money saving gym tip... any good to anyone?

DanH84 · 17 Jul 2007 at 11:23

haven't really researched this at all, was just looking money saving expert for tips negotiating my price down with virgin media when i saw this tip on getting cheaper gym membership.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/health/gym-discounts

no good to me but might be ok for some people.

MTA99 · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:58

Thanks for that - mate had mentioned it before but never really looked into it properly

PaulStat · 17 Jul 2007 at 15:09

cool

, got a cannons just up the road from me. I discontinued my membership because it was costing too much. This changes that!

Bhoya · 17 Jul 2007 at 15:22

Damn it, me & the girlfriend have been paying £50/month for ages to go to our local Cannon's. Thanks for the link - going to have to try it out.

Morba · 17 Jul 2007 at 19:32

my next year in cannons is free anyway, free gym

shame my wife works there :/

Chong Warrior · 17 Jul 2007 at 21:00

Thanks for the heads up

Looking to join a gym and there's a Virgin about 5 miles away. Just trying to think wether I can be bothered travelling that far to goto gym, so used to just walking down the road!

Anyone any experience with Virgin gyms? Any good for pumping iron?

MTA99 · 17 Jul 2007 at 21:18

Chong Warrior said:
Thanks for the heads up

Looking to join a gym and there's a Virgin about 5 miles away. Just trying to think wether I can be bothered travelling that far to goto gym, so used to just walking down the road!

Anyone any experience with Virgin gyms? Any good for pumping iron?

Think its massively dependent on the actual gym. Virgin have bought all the Esporta and Holmes Place gyms recently. I used to train in Esporta when i was living in Bolton and they had loads of dumbells, plenty of plates but no squat rack/cage. Recently went to a virgin gym in London that was formally a holmes place, not a full set of DBs, a limited number of plates but had a squat rack :confused:

From what i've seen of the new build Virgin gyms they're very well equipped. Basically, go have a looksie!!

Chong Warrior · 17 Jul 2007 at 21:39

MTA99 said:
Think its massively dependent on the actual gym. Virgin have bought all the Esporta and Holmes Place gyms recently. I used to train in Esporta when i was living in Bolton and they had loads of dumbells, plenty of plates but no squat rack/cage. Recently went to a virgin gym in London that was formally a holmes place, not a full set of DBs, a limited number of plates but had a squat rack From what i've seen of the new build Virgin gyms they're very well equipped. Basically, go have a looksie!!

It's the Bolton one that I'll be going to

Think I'll have a ride up at the weekend and have a nosey. Worked it out with the insurance and it's £27 a month insurance +£5 for gym so £32 isn't bad at all inc free insurance! :cool:

Morba · 17 Jul 2007 at 21:54

the virgin one near my is a new build and is apparently stunning!

MTA99 · 17 Jul 2007 at 21:57

Chong Warrior said:
It's the Bolton one that I'll be going to

Think I'll have a ride up at the weekend and have a nosey. Worked it out with the insurance and it's £27 a month insurance +£5 for gym so £32 isn't bad at all inc free insurance!

In the unlikely event you're tempted to have a post gym curry DO NOT go to the spice valley just by the gym, its really crap!

Looking at the pictures on the website looks like the whole place has been overhauled. I expect a full report monday morning

Lead_Head · 18 Jul 2007 at 12:22

I did this back in February and got my membership at the Virgin Active in Nottingham (previously Holmes Place) down from £52 to £25 a month (plus the monthly private insurance). It made it around £40 a month total but I signed up through Quidco.com and they gave me £125, taking it down to less than £31 a month

digitalwolf · 19 Jul 2007 at 14:21

It says I can get cover for £18 a month and that my local cannons would be free. Is this too good to be true?

alexthecheese · 19 Jul 2007 at 14:59

digitalwolf said:
It says I can get cover for £18 a month and that my local cannons would be free. Is this too good to be true?

No, do it. I'm going for a free day at Cannon's with a mate soon before I change. My cover's £25/month but still cheaper than I'm paying for the local council-run gym which is manky as hell. Cant wait to change.

DanH84 · 19 Jul 2007 at 15:05

just noticed it's on jjb fitness gyms as well.

MTA99 · 23 Jul 2007 at 14:40

Chong Warrior said:
It's the Bolton one that I'll be going to

Think I'll have a ride up at the weekend and have a nosey. Worked it out with the insurance and it's £27 a month insurance +£5 for gym so £32 isn't bad at all inc free insurance!

Sooooo...................what's the verdict?

Bakedgoods · 23 Jul 2007 at 15:07

Although Canons is a nice gym and has lots to do with all the swimming and saunas etc, my local one is lacking quite a lot for a serious bodybuilder.

No standard bench or squat rack (smith machine only).
Fixed dumbbell and barbell weights (useless for deadlifts really).

Everything else is just machines :\

Although for £20 i'm considering it because it's usually £46.

digitalwolf · 23 Jul 2007 at 15:33

Wardie said:
Although Canons is a nice gym and has lots to do with all the swimming and saunas etc, my local one is lacking quite a lot for a serious bodybuilder.

No standard bench or squat rack (smith machine only).
Fixed dumbbell and barbell weights (useless for deadlifts really).

Everything else is just machines :\

Although for £20 i'm considering it because it's usually £46.

More of a ladies gym is it?

I know one thing, i'm sick of waiting 15 mins for a bench at my local JJB gym.

Bakedgoods · 23 Jul 2007 at 15:36

digitalwolf said:
More of a ladies gym is it?

I know one thing, i'm sick of waiting 15 mins for a bench at my local JJB gym.

You could say that, it's just more of a health club, a fitness type place. Pleanty of machines though, swimming pool, regular classes etc.

Chong Warrior · 23 Jul 2007 at 16:11

MTA99 said:
Sooooo...................what's the verdict?

Made an appointment to go up but I've been too busy to get up there yet!

EDIT - Though I should mention I've made no real effort to get up there as my interest cooled a little after the phone conversation with one of their sales staff. I asked if they had power-racks and/or squat racks and he said he didn't know! but he did know they had 3x "Smiffy Machines"... nice.

Volcs · 23 Jul 2007 at 16:18

Wardie said:
Although Canons is a nice gym and has lots to do with all the swimming and saunas etc, my local one is lacking quite a lot for a serious bodybuilder.

No standard bench or squat rack (smith machine only).
Fixed dumbbell and barbell weights (useless for deadlifts really).

Everything else is just machines :\

Although for £20 i'm considering it because it's usually £46.

I think they vary quite a lot. I was a member at Brondesbury Park one and there was a limited DB selection and no squat rack.

After moving flat I transferred to the Bloomsbury one where they have plenty of DBs, squat rack and 6 or so benches. Plus the bonus of it being a bit more of "health club" is in 4 months I've yet to have to wait to use the squat rack!

money saving gym tip... any good to anyone?

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