Gym Reviews

sid11

I'm an off-peak member of Westwood. Costs €55 per month and I think the joining fee was about €200. The gym is second to none, 50 metre swimming pool. Excellent timetable of classes. For a full membership its €75 per month

candy chaos

been looking through all these reviews and not one thing about this gym... should I be worried!!?

Going to check it out and they say they have some special offers on so will report back on what I see...but if anyone is or has been a member - any info would be much appreciated.

I was a member of Jackie Skelley's before and like alot of other people, I didn't have the best experience - had to get fairly heavy with them regarding their repeatedly sending threatening 'final notice' letters after everything was paid up and sorted.

On the Escape gym page they have a whole section about consumer rights which makes me think they at least may have a good attitude on that front.

anways - going next week to check it... fingers crossed it won't break the bank!

Hanley

candy chaos wrote: »

been looking through all these reviews and not one thing about this gym... should I be worried!!?

Going to check it out and they say they have some special offers on so will report back on what I see...but if anyone is or has been a member - any info would be much appreciated.

I was a member of Jackie Skelley's before and like alot of other people, I didn't have the best experience - had to get fairly heavy with them regarding their repeatedly sending threatening 'final notice' letters after everything was paid up and sorted.

On the Escape gym page they have a whole section about consumer rights which makes me think they at least may have a good attitude on that front.

anways - going next week to check it... fingers crossed it won't break the bank!

Run a search in the forum, it's been discussed before. Can't remember what was said tho!!

solice

Hi there, thinking of joining SV Fittness in the IFSC. Does anyone know what its like in terms of facilities, location (safe at night?) etc. Thanks in advance

worded

Geest wrote: »

Crunch Fitness in Dun Laoghaire...Savage Gym. I really like it and can definitely call it my second home at this stage. It's got a quality set up but one downfall would be the smaller freeweights section(there are two freeweights sections, one with dumbells up to 20 and the other which is smaller which has dumbells from like 20kg upwards...)

I dislike the fact that there are no tennis courts and this is one advantage Westwood has over it, well that and the fact that the jacuzzi and saunas etc are not mixed but the whole setup in Crunch is far superior to that of Westwood.

Crunch opening hours are real bad. Closed at 7 sat and sunday. No free parking. Westwood is opened to 11 = 7 days a week and free parking

worded

Ali07 wrote: »

I went to the westwood in Sandymount last night and in 20 mins that i went for a swim my shoes were gone ! I know I left them outside locker but they weren't even new shoes, i have used them not stop for the last 3 years. I honestly don't understand how somebody can take other people's old shoes.

Very posh pool,salt water

Several of the Fiana Fail party go there, so It could have been one of them.

kabuk1

solice wrote: »

Hi there, thinking of joining SV Fittness in the IFSC. Does anyone know what its like in terms of facilities, location (safe at night?) etc. Thanks in advance

Several people from work went/go there, and while they like the gym per se, they hate how packed it gets. It seems to be cheap, but I decided to pay more and be close to home instead of work (I'm only a 20mins from work anyway), and go to a different gym. The facilities are good, but they get extremely packed. When I went for a tour, there were next to no machines free and this was around 5.30-6.

I'd say go take a tour during the hours you'll be using the gym. If you'll be using during off-peak hours, you it'll probably be worth it. Also, I don't believe that they are open on the weekends, but I could be wrong.

I'm currently a member at 1escape. They are quite expensive. I'm currently paying 70e/month. However, it's convenient, open 7 days a week (only closed on Christmas day), never too packed and have amazing facilities with excellent staff. It's an excellent gym; I just wish they were about 20e cheaper. Even students pay 65e/month.

Greentrees

Shoreline is great andyou can pay as you go!

solice

kabuk1 wrote: »

Several people from work went/go there, and while they like the gym per se, they hate how packed it gets. It seems to be cheap, but I decided to pay more and be close to home instead of work (I'm only a 20mins from work anyway), and go to a different gym. The facilities are good, but they get extremely packed. When I went for a tour, there were next to no machines free and this was around 5.30-6.

I'd say go take a tour during the hours you'll be using the gym. If you'll be using during off-peak hours, you it'll probably be worth it. Also, I don't believe that they are open on the weekends, but I could be wrong.

I'm currently a member at 1escape. They are quite expensive. I'm currently paying 70e/month. However, it's convenient, open 7 days a week (only closed on Christmas day), never too packed and have amazing facilities with excellent staff. It's an excellent gym; I just wish they were about 20e cheaper. Even students pay 65e/month.

Thanks for that. Went in yesterday and it didnt seem too busy at 5.30 but I can imagine that it gets very busy during the after work hours. Didnt seem like a very big gym.

I work off Baggott st and get the bus home each evening from near the Custom house so I am looking for a gym thats on the route. Trinity gym has about 50 public memberships left at €475 for 12 months. It was absolutely packed yesterday and I can imagine that during term it can get much busier.

I think ill be joining SV. Currently you can pay by direct debit (€45 a month) but you dont have to sign up for 12 months, just give 6 weeks notice and you can cancel your membership. I like that.

Tiriel

candy chaos wrote: »

been looking through all these reviews and not one thing about this gym... should I be worried!!?

Going to check it out and they say they have some special offers on so will report back on what I see...but if anyone is or has been a member - any info would be much appreciated.

I was a member of Jackie Skelley's before and like alot of other people, I didn't have the best experience - had to get fairly heavy with them regarding their repeatedly sending threatening 'final notice' letters after everything was paid up and sorted.

On the Escape gym page they have a whole section about consumer rights which makes me think they at least may have a good attitude on that front.

anways - going next week to check it... fingers crossed it won't break the bank!

Hiya, I was a member for almost 2 years and I loved it. Great bunch of people, very helpful and excellent facilities - really clean. Quite expensive, it was 70 a month for me - but it was beside work and I got the use out of it so was worth it. Never too busy, pool especially quiet and spotless. Go in and have a wander around - chat with them. I went in when I lost my job and they stopped my membership immediately, no penalty and no hassle. Were really nice about it and I was sorry to leave!!!

kabuk1

solice wrote: »

Thanks for that. Went in yesterday and it didnt seem too busy at 5.30 but I can imagine that it gets very busy during the after work hours. Didnt seem like a very big gym.

I work off Baggott st and get the bus home each evening from near the Custom house so I am looking for a gym thats on the route. Trinity gym has about 50 public memberships left at €475 for 12 months. It was absolutely packed yesterday and I can imagine that during term it can get much busier.

I think ill be joining SV. Currently you can pay by direct debit (€45 a month) but you dont have to sign up for 12 months, just give 6 weeks notice and you can cancel your membership. I like that.

I was told the Maldron Hotel has a good fitness centre and I believe is on your way home. Currently they are offer 3 months for €150. They might have other offers as well.
http://www.maldronhotels.com/hotel-cardiff-lane/leisure.html

A friend was telling me about a place on the other side of the Liffey that is €35 per month. If you're still looking on Tuesday, I'll find out the name, but won't see him until then.

Either, I'm glad you seem to be satisfied with SV. You definitely have to view a gym before joining considering the amount of money you'll be spending.

kabuk1

Cork_girl wrote: »

Hiya, I was a member for almost 2 years and I loved it. Great bunch of people, very helpful and excellent facilities - really clean. Quite expensive, it was 70 a month for me - but it was beside work and I got the use out of it so was worth it. Never too busy, pool especially quiet and spotless. Go in and have a wander around - chat with them. I went in when I lost my job and they stopped my membership immediately, no penalty and no hassle. Were really nice about it and I was sorry to leave!!!

One Escape is a great gym. I sometimes hate that I pay so much, but am reminded it's worth it when I go back to the gym, and I've definitely been making good use of it. It's always so clean and the staff are very friendly.

almalahide

Hi all,
I was wondering if anybody knows what Roganstown Gym is like past Swords in Dublin? Cheers.

Chark

Has the gym in the Maldron been discussed anywhere? If not has anyone any thoughts on it? Good or bad, thinkin of joining, thanks

First4Fitness

Where are you based at the moment? Westwood in Clontarf is quite good. Huge gym and no waiting. Are into into the classes or weights?

vibez wrote: »

Howdie folks,

Just starting a tread to find out whats the best gym in Dublin/Leinster. I recently joined the National Aquadic Centre in Blanch and i must say i am impressed so far.

With the like of Total Fitness & Westpoint on the doorstep of the NAC people thaught i was crazy joinin.

Full membership was a reasonable €440 and id say 99% of classes are free for members.

Weight area isnt to bad, and machines are in fairly good condition.

Peak times are never over full either which is nice, ive heard Total fitness can be hectic!

How do you rate your Gym?

First4Fitness

Westwood is a good gym. No waiting time as it is huge. Are you into classes or free weights?

Irish Heidi

Hi

Anyone know anything about LA Fitness in Dartry, Dublin 6?
The only reviews i've found on here are 2 years old but a lot can change in 2 years!

Cheers!

NickJagger

almalahide wrote: »

Hi all,
I was wondering if anybody knows what Roganstown Gym is like past Swords in Dublin? Cheers.

pretty rubbish actually
unless of course you are a middle aged woman looking for a means to kill 60 mins every now and again

NickJagger

total fitness is currently priced at 450 for 11ish months
not bad i suppose

fullblown

First, the good stuff:

Spacious, lots of equipment: free-weights/machines/cardio - all you need to bust yo' a** pretty well,

Convenient opening hours, although I wish they opened earlier on the weekends (8.30),

nice lounge area - good place to sit down, neck your post-workout shake or meal.

The bad stuff:

The dumbbell racks are ridiculously placed: they're on the other side of the room than the wall-mirrors and benches are - takes much more time and hassle carrying them around - no problem with single set but try doing some drop/super sets and you'll see what I mean,

only one decline bench in the whole gym,

I could live with that, but next is the single most annoying thing in this gym and its actually down to the members - complete disregard to gym etiquette and frankly respect to other users - hardly anyone replaces the weights after themselves and the gym staff/management does nothing to enforce it - the weights area is quite large and the dumbbells and bars are scattered allover it. you spend literally more time looking for that second dumbbell in the place than working out. I could keep on going whining about people talking on their mobiles too

To sum it all up, Westwood is another corporate style fitness center full of weekend warriors in their fancy Nike outfits and armband mp3 players. If anyone know of a serious place around South Dublin please let me know and I'll drop WW membership asap. I am talking about something Metroflex Gym style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYaHhtluZCk - no fanciness, spas etc - but good equipment and seriously training people

Traffic

Herberton Leisure @ Jame's Walk

Anyone a member of it or has anyone heard any reports on it?

d'Oracle

I will be trying out the various PAYG gyms near me in the next couple of weeks so I might stick my thoughts on them down.

Laughlinstown Leisure Centre.

No frills really.
It accompanies rentable sports halls and astroturf pitches.

Its not huge.
The larger area has a host of cardio machines.
Some Treadmills in vairous states.
5 Concept2 rowers (two or which have the PM3)
5 CrossTrainers, A few steppers and a few electric bikes.

A few Weights machines, Some of which are utterly confusing to me.
They have 2 latpull down machines and the usual peck-deck, shoulder-press etc.

They have a kind of free weights pen.
In this there a cable pulldown and also one of those opposing cable frames things. Plenty Dumbbells but Im not sure how high they go. A few benches to go with them and some of those preset barbells. The Row Machine, leg press and calf extension machines are in here.

There is another room off the free weights pen which sets Laughlinstown apart from the other DLR community gyms. It contains:
A Power Rack,
A Smith Machine,
A bench
And incline bench,
A pull up & dip station (a dip belt is on hand)
Another funny looking pullup bar.
Plenty of plates, (although anything under 15kg can be scarce when Busy)
5 Oly Bars and another one missing a sleeve on one end, which gets stuck in a little hole in the corner.
They don't technically allow chalk.

There is a padded floor area with rockers an L-seat frame and some balls.

The Gym floor is clean enough.
Cardio machines can be left broken often.
Changing rooms are not super tidy, but I seldom use them.
There is a sauna, I have never been in.

Its €450 a year like all DLR Leisure services gyms.
I liked training there although it gets a bit busy at times.
I-pod recommended. MTV Dance will do damage to your mental health.

serenacat

Irish Heidi wrote: »

Hi

Anyone know anything about LA Fitness in Dartry, Dublin 6?
The only reviews i've found on here are 2 years old but a lot can change in 2 years!

Cheers!

hey i did the 5 day trial . Its 49.99 per month.
I did the body classes and loved them they were really tough! but in a good way. No jacuzzi or steam room but they have a pool and a sauna.

I was there during peak times and it was never too busy i really like it but it's not handy for me that's why i wouldn't join.

do the 5 day trial it's free!!

serenacat

dg_london wrote: »

Sorry wasn't world gym meant to write Hercules

Where is hercules gym? is this just for guys? and i've never heard of the other one you said where is this one??

are they men only gyms?


can't believe world gym is gone from talbot street! that would have been so handy for me!! riverside is closed aswell!!!

serenacat

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Just read a couple of reviews here about Riverside Fitness in Dublin 1. I was a member of this Gym for 3 years. When I joined,it was a bit of a kip but they said they were going to be undertaking a complete redevlopment of the place with new machines, new changing areas etc. I joined it anyway as its just around the corner from where I worked. When I left 3 years later, they were still promising they would be redevloping it.

In the interim, I had incurred two leg injuries while using their treadmills. They only had 6 treadmills and at least 2 of them would be out of order at any one time. Of the other four, two of them would have loose belts which would slip if you went over a caertain speed. It was like slipping on ice when running. If you were lucky to find a treadmill that actually worked, you weren't home free as I found out twice. On these two occasions, the machines stopped dead when I was in full stride, doing about 6 minute miles. Now you try running fast and then coming to a complete halt immediately as these machines did. I pulled my quad muscle the first time and injured my hamstring the second time it happened. The management weren't too bothered and just switched the machine off and then back on again.

As for the changing areas, they were filthy and in need of some serious power hosing. The showers were either boiling hot or freezing cold so take your pick.

You know its much easier to keep at a gym routine when its close to your home/work. I stayed there 3 years as it was handy to work but in all honesty, the place was a complete and utter kip.

I went to where riverside used to be but it's all boarded up!!! i think it's gone any one know anything?

d'Oracle

Monkstown Leisure Centre

Its has the same rates as the other DLR Leisure services places.

This is relativly new and seemed quite clean.
Not sure if they have a sauna or what the changing rooms are like, I prefer to shower at home.

Cardio is fairly stocked.
Bank of six or eight treadmills,
4 Concept2 rowers, one with a backed seat, (which I thought might be good for people with back trouble)
A few steppers, 2 cross trainers and lot of funny crosstrainer like things with a stepper foot action (ie more up and down than elliptical)

Dumbbells.
Various machines, some quite odd.
Two adjustable double cable machines with pullup bars.
A bench with maybe 300kg of weight alltogether.
An adjustable rack to go with the bench (if you want powerlifting don't come here)
A few benches for dumbell training.

I was struck by how cramped the weights area is.
There were a few lads around doing curls with dreadful technique when I was in, and I found it hard to find space for my own workout.
The vast amount of the (ample) space set aside for weights is taken up with the peculiar (and not so) machines.
Hilariously, the two machines which seem to need the most space, (the cable fly type things) were stuffed in corners.

By contrast, you could hold a dancing competition in the space between the cardio machines. I don't recall seeing bikes, and my attempt to tag on some cardio was limited by the infuriating controls of the Nazi party cardio-machines. (I have been told not to row for a while )
Evidentally Concept2 are the only company in existance who think you have the right to decide your own intervals.

Good selection of balls an upwardly tilted L-seat stand and some mats on a parque floor at the back. Also some aerobics platforms which I could jump onto if I was that way inclined.

It will suit some, but don't think I would go back.

cjbh

From what I remember:

yes non UCD students can join. But will be more expensive that way. Still pretty cheap though I'd say, was around 180euro for a student for a year back in the day, so I'd say not too much more for a non-student

Like all gyms, gets busy after 6. Before that it's fine. Weekend hours are poor though.

Weights section is OK. It's in a dungeon down in the basement. i think there's a rack. There's a Smith machine and bench presses and loadsa free weights.

Overall it's good value for money but it's a no frills gym really. Takes them a while to fix machines when they're out of order, that kind of thing

Riskymove

solice wrote: »

Trinity gym has about 50 public memberships left at €475 for 12 months. It was absolutely packed yesterday and I can imagine that during term it can get much busier.

I took up one fo these memberships a few weeks ago and am very happy so far. I am only 10 mins walk away and have some flexibility to avoid peak times

its €395 a year plus a one-off €75 joining fee that compares very well with city rates generally plus I prefer going during day than going home and then out in evening to gym.

I imagine peak hours from next month on will be busy but its good off-peak

all sorts of cardio machines, weights area, stretching room and the pool is good

renovations underway to enlarge gym are as well, to be finished by end of month

ronbyrne2005

Riskymove wrote: »

I took up one fo these memberships a few weeks ago and am very happy so far. I am only 10 mins walk away and have some flexibility to avoid peak times

its €395 a year plus a one-off €75 joining fee that compares very well with city rates generally plus I prefer going during day than going home and then out in evening to gym.

I imagine peak hours from next month on will be busy but its good off-peak

all sorts of cardio machines, weights area, stretching room and the pool is good

renovations underway to enlarge gym are as well, to be finished by end of month

how heavy do dumbells go in there?

Jock Strap

Hi all,
I've been to carlilse a few times and it has always been really busy there!
can anyone suggest a decent gym in the area(d6/d6w etc) which doesn't get as busy