I’m going to start this post off with this; Gym shopping is a pain in the ass and very time consuming, but very worth it.
We’ve been here in London for a week now and we still don’t have a membership to a gym yet and I’m dying. Actually, I’m getting fat is what I’m doing. I’ve been looking hard for a gym to join but in my search I’ve found two things about gyms in London; there are a lot of them to look at and test out, and their memberships are freakin’ expensive!!
There are several big gym chains around here; “Gym Box”, “Fitness First”, “Virgin Active”, “L.A. fitness” and “Nuffield Health” are the ones we’ve found. They range in price from £55-£135 a month depending on the location and size of the gym. I’ve been in to see and get tours of Nuffield Health, GymBox, FitnessFirst and Virgin Active but the only gym we’ve been able to workout in so far is the Nuffield Health gym.
Fitness First was very very small and the second I stepped foot in there, I knew I didn’t want a membership at that gym. I’m not sure what it was that turned me off but it just didn’t have the vibe I’m looking for in my gym. I found out there are a few others that are bigger and closer to my place, so I will give them a second chance, but at this point they’re at the bottom of my list of gyms to join.
The GymBox gym was different than any gym I’d ever been in. They had neon lights, a DJ, it was dark and looked more like a club with cardio equipment in it than anything else. Once we got the background story about the gym and got a full tour (not all of the rooms looked like this, just the cardio area), I actually really really liked it, a lot. The list of classes that are offered there is amazing (including some kettlebell classes which is a selling point for both of us) and they have a martial arts training area that is included in your gym membership that really caught my attention. The deterring factor was the price, £72/month.
The Nuffield Health gym and complex was aesthetically pleasing. When I walked in there I thought for sure it was going to be where we got our membership. Swimming pool. Sauna. Hot tubs. Jacuzzi. Huge cardio area. Kettlebells. Lots of classes. A martial arts training area. Weight area. It had everything we wanted and so much more, plus it was beautiful and clean although once again the membership fee was a deterring factor. At £90/month, we weren’t convinced that we should spend that kind of money even though it had lots to offer, so I got us a few day memberships pass to test it out and boy am I glad that I did!! Once we got in to the weight area and started working out, we both instantly hated it. There were weights EVERYWHERE and the place was a disastrous mess!!! I couldn’t believe it! I had never seen a gym in such disarray! You’d think that if you were paying almost £100/month ($170 CAD/month) to workout, they’d keep the area clean and tidy. We thought it may have been an off day so we went back a few days later and it was the same. Decision made, we’re not getting a membership here.
Saturday we got a tour of Virgin Active and it seems nice enough and fits to what we’re looking for. It’s about the same price as GymBox (for that location, the two bigger locations are £135/month) so we’re going to test it out tonight around 6:30-7pm as this is our normal workout time and see how we like it.
This has been a very tedious experience to date but when it comes to my gym and where I do my workouts, I don’t want to mess around. The gym is such a huge part of my life and I don’t want to settle for anything less than what I feel is the best fit for me. I’ve never gym shopped before as Halifax only has one or two big gyms and it’s been a learning experience, that’s for sure. I’ve learned a lot so far and hopefully I can pass along some helpful tips to you in case you ever move or decide to make sure you’re getting the best gym that you can.
Here are some helpful tips for your gym search:
1. Do your research. Find out what gyms are available in your area and make a list. Things to look for are if they are easily accessible to you (you don’t want to have a membership to a gym that’s all the way across town that takes you three busses and an hour to get to because you’ll go less frequently) and that you’ll be sure to go to. Does the gym have everything you’re looking for in a gym? Do you want/need to have a pool? Does it have enough fitness classes for you?
2. Once you’ve got your list, go to these gyms and get a tour of the facility. I know it’s a pain, but trust me it’s worth it. If you’re going to be spending the money and investing in to your health and wellbeing, make sure it suits your needs. Do you want it to have windows and natural light? Is it clean? Organized? Does it have the cardio equipment you like to use? Does it have enough free weights? Is the workout area large enough? If you’re thinking about some personal training be sure to ask about their personal trainers and what certifications they have.
3. Once you’ve got your shortlist, get a FREE trial. Gyms shouldn’t charge you to workout in their gym once or twice. You need to feel comfortable in your surroundings and you won’t know how you feel until you’re in there doing your workout. Use my experience at Nuffield Health as living proof.
4. Don’t let the sales person or manager or whoever you’re dealing with pressure you in to signing up right then and there. They work on commission and will try to get you to sign up that very second. Tell them you’re not sure if it’s the right gym for you and you need to think about it and then go home and actually think about it. Weigh the pros and cons and figure out if it’s the right gym for you or not.
5. Try out a few gyms before signing up. You won’t know what you like or don’t like until you try out a few.
Use these tips to get the best gym that is suited for you and your needs. Don’t settle for a gym because if you’re not happy with where you’re going to go workout, there’s a chance you won’t workout at all.
