FITNESS FIRST HEALTH CLUBS (Derby) - Monthly Peak Full Membership Cost = £34.00 per month via direct debit
Nooooooooo ..... Not exercise I hear you all shout ! Well boys and girls, it's that time of year when all the fitness clubs really do clean-up ... they sign countless numbers of people up on 6-12 month long membership contracts as many make new years resolutions to try and beat the flab, particularly post Christmas. Well, if the gym doesn't work ... try food posioning ... I have currently been laid up ill with it for the last 2 weeks, and it's a sure fire way to loose weight ... Albeit a little drastic.
Fitness First Health Clubs appealed to me above all others, when I decided to sign up for "the burn" circa 6-years ago (Crikey ... is it that long?!), because they were not only moderately and reasonably priced for the market, but one of the features of membership is the ability to utilise any club in the country (166 in the UK!), provided you have your membership card with you. As someone who travels a lot within the UK for business and leisure, I considered this ideal, to ensure there are never too many days break in between sessions ... the reality is, as you may expect, somehwat different. The only other club I have actually utilised - to memory - is Aintree in Liverpool, as I utilise it when I go and stay with my family a couple of times a month. However, there is generally a consistency of product between the two, which gives me an, albeit limited, belief that brand standards exist within the group.
The atmosphere and mood in the gym in Derby has always been fairly friendly, but there are times of the day when it is more so than others and that is entirely dependent upon the crowd. "There's a good atmosphere in the gym!!" bellows Ben Stiller in the film "Dodgeball" .....
But then, what is a gym for really fo? What do we expect of a gym? Is it just for getting into shape, whether that be beefing up to look like a Roman God, toning up to look respectable on the beach, or losing a couple of pounds ... okay, stone .... and generally becoming fit enough to ensure you are not out of breath after walking from the couch to the fridge and back again? Nope, for some people it's much more than that ... it's about getting into a routine; picking up new ideas; learning new things i.e. dance, yoga, pilates; making new friends; getting a fake sun tan; having a health check; having an allergy check; changing diet; relaxation; pampering..... For some, it's all of these, for others, it's one or two, but most decent gyms these days will offer a range of products and services to suit the ever changing needs and demands of society.
One reason I have stayed with the same gym for so long, besides the fact I have tried the comeptition and am happy with what I have, is the fact that I can see the club evolving and changing and trying new things, which means I can tailor my own health & fitness programme / plans around this. I have also in the last year or more intorduced a couple of friends and work colleagues to the gym, and it is oddly motivating just knowing they are there at the same time as you, even if you are not training together.
Fitness First, and most gyms for that matter, are always on the look out for new members, as they rarely ever reach maximum membership numbers and rarely do they turn members away because the gym is over-crowded (it does get very busy at peak times though, which I will outline in more detail below), so you can always negotiate on joining fees, as some of them can be ludicrously expensive, with requests for 3 months membership as a joiner fee ... pull the other one, you are going to have me signed up for a minimum 6 to 12 months anyway, what do you want an extra 3 months for?... Admin fee?!!! Tell you what, I will do the paper work for you .. No, seriously! ... Come on, I'll type it all in on that computer just there for you ... that computer just there ... the one you are idly playing cards on ! A peak membership at Fitness First will cost you between £29-£34 per month, with off-peak memberships also available at circa half price (restricting access to something like 10am-4pm and all day at weekends). I am not really sure why there is a £5 banding / differential in peak membership, but I am aware from members at other clubs that they pay up to £5 less than me, as well as some at my club who pay a fraction less, but I can't really be bothered questioning why! Peak membership grants you full access, when the club is open from 6.30am-10pm Mon-Sat, and 8am-8pm on Sundays. If for any reason, you need to put your membership on hold, you can freeze it for a minimum period of one month and for as long as you wish. The freeze membership fee is only £7.50 per month, which I actually don't think is too bad. This can be unfrozen at any time, even after 2 weeks if you wish, and then your monthly fee is pro-rated. I have found this to be of particualr benefit at the moment, when I am unable to make use of the gym due to the recovering shoulder ... which I am sure the gym has partially contributed to anyway ... the irony !!
* Location, Access & Car Parking - The gym in Derby is located near Chester Green, just on the perimeter of the city centre and is easily accessible off Mansfield Road. There is ample car parking available around the club and neighbouring business unit complex, but it can become a little difficult to find a space during peak periods, with a few laps of the complex required !
* New Members - As a new member you receive an hour-long induction, which includes a fitness assessment and tailored fitness programme. There are over 20 programmes to choose from, including programmes to lose weight, get fit for sport, build cardio fitness, strengthen muscles, build heart health or even get fit for the first time. Your fitness consultant works with you to assess which programme best suits your needs, and then provides a hands-on demonstration of how the exercises and equipment works. All new members receive a 6 weekly review on request. The on request is the important word in that sentence, because you can receive as little or as much support as you require. Even if you are naturally fit and exercise regularly, if you have never been a member of a gym, you are best to seek some initial advice and start on a programme that is right for you. Many blokes just wade straight in and start trying to lift the heaviest weights without ever leearning technique first ... this is the quickest way to injure yourself and trying to be a "hero" often back fires.
New members are also usually given a starter kit upon joining, which varies slightly in terms of it's inclusions, but generally always includes branded ruck-suck, hand towel, head-phones for usage in the gym, and water bottle.
* Equipment - The equipment in the gym is generally up-dated and replaced fairly frequently, certainly before anything becomes run down and unusable. There are weights machines for working every major muscle ... from the back and shoulders, to biceps, triceps, chest, and abdominals, in addition to the lower half of the body ... quads, calfs, hamstrings, deltoids. There is also a free weights area, for working more specific / concetrated muscle groups and allowing members to dictate the weight with dual dumbells ranging from 2kg up to 70 kg !
In addition to all the weight lifting equipment are the cardio vascular machines; Treadmills, Cross-Training Machines, Exercise Bikes, Sit-down Pedallers, and Rowing Machines. All cardio vascular equipment have pre-set programmes, allowing you to select a workout based upon your individual needs and requirements ... from fitness tests, to time trials, weight loss, calorie loss, speed trials, endurance and so on. During peak times, you have to limit your time on any one machine to 20 minutes.
* Facilities - There are a number of television monitors around the gym (all on mute, but you are provided with headphones in your starter kit when you join) allowing you to pass the boredom of running, cycling, rowing without actually going anywhere!
The gym has 2 studios ... one is central to the gyms design, with the rest of the gym built around 3 sides of it's core, and is used for a range of classes, such as, Abdominals, Boxercise, Yoga, Pilates, Circuit Training (This is an absolute killer for me because of a back problem!), Steps, among others .... second is a spin studio, which is a smaller ante room utilised for spin classes and occasional other smaller attended classes. All classes taken by an employee of Fitness First are complimentary to members, but other classes, such as Dance and Tai-Kwondo that are taken by external instructors are at a cost.
During the evening, between 5pm-8pm, which is when I have most frequently been attending (after work), the main studio is always in use for one class or another, which I find a little frustrating as I like to do my boxing training, and the ONLY punchbag is located in the main studio. That is one thing I would change about the gym, and ensure that there is a smaller room, less frequently utilised, for the boxing equipment to be stoted and used. I have a similar problem when I go to Aintree Liverpool, whereby the Boxing equipment is stored in the main studio, which is - without fail - locked whenever vacant. The added annoyance here is that the staff always refuse to allow me access ... Now, I don't recall being given a discount because all the equipment wasn't accessible, so surely I should be granted access please !!!
Additional facilities include sunbed; male and female changing rooms, which are complete with lockable wooden lockers (with £1 deposit), hair dryers, iron and board, waste disposal bins, showers, single sex saunas, toilets and washbasins, and wet costume bags; dual sex sauna, steam room and solarium. One gripe I would have is with the standard of housekeeping in terms of keeping stock levels up ... as I often find the complimentary shower gel / body wash and shampoo dispensers are empty, as is the wet costume bags dispenser ... it's always the small things that piss people off the most!
* Atmosphere & Motivation - Varies from gym to gym really and dependent on how busy it is, but the dance music played in the gym is usally quite motivational, particularly when some of the most recent funky house tracks come on! The staff are generally all very friendly and certainly helpful, so that helps with the atmosphere and mood in the gym for a start. In terms of the members, there are a real mix of different people all with their own individual goals and targets. Some members are clearly there just to get on with their programmes and don't wish to communicate with anyone, where as other like to mingle freely amongst all members, exercising their mouths more than any of the other major muscle groups! I generally have a chat with one or two people when I am in the gym, but as I am usually so busy with work and a million and one other things, I just like to get my head down, get through my own programme and get home or onto whatever is next ... usually playing football if it's a Monday or Thurday night, when I utilise the gym as a warm up session and everyone clearly thinks I'm a psycho when I later march out in football kit. It's also motivational to know my best mate, Emma, and work friend, Nel, are working out in the gym at the same time - good for a rest bite every now and again if nothing else.
* Personal Training Instructors & Progammes - The Derby gym has a number of Personal Trainers and Instructors sub-contracted to the gym, who are fully qualified and provide expert advice and personal training in 1 hour sessions, at a cost of around £10 per session. Wai-Ling is particularly good and a cracking guy to boot.
* Support - As I mentioned earlier, the gym provides you with as little, or as much support as you require, dependent upon your individual needs. Staff will provide programme reviews, health checks, and general fitness / health advice.
* Peak & Off-Peak - Peak times in terms of sheer numbers through the doors, rather than the membership access times, are between 8am-10am, and then 4pm-8pm, with 5pm-7pm being the busy period of the day. Typically, Monday-Wednesday are the peak days, with Thursday and Friday tailing off a little, and Saturday and Sunday varying week to week.
* Additional - Complimentary soft drinks, tea & coffee. Lounge facility complete with television and daily newspapers for relaxing and unwinding after a heavy session. Complimentary DVD Hire facility, provided returned within a specific time frame. Some gyms have massage facilities, along with manicure, pedicure and other beauty treatments, but these are often sub-letted and completely down to the location, in terms of their presence / availability.
* Competitors - Other clubs in the area include;
- Virgin - Includes most of the same equipment and facilities as Fitness First, but also boasts a swimming pool and restaurant (I don't like swimming and I go home to cook). Membership costs are marginally more than Fitness First. I didn't personally like the set-up, vibe and equipment in the club.
- David Lloyd - To high end and expensive for me, with peak membership costing around £60-£65 per month. However, you do receive a much wider range of facilities, scuh as Squash, Tennis, Indoor and Oudoor swimming pools, and fully operational restaurant / cafe. I think there is even a creche.
- JJB Health Club - I pplay football at the Soccerdome next door, which is awesome, but I am not a big fan of the gym. It's too open plan, where as fitness first provides a little more seclusion, with 3 different sides to it. There is a female only section upstairs, which does appeal to a lot of girls. Peak membership is around £35-£38 per month.
- There are a number of other smaller gyms around the city, who are not large branded chains, and thus offer cheaper prices, but with somewhat less facilities. However, if you wish to concentrate purely upon body build, then some of these smaller independent gyms may suit you better, as they are designed more so with this as their focus.
PUMP SOME IRON DUDES AND DUDETTES !
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Price
£34 PER MONTH - PEAK
Size
Average
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