There are two LA Fitness gyms in Birmingham - the one in the City Centre which has been written about so far, and the Longbridge branch from which I have recently cancelled my membership.
To be honest the cancellation of membership was mainly an effort to save some money rather than due ... Read review
A review by madmissp on LA Fitness, Birmingham January 20th, 2005
Author's product rating:
Value for Money
Satisfactory
Is it part of a chain?
yes
Service
Satisfactory
Cleanliness
satisfactory
Advantages:
plenty of equipment, swimming pool, car parking
Disadvantages:
I'm just too lazy
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
There are two LA Fitness gyms in Birmingham - the one in the City Centre which has been written about so far, and the Longbridge branch from which I have recently cancelled my membership.
To be honest the cancellation of membership was mainly an effort to save some money rather than due to any problems with the gym.
My partner and I joined on a buy one get one reduced price deal which worked out at around £45 a month.
As the main account holder my membership was "Wide" - this meant that I could use any LA Fitness gym in the country. As there are no branches in Wales when I spend a lot of my spare time I never actually used this. My partners membership was more basic just allowing her to go to our home gym.
As you enter the gym you have a reception desk which sells a limited number of warm drinks and snacks. For access to the gym facilities you have to get your card swiped by a receptionist which whilst okay would take far less time if you could do this for yourself.
Also on the ground floor were tanning rooms and the changing rooms. I'm not much of a sun queen so I never used the sun beds however, the changing rooms were spacious, with benches. A television provided entertainment when you were getting dressed. There were ample lockers in the gym although you had to provide your own locks. There were approximately 10 showers (all working usually) which were typically equipped with plenty of shower gel. As a Wide member you are intitled to use of the gyms towels (I never made use of this facility and don't know of anyone who did).
The main draw to this gym was that unlike the Fitness First's within the area it offered a swimming pool. This pool was small but sufficient to do a few laps after a hard day at work. The main drawback to it was that if you had more than 6 people in there at a time you were constantly bumping into each other. Along with the swimming pool was a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi which were excellent for a spot of relaxation.
On the first floor there was a small hairdressers and beauticians which offered a variety of wax treatments.
The gym itself had a wide variety of equipment. I am aware of weights, however, I typically stuck to the treadmill, rowing machine, step machine, cross trainer, exercise bikes. Each of these hjad headphone jacks so you could listen to a choice of local radio stations or the TV's of which there were four set to the far end of the gym. There was an ample supply of equipment with typically 10-15 of the most popular machines.
A range of pilates/yoga/aerobics/kickboxing classes operated on a daily basis - there were typically two or three to choose from per evening. There was a dedicated room of exercises bikes which were used just for classes as well. I tried pilates and the instructor was friendly/helpful and easy to follow.
There was a lot of a car parking space outside the gym and although this could get busy on occasion there were typically spaces available.
All in all I liked the gym and had I not been so lazy I think I would have continued with my membership!
Advantages: Great classes and plenty of equipment Disadvantages: Swimming pool is a bit small
I have been a member at this gym for nearly 2 years and I would have to say that the worst thing about it is motivating yourself to get there!
Personally, I prefer participating in classes rather than using the gym equipment, although I do take advantage of both.
There are a wide range of classes on offer both during the day and in the evening. They include plenty of the popular classes such as Body Pump and Body Combat (which if you've never tried ... ...fit! - Body Pump is working with weights to structured tracks in time with music and Body Combat is Kick boxing/Martial arts style moves to music - both are great fun!).
The classes all take place in the Studio which is spacious enough for a good workout with mirrors in front and to the side so that you can check your technique.
There is a second studio which is kitted out with exercise bikes for the Spin classes - again, there are a wide range ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Cheaper than others. Disadvantages: 2 floors below ground, poor condition and cleanliness
...try different gym around birmingham. LA fitness Birmingham is the worst gym I have even been.
The outside of the gym give you an impression that it is very very small. However, the gym is actually 2 floors below ground and has a nice reception area.
I have transferred my gym member from Milton keynes to Birmingham due to work. Having just transferred on a Friday, the gym was closed for 3 days the following week due to flooding. I used the gym on ... ...and cleanliness of the gym. The changing room was very small with little bench space for 3 people to change at the same time. The whole changing room had a strong smell of urine drifting from the toilet area and there were litter all over the floor. Considering the gym is two floors below ground, the air conditioning was absolutely appalling. The gym area feels like an oven let alone whilst doing cardio work. Some dumbbells had their gripping handles ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Easily accessible, friendly and a good selection of classes Disadvantages: Small and hot
The LA Fitness gym in the centre of Birmingham is by no means the largest or even the best equipped but it is certainly one of the most friendly and well kept gyms that I've attended.
As you enter the gym you are met with a team of beauticians who do ladies nails. This is just one of the types of therapy that the gym makes available for its customers. You proceed down a flight of stairs to a comfortable reception area which houses the LA Fitness ... ...fat quickly then attend an LA Fitness spin class! It's guaranteed to work.
There is an open area for those wishing to concentrate on the abdominal muscles and to use the punch bag.
The changing rooms are clean and fairly well maintained and there is an option when you join to have fresh towels whenever you attend. The gym here also offers sunbed and spa facilities.
The thing I most like about this gym is the diversity of the clients, the friendliness ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Well positioned. Friendly staff, good prices Disadvantages: Classes are cancelled regularly
This La fitness is situated right in the heart of the city centre so for people who work right in the middle of Birmingham the location is ideal. The outside facade is a little misleading about the size of the gym. On the outside it looks like there is only space for a small news stall but as you go down to the lower level, past the nail bar at the entrance, it is surprising how large it is underground. It has plenty of Treadmills, Bikes and Rowers. ... ...for using the free weights. But if a cardio workout is what your mainly after then this gym is perfect. Especially with all the spinning and body combat classes. As well as the new breakdancing class. Its also quite cheap compared to the other big names in health clubs and fitness centres.
But there are a few niggling problems with the gym that stop it from being a great gym.
The staff keep changing regularly giving you no sense of who they are ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Location, low price, although quality reflects this Disadvantages: Poor state of repair, over crowded, bad service, poor value for money.
...I joined LaFitness - Sutton Coldfield just under a year ago and I am counting the days until it ends. I thought this gym would be a good choice as it was close to the train station where I get off and would encourage me to go more frequently. There is a Bannatyne at New Oscott but I couldn't face the traffic on the Chester Road.
I secured a corporate deal by introducing our company to LAFitness. As I forgot my card on the day I actually went to sign up, I missed the deal to upgrade so that I would be able to use any gym for the same price. This would've helped me as I could've used the branch in town as I work nearby.
When I joined I noticed that there was often equipment that wasn't working and was left for a fairly long time before it was fixed. The air conditioning is only on now and then and the swimming pool's heating...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
21.08.2009
