gym membership, where to go and how to choose
roxylola
Posts: 540 Member
Reposted from my blog because I would appreciate opinions and thoughts
I am a member at Pure Gym (uk). I have been going relatively regularly for the last few months. I am beginning to wonder if I want to change gyms.
In favour of Pure: -
There are loads of them - one close to home, one close to OH and two fairly close to work. No other gym franchise has as many options all of which are fairly convenient
They are cheap - under £20 a month - all the others are more expensive
There is lots of equipment in them
In favour of a change
The one nearest work is a good 10 minutes walk away, which if I want to go at lunch is a bit too far to get much done really and have a shower etc. The other near work is sort of on the way in and accessible for before work but always very very busy
Which leads to my next issue. They have lots and lots of stuff (like every machine imaginable) and 2 power racks. Now most of my workouts is free weights, I can use dumbells and kind of make do but essentially I have limited time and to make best use of it I want to use the cages etc. Today I walked down there in my lunch and there were not even any free benches! They do have weight machines but I am liking my free weights and want to stick with them. Today I just stuck in a bit of cardio but it's so frustrating to get there with limited time and not be able to do what I came for.
There are a lot of jerks at the ones near work - the kind who last week nicked my bench with my towel on it while I had my back turned - doing supersets. couldn't be bothered saying anything there were tons like right next to it so I grabbed my stuff and moved down to a "free" one when some guy came shooting over all "I was using that" sorry mate I'll move but no towel or anything so how was I to know. That same day my phone was stolen while I was in the shower so not a good workout! Also the kind who grunt a lot and flex a lot and seem to spend a lot of time taking up space while not working out!
There are no saunas and the like - this helps keep the cost down and also saunas can get a bit grubby and all. I don't use them much but it's nice to have the option. The showers are a bit rubbish, no thermostat control and just a push on so you have to keep pushing to make it go. I could probably live without a sauna if there were decent showers
There are 4 alternatives closer to work. 1 is a virgin active and not much closer so not really bothered even looking at that. Another is a Soho gym, very close not been round it but they do lots of classes and it is in a hotel so generally I would expect quality to be good and all nice and clean. Looks good on the website for £25 per month
Bannatynes is literally over the road from work and has everything, looks lovely but is £30 per month
LA fitness is probably similar to Pure in terms of equipment etc it's a bit closer and a bit nicer and £25 a month
Most of these are for a 12 month contract
In an ideal world I would keep the membership with Pure and have Bannatynes but that would then be £50 a month on gym membership which is more than I can justify. If I switch to any of these other places I will only be able to go to the gym in the city centre there won't be one 10 minutes from my home or my OH any more either so less possibility of going to other gyms and means I am less likely to go on days off but might mean I go more regularly as lunchtimes would be productive rather than frustrating.
Dithering at the moment over what the best way forward is. I can freeze my membership with Pure for a month or two for £5 while I decide but that then leaves me stuck without a gym for a month if the others don't suit...
I am a member at Pure Gym (uk). I have been going relatively regularly for the last few months. I am beginning to wonder if I want to change gyms.
In favour of Pure: -
There are loads of them - one close to home, one close to OH and two fairly close to work. No other gym franchise has as many options all of which are fairly convenient
They are cheap - under £20 a month - all the others are more expensive
There is lots of equipment in them
In favour of a change
The one nearest work is a good 10 minutes walk away, which if I want to go at lunch is a bit too far to get much done really and have a shower etc. The other near work is sort of on the way in and accessible for before work but always very very busy
Which leads to my next issue. They have lots and lots of stuff (like every machine imaginable) and 2 power racks. Now most of my workouts is free weights, I can use dumbells and kind of make do but essentially I have limited time and to make best use of it I want to use the cages etc. Today I walked down there in my lunch and there were not even any free benches! They do have weight machines but I am liking my free weights and want to stick with them. Today I just stuck in a bit of cardio but it's so frustrating to get there with limited time and not be able to do what I came for.
There are a lot of jerks at the ones near work - the kind who last week nicked my bench with my towel on it while I had my back turned - doing supersets. couldn't be bothered saying anything there were tons like right next to it so I grabbed my stuff and moved down to a "free" one when some guy came shooting over all "I was using that" sorry mate I'll move but no towel or anything so how was I to know. That same day my phone was stolen while I was in the shower so not a good workout! Also the kind who grunt a lot and flex a lot and seem to spend a lot of time taking up space while not working out!
There are no saunas and the like - this helps keep the cost down and also saunas can get a bit grubby and all. I don't use them much but it's nice to have the option. The showers are a bit rubbish, no thermostat control and just a push on so you have to keep pushing to make it go. I could probably live without a sauna if there were decent showers
There are 4 alternatives closer to work. 1 is a virgin active and not much closer so not really bothered even looking at that. Another is a Soho gym, very close not been round it but they do lots of classes and it is in a hotel so generally I would expect quality to be good and all nice and clean. Looks good on the website for £25 per month
Bannatynes is literally over the road from work and has everything, looks lovely but is £30 per month
LA fitness is probably similar to Pure in terms of equipment etc it's a bit closer and a bit nicer and £25 a month
Most of these are for a 12 month contract
In an ideal world I would keep the membership with Pure and have Bannatynes but that would then be £50 a month on gym membership which is more than I can justify. If I switch to any of these other places I will only be able to go to the gym in the city centre there won't be one 10 minutes from my home or my OH any more either so less possibility of going to other gyms and means I am less likely to go on days off but might mean I go more regularly as lunchtimes would be productive rather than frustrating.
Dithering at the moment over what the best way forward is. I can freeze my membership with Pure for a month or two for £5 while I decide but that then leaves me stuck without a gym for a month if the others don't suit...
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Replies
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Go to these other gyms one at a time and ask for a trial membership. Most gyms will give you a week or half a week to check them out or for a small fee. One gym may be a total standout.
Personally I would look for a gym closer to home because your job may change. That happened to me and my gym was no longer convenient at all.0 -
Valid point about being closer to home - only 5 miles from home and I work in the city centre so even if my job changed I would still be loooking for something in the same area, although not so convenient for lunch times perhaps.
One gym does trial membership for a day one does guided tours. I could do with a few days though as I go at different times and I need to see what the weight room is like in the morning and at lunch time!
Also, the only one anywhere close to home is Pure where I am anyway.0 -
Criteria for a good gym:
* NOT Planet Fitness.
That's it.0 -
True enough - I suspect Pure is a bit like a slightly better version of PF to be honest0
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See if you can get a week's pass (not uncommon) to try the gym out. It's not always about cost, but how effective you'll think your workout will be.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
There's no point joining a gym you never get to or that is so busy you can't do anything once you're there. What does your local council offer? Edinburgh's council-run facilities are great, and reasonably priced. Yeah, you don't get fancy showers or free towels, but so what? It's a gym, not a luxury spa.0
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Bannatynes has a good reputation, and a friend of mine who was a member said they deserved it. Just anecdotal evidence, of course, but for an extra £10 well worth a look.
I looked at LA fitness when I was scouting gyms, and they have a terrible reputation for broken equipment not fixed for ages, dirty showers and changing rooms, rude staff, and being very dodgy if you try to leave even after your initial contract period has ended.
In the end I decided that you get what you pay for, and sprung for a Nuffield Health membership. It's expensive, but if you haggle a bit you can get their lowest membership price, and I don't regret it for a minute - it's clean, friendly, helpful, never overcrowded, free towels/sauna and all that jazz, and all the equipment and classes you could want for less than £15 a week. That's less than I would have spent in the pub on one of the evenings I go, so I reckon its worth it.
Not sure if that helps, as there may not be a Nuffield near you, but if there is might also be worth a look
Good luck!0 -
Criteria for a good gym:
* NOT Planet Fitness.
....took the words right outta my mouth!
That's it.0 -
I'm a member of lifestyle fitness only £17.99 per month all in, 12 month contract or £21:99 no contract.
Have a look http://www.lifestylefitness.co.uk/
They might have one near you. Been there 18 months and never had an issue0 -
the best one for you to go to is the one you will go to there all great if you go but none of them are any good if you stay home pick one that's wont make you go broke pick one that wont take a long time to get to pick one that is open when you want to work out pick one that has what you want ie. classes/sitting service /swimming pools etc. then join and goooooooooooo burn on burn on and enjoy0
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My rule is if they don't have a squat rack then i don't bother 0
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The gym I go to has to be within walking distance (20 minute each way, 40 to 50 minutes round trip is fine), otherwise I won't go. I only walk to the gym, don't drive. So, I actually live where I live because it has great gym access. So, there are four major gyms for me to choose from. I choose one that has the best free weights options plus good and free yoga classes. But the weights are more important than the classes. Plus it needs to be affordable. I suppose if one had funner people that would be an attraction over annoying people. I want to have fun.
Oh, yeah, also good hours.
I am in the process of switching gyms at the moment. I have weights at home and go to the gym and dance.0 -
Local council is ok but inconvenient to get to. And not particularly cheap!
All have two or more squat racks, pure has two but I can never get near them.
Lifestyle is the one I thought was virgin. May call there later this week.
Visited Bannatynes and Soho today. Both clean well equipped and not over busy.
Bannatynes - £29 fixed contract (or more and no contract)
Soho - £25 no contract
Bannatynes was a bit nicer, a bit better layout and has a spa and swimming pool and is just a little closer. They also have 3 Manchester gyms I could use.
Soho was a bit of a maze, but all the stuff is there, they have a sauna etc no pool, and only the one gym in manchester.
Overall, I really did like the atmosphere in Bannatynes but it is about 50% more than what I am paying currently and a year contract, it's a pretty big committment! I do get some discount on the spa stuff, unfortunately they do not give a price list which makes me think it will be expensive.0 -
my needs are different than yours- but I make sure I have a list of needs- and things I'm willing to budge on- and things I require.
My absolute must haves
1.) dance space (aerobics room- I need room to work on dance projects- can't do it at home)
2.) Squat racks/dead lifting
3.) centrally located so it's convenient to get to
4.) hours
perks but not needed
> chain (so I can use multiple gyms when visiting people)
> pool
> towels
> cardio equipment
> good deal
That's pretty much what drives my needs- lucky for me I found a great gym- it's quiet- it's central and it's got lots of power lifters. easy peasy lemon sqeezy.
also not so busy at 5 PM I can walk in and do my workout- which means earlier bed time for me. WINNING!0 -
Another thing. It is a plus if the gym has trainers for weight lifting that will do short term training. Then you can set up a few sessions to help with form and evaluate increasing weights. It is a big drawback when the only training available is for 6 months to a year and costs thousands of dollars. I'm leaving my gym now (goodlife fitness) for that reason. I'm switching to a gym that does not have long contracts, has more weight lifting options, has personal trainers/physiotherapists/sports massage. Both are within walking distance for me. The new gym just has the one location. It is not a chain. They also have a pool, but I don't care about that. My apartment complex also has a pool (and a fitness room, but it's no good).0
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Last time I was a member of Bannatynes, the membership was £90 per month for a couple so your £29 is a bargain - good gyms, well maintained, also Les Mill classes which are great. However, I am a total fan of PureGym, open 24hrs, tons of machines, really clean and an amazing price and close to work and home. As some others said, if it isn't close, I just won't be going!0
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I joined the community center. They had an indoor pool for my kid, reasonable prices, and I don't really need anything fancy. This is a rather low crime area but I do not take anything of any value with me as I don't want to keep track of it. I'm probably the only person there with a notebook instead of a phone to track my workouts lol. Anecdotal story; my step sister belonged to a very pricey gym, had very pricey shoes, and ate very pricey food. She claimed to be in better shape because of these things. I told her, "It's not the shoes that makes the athlete". I am 6 inches taller and 30 lean pounds heavier than she. I told her, due to my size, and the fact we were, in fact, only gym people not elite athletes, that my size and lean mass would make me stronger and faster at nearly everything. (Guys in decent shape can say the same about me. They are bigger and have more muscle mass.,) We had a "contest". Sure as heck, I was faster and stronger at everything we tried. I'd find a reasonably priced gym and go from there.0
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