hi, I go to fernwood, in melville. and i really like it. I wasn't sure that i would like an all girl gym but it good not having to fight the boys for machines.

the showers are really nice and clean and mine does free breakfast.

Most of the machines have TV's on them to.

I also go to kickboxing and i love that to but go to fermfood for the weights and cross traininer, to mix things up.

My first gym was a Fernwood (Brisbane City - when they were on the corner of George and Elisabeth - they've since moved). I found that the atmosphere was very welcoming. Not sure if they still do this but they used to give you fruit if you did a morning workout and there was always a fridge full of cold, wet towels. I miss those so much!

They split their main workout area into about 1/3 weight machines and 2/3s cardio machines. That size area again was a single room for group workouts.

They tended to have trained staff on the floor ready to help you with understanding a machine or piece of equipment. This seems to be a rarity at other gyms (where you have reception staff that know nothing and personal trainers that must be paid to provide help).

Everyone was very considerate regarding machine useage. And it was definitely the easiest club I've ever been to do a full body weights workout using machines - with little downtime waiting for other members to finish.

Their group timetable wasn't excellent - it was geared to office workers and ran classes at 7.30am, 12.15pm, and 5.30pm and that was pretty much it. If you didn't work closeby doing 9 to 5 then the times usually didn't suit.

I also didn't like their billing system too much and ran into some problems when my first year contract expired and I had to renew and also wasn't treated well when I wanted to end my membership.

I left in the end because I took a job on the other side of the city and there was no way I could make the group fitness classes. Otherwise, was a wonderful first step into a gym. I've moved on to two different gyms since and Fernwood was definitely on par to Fitness First and LivingWell (since closed down).

Oh yeah and maybe I shouldn't mention it but there were some really, really lovely (and gorgeous) male group fitness instructors at Fernwood.

I am a Fernwood member. I have been a member of Parramatta and Blacktown. At Blacktwon the classes are great but the weight area is pretty basic, and a whole lot of the weights are not available for members to use outside of PT sessions - the smith machine, the olympic bar, the assisted pull up machine, and the adjustable cable machine come to mind.

At Parramatta, the classes were not quite as inspiring (too much bloody step for my liking) but the weights area was better and there were more weights available to the members - as well as a bosu ball. Bosu ball squats and pushups are awsome.

I like at fernwood that it is a comfortable and friendly atmosphere where you don't get leared at or made to feel uncomfortable if you want to do a solid weights session.

I've also found better value out of family-owned gyms (or "boutique" gyms) than Zest, etc. They tend to care more about their clients and not just putting a little number on your head and forgetting about you, your goals or your name. My mum did go to Fernwood in Brisbane for a while and she enjoyed it. She didn't like Curves and has recently signed up with Snap. (but she never sticks to gyms... whereas I have be going religiously since I was 15)...

I'm lucky enough to have gym access through work (if it wasn't destroyed in our flooding situation on Friday! Will find out tomorrow, I guess!) but there are no classes, no PTs (unless I want to go to VBS and get a PTI to write up a plan for me, but I'm a bit scared of how buff the boys are there...) but I generally have the gym to myself. So I can do as much cardio/weights as I like ... I just need some motivation. Might consider downloading some motivational PTs yelling at me for my ipod ??? Does that exist?

I do prefer outdoors but as well Claire but I find the weather in Sydney isn't as nice as Brisbane so tend to end up indoors instead. I also bought some exercise DVDs for at home too... kickboxing, Jillian Michaels, pilates and an aerobics one too. Just to mix it up when it's raining...

Aussies on Vodafone or 3 can visit Fitness First on Tues and Thurs in November. My first ever visit last week. Pondering return tonight for weights or yoga (if I can make up my mind). They also have a 1 day try it first pass.

I go to a Fernwood and l love it! Moving to a big city and not knowing anyone and not feeling too confident about my body, i thought it was a good option for me. I had only ever been a member of a mixed gym before, so i didn't know if the atmosphere would suit me, but i feel really comfortable and i love going! So it's working out well

And yes they have free breakfast, hair straighteners, heaps of lockers and showers and mine even has a beauty salon/ hairdresser. So it's all there!
I always feel very welcome and valued when i go there!

Whilst I cannot go there anymore because I moved states, if Virgin Active is close to you I'd recommend going there 110%.

There are so many classes, easy signup, rock climbing, pool facilities, relaxation facilities, a great range of exercise equipment and the change rooms are great especially if you need to go to work right afterwards. I've never been able to match my gym experience to the one I had at virgin!