Joining a gym?

[longers]

I've never used one but there's a gym I pass twice a day on the way to work and on the way home today I popped in.

There's lots of things to do in there, it's nice and shiny and clean with a very nice pool, sauna and steam room and the staff seem very nice. I'm thinking of giving it a go but is it good value?

It's £39.50 a month and you must sign up for twelve months. I can get in there quite often, the idea of a swim before work a couple of days a week appeals and a couple of sessions after work on the equipment sounds feasible.

Is it a reasonable price?

How much do you pay?

 

[Dayvo]

The price seems very reasonable, if indeed it is a payment per month, regardless of how often you use the gym.
Ask if there are any 'hidden' costs, i.e. usage at peak times, personal trainer, sharing facilities with the netball team etc.
Are you just looking for general gym usage to improve overall fitness or you after something more specific.
If the changing rooms, and the showers, in particular, are clean, then it could be money well spent, and if you maximise the equipment, then you should be well spent, too!

 

[Cathryn]

I think £40 for a gym with a pool is a good price. You'd need to go three times a week to make it really good value.

Gyms aren't much fun but they're good for when the weather is hideous and I've been grateful for mine for physio since I broke my leg. They're useful.

 

[Sanny]

Hey Longers
I use a gym near to my work and it cost £26.50 per month, It does not have a swimming pool and only has a sauna. I think that £40 is reasonable, but as said, you will have to use it more than 3 times a week to get value for money.

 

[Dayvo]

Hey Longers
I use a gym near to my work and it cost £26.50 per month, It does not have a swimming pool and only has a sauna. I think that £40 is reasonable, but as said, you will have to use it more than 3 times a week to get value for money.

You will also need to use it regularly about three times a week to get any physical/health benefit.

 

[longers]

Ok, sounds good, I'll take the plunge then. It really is spotless and the pool is 18 metres so fairly useful for a few lengths.

She showed me the "spinning" room A small, psychedelic, mind-warp, nausea inducing cell rammed full of exercise bikes? No thanks

There's some recumbent style exercise bikes downstairs - be nice to spin on there and watch a bit of telly

 

[Dayvo]

She showed me the "spinning" room A small, psychedelic, mind-warp, nausea inducing cell rammed full of exercise bikes? No thanks

Give it a go before you knock it! Spinning is good fun, enjoyable AND beneficial!
As Noodley said, he knocked spots off the spinners in his class, so power to the knee elbow of the cyclist!

 

[longers]

I wasn't knocking the spinning, it's the "decoration" of the room that put me off.

An attic space painted black with a fluoro Jackson Pollock paintjob and the uv lights from a nightclub? Not sure my migraines would like that .

 

[Dayvo]

I wasn't knocking the spinning, it's the "decoration" of the room that put me off.

An attic space painted black with a fluoro Jackson Pollock paintjob and the uv lights from a nightclub? Not sure my migraines would like that .

Fair enough!
So, have you decided?

 

[longers]

So, have you decided?

SOLD!!


I'll try and make time tomorrow to go along and arrange the induction thingy.

It just sounded like a lot of money at first but if you lot say it's fair then it's fair.
We've had a Scottish opinion, one from Leeds and one from Norway.

Pretty conclusive I think

 

[Noodley]

I am a member of the local council scheme, which gives me access to every leisure facility in the council area, which is good for me as I travel a fair bit across the area and can therefore go to the gym at lunch or end of the day at various locations. All for just over 20 quid per month (I get a small discount 'cos I am a council employee). I think I'll get a family membership which will cover the Noodley Jnrs swimming and gym classes as well, and I think it works out at less than 40 quid per month.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i'd save the cash and spend it on bike stuff. but then again, my workplace does have its own swimming pool…

 

[Perry]

Gym for muscle tone/building

Bike for Cardio

Perfect combination!

 

[Perry]

TIP: Don't do a hard leg workout if you are riding home - Ooh it's tough!

 

[Tetedelacourse]

uh-oh, I've only just seen this thread now. So if you've joined Longers, discard the following!

My own (and loads of peeps I know) experience is that you will use it for around 3 months, during which time it will busy up to the point where you have to wait to get on machines and get sick of all the posers swanning about like they own the place. The instructors will feign interest when setting up a new program of exercise for you, which will last about 12 sessions. After this they wont remember who you are, what level you're at and will just up your reps / jogging / cycling / rowing times without really considering what you want from it, and that's IF you can get their attention away from some newbie group of girls for 5 mins.

I had a membership for a year about 7 years ago and after 6 months (3 months after the above began) I could have seen it far enough, and was left regretting being tied in to a year of it. So I second Alecs' advice, spend it on bike stuff. £40 a month will get you seriously kitted out!

Anyway if you've joined, good stuff, let me know how it goes!