NRG Fitness

corribdude

Anyone else a member here? I always used to wonder why there were more people in the jacuzzi than in the swimming pool in this place. Now I know, the pool is freezing cold. You'd want a wetsuit to go into it, it is unreasonably cold. I'm talking about the Bohermore NRG now, don't know what the other one is like. So anyone else use this place and have an opinion on it?

Mrs OBumble

corribdude wrote: »

Anyone else a member here? I always used to wonder why there were more people in the jacuzzi than in the swimming pool in this place. Now I know, the pool is freezing cold. You'd want a wetsuit to go into it, it is unreasonably cold. I'm talking about the Bohermore NRG now, don't know what the other one is like. So anyone else use this place and have an opinion on it?

Me ... also at Bohermore.

I'm not a swimmer. But I've been in the spa pool (is that the same as jacuzzi?) once, and was very disappointed at the low temperature. Don't know if I'll bother again.

And I wish they've vary the music in the gym floor a bit more, and cut the cheesy ads about "you're listing to NRG-radio" ... we're already members, ffs, and don't need to be sold on joining!

Other than that, everything is grand, IMHO.

civis_liberalis

JustMary wrote: »

And I wish they've vary the music in the gym floor a bit more, and cut the cheesy ads about "you're listing to NRG-radio" ... we're already members, ffs, and don't need to be sold on joining!

Other than that, everything is grand, IMHO.

Crap music and that NRG radio thing would probably drive me nuts aswel, but then again I would bring my own music in all likelyhood.

How much is membership for NRG anyways?

Not listed on site, as far as I can see.

sgthighway

Thing have changed since I was there last so. When I was there in December the Pool was so warm the whole place was like a sauna. If they have comment cards use them; otherwise complain.

gaeilgegrinds

Pool very cold, showers often don't work, music too loud so can't hear my own, hate the, 'You're listening to NRG,' things...grates on my nerves.
Very few Irish there too so generally I'm left sitting in the steam room or sauna (if they work!) listening to Polish...not anti-Polish but nice to get a reply to my hello sometimes. Won't join again. Was happy at the start, not now!

d-gal

Terrible gym, instructors don't even know what a dumbbell is, disgrace to the industry

civis_liberalis

d-gal wrote: »

Terrible gym, instructors don't even know what a dumbbell is, disgrace to the industry

No offence d, but would you not say that anyways?:D

I was in there for a day long fitness assesment for something and the guy that dealt with us was a proper eejit tbh.

I don't know any of the other instructors in there though...

corribdude

Well I joined purely for the pool and I'm very unhappy with the situation. I swim every day and I was gonna up it to twice some days as I live in Cuirt Seoige and now I find myself dreading getting into it - it's by far the coldest indoor pool I've ever been in. I'm gonna go in tomorrow and ask them what the story is with it - I'll be looking for my money back if they aren't gonna set the temperature to a reasonable level. The rest of the place seems grand to I have to say, but that's not much use to me when my primary exercise is swimming.

Sconsey

I was in the pool yesterday (Friday) and it was cold but in fairness it's not usually that cold, I go two or three times a week. The jacuzzi was cold the other day too which is annoying. Still, I'm more concerned by the ignorant plebs that swim a length, stop, spit into the water, and repeat for about ten lengths :mad:

civis_liberalis

corribdude wrote: »

it's by far the coldest indoor pool I've ever been in.

Can you not see the hidden benefit of this, you get a pool and an ice-bath all-in-one:D

ronnie3585

corribdude wrote: »

Well I joined purely for the pool and I'm very unhappy with the situation. I swim every day and I was gonna up it to twice some days as I live in Cuirt Seoige and now I find myself dreading getting into it - it's by far the coldest indoor pool I've ever been in. I'm gonna go in tomorrow and ask them what the story is with it - I'll be looking for my money back if they aren't gonna set the temperature to a reasonable level. The rest of the place seems grand to I have to say, but that's not much use to me when my primary exercise is swimming.

Thanks for the heads up. Was thinking of joining purely for the pool. I can't take leisureland any more!! Can you let us know the outcome of you enquiry.

leninbenjamin

corribdude wrote: »

it's by far the coldest indoor pool I've ever been in.

try swimming, that might warm you up a bit.

:pac:

dafunk

I'm a member in knocknacarra, the pool temperature seems fine to me, my only complaints are the music (terrible and too loud to be drowned out with your own headphones) and the opening hours, or more specifically the closing hours. I like working out quite late in the evening but I can no longer do that because they close at stupid o'clock every day, particularly at the weekends they close ridiculously early. The concept of a 24 hour gym is probably decades off reaching Galway yet but give us a few more hours please!

scary_tractors

Agree 100% re the cold pool - it's ridiculous. And the changing rooms are always freezing too. Another whinge of mine is opening hours - I don't finish work til 9 two nights a week and would love a swim to unwind afterwards, but with an advertised closing time of 10 they start shutting down the pool around 9.30, while on Sundays they only open until 8. Sunday isn't really a weekend night, it's a week night with a Monday morning after it, and very few people go out Sunday night, what's the point closing early just because its Sunday? Close early on Fridays, when people are busy elsewhere!

On the plus side it's lovely and clean and there's usually room in the pool (maybe everyone else dead of hypothermia?).

corribdude

ronnie3585 wrote:

Thanks for the heads up. Was thinking of joining purely for the pool. I can't take leisureland any more!! Can you let us know the outcome of you enquiry.

Will do as soon as I get back down to Galway, up the other end of the country for a few days.

scary_tractors wrote:

Agree 100% re the cold pool - it's ridiculous.

On the plus side it's lovely and clean and there's usually room in the pool (maybe everyone else dead of hypothermia?).

Hehe, I've seen a few people walk knee deep into it and then just walk back out and hit the jacuzzi. Your right about it being very well kept tho, don't know how they got it so wrong with the pool when the rest of it is top notch imo.

d-gal

To be honest, I hate when people come in late to a gym, I am a personal trainer and we do have a social life aswell! Like if you finish work at 9 then get off your hole in the morning and do something or get up the next morning at 6 or 7 and do the lot of it. A person should never join a gym for leisure purposes, but unfortunately for our country to many people do and thats why the majority look a disgrace compared to our eastern european immigrants.
oh and with the coldness of the pool, i agree with one comment, swim! U will be warm then. The pool is supposed to be purely for exercise unless it is a hydro which means it has to be slightly warmer for rehabilitation purposes. If you want it for leisurely purposes then do a couple of breast strokes in the jacuzzi. It is worse on your body if the pool was too warm (exercise wise).

Sorry if this has offended anyone but it really works me up coz our country complains too much, especially along the exercise line. Like im sure im one of the few people that can say im 13% bodyfat and unhappy with it (prob my only personal complaint)

corribdude

d-gal wrote: »

oh and with the coldness of the pool, i agree with one comment, swim! U will be warm then.

Lol, swim.....did you not read my posts? I swim for 1hr+ every day, thats more than 95% out there. I'm not looking for a 40C jacuzzi pool, I'm looking for a pool in the 27-31C range, like every other pool up and down the country, even the auld rundown public pool (over 30 years old) in Naas I was in today (30C btw). Yes you'll warm up a bit while swimming, (altho on thur and fri last week in NRG I was still thinking "this is cold as f*ck" whenever I stopped for a moment), but when you spend 550 quid on a modern private gym the least you can expect is not to have to dread getting into the pool cos it's stone cold.

The pool is supposed to be purely for exercise unless it is a hydro which means it has to be slightly warmer for rehabilitation purposes.
If you want it for leisurely purposes then do a couple of breast strokes in the jacuzzi. It is worse on your body if the pool was too warm (exercise wise).

It's not purely for exercise. As they say on their own website -

[FONT=Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The pool is the perfect place to enjoy one of the best forms of all-round exercise, to train seriously, or relax with the family."[/FONT]

How are you supposed to relax in freezing cold water? There was a father with his two young children there on friday, altho the kids didn't look to happy and one of them wouldn't even get in, the other couldn't wait to get out lol.

And anyway, even if it was an olympic training swimming pool, it would still be too cold, the ideal temperature for professional competitive swimming is 26C, this pool was well below that when I was there on thursday and friday. I'd imagine the vast majority of members using the pool are not at this level of swimming so having them swim in a pool that is a good bit lower than 26C makes no sense. Everyone who's been in the pool lately and posted on this thread has agreed it's too cold.

Mrs OBumble

d-gal wrote: »

A person should never join a gym for leisure purposes, but unfortunately for our country to many people do and thats why the majority look a disgrace compared to our eastern european immigrants.
.... Like im sure im one of the few people that can say im 13% bodyfat and unhappy with it (prob my only personal complaint)

Excuse me!

Would you care to tell us what qualifications you have? Are you on the Register of Exercise Professionals?

Frankly, comments like those don't reflect well on your profession at all.

You've chosen to work in an industry which services people's leisure needs (except for the very few who are training for professional purposes, eg the garda S&R team, firefighters, professional sports people). If you don't like the fact that this means you'll be working during other people's leisure times, then you've probably chosen the wrong industry.

d-gal

Corribdude if it is as bad as you say then find out who is the pool plant operator and ask him/her to check their temperature and general system. Often the temperature might be set at 30 but by the time it gets through the pool it might have dropped a couple of degrees. Below 26 would be cold and also fair play on the plus hour swim, nice to hear for once.

Justmary, one, yes i am registered and yes I am definately in the right industry. I train people to get fit and shape and become healthier. And I would not the say majority are leisure. People want to get in shape and you don't need to be a professional athlete. I would hardly say either the garda or firefighters are in top shape!!! Any fitness instructor that goes into the job serving for leisure needs is in the wrong industry. The industry is getting fit and healthier and a better quality of life. And what I meant by coming in after 9 is how can you manage to get a decent session when the facility closes at 10. With the time taken for changing, showering etc. you get only 30 minutes (and take 10 minutes of warm up and cool down thats only 20 minutes vigorous exercise). Facilities are not open 24hours coz it is not feasable in Ireland, and to be honest 6.00 am til 10.00 pm is more than enough for anyone's needs. You only work 40hours approx a week and there is approx 100hours available there for training purposes

dafunk

d-gal wrote: »

And what I meant by coming in after 9 is how can you manage to get a decent session when the facility closes at 10. With the time taken for changing, showering etc. you get only 30 minutes (and take 10 minutes of warm up and cool down thats only 20 minutes vigorous exercise). Facilities are not open 24hours coz it is not feasable in Ireland, and to be honest 6.00 am til 10.00 pm is more than enough for anyone's needs. You only work 40hours approx a week and there is approx 100hours available there for training purposes

My comments about the opening hours are that it doesn't suit everyone. It doesn't suit me. I wouyld like to workout midnight - 2am. Yes, that's maybe not the norm but there are lots of people who would want to exercise outside of the hours 6am - 10 pm. That's not enough for everyone's need. Plus, NRG isn't open at 6 am, that was my point. It's only useful if you want to exercise between the hours of 8am and 8pm. Of course it is feasilble in Ireland to have 24 hour gyms. Why isn't it?

And by the way, I see it as leisure, alot of people use gyms for leisure and enjoyment, it's not all about pumping iron and working out.

scary_tractors

d-gal wrote: »

Justmary, one, yes i am registered and yes I am definately in the right industry. I train people to get fit and shape and become healthier. And I would not the say majority are leisure. People want to get in shape and you don't need to be a professional athlete. I would hardly say either the garda or firefighters are in top shape!!! Any fitness instructor that goes into the job serving for leisure needs is in the wrong industry. The industry is getting fit and healthier and a better quality of life. And what I meant by coming in after 9 is how can you manage to get a decent session when the facility closes at 10. With the time taken for changing, showering etc. you get only 30 minutes (and take 10 minutes of warm up and cool down thats only 20 minutes vigorous exercise). Facilities are not open 24hours coz it is not feasable in Ireland, and to be honest 6.00 am til 10.00 pm is more than enough for anyone's needs. You only work 40hours approx a week and there is approx 100hours available there for training purposes

Maybe you only work 40 hours per week - some people work more and it's tough if you want to get fit, pay money to do so, and then don't have time to do so. Personally I have a health issue that means the only exercise I can do is swim, and it's impossible for me to do so more than three days a week as my schedule and that of NRG are not very compatible.

And actually I think you're out of line with your comments, it's precisely because people are afraid to be judged by fitness instructors like you who look down on people that they avoid going to the gym.

d-gal

I know some people would like to but again it is a business at the end of the day and they just would not make enough money on it, its like everything i suppose, nightclubs etc. Also a concern would be of people coming in after a night on the piss in an attempt to use the facility, again our stereotype lifestyle of the irish does not help the cause. Maybe one day there will be but I could not see it happening anytime soon. What time does NRG open at? the only 2 gyms that open at 6 are the Radisson and Kingfisher, radisson stays open til 10 every day, think the Kingfisher is earlier on the weekends.
I also think the problem with NRG is the general management, they do not how to motivate or train their staff properly they will literally hire anyone. I had a conversation with one in the Knocknacarra and he seemed to be so disinterested and he did not have a clue about fitness, getting paid minimum wage aswell

d-gal

scarytractor think I missed your comment when I posted. I would not look down on people who do not go to the gym. I admire people especially like you who have a health condition but still exercises and does not look for a excuse like others, and don't worry 3 times a week is still very good.
The 40hours I gave as a estimate, personally myself I work a lot more. Again NRG might not have the hours but thats just the way it is. I might finish work at 10 and want to go out after but the clubs close at 2 when i would prefer for them to be open for longer so i could socialise a bit more but thats the way things are in society

gaeilgegrinds

Regarding the pool temperature, will no back down on that one. Won't brag about my swimming abilities but I know what temperature a pool should be & that's too low. I swim in NRG a minimum of 9 times a week, before work every week morning & four times after. I think the times suit most people but not all. Difficult to please everyone though. I don't really think d-gal you're making things easy for yourself with some of your comments but again, your professional field so let you judge away I suppose!

corribdude

Ok, well I've been back to the pool a few times since my original post and it is definately warmer. It's not 30C but I don't think it's cold enough to be worth complaining about either. Hopefully it stays that way.

gaeilgegrinds

Have to agree on that one! Was really warm the last day, somebody's been reading these threads!

Manofthewest

I originally join NRG in August 2006 and left last November. The main reason I stayed so long was the pool facilities. But after alot of complaining by both myself and a friend in relation to the pool tempreture I decided that paying nearly €600 for a GYM that couldn't get that right was pointless.

As regards to a 24 hour GYM - The first on has opened in Dublin.

Manofthewest

I originally join NRG in August 2006 and left last November. The main reason I stayed so long was the pool facilities. But after alot of complaining by both myself and a friend in relation to the pool tempreture I decided that paying nearly €600 for a GYM that couldn't get that right was pointless.

As regards to a 24 hour GYM - The first on has opened in Dublin.

Mrs OBumble

Re 24-hour gyms:

d-gal wrote: »

I know some people would like to but again it is a business at the end of the day and they just would not make enough money on it, its like everything i suppose, nightclubs etc. Also a concern would be of people coming in after a night on the piss in an attempt to use the facility, again our stereotype lifestyle of the irish does not help the cause. Maybe one day there will be but I could not see it happening anytime soon.

New Zealand has had 'em for years: there are at least two in the city that I come from, which is about the size of Cork. The key point is that they're not staffed (except for the security company monitoring the CCTV cameras) for off peak hours. This isn't a problem for many gym users, given the abysmal level of knowledge/skill demonstrated by most gym-floor staff.

tristanc

San Francisco had like 5 of the '24 hours fitness' chain, though oddly I think only 2 of them were actually 24 hours.

Not that good of a gym (very cheap so very crowded at peak times), but handy when I worked off hours and wanted to go to they gym at 1 in the morning. Though I would strongly suggest avoiding the sauna/hot tub/steam room at that time of night.

d-gal

I suppose if you had a good security system it might work but I would still have at least one staff on instead of a security guy watchin a camera as anything could happen to anyone eg heart attack, faint under a heavy weight or even just fail a heavy lift. Im sure it would be expensive to acquire a licence for it and of course it would be a problem with drunks and stuff.

As for the absymal level of knowledge of gym staff i could not agree more, a lot of idiots out there