[Closed] Gym membership

I used to go to the one in Wellington, Somerset. Small, but OK. Avoided busy periods. Basic in terms of what is offered, but always kept clean and it was open 24 hours, not that I went at stupid times!
£33 a month or so, which seemed reasonable compared to other gyms, no fee to pay. Head in at the end of the month, they will want to hit monthly targets so try and give you a few more discounts.

Nope, but I'm a member of PureGym with no complaints* if there's one locally? Think it's £17.

Thinking of switching back to the council gym, it's smaller and more expensive, but had nicer spin bikes and a swimming pool.

*apart from being bombarded with marketing to up sell their protein shakes, join various paid for training/nutrition plans, massages, physio, PT etc. Their business model seems to be based on cheap gyms and training courses for PT's, they employ no one but offer cut price qualifications to PT's who'll staff the gym for free.

full on bodybuilders gym

I got to a gym with a reasonable degree of this, but it's not all that bad in my experience (admittedly middle aged man). Depending on what you are there to do, it may be the best equipped.

As for the Anytime company, it's odd how they respond to positive reviews on trust pilot and not to any of the negatives at all!

Nope, but I’m a member of PureGym with no complaints

I use PureGym too and am happy. The app makes it easy to book/cancel classes (of which there is a huge range to choose from) and the one I attend is never too busy either. I can't say I am unduly bombarded by them with marketing emails either.

Check out your local hotels, my best gym turned out to be the local Doubletree Hilton at Edinburgh Airport, £34/month for Wattbikes, 17.5m pool, 2 yoga classes a week (yeah, not a huge number, but enough for me) and a useful studio space for doing all the weird rehab physio I'm doing at the moment.

Might be worth looking to see if there are any Crossfit Boxes or Functional Fitness gyms near you.

Just joined the local The Gym Group, for a very reasonable £15.99 p/m. Open 24/7 via PIN entry, plenty free weights and machines, loads of unlimited cardio classes, spin sessions and a few pay extra classes.

They seem to be quite widespread and numerous throughout the country, but membership prices vary

Council gym near me £20. Excellent spin and circuit classes and well equipped.

I was with PureGym at £20/m until a few months ago, decent space with loads of equipment in central MCR but the changing rooms were a bit pokey and there were always dickheads getting in the way.

Changed to Bannatyne also in MCR centre, for £30/m - which has a pool, sauna etc as well and much nicer changing rooms/showers. Fewer machines but not so busy. More middle aged clientele.

Just to give you an idea what people pay and for what.

There's a gym right through the wall from my office and another in the same estate but neither of them have changing rooms  or showers.

What bloody good is a gym with no changing rooms or showers?

I'm no expert in this but, I've joined far too many over the years.

My 2p:

The cheap ones, sub-£30 or even sub £20 these days are cheap, but their model is based around an unlimited amount of members who, ideally never show up. So they recruit dozens, even hundreds every Jan, the gym is heaving, no spare machines, changing room a mess, no lockers etc for about 3-4 weeks, then it's okay again. Expect zero support past the initial orientation. Often a den of dickheads who think tough mudder is the pinnacle of human endeavor, beware the young lads covered in spots and massive arms wearing joggers so hide their tiny legs, they're desperately insecure and easily upset, by EVERYTHING. Also terrible music, LOUD everywhere, every flat surface mirrored, Wifi for the Insta pics. They make money by signing you up to a 12 month contract and hoping you'll forget about it.

Hotel Gyms, surprisingly nice, often quiet, I think they often just exist to look good on the hotel's website. Mine had a lovely pool, free of kids (I love kids, but welcome a child free swim) sauna, steam room, and lots of decent classes - "don't book, just turn up" because they're never full.

David Lloyd, as above, but costs more and busier. Membership Card looks good in the wallet next to the myWaitrose card and Gold Visa. Clientele like to wear expensive gym wear to hang out in the Cafe. Bring the whole family, once, then give them £500 a month for the rest of your life so you can be part of the Middle Class Gang.

CrossFit - do you like a heady mix of Circuits, the Atkins Diet and Arrogance? Yeah, Welcome to CrossFit you are now the most supreme athlete in the world, I know we don't actually do any 'Sport' as such, but if you did, you'd be the best of it, and if you're not, it's because you're too tired from Crossfit and you didn't want to play anyway. What do you mean terrible form, lots of muscle tears and back injuries? Yeah, well your workout is my warm-up pussy. At least you get take pics of your hand owies to show your Mum. Beware the CrossFit Alpha, there's one at every centre (I forget what they call them, but they seem to avoid the word Gym) they don't work there, they don't own the place, but somehow they appear to run the place.

Local Meathead, Bodybuilder place. I've joined 2 over the last 10 years apart from NO CARDIO EVA! They've been pretty nice places, people tend to keep themselves to themselves and it's pretty quiet apart from the grunting. All that GRRRRRRR SMASH as they throw a quarter of a tonne metal at the ground so everyone looks happened at the cheap gyms. There's always someone to help you with guidance, lots of talk of powders and potions to help gainz, but I've never been offered anything dodgy.

My current one is a group place for over-30s, it's all instructor lead with a new class every 45 mins and you can do 2 (or even 3) on the bounce if you like. Classes in 8s, small group classes (basically PT sessions with a mate) are in 2. They nag you if you don't go, sort of out nutrition plans and you can Facebook message the instructors whenever you like. It's £60 a month though.

Probably worth remembering that a lot of gyms, especially the shiny branded ones, will be busier than usual because of new year's resolutions so don't be too shocked if the kit or classes seem really over full. It doesn't last to February.

Check out universities as well, they're often open to the public and will usually have a load of staff using them so it's not like it's all fit young people. Can be very good value.

I use The Gym Group in Cardiff as its A: cheap B: 10 mins walk from home and C: open 24/7 so I can go at silly times and have it all to myself. Used to go to the local Fitness First but that was mentally busy so never felt like going.

You need to find a gym that caters for what you want out of it. Some want the basics only, others like to have a pool, cafe or sauna on top. I'm happy with a decent selection of machines, free weights, decent showers and 24/7 access so I can avoid the busy times. I never go between 6-9am and 4-8pm on weekdays as that's when the office drones flood the place, weekends it's always near-empty! The other advantage for me is it has an Amazon locker in the foyer, means I can get a workout in and pick up that random order all at the same time.

Council gym near me £20. Excellent spin and circuit classes and well equipped.

This. Though I never go the the gym,,3 classes a week more than covers my membership fee.

My gym is on the grounds of a hospital and opposite a university, so that explains the low cost. Working from home most times I either have the gym to myself or the pool at lunch time.

Afraid I went full Nuffield 8 months ago and wouldn’t swap back. I’ve done the council gyms, and the big gym at the Uni I work at and I just can’t cope with how busy they are and the mess. I’m not an office ‘drone’ but it does have to work for me on the way home. I like that I only have to wait at the most a few mins for the Olympic rack, there is a nice pool and good classes and kit. They also listen to members and improve areas of complaint.

It totally comes down to personal preference and I’m prepared (and fortunate to be able too) to spend my money in this way. Totally go what works for you - what is important in terms of kit etc and what works in terms of your day to make sure you go (for me it has to be on the general route of my walking commute - no way I’d go if I had to then go home and get the car).

I was all set to join Nuffield, I only go on my lunch breaks and they did a reasonable price for weekday off-peak only.

Then we moved office so that it was a 20 minute walk away.

🙁

I just joined the same gym my wife has used for a while. It's on the same site as her work so she goes on her dinner hour.

It's a Jetts gym and allows 24hr access. Capped membership apparently so doesn't get too full and all the equipment is modern and in good condition as is the gym in general. No sauna, pool or anything like that but it has a great range of kit and the PT's run 3 to 4 classes a day that are included in the membership fee.

We pay £25 p/m which I don't think is bad for what you get and beats running outside in the freezing rain!

I've been with Xercise4less for years now. Tenner a month gets a huge gym with all the gear, clean and good showers. Not the range of classes as it used to do though, so I'm thinking of jumping ship as booking in for a class is a good motivator for me.

I've just joined the local council gym as I have a leg injury and cant run, 25 a month gym spin classes and pool cant grumble at that price nowt fancy but it's cheap and local, and I can use any council gym in leeds too not that I will but always handy

Does your work do any schemes/employee benefits? I get Gympass through my work and it's great, I'm on the most basic package at £12/month (no contact). There's only 2 gyms in the basic package, one literally 2 minutes walk from my house, the other 10 min from my work. Perfect. For £35/month I could upgrade and have a choice from a massive selection, including a recently refurbed Banatyne's with pool/sauna/steam room etc. but the convience factor of the two mentioned above means I don't need to spend more.
I think there's a lot to be said about how conveniently located the gym is, if you have to battle through traffic to the other side of town then it's harder to get motivated to go.

We get Nuffield gym membership half price as through works health insurance policy with Vitality.

Bannatyne here £55 per month with all the equipment / classes / spa stuff you can eat.
Mrs OTS has PT sessions and does a couple of classes on top per week. It’s ok, and I thought it was expensive until my mate told me how much he pays for David Lloyd at Cheshire Oaks.

Ditto Firestarter, Leeds council membership here at £25pm, using it solely for the pools (3 within 10 minutes) at the moment as I'm learning to/improving my swim. Might start using classes in the future. Used to use gyms a lot when I was younger but they hold no interest to me at the moment.

I admit I would like somewhere with a steam room and sauna but can't have it all.

I would go to a bodybuilders gym, if they are dedicated bodybuilders they’ll just be your average joe, but with bodybuilding as their hobby much like mtb is ours.

I went for a look around at the weekend - bodybuilder gym was ok but cold as its an old stone boathouse & the cardio kit was very lacking.
The nearest decent hotel gym is to far to walk & not that many free weights.
Council place is tired, only really has spin bikes & kettle bells.
We do have a Puregym opening on a new retail park but thats not been built yet & they keep moving the date back.

I go to a couple of PureGyms in Edinburgh

I think they are pretty good, especially for the price ~£20/month
Lots of machines for cardio (bikes/cross trainers/treadmills/rowing)
Weights machines
TRX cages
Free weights
Other equipment like big tyres, kettle bells, medicine balls, big ropes to wiggle up and down - stuff like that

There are loads of fitness classes on that are all free for members.

Equipment is generally in good condition, odd ones with loose or perished grips etc.

The staff seem knowledgeable.

Changing rooms and showers are decent - not scummy, not fancy.

Month by month contract too. I only intended to go for a couple of months over last winter, but ended up liking it and keeping going. I'm in there 4 times a week or so, so am definitely getting my money's worth.

bodybuilder gym was ok but cold as its an old stone boathouse & the cardio kit was very lacking.

I can imagine the ethos is keep yourself warm and 'who needs cardio anyway'. There are 2 token cardio machines in the weights gym I use, I've never seen anyone use either of them, I think they are spill over from the Carido room upstairs.

You can do a lot with kettle bells and spin bikes. I'm not sure you've ever specified what you want from the gym though. I value the metabolic boost from weights and strength over cardio as I can cycle too and from work. But this obviously might not work for you.