London's best gyms and fitness centres
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Maggie Davis, Christine Koh Fleming, Fiona McAuslan, Andrew Shields
Updated: Tue Jul 14 2009 Central | North | South | East | West
South
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Queen Mother Sports Centre
223 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, London, SW1V 1EL
The 25-metre main pool plus separate leisure and teaching pools are undeniable attractions at this large centre. The sports hall caters for basketball, volleyball, badminton and five-a-side football, the fitness timetable features more than 50 classes each week in two studios, and the Courtneys gym - a feature of all public facilities in Westminster - has a huge cardiovascular (CV) room. The QM is also home to Cobra Gym (07976 762 530/www.cobragym.co.uk), run for more than 20 years by two-times world kickboxing champion Tim Izli. Read more
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Peckham Pulse Healthy Living Centre
10 Melon Road, London, SE15 5QN
Bright, cheerful and located next to the central square and library, this Fusion-run centre combines a holistic approach to well-being with pioneering community work. The 100-station gym is airy and well maintained, while the busy class timetable ranges from cardio-bhangra to kundalini yoga. The centre is also home to the Albany Midwives and King's Family Planning Clinic, offering regular drop-in sessions. Read more
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Shala Yoga Centre
Clapham North Arts Centre, Unit R Block 1, 26-32 Voltaire Road, Clapham, London, SW4 6DH
This warm and inviting yoga studio offers daily ashtanga yoga classes (traditional Mysore style, beginners and intermediate) as well as workshops and yoga for pregnancy. New students who book online get a free introductory class. Read more
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Thirty Seven Degrees
2b More London Riverside, London, SE1 2AP
Although almost entirely underground, this fitness club on the banks of the Thames has such great facilities that you can easily forgive the lack of riverside views. Five studios offer classes ranging from yoga to circuit training, a golf simulator, boxing ring and a state-of-the-art gym with brand new AMT (a cross between an elliptical trainer and step machine) equipment. The urban feel is increased by the presence of a new Beauty Essence salon, juice bar, walk-in GP service, steam room, sauna and solarium. The club also caters to the corporate market with classes and treatments aimed at the time-poor (do a 15-minute exercise class at lunch) and lucrative company rates. It also has a branch in Kensington's Olympia. Read more
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Southbank Club
124-130 Wandsworth Rd, London, SW8 2LD
An old cinema has been converted into a three-tier temple to fitness which houses a raft of excellent facilities. On the ground floor there is a bleep-test running track for interval training - with built-in synchronised light show, and a small free-weights and resistance machine area overlooked by three enormous TV screens. Then, as you progress upwards, you'll find Life Fitness cardiovascular equipment and state-of-the-art Summit Trainers overlooked by a recently refurbished weights room. There are also eight smart squash courts, two good-size exercise studios, with classes ranging from spinning to Ashtanga yoga, as well as relaxing saunas and steam rooms. Read more
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40 comments
Can anyone recommend a really good swimming pool in London?
Too many pools in London have really dirty changing rooms with mouldy shower areas. Any really good pools out there? Public pools rather than pools that are part of expensive gyms, I mean.
Outdoor training in Fulham & Central London. SW Boot Camp offer 1-1 programs as well as group based classes outdoors. Also have private studios. Tough workouts, but great fun!
I read about these guys in the Telegraph who are based just outside London in Sevenoaks. I'm so impressed that I get the train or drive down there every Saturday for personal training and they really know their stuff. They're called The Better Body Shop and I think their site is www.betterbodyshop.co.uk - hope you guys find it as useful...
I have been to several yoga studios in London. If you love Bikram yoga in and of itself, exactly only the intense yoga in a heated environment, then the Soho studio is by faaaaaar the best. The heating systems in the other studios in London are inconsistent, and frequently drop to bordering cold. The Soho studio has the most advanced heating system in the UK with a 42 degrees solid during the entire 90 mintues. When I switched to Soho my endlessly screwed up hamstring healed in 4 weeks. More over it is clean and friendly. I do it for the yoga, and I don't care if things are "pretentious" or not.
However, I think Bikram at Kentishtown has a cozier studio, but the heating absolutely sucks. And after all, if the heating doesn't work, then why do Bikram in the first place? I'll never switch from the Soho studio unless Kentishtown upgrades their heating system.
The problem with big gym chains is that they recruit too many members. The result is massive overcrowding.
And they don't invest in cleanliness or repair of equipment to a sufficient extent.
The result - mould in the showers, dripping shower-heads, no soap in the dispensers, filthy floors, loos that smell like some kind of slum in Calcutta. And in the gym, machines that say "out of order" for months on end.
I have just moved to North West London and I am looking for a gym to join and take part in some classes. I am looking for a friendly gym where I can meet new people and have fun, was wondering if anyone could recommend some good gyms,
thanks,
Lucy
Why would anyone choose to workout in an airless sweaty gym? There is a great alternative in British Military Fitness. Get outside, get an all over body workout lead by professionals and best of all MEET PEOPLE AND HAVE FUN! When was the last time you had a conversation with anyone in the gym?
In response to Dunstan, it seems you are mistaken. Aegis training may not be a bodybuilding or powerlifting gym - we specialise in weight loss- but it does have a wide variety of equipment and is regularly used for olympic lifting, strength training and strongman type training. The fixed db'd go up to 35 but there are adjustable olympic dumbbells, and also has a 150kg crane tyre - for flipping and sledge hammer work, a weight sled for dragging and heavy sandbags and even a beer keg. Plenty of stuff to keep the strongmen happy.
For a review of the 50 best gyms and fitness centres, its disappointing to see that there wasn't one bodybuilding / powerlifting gym included. The gyms listed are all the type of place where the dumbells dont go heavier than 20kg and there's someone doing bicep curls in the squat rack. If there even is one.
I am unashamedly a complete Bikram Yoga nut and having being do it for over four years now. Without it I would not have been able to even think about running the London Marathon yet alone do it. I been hearing a lot good things about Bikram Yoga Soho for some time now and last week I went to see what all the talk is about. Wow now I know. Clean, great atmosphere and HOT & SWEATY. If you’re into Bikram you must go there is - IT’S FANTASTIC!
aquaterra in islington has a decent pool but is overcrowded. dont know much about the gym as i dont use it. some of the staff are bit wotless and not very upto speed with whats going on when you ask them an easy question regarding the facilities that they offer.
I don't agree with Steve or Mandy. I love Bikram yoga and have also been to many of the Bikram yoga studios in London, and several in Australia - and Bikram Yoga Soho is by far the most pretentious, clinical, crowded and unpleasant studio I have been to, with the rudest and unfriendliest staff. The location is good, but I try to avoid this studio if I can.
Jen- apparently there is a Bikram studio opening in Canary Wharf this summer. Just do a search in "International" on www.bikramyoga.com
This is a great compilation! Great work Time Out!
Just to make a general note and a piece of advice:
I made the unfortunate mistake of joining Fitness First Black Label - AKA Globogym (for those of you who have watched dodgeball).
While the staff and trainers at my local branch were very friendly and made the gym feel as much as a homely environment as one could expect from such a large facility, dealing with head office was a NIGHTMARE! I would not wish this upon anyone. From troubles with cancelling my membership, misinformation, and problems with the direct debits i found my mouth got the biggest workout of all arguing with people over the phone!
My best piece of advice - stick to your local 'small guy' fitness club as much as possible. The people are usually friendlier, you get more personalised service and you don't get caught up in the loads of corporate hotlines.
The Factory Gym (North London) have so many new classes, Bollywood fusion, belly dancing as well as new classes in the next few weeks I am eager to try, like the Jazz fusion and newly added street dance class (even though I have no rhythm). Don't underestimate the power of dance for a full work out!!