Fitness First, Harrow, London

Fitness First:

Background- They are a vary large company with Fitness Centres in many countries. Currently they have over 500 centres of which +140 are in the UK. They have 1.4million members.

Clubs: These can be divided up into 3 levels of clubs. Blue, Platinum & Black.
The difference:
Blue is the basic club and over 80% of the clubs are within this category. More about this type of club below.
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...towel.

Harrow Fitness First (a blue club):

Location: Unit 35, 2nd Floor, St Georges Centre, Harrow.
The British Rail and Underground (Metropolitan line) stations are about an 8 minute walk away (Think fitness, jog there in 4 mins!).
Harrow bus station is right by the train station so lop off a minute in travelling to the Gym.

Harrow: Basically its NW London, not as far out as Watford or Uxbridge.
more

Fitness First:

Background- They are a vary large company with Fitness Centres in many countries. Currently they have over 500 centres of which +140 are in the UK. They have 1.4million members.

Clubs: These can be divided up into 3 levels of clubs. Blue, Platinum & Black.
The difference:
Blue is the basic club and over 80% of the clubs are within this category. More about this type of club below.
Platinum clubs are what they call clubs in 'popular' areas (which seem to be in posh places, like Chelsea). They cost more than blue clubs.
Black clubs are exclusive clubs that typically offer extra items like swimming pools and towels and cost the most.

Membership: There are various types of membership all at varying prices. They consist of student, off peak, over 55's, corporate, gold to name a few.
The membership also has different levels of access to clubs. You can buy a membership just for your club (£43.95 per month). You can buy membership for all 'blue' clubs (over £50 per month). The memberships for Platinum & Black are more. You will only get the prices for these by joining one.
All clubs charge some sort of joining fee (called an Admin fee). At present its a one-off £30 but it does vary. Sometimes they'll have a special offer on & it'll be reduced.

Included within membership:
You get shown round the gym and the various machines explained to you like how to use them (safely). You get a plastic membership card, with your picture on it, that is used to lock and open your locker. Quite often there is some sort of incentive like free headphones & a sweat towel.

Harrow Fitness First (a blue club):

Location: Unit 35, 2nd Floor, St Georges Centre, Harrow.
The British Rail and Underground (Metropolitan line) stations are about an 8 minute walk away (Think fitness, jog there in 4 mins!).
Harrow bus station is right by the train station so lop off a minute in travelling to the Gym.

Harrow: Basically its NW London, not as far out as Watford or Uxbridge.

Harrow Town Centre:
This consists of two small shopping centres and 2 roads with many shops in. Nearest to the bus/train station is the St.Annes centre. Once you walk through this turn left into the street (St.Anns Road) and this takes you up to St.Georges Centre. Once inside walk to the other end of the centre and you can take the escalator to the first floor, then walk up to the 2nd floor. Of course, if your gagging to get going, just use the staircase to run briskly up to the 2nd floor.

Parking: If driving then use the St.Georges car park. You will get a plastic entrance/exit token when you first arrive. Fitness First in Harrow will pay for your first 2 hours parking. When you leave the gym, you activate the token via the gym's machine which gives you the first 2 hours free.

Harrow Fitness First:
There is one entrance and this takes you to the reception. You get swiped in via your membership card and, **VITAL POINT**, the staff will then press a button on the entrance turnstile. You MUST wait for the display to go green because it wont open before then. (If you go too soon and you're female it'll hurt. If you're male, expect to talk like a soprano for a while).

Just past the reception is the 'cafe' area. Here is where people sign up for membership or relax after the gym session. There is also a selection of drinks available (FREE) like coca-cola, sparkling orange, soda water, orange squash, tea & coffee.
Tables & chairs are available and softer chairs. Sometimes some FREE papers will be available, like the Daily Mail or the FT.
There is also a selection of DVD's available to borrow. They are free for 1 night.

Up the stairs (its ok, only about 6 of them) and, ladies follow the path to the left for your changeing room, gents go right.

In the main central area are the running type machines and resistance machines. To the left is the smaller free weights area. Over on the right is the studio.

Central Main area:
This consists of about 20 running machines. You can set them for you to run at a steady pace for a set distance or time, go up & down hills or just a brisk walk.
Cycles: About 12 and you can cycle up/down hills, distances or whatever you choose to set. They have 20 levels of hardness. Level 1 is basic (thinking about going for a walk in the park) whilst level 20 is the hardest (think about building the park).
Rowing machines: 4 of them, now finally secured to the floor (so you dont end up across the room!), with 10 different hardness setting.
There are also about 20 walking type machines with footplates & hand bars.

Resistance (weights) machines: Over 30 of them. All do different things. They are adjusted by weight. The more weight you pull or push, the harder it is. Some work on the tummy, some on the thights, some the bottom, arms, legs, all over the body. Most have a little picture which shows the area of the body they will help to tone up.

Free Weights area: Quite simply this is an area where most of the weights are free standing, in otherwords you physically pick them up, and do whatever you wish with them to train. Many are Dumbells of different sizes.
WARNING**- This area is for males & females. Most of the time men seem to use it and the ladies avoid it. If you are female, expect some of the woosie men to complain to staff because fit females seem to worry them (ha ha. Tough eh).

Staff: They will help you and show you how to use a machine. If you want to pay extra, you can book some personal trainer sessions where a programme of training is worked out for you & you get put through your paces.

Studio: This area is for special classes that are run for free at various times on various days. All gyms have a list up of the classes they do. Be aware some classes are very polular and need to be prebooked as they are so popular. Body Combat is one such class (you have an hours work out in the studio & appear to be practising thumping someone). I recommend if you have a partner who attends this, you keep clear of them for some time after!

General gym: There are 8 TV screens in the front of the main area, showing the main channels and a few sky ones).
Water is freely available from the taps.
A stretching area is available to stretch out.
A couple of side rooms are available with few extra odds and ends in. Some have 'space hopper' type balls in, but without the horns.

Earphones: To listen to a particular channel on the TV or radio, you'll need some sort of earphones with a jack plug. Most running/cycling machines have a unit on them to select the channel & volume otherwise music of some sort is always playing throughout the gym.

The gym also has a sun bed so you can keep your tan topped up. This is an extra charge with variable fees.

Sauna: Both changing rooms have an entrance that will take you into the sauna area. There you can have either a dry or wet sauna.
Changing Rooms: Both have about 150 lockers in them. They electronically lock via your membership card. Try to remember your locker number for when you finish your session. The shower areas are all seperate cubicles and have free shampoo & body lotion available.
Shop: The gym 'shop' is at reception and they'll sell you powders to make your muscles bigger, extra towels and such-like.

Web Site: Their web site is www.fitnessfirst.co.uk. Its very comprehensive and has some details of offers and, currently, has a link to click on where you can get a FREE 1 Day pass.

Harrow Fitness First is open 6.30am on weekdays (yep, well early) and shuts at either 9 or 10pm. Weekends are more docile opening at 8am and closing at 8pm.

Is it for you: If you sign up to join, be aware MOST packages require a mininum of 12 months membership and 1 months notice of cancellation. Enjoy! 

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