Markievicz Leisure Centre - any good?

McNulty

I was wondering of anyone on the forum was a member or has attended this gym? If so does anyone have any negative or positive feedback?

If you have read my previous posts I must come across like I keep changing my mind but I'm coming around the the fact that to achieve my particular goals it would be beneficial to me to have access to free weights in a gym. The location and price of Markievicz fit my budget and location (It means I can go before work), however before committing I would be keen to see if anyone here has any experience of the place?

Thanks

Jim

EileenG

Strange gym. Unless it has changed since the last time I was there, ALL the free weights are dumbbells. No barbells, no squat rack, no bench press, no power rack. Lots of machines, including leg press and assisted pull-up, so fine for that. The great thing is that it is city centre and it's PAYG.

hooplah

EileenG wrote: »

Unless it has changed since the last time I was there, ALL the free weights are dumbbells. No barbells, no squat rack, no bench press, no power rack.

I haven't been in the gym there for a while but last time I was (maybe a year ago) they had what I think was a power rack with a bench and all. If I remember rightly they had about 100kg of plates which i thought was a little low.

I think the staff are friendly, like Eileen said its pay as you go. There are a certain amount lot of guys in there who like to do a couple of reps, check themselves out in the mirror, do a couple more reps, check themselves out again etc but it wouldn't put me off going.

Oh yeah, the website is here if you want to ask them about equipment or anything.

Zamboni

Pro's

PAYG
Sound staff
Decent pool and sauna

Con's
No squat rack
No barbells
Only a Smith
Only 3 benches (I think)
Very few dumbbells.
Quite warm in the weights room due to proximity of the pool and can make for an uncomfortable workout.

To be fair, it's the best they can do with the space that they have especially considering it is a Dublin City Council financed operation.
It's sister gym in Irishtown is far bigger and better but location is the draw back.

The fact that you want to train in the morning before work I would recommend the Markievicz though. At least you will have access to the all the equipment that is there.
It's cheaper than Crunch on the Quays, Jackie Smellies on Clarendon and it's closer to City Centre than RAW ot the Fitness Dock.
i.e. it's not a bad spot to start.

delllat

theres another little gym accross the river on marlboro st,riverside fitness its called

its small and ****ty as well but might be slightly better equipped than markievicz without the pool

Zamboni

delllat wrote: »

theres another little gym accross the river on marlboro st,riverside fitness its called

its small and ****ty as well but might be slightly better equipped than markievicz without the pool

Is that place open?
I've seen it a few times and it has an 80's signage outside.
I just assumed it had closed down years ago.

McNulty

Thanks everyone - I'll give it a go on PAYG first and see how I get on. The 3 monthly and 6 monthly memberships are pretty affordable so at least I won't be committing to a massive outlay.

I guess I have to go and see how I get on - I'll report back!

Thanks again

EileenG

delllat wrote: »

theres another little gym accross the river on marlboro st,riverside fitness its called

its small and ****ty as well but might be slightly better equipped than markievicz without the pool

That place is closed now. n

westwoodgym

is it? when did they close it?

Static M.e.

you also have an Educo gym on Pearse street, no idea what its like though

Ive used the Markievicz a bit and I would have to agree with everything Zamboni said about it.

Lux23

Has anyone used thiss gym recently? I have been to Crunch and Jackie Skellys and for what I want from a gym I think these places are far too expensive. Jackie Skelly's in particular is very dirty and when I did a 1 day trial I had to queue to use a cross trainer.

smeedyova

Hi all, Can anybody tell me if the pool in the centre is nice? By nice I mean clean, really clean...Also, do they run swimming classes?

littleredspot

smeedyova wrote: »

Hi all, Can anybody tell me if the pool in the centre is nice? By nice I mean clean, really clean...Also, do they run swimming classes?

Hi,
just back from here, I can confirm that the pool is def clean (not quite sure how clean 'really clean' is to be honest;)) Its also nice and bright and the staff are friendly. They do run lessons both group and private.

smeedyova

Thanks littleredspot. By clean I meant that the pool itself is very clean, i.e., no mildew, etc., and that people shower before swimming, don't spit in the water, etc. Can you tell me what the changing room lockers are like? The shower?:)

littleredspot

No mildew, shiney tiles. Showers in changing rooms and another as you enter the pool. Couldn't say on the spitting front. Everyone wearing caps. You need to bring a little padlock if you want to secure your things in a locker, which I thought was unusual, but there's obviously not any problem with theft as plenty of people left their things in the changing rooms while swimming. There's also a sauna. Private cubicles and communal changing areas in single sex changing rooms. Plenty of people there too.

smeedyova

Thanks!

beeduybe

Whats the cardio facilities like in the Markievicz?

Would it be busy around 6pm during the week?

magotch07

beeduybe wrote: »

Whats the cardio facilities like in the Markievicz?

Would it be busy around 6pm during the week?

i used it a few weeks back cardio equipment is decent enough

its fairly busy about that time as with any gym

Alienontherun

I'm having serious issues with this ridiculous business of a time limit to stay in the swimming pool.

I've made a few phone calls to some gyms with pools and asked if even as a paying member I'd have to leave the pool after one hour and they said that that is for safety reason. F#"!?$; unbelievable!

Can anybody let me know if that's really enforced? Do they really sorround you on the premisses and ask you to leave if you remain either on the pool or in the sauna for more that one hour?

smeedyova

Years ago I can remember that pool sessions were hourly, i.e., people were let in at 3 and had to be out of the pool at 3:45 to make way for the 4pm session. I don't know anywhere that runs its pool like this now. Try TCD pool, they don't do that and you can stay as long as you like.

spaceylou

Rather than start a new thread on similar topic.....I have the timetable for the M....Centre (can't spell) but most of the times that suit me are lane swims.

I am not a very strong swimmer at all and find some pools quite intimidating with people shooting up and down the lanes but obviously I am not going to get stronger without practice SO does anyone know if sometimes are a bit quieter than others and/or would there be other not so strong swimmers during lane swim times?

Thanks

dave13

Normally when its lane swimming, there are 2 fast lanes, 2 slow lanes and 2 casual lanes.The casual lanes are the ones at the side of the pool, so you can pretty much go as slow as you like in those lanes, often will have people who will stop halfway and stuff. If you can swim but not very fast just use the slow lanes.

grizzly

Pros
Cheap – can pay per session, so easy come/go.

Cons
Dirty with poorly maintained equipment.
Rude, unhelpful staff.

smeedyova

spaceylou wrote: »

I am not a very strong swimmer at all and find some pools quite intimidating with people shooting up and down the lanes but obviously

I felt the same so I took a swim class. I didn't improve very much but I gained a lot of confidence. Stick to the slow lane. Don't worry about the fast swimmers either---they usually like to stay well clear of slow people!

spaceylou

smeedyova wrote: »

I felt the same so I took a swim class. I didn't improve very much but I gained a lot of confidence. Stick to the slow lane. Don't worry about the fast swimmers either---they usually like to stay well clear of slow people!

Thanks for that - yeah I've taken classes as well but am kind of at the stage where the only thing that will make me better is practice - and lots of it! Will try it out next week and stick to the casual and slow lanes for now!

Alienontherun

smeedyova wrote: »

Years ago I can remember that pool sessions were hourly, i.e., people were let in at 3 and had to be out of the pool at 3:45 to make way for the 4pm session. I don't know anywhere that runs its pool like this now. Try TCD pool, they don't do that and you can stay as long as you like.

Thnak you for your reply. I'll give them a try and will let you know thereafter.

dregin

grizzly wrote: »

Pros
Cheap – can pay per session, so easy come/go.

Cons
Dirty with poorly maintained equipment.
Rude, unhelpful staff.

I've always found the staff to be very friendly and I've seen em scrubbing the changing room floors and the deck on poolside many times, so I assume this is done on a daily basis.

What exactly did you find dirty?

grizzly

What exactly did you find dirty?

The gym equipment itself, and while the floors where cleaned everyday, less else was (I remembered one corner that had the same dirt in it for many weeks). My info is old though (see post date) so perhaps it's improved?

As for the staff, yes very unhelpful. 90% of the time it was a bored teen manning the front of house, pained to be torn away from the text message they were sending. If I had a question about any of the facilities, they would give one word answers or wordlessly slide a leaflet at me.

mloc123

The pool is fine, The lanes are well marshalled by the staff... they will pull jokers out of the fast lane etc.. As far as pools go its good, people are there to swim lengths and not mess about.

The changing rooms aren't the best IMO. Male showers were redone at some stage over the summer and are better than they were. Getting dressed afterwards is a case of balancing on your flipflops to avoid the ground.

thebison

Can anyone tell me about this gym??

Was hoping to join just for the weights room. Is there barbells & squat racks?

Whats the weights room like in general?

Cheers

thebison

anyone?

tomdublin

The gym is decrepit with cheap and badly maintained equipment and very little space. The changing rooms are filthy, and the Council employees working there seem friendly enough but otherwise indifferent. I'd stay away from it.

thebison

tomdublin wrote: »

The gym is decrepit with cheap and badly maintained equipment and very little space. The changing rooms are filthy, and the Council employees working there seem friendly enough but otherwise indifferent. I'd stay away from it.

Ha Cheers....Any other gyms around that area?

tomdublin

thebison wrote: »

Ha Cheers....Any other gyms around that area?

There is Crunch in the city centre which is expensive and not very good (and I'm not sure how long it will survive), and the Iveagh which is expensive but good (though I have never been myself). If you don't need a pool the Ben Dunne one on Jervis Street is probably best, it's well equipped and very cheap but can get crowded. Theres also one in Smithfield which is supposed to be nice.

Renn

Probably shouldn't bump this but looking for a pay as you go gym and this fits the bill. Any improvements made to it in the mean time?

People generally recommend it?

Clubman2012

I'm going to check it out this evening. Cant be too bad, as you said, its recommended by most.

tomdublin

Clubman2012 wrote: »

I'm going to check it out this evening. Cant be too bad, as you said, its recommended by most.

Haven't been there in a year but going by what has happened to other council-maintained facilities over the past year my guess is that it's even more decrepit now and the changing rooms even more filthy and the employees even more indifferent.... prices probably have gone up dramatically....

Stickman2

Was here a few month ago,weightlifting area way to small. Narrow and very long. Dressing rooms were horrible showers even worse. The staff I can't comment on because every one of them stood at the pool area chatting with each other for the hour and a half I spent there.

Clubman2012

I really would not recommend this place.

oceanclub

Disappointed to see so many bad reviews, as I was interested in doing swimming lessons there. (Am a member of Ben Dunne's gym over at Jervis, which is grand but doesn't haver a pool.)

P.

SBWife

oceanclub wrote: »

Disappointed to see so many bad reviews, as I was interested in doing swimming lessons there. (Am a member of Ben Dunne's gym over at Jervis, which is grand but doesn't haver a pool.)

P.

Swan Leisure in Rathmines does Adult swim classes and is very well run.

gormdubhgorm

Has been done up and given a major refurbishment.
Now better then most privately owned fitness centres.