How much? You gotta be fuc£ing kidding me!

[Prime]

Ok so my stoopid gym closes over the christmas period. So i have to find an alternative gym. Lets just say this is an irritating and expensive problem. I had my choices narrowed to two (out of a whopping 4) and decided to go for the more expensive gym as it was closer and had a squat rack instead of just a crappy smith machine. Well i get there tonight and get ready to sign up, im dressed ready to train. They then hit me with an admin fee almost half the cost of the months membership!! Admin fee?? to do what? File a card and put me on the system. I used to work in a gym, that takes 2 minst tops. And the total cost for one months membership...............£85!! thats almost $170 to you boys from the US. I felt like dragging her over the table by her hair as she sat across from me taking joy in my utter horror at the price. Well i got up said that was way too much and left. Ok so now im going to have to settle for a really wimpy softcore gym. I asked how much the dumbells went up to over the phone. I had to wait 3 mins while one of the trainers went to find out a whopping 44kgs I then asked if they had a squat rack they said they did, then they phoned me back to inform me they had confused the smith machine with a squat rack .
Well i suppose the only good thing is i may be the big guy in the gym for a few weeks. Just needed to rant as im pissed at my serious lack of options. There are hardcore gyms in London but the commute to them is just too expensive!

[Elysium]

Ok so my stoopid gym closes over the christmas period. So i have to find an alternative gym. Lets just say this is an irritating and expensive problem. I had my choices narrowed to two (out of a whopping 4) and decided to go for the more expensive gym as it was closer and had a squat rack instead of just a crappy smith machine. Well i get there tonight and get ready to sign up, im dressed ready to train. They then hit me with an admin fee almost half the cost of the months membership!! Admin fee?? to do what? File a card and put me on the system. I used to work in a gym, that takes 2 minst tops. And the total cost for one months membership...............£85!! thats almost $170 to you boys from the US. I felt like dragging her over the table by her hair as she sat across from me taking joy in my utter horror at the price. Well i got up said that was way too much and left. Ok so now im going to have to settle for a really wimpy softcore gym. I asked how much the dumbells went up to over the phone. I had to wait 3 mins while one of the trainers went to find out a whopping 44kgs I then asked if they had a squat rack they said they did, then they phoned me back to inform me they had confused the smith machine with a squat rack .
Well i suppose the only good thing is i may be the big guy in the gym for a few weeks. Just needed to rant as im pissed at my serious lack of options. There are hardcore gyms in London but the commute to them is just too expensive!

lol did you join fitness first by any chance?

[Prime]

lol did you join fitness first by any chance?

naw it was a cannons. Im looking at an LA fitness now Everywhere else wont do a months membership.

[Elysium]

naw it was a cannons. Im looking at an LA fitness now Everywhere else wont do a months membership.

cannons is quite expensive, they are nice gyms tho, a bit *pretty*. they got a pool at your one? the cannons near mine has a decent pool

[Elysium]

naw it was a cannons. Im looking at an LA fitness now Everywhere else wont do a months membership.

dude, you can buy a months guest pass for fitness first i believe

[decadbal]

what kind of gym closes down for that long of a time

[Prime]

cannons is quite expensive, they are nice gyms tho, a bit *pretty*. they got a pool at your one? the cannons near mine has a decent pool

yeah, pool steam room, yoga classes, massage etc all inc. I was a member a few years back when it was cheaper. The equip is quite good, and there are a few serious lifters there.

[Elysium]

what kind of gym closes down for that long of a time

i know, my gym is only closed for one day out of the whole year, christmas day.

[Prime]

what kind of gym closes down for that long of a time

a university gym

[Prime]

dude, you can buy a months guest pass for fitness first i believe

nope 3 months minimum i phoned and asked

[needmorestrength]

That gay.. just show up and workout what are they gonna do lol

[Elysium]

nope 3 months minimum i phoned and asked

wrong. mis informed. dont think you explained properly. the minimum membership period is 3 months yes, but you only want a months workout so you can buy a guest pass. also they have just brought in a price plan that lets you quit at anytime. i know this coz i go to fitness first and used to work for them

[Prime]

wrong. mis informed. dont think you explained properly. the minimum membership period is 3 months yes, but you only want a months workout so you can buy a guest pass. also they have just brought in a price plan that lets you quit at anytime. i know this coz i go to fitness first and used to work for them

well i used to train there too. I phoned em up yesterday and explained my situation, i said i wanna train one month only and they said i have to sign up for 3 months minimum.

[Elysium]

well i used to train there too. I phoned em up yesterday and explained my situation, i said i wanna train one month only and they said i have to sign up for 3 months minimum.

ok then they lied. utter bullsh*t. they have a price plan, the monthly rate is slightly higher but you can quit at any time. OR you can do the guest pass thing. PLUS whats stopping you signing up then cancleing then DD after a month, we had members do it all the time and theres nothing we could do about it.

[Prime]

ok then they lied. utter bullsh*t. they have a price plan, the monthly rate is slightly higher but you can quit at any time. OR you can do the guest pass thing. PLUS whats stopping you signing up then cancleing then DD after a month, we had members do it all the time and theres nothing we could do about it.

yeah ok thats definatley food for thought, ill give em a ring tomorrow and enquire. Im pretty sure they dont use olympic regulation bars. Last time i was there i could have sworn the circumference of the main part of the bar was greater then normal.

[Elysium]

yeah ok thats definatley food for thought, ill give em a ring tomorrow and enquire. Im pretty sure they dont use olympic regulation bars. Last time i was there i could have sworn the circumference of the main part of the bar was greater then normal.

We have two officially licensed olympic bars at my fitness first.

[Prime]

We have two officially licensed olympic bars at my fitness first.

where's that? Trust me teh ones near me are definatley cheap versions

[Prime]

good call messy i just rang FF and they said it would be £55. Its not cheap but its local.

[The Baron]

Ok so my stoopid gym closes over the christmas period. So i have to find an alternative gym. Lets just say this is an irritating and expensive problem. I had my choices narrowed to two (out of a whopping 4) and decided to go for the more expensive gym as it was closer and had a squat rack instead of just a crappy smith machine. Well i get there tonight and get ready to sign up, im dressed ready to train. They then hit me with an admin fee almost half the cost of the months membership!! Admin fee?? to do what? File a card and put me on the system. I used to work in a gym, that takes 2 minst tops. And the total cost for one months membership...............£85!! thats almost $170 to you boys from the US. I felt like dragging her over the table by her hair as she sat across from me taking joy in my utter horror at the price. Well i got up said that was way too much and left. Ok so now im going to have to settle for a really wimpy softcore gym. I asked how much the dumbells went up to over the phone. I had to wait 3 mins while one of the trainers went to find out a whopping 44kgs I then asked if they had a squat rack they said they did, then they phoned me back to inform me they had confused the smith machine with a squat rack .
Well i suppose the only good thing is i may be the big guy in the gym for a few weeks. Just needed to rant as im pissed at my serious lack of options. There are hardcore gyms in London but the commute to them is just too expensive!

I wouldn't sweat it for just the couple of weeks you are out of your regular gym. Try the Smith... better than nothing. GREAT for true failure sets, if it is a nice sturdy one that won't fold up when you do. Try to get used to twisting the bar a bit so that your natural reaction in a crisis will automatically hook up the bar.

As for the dumbbells, you could do what I used to do before I quit using gyms... carry a pair of olympic dumbbell handles to the gym with you, along with two pairs of GOOD collars, not spring collars. You can easily crowd a half dozen 25 lb plates on a 20" oly handle... that, with collars, is a 165 lb dumbbell. Big enough for almost anything except maybe dumbbell squats or deads unless you are a real monster. And break out the straps, and try some heavy dumbbell squats or deads. The mechanics of the lift can be quite a bit different, and an interesting change.

What more can I say? Go on to your wimpy little gym now, and SCARE some folks!

[Elysium]

good call messy i just rang FF and they said it would be £55. Its not cheap but its local.

cool, what option was it, the guest pass thing or membership. are you gonna go for it? also they MAY ask you to pay a joining fee, say that you work for Dixons group plc, they have a contract with them that gets you off joining fee. OR if you are rejoining, so you can say you used to be a member.

[Elysium]

where's that? Trust me teh ones near me are definatley cheap versions

Im in Swindon, Wiltshire. We have quite a few body builders down here, alot of which are sponsored by fitness first.

[Prime]

cool, what option was it, the guest pass thing or membership. are you gonna go for it? also they MAY ask you to pay a joining fee, say that you work for Dixons group plc, they have a contract with them that gets you off joining fee. OR if you are rejoining, so you can say you used to be a member.

just a guest. yeah i used to be a member i may still have the card

[Elysium]

just a guest. yeah i used to be a member i may still have the card

cool yea they shouldnt charge you then if you used to be a member, £55, still at least its cheaper than cannons

[Prime]

cool yea they shouldnt charge you then if you used to be a member, £55, still at least its cheaper than cannons

yeah and all the cheap watered down coke i can drink

[Elysium]

yeah and all the cheap watered down coke i can drink

haha i used to like the coke, it just tastes NASTY now i always have orange, or just water. my gym just had a refit in their lounge, new leather couches and a plasma

[Prime]

haha i used to like the coke, it just tastes NASTY now i always have orange, or just water. my gym just had a refit in their lounge, new leather couches and a plasma

well i may see how much coffe i can consume during one workout

[Elysium]

well i may see how much coffe i can consume during one workout

lol haha, dont know if they have a lounge at yours? mines quite good, i know all the members and staff, nearly. its quite cosy in the lounge too, you can just chill, have a coffee and watch tv