraine Kwilman of Anaheim Hills, Calif., for example, upgraded her membership to a higher level at a health-club chain. Membership representatives told her that the upgrade fees - an additional $10 monthly plus a processing fee of $40 - would cover all group exercise classes at the newly opened location she wanted to use, she said. When she wanted to try the indoor cycling classes, she found she would have to pay an additional fee for each class. Kwilman was angry, and rightly so. She and others who bought the same upgrade complained to management and asked them to waive the fees. A compromise eventually was reached.

-- This trend of clubs charging extra for new specialty classes is going to continue, said Nick Devereaux of the international sportsclub association. "New exercise equipment is expensive, and affordable, certified, well-trained quality instructors for specialty classes such as Pilates and Spinning are hard to find, so some of those costs have to be passed on to the members who are availing of those classes," Devereaux said. "Otherwise, the club would have to hike fees even more for everyone, including for those members who may not be taking those specialty classes."

It's a trend that irks longtime club members. In some cases, attendance for these pay-as-you-go classes has been dismal because members do not want to have to pay extra for classes they think should be free.

-- There is no such thing as a lifetime membership. Ask a sales representative if the club offers short-term trial memberships, Devereaux said. These typically last about three months. If this is not available, choose a month-to-month membership lasting no longer than one year, Devereaux said. This option might cost more, but it gives you flexibility to change clubs after a year if you are unhappy with your choice.

-- Ask the membership representative to clarify who owns your contract. Some clubs may sell your contract to another health club. Sometimes, clubs are purchased by other clubs that charge higher fees, which means members must cover the extra cost or look for another fitness center.

-- Know that there is grace period - a cooling-off time - in which you can change your mind and terminate a contract and get a complete refund, Devereaux said. The grace period should be included on the contract. Ask the sales representative how many days you have to change your mind. If you decide to quit, you must do so in writing.

-- Understand that once you've signed a contract, you can't end it the moment you don't feel like working out anymore. The contract should specify the rules under which you can terminate a membership, such as permanent illness, medical condition or injury, or relocation to a place not served by a branch of your health club.

-- Don't be pressured by an aggressive sales pitch, especially when a sales rep says there's a special promotion that will expire tonight. There are always promotions and special deals going on in most clubs. If you feel as if you're in a used-car lot, ask to speak to a manager and let him or her know you are uncomfortable. Do not leave your home or work telephone number with the sales rep, even if he or she asks for it, if you aren't ready to sign a contract.

Making the most of your club membership

-- If you don't know where to start, make an appointment with a personal trainer at the club; the trainer can show you how to use the cardio and strength-training machines. Usually, there is no fee for this.

-- Some clubs have on-the-floor trainers who are not training anyone in particular, but are there specifically to help people.

-- Some clubs suggest your best bet is to set aside a budget for a personal trainer at the club, telling the trainer what you can afford to pay and asking how you can spread the money in training sessions.

-- If you haven't done this during your free workout week, make an appointment to meet with the group-exercise coordinator to discuss the schedule for beginner classes and the formats that you are most likely to enjoy.

Meeting with the coordinator will take a lot of the guesswork out of your exercise program and help tailor it to your goals. The coordinator also can tell you what attire or gear you need or don't need, said Skip Jennings, group exercise director for several Southern California clubs. "Some people, for example, think they need bike shorts and cycling shoes for indoor cycling. They don't. But they need a filled water bottle and towel. Some people think they can wear running shoes for step. They shouldn't because they won't get the right support."

-- Don't be intimidated by your lack of knowledge, excess weight or attire. People of various fitness levels and weights work out in gyms. Many types of workout clothing - loose track pants, bike shorts, sports bras, or quick-drying T-shirts, for example - are acceptable. Most important, wear athletic shoes appropriate for your activities.

-- Work at your own pace. "Don't feel like you have to keep up with the seasoned members of a class," said Cathy Brokaw, who teaches cardio-kickboxing, step and Body Pump in several Orange County, Calif., health clubs. "Don't go gangbusters and hurt yourself. Make sure you place yourself in a spot in the room where you can see the instructor clearly."

And be patient - it takes several classes to get the hang of the format.

-- Put variety in your workout menu. Comments Bill Applegate, 29, a physical therapist from Irvine: "I work out on different machines and take different classes to keep myself interested in exercise."

------------------------- Consumer resources

The Washington state Attorney General's Office has a brochure called, "Health Clubs: Exercise Your Rights." Call 206-464-6684 to order a copy, or 800-692-5082, ConsumerLine, to hear a taped message, "Health and Fitness Clubs," and enter No. 501. The office, which has a complaint form, accepts complaints about health and fitness clubs.

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