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Gym Membership
Hi again folks...
I'm sorry about this but being new to the sport and all... still need alot of advice.
I'm thinking of joining a gym near work (Liverpool) and I was wondering what I should be looking for in a gym regarding facilities and prices. I have corporate discount and the price comes to £39.50 a month with no joining fee but unlimited access to the facilities which includes the usual gym equipment, pool & jacuzzi, sauna & steam room, dance studio (for classes) and treatments (massage etc). What do you guys pay and what do you get for it..?
I'm sorry about this but being new to the sport and all... still need alot of advice.
I'm thinking of joining a gym near work (Liverpool) and I was wondering what I should be looking for in a gym regarding facilities and prices. I have corporate discount and the price comes to £39.50 a month with no joining fee but unlimited access to the facilities which includes the usual gym equipment, pool & jacuzzi, sauna & steam room, dance studio (for classes) and treatments (massage etc). What do you guys pay and what do you get for it..?
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Comments
I pay £3.50 a session at a small gym on a campsite , it was a fiver for initial joining and safety brief . There are 3 tread mills (zzzzzzzzz) with hrm's two X trainer one bike , one recumbant bike ( both static BTW ) and a rowing machine . There are around 10 of those funny weights machines, sauna bubbly bath and steam room
Thing i like about it is that I can come and go as I please and i dont waste money when I'm not in
Cost - £ 25.00 p/month or £5.00 a session
Area - Herts
What - Full use of all gym equipment
Extras - Use of pool, sauna (included)
Not inc - fitness classes
I think you've got a fair deal there considering you get all the saunas, classes etc thrown in. I use Fitness First which works out about the same price.
Where abouts in Liverpool are you? My husband's a scouser and I used to work in Water street many years ago - we're now refugees down South!
Susie
I don't live in Liverpool. I work on Tithebarn St (next one along from Dale St) and it's the big Crowne Plaza Hotel on the Dock Road (Pier Head) which is offering the deal. I think it's a fairly new Hotel so not sure you'd know it but I thought it seemed to be a competitive price. Plus the other thing is, it's a hotel not a commercial gym, so they don't advertise membership. I went to have a look around and the membership woman has offered a free try-out so I'm looking at taking my training buddy next week to see what he thinks. His gym is one of those back street "men's gyms" where it's like a sweat box and a bit "cliquey"... not a comfortable place for girls
For me my main criteria was lots of treadmills so I would be guaranteed a run at lunchtime. Other than that, I guess it's good to have visible friendly staff who are encouraging, approachable and helpful.
I did the odd class like Pilates and Kick Fit but mainly it was an expensive way to have a run at lunchtime. When I joined, I thought I'd give loads of the classes a go but I always ended up running instead.
The other reason I chose it above other gyms was that it had loads of natural daylight and really lovely showers and changing facilities with free lotions and things so it was quite pampering too.
Thanks again guys
Cath, your deal sounds like quite a good one to me, but it depends what you want. It was really important to me to have a 25-metre fitness pool, and a lot of the 'cheaper' hotel deals round by us only included a funny-shaped, 15-metre pool for chilling out in. If you use the facilities regularly then it works out to be a good deal. We use our membership at least 3-4 times a week each, so we think it's worth it.
Also check out the ventilation , my last one had really high ceilings which allowed plenty of air to circulate.However this was to the detriment of the changing rooms which were like a sauna - tiny and cramped.
Finally check out the showers - in my old gym they controls were the cold to hot variety -allowing me to set the temperature so that after a hard workout I could have a cool shower.In the second gym however the controls were the push button hot or nothing sort. Maybe trivial but for £400 a year worth considering.
My final point would be if you're spending say £35 a month and a single trip is £3.50 then you need to go at least 10 times a month to make it worthwhile.Also weigh up the fact you may run outside over the summer any only use the shower.
Enjoy
I joined the gym I was looking at. Plenty of equipment, near to work, good air conditioning throughout, indoor pool and sauna and finally good changing facilities with complimentary toiletries and towel - so as long as I take my kit, I don't need to lug anything else around.
Thanks again guys, I'll let you know how I'm doing.
I'm still thinking about joining a smart, well-equipped gym with an ozone pool (only 20m, but that will do for me) near home after having a free 2-week trial. So far I've always used the council facilities, which give me unlimited access to about 25 gyms and pools and lots of classes around the city for £30 a month, but the posh one is just so-o-o-o temptingly clean and sweet-smelling and friendly and free from loud canned music that it's a close call.
The ultimate decider may be the fact that although my local gym is really grotty - two treadmills, three steppies, some bikes and a selection of machines in a tiny room behind the swimming pool (want ventilation? punch a hole in the wall) - it's only half a mile from home so I can walk there even on a bad day, whereas the other is nearly 2 miles away.
Decisions, decisions...
Cheers, V-rap.
The gym I belong to is called INVICTA and is one of six or seven around the country. This one opened last year near Swansea and its perfectly located on a motorway interchange which is central to most of my travels. And about four miles from home.