Being substituted for the second time in a row for my local Sunday football team made me not a happy bunny. I was on the verge of doing a Cantona Kung Fu kick to opposing travelling fans when coming off, but ended up more like Gazza sulking and crying in the dressing room. I was said to be looking sluggish and tired, so the next step up was for me to train harder, improve my fitness & stamina and show my Manager I can run up & down the wing non-stop. As our trusty winter weather proved running on the roads/pavement in rainy cold conditions is unpleasant & getting dark quickly. What better opportunity then to join a local gym - Holmes Place (Wood Green). I booked an interview and was interviewed by a smartly dressed guy (called Sam) like in the film "Men in Black". The first thing you do is fill forms - an A4 page length questionnaire about your current health, what you want to gain & benefit from being a member. Followed by a formal chat to elaborate answers further. I was 30 minutes into my interview and was getting to the point in feeling if there were actually any members if the selection process was long and quite off putting at times. He kept on asking if I lived nearby, whether I be moving away in the near future, and how many times will I come etc. This method weeds out the true reasons why people would pay good money if they were hardly going to use the facilities. I was then given the grand tour. The Wood Green branch is located on the Wood Green High Street, and you need to buzz in or put your membership swipe card to enter the building, and then take the lift to the 3rd floor - There are 2 floors - the ground floor consists of the gentleman changing rooms, the small coffee shop area with TV, 2 classrooms, most of the treadmills and the cardio equipment - rowing and cycling machines etc. The 2nd floor consist of the ladies changing room, floor mat area for the stretches, and mainly all the weights and arm, leg presses. All in all this is well-equipped gym in nice large cool air-conditioned rooms. The changing rooms are nice and large with private (hire) or day lockers available. You just need to bring your own padlock or hire one from reception for 50p a time. The showers are clean and have hot water – you have to bring your own towel or hire one for GBP1.00. The sauna is same sex and you must shower before you can go in for hygiene purpose.
If you thought why I was starting to sweat and feel my lungs burning, and muscle I never thought I had ached was not because I had started my new rigorous exercise but the cost to join!!!! There was a joining fee, which started off as GBP120.00 which could not be waivered as I was told they could not let anyone just join - there was a certain quota figure they could only allow in. The monthly fee was GBP42.00 . So the total figure he wrote down was GBP624.00 understandably he did not say it out loud.
After fainting and some serious negotiations I was signing on the dotted line and handing over my credit card after agreeing to pay a joining fee of GBP50.00 and GBP38.50 monthly fee if I pay up front for the whole year. A total of GBP512.00 . So don't be afraid to negotiate - they are flexible.
You do get a free one-hour induction, which is brilliant as they show you how to use each equipment and its purpose. They even set you a program - so every time you come in - you tick off your own personal card the exercise you done to ensure you are improving each time.
There are free classes to all members (Body Pump, Spinning, Boxercise, Kai Bo, Yoga, Pilates, Aerobics etc.) - timetables are posted on the notice boards around the gym and change every month depending on how popular they are.
So far I am in my third month and I have no complaints. The staff is friendly and approachable. There is good Dance & Garage music pumping around and you can watch TV (headphones available from reception) whilst you exercise. Plenty of equipment to use so no need to wait around. Lets just say I have yet been substituted since I joined this gym.
More details
Price
GBP512.00 for year
Size
Very Big
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