Swindon Gyms - Any Reccomendations?

!bluetonic! · 21 Jul 2008 at 14:45

Jebblehmoo said:
Awesome ^__^ Im not too sure about jogging, Ive never been great at that kind of thing to be honest, haha.
!

Zefan said:
Don't waste your money, just get a pair of running shoes and get some circuit training in.

I agree with Zefan. If you can't 'be bothered' to go jogging outside, then what makes you think that spending £30+ month at the gym is going to be worthwhile.

One of the main fitness tests in Police Recruitement is 'The Bleep Test'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-stage_fitness_test. This is essentially jogging between two cones until you pass out.

I remember one of the recruits, Mahoney, kept on trying to get thrown out. Lieutenant Harris wasn't happy about this and got squad leaders Blankes and Copeland to run him until he threw up. Lieutenant Harris wanted him to learn that nobody screws with him.

Morba · 21 Jul 2008 at 14:49

I cant be bothered to run outside, i do just fine in the gym. not everyone wants to run outside remember.

blue - you suck with the police academy stuff

Jebblehmoo · 21 Jul 2008 at 14:50

!bluetonic! said:
I agree with Zefan. If you can't 'be bothered' to go jogging outside, then what makes you think that spending £30+ month at the gym is going to be worthwhile.

One of the main fitness tests in Police Recruitement is 'The Bleep Test'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-stage_fitness_test. This is essentially jogging between two cones until you pass out.

I remember one of the recruits, Mahoney, kept on trying to get thrown out. Lieutenant Harris wasn't happy about this and got squad leaders Blankes and Copeland to run him until he threw up. Lieutenant Harris wanted him to learn that nobody screws with him.

Oooo challenging. I like.

Its not that Im "not bothered." and no where did i say that :/ what I said is Ive never been the greatest runner, and Im not that used to jogging in public on my own let alone with people. And its not just running I need to get down, I need to get overall fitter, including losing weight, gaining muscle etc etc.

Is the main fittness tests running then?

Morba said:
I cant be bothered to run outside, i do just fine in the gym. not everyone wants to run outside remember.

blue - you suck with the police academy stuff

Id prefer to do it in the gym, Id much rather look like a sweaty hag inside rather than outside anyday, but whatever makes me fitter, I'll do anything.

!bluetonic! · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:00

You can substitute your own excuse for 'not bothered'. I know you didn't say that.

http://www.southyorks.police.uk/careers/regulars/fitnesstest.php

http://www.police999.com/index.php?view=article&catid=57%3Apolice-careers&id=1343%3Ajob-related-fitness-test-for-police-recruitment&tmpl=component&print=1&page=&option=com_content&6d664088abc008d417440c56764d2e5c=40ca1135f85d053fe3d79ad4f2ac52ac

Have a look at the links to see what's required.

I know not everybody likes running outside, but I do think it's a waste that just because people become a gym member, they're expecting everything to happen. It's a whole lifestyle change. No one's expecting you to be perfect on your first outings. My initial jogs outside were me walking and then building it up over time.

You're not going to chase criminals on a cross training machine.

Who cares if you sweat. People sweat - it's our body's cooling mechanism.

Morba · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:09

it is a lifestyle change, however, it should be small changes, not big jumps. for a lot of people getting sweaty in public is hard enough, even when confined to the gym let alone out on the street.

Zefan · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:15

I'll stand by my point that joining a gym is completely unneccesary for what you want to do, however I do understand about running just about. I still reckon you just don't like it so have the fact that you're "not good at it" embedded in your head.

Running is pretty much the best for both cardio vascular improvements as well as losing weight. As for gaining muscle, pressups, situps, step ups will do you fine. In fact they will be much better than using weights or machines in gyms.

My sister spends £60 to go to her gym, where they've given her a workout routine designed to "tone" her up. It makes me wretch.

Jebblehmoo · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:16

Morba said:
it is a lifestyle change, however, it should be small changes, not big jumps. for a lot of people getting sweaty in public is hard enough, even when confined to the gym let alone out on the street.

Exactumundo.

Its more of a self concious thing more than anything else, its not that im "not bothered" at all, but I cant just snap out of being self concious just like that, and I dont see anything wrong with starting out in the gym first, as Ill not just be running anyway.

Jebblehmoo · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:25

Zefan said:
I'll stand by my point that joining a gym is completely unneccesary for what you want to do, however I do understand about running just about. I still reckon you just don't like it so have the fact that you're "not good at it" embedded in your head.

Running is pretty much the best for both cardio vascular improvements as well as losing weight. As for gaining muscle, pressups, situps, step ups will do you fine. In fact they will be much better than using weights or machines in gyms.

My sister spends £60 to go to her gym, where they've given her a workout routine designed to "tone" her up. It makes me wretch.

Hmm, very good points there. However I wouldnt ever pay £60 just to do toning nonsense

I just want to get overall fitter, because I am not a fan of running for enjoyment at the moment to be honest, but obviously, I need to and would like to learn how to do it properly, because the way Im used to doing it, I end up spraining something stupidly.

!bluetonic! · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:28

Well I hope things go well for you whichever way you choose. Keep it varied. Keep your diet in check and stay focused on your goals which will change over time.

Good luck Jebblehmoo!

Morba · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:36

Zefan said:
As for gaining muscle, pressups, situps, step ups will do you fine. In fact they will be much better than using weights or machines in gyms.

Thats a rather blanket statement to make, unless you know all about the OPs current standard.
And yes, most gym instructors cant give a decent routine. However, the 3 main (only?) people at 24hrgym are very good. 1 was a competition standard bodybuilder, another has got some rather good pics on the wall and the 3rd is very good at the general / overall fitness side of things.

a lot of people cannot even do 1 proper situp or pressup. so using a machine that will use less than your bodyweight is a good thing.

Jebblehmoo · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:38

!bluetonic! said:
Well I hope things go well for you whichever way you choose. Keep it varied. Keep your diet in check and stay focused on your goals which will change over time.

Good luck Jebblehmoo!

Thank you very much for your help bluetonic ^__^ I promise all you've said wasnt in vain

I hope to talk to you more about whats needed and stuff for the police and what they prefer

xxx

FeFiDoh · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:38

Morba said:
24hrgym

cannons is crap.

This!

JJB is **** really the free weights area is way too small and its crammed into the corner. The others are too pricey and proberly full of posers who use it more as a social thing then actually training.

24hr gym is the best imo, its pretty large open plan well looked after good staff well its 24hr so you can go when ever you want.

Also no min contract and no joining fee last time I was a member. Im now at jjb because I sold my car and its a 2min walk from my current residence but im moving back to west swindon so going back to 24hr one!!

*edit*

I have also used fitness first, silly joining fee of like £50! and a 12month contract I think. The gym is quite nice but I still rate the 24hr one over it, there is just something about that place its very nice to train in and you dont get hassled just crack on. Equipment is free when I need it to be and hardly anything is ever broken unlike JJB.

Jebblehmoo · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:47

How much is it to join and how long is it for in your experience? Is it paying every month at 24hrgym? and is it cheaper when two people join at the same time? (me and my sister)

Morba · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:50

definitely cheaper for 2 of you - £52.50 for 2 people. excellent at that price, even better if you get 1 or 2 more to join as well

http://www.24hrgym.co.uk/join-the-gym/family-and-friends.php

Morba · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:50

look on members gallery - Vern is the owner iirc, Carl (bottom left) is one of the staff :]

Zefan · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:51

Morba said:
a lot of people cannot even do 1 proper situp or pressup. so using a machine that will use less than your bodyweight is a good thing.

That is very true, however I'm sure she'll quickly realise if it's too much too soon and be able to look up alternative excercises or pressups from the knees instead etc etc.

There's pretty much nothing they'll tell you in a gym you can't either find out here or find out for yourself on the net.

If you're really not confident then it's probably a good idea, I just really hate the "I must join a gym to get fit" mentality that a lot of people have.

Jebblehmoo · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:57

Zefan said:
That is very true, however I'm sure she'll quickly realise if it's too much too soon and be able to look up alternative excercises or pressups from the knees instead etc etc.

There's pretty much nothing they'll tell you in a gym you can't either find out here or find out for yourself on the net.

If you're really not confident then it's probably a good idea, I just really hate the "I must join a gym to get fit" mentality that a lot of people have.

I do see what you're saying, and I do try to keep fit as it is by doing really long walking, biking, even swimming sometimes, but Id just like the idea of having a bit more varitey than that, and getting used to building up the old running thing before I can take it outside and not look like a complete tool.

Also thank you for moving this into sports arena

Morba · 21 Jul 2008 at 15:57

I agree, you can do plenty at home, of which there is info here and other places online. But you are just outright saying she is mad for wanting to join a gym.

I (and many others) prefer to train in a gym, its away from the home and not directly in view of the mass general public. This means when I walk out the front door and into the gym I train. I do not get distracted by being at home. I do not think 'oh, will just watch this program' etc etc.
There is also the social side of the whole thing and then there is also the variety. So much more you can do in a gym.
When its raining people will generally stay inside rather than hitting the street for a run. No such issue when you are a member of a gym.

jonislost · 21 Jul 2008 at 16:03

I use the council gyms, but I wouldn't recommend it... Only reason I go is because I've got a cross trainer pass for swimming and rock climbing.

Have used Cannons and Fitness fist (in eldene) I much preferred Fitness First even if it didn't have a pool.

FeFiDoh · 21 Jul 2008 at 19:19

Jebblehmoo (odd name btw

)

24hr gym have no joining fee or admin fee and you pay monthly but it appears they now have a 3 month minimum contract (still better than the others).

http://www.24hrgym.co.uk/

They have a free workout voucher on the site and you can even join directly from there, I would try and get a few friends/family to join at same time will work out quite cheap.

One thing about fitness first though, I went there with few lads from work on a guest pass and they seem desperate to get people in! Did offer me a membership quite cheap but I also didnt like the way he continued to phone me and basically harrass me to join when I said I had other places to visit and I would contact THEM.

Really its the staff that tip the 24hr one for me, and they will help you with any goals you want to set. I havent come across any egos or anything in there as well which is quite odd for a gym

Me and morba should be on commission tbh