LA Fitness, Piccadilly

...suitable gyms, and of these, LA Fitness offered the best facilities plus some of my work colleagues were already members. An appointment was duly arranged....

The member of staff conducting my appointment was pushy from the start. She gave me a quick tour of the gym, before moving onto prices. Obviously instructed to get you to sign up that very day the hard sell was applied big time. I had made up my mind that I wanted to join this ...
...faint).

LA Fitness Piccadilly branch is situated on Lower Regent Street, a minute's walk from Piccadilly Circus. You enter the gym at street level, but it is actually underground. For my £51 a month I get the following:

1. A "free" LA Fitness backpack (which I feel a bit naf carrying) containing a tiny weeny towel, drink bottle, padlock for locker, headphones and wet bag.
2. A "free" consultation ... more

I have resisted joining a gym for many years now. This is not to say I have not made some efforts to keep fit, on the contrary when living in Sussex I was more than happy to pop to my local leisure centre twice weekly for swimming or exercise classes. But returning to London put a stop this saintly exercise habit because a) I do not seem to have a local leisure centre and b) if there was one, what condition would it be in? So the only realistic alternative was the dreaded gym.

But why so dreaded? Paying per trip to the leisure centre actually wouldn't work out much cheaper a month than gym membership (even at expensive West End rates - more later). My problem with gyms is signing the 1 YEAR contract. It's a big commitment and I've always suspected that gym staff are very bad people who con you into signing and then rub their hands with glee when you don't end up actually going to the gym!

Despite such reservations, I need to get exercising now as I am planning a trip to South America next year during which physical fitness and stamina will be very important. To have abs like a pop star would be very nice too. So, already feeling virtuous enough to reach for that extra cake, I began to investigate gyms in the immediate vicinity of my workplace. There were only three suitable gyms, and of these, LA Fitness offered the best facilities plus some of my work colleagues were already members. An appointment was duly arranged....

The member of staff conducting my appointment was pushy from the start. She gave me a quick tour of the gym, before moving onto prices. Obviously instructed to get you to sign up that very day the hard sell was applied big time. I had made up my mind that I wanted to join this gym anyhow, but I had one big concern: I was very reluctant to sign up for a whole year, was there the possibility of signing a 3 or 6 month contract (bearing in mind other gyms do offer this)? No, I'm told, but for a small admin fee of around £12 I can freeze my membership while I'm away. And so, attracted by the October offer whereby you get 1 month free provided you visit the gym twice a week for the first two months (something of an incentive), I signed the dreaded contract - and immediately decided I'd made a huge mistake! *

For a start I was now tied into a whole year's contract, what if, like most people, I simply gave up going after the first month? Of course, for the time being I'm determined to go at least three times a week and I'm going to keep updating this review as added incentive. What made me very angry, however, was the discovery I had been misled in the first place. Being naturally suspicious I rang up and spoke to someone else, apparently it is possible to join for less than a year. What's more freezing your membership is not a simple matter of just paying £12 admin fees and then resuming the membership when you want (as I was lead to believe). In fact during your first year the monthly payments will continue at the full rate, but you can "buy back" the frozen months for £12 each.

Having put in a strong complaint I have decided to make the best of the situation and am utterly determined to get my money's worth!

I paid the following:

· £60 Joining Fee (which as part of the sales technique increases if you don't sign up there and then)
· £51 a month for 12 months (I got a slightly discounted corporate rate, usual rate is £56 a month)
· In October the special deal is that if you use the gym twice weekly for the first two months you get one month free (effectively wiping out the joining fee).

So what do you get for this stupendous sum of money? (£621 over a year - I feel quite faint).

LA Fitness Piccadilly branch is situated on Lower Regent Street, a minute's walk from Piccadilly Circus. You enter the gym at street level, but it is actually underground. For my £51 a month I get the following:

1. A "free" LA Fitness backpack (which I feel a bit naf carrying) containing a tiny weeny towel, drink bottle, padlock for locker, headphones and wet bag.
2. A "free" consultation with a personal trainer who will provide you with a programme fitted to your personal needs.
3. A "free" 15 minute appointment with the in house physiotherapist.
4. Changing rooms - The changing rooms are reasonably large and I have yet to find it unpleasantly full, plus there are plenty of lockers. The toilets and showers are nice and clean, my only criticism being at peak times (which seems to be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings) you sometimes have to queue for a shower. The catering for ladies is very good with five hairdrying stations and a vending machine full of essentials: shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and even frizz-ease serum.
5. Swimming pool - the pool is not large (disappointing when you are used to leisure centre facilities), but is bigger than the other pools I saw at west end gyms and it is perfectly functional for swimming lengths. There are three different lanes, although no one seems to pay much attention to this and fast people often invade my slow lane! Those horrible hats (available at the reception for £5) which I last wore at school are obligatory, so I am acutely aware of looking foolish and the thing keeps falling off anyway.
6. Jacuzzi, Steam Room & Sauna - As standard. I have found that the jacuzzi gets quite crowded and operates on a 7 minutes on 7 minutes off system which usually means its either too busy or off when I want to use it!
7. Gym - The gymnasium is advertised as "equipped with the latest cardiovascular and resistance equipment". The equipment is arranged across a couple of rooms and includes treadmills, rowing machines, exercise bikes and steppers. There seems to be plenty of machines, for example there are over 20 exercise bikes of differing types and almost as many treadmills. Consequently, I have never yet seen anyone queuing to use the equipment, even at peak times.
8. Studio Classes - one of the main reasons I wanted to join LA Fitness over the other gyms in the area is the multitude of studio classes on offer (remember I'm still in the leisure centre mentality!) - over 60 classes a week ranging from calorie burning (LA Spin, Dance Cardio Funk etc), body conditioning (Bodypump, Legs Bums & Tums etc), combination and mind & body (Pilates, Yoga etc). The majority of these classes are free (occasionally there are course based classes requiring additional payment such as Bollywood Dancing or Pole Dancing) and the schedule changes every three months with the majority of the classes at convenient times i.e. lunch and early evenings.
9. Additional facilities - there are also a range of facilities you have to pay for (which, I'm afraid I will be unable to review as LA Fitness won't be getting another penny from me!). This include personal training and physiotherapy after your complimentary session, beauty treatments and sunbeds. N.b. If sunbeds are important to your gym experience, I found that a certain number of sessions come free with Cannons (Kingly Street, W1) membership.

My Gym Diary

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October 2006 - I went to my 15 minute induction session. The guy who showed us newbies around was generally disinterested, but I did learn some useful stuff. For example that you can have a complimentary consultation with a personal trainer and session with a physiotherapist (see above), information which I wouldn't have learnt otherwise.

During my first couple of weeks I have been to the gym three times a week (so far so good). I have mainly been swimming, where I have yet to find the pool overcrowded and to the studio classes. The first class I attempted is called Bodypump. I called to book 24 hours in advance, a per instructions, which was fine but when I asked how early I have to been there in advance the receptionist didn't understand what I was saying and just hung up! So rude!

Bodypump Class: The class itself was really good. As a beginner you can go to special 15 minute taster class before attempting the real thing, but with the restrictions of lunchtime I just threw myself in at the deep end. The class involves body conditioning (toning to you and I) exercises for your legs, arms, chest and abs using weights. Although it was challenging (my arms are practically lame) I could generally keep up and, through adding different weights, the class is suitable for all levels. Plus the instructor guy was gorgeous which was very inspiring. ****

Next week: LA Spin beginners class... :-O

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November 2006 - Last week was highly successful, I managed to go to the gym four times. At the moment I am still trying out all the classes deciding which ones I like best.

Step Class: I am actually no stranger to Step, having been frequently to my local leisure centre classes and really enjoyed it. The instructor would teach you new steps, but they were never to difficult to master, and build them into a routine which gave a really good work out. The instructor at LA Fitness, however, made the whole thing overly complicated. The steps were so difficult that the majority of the class were having difficulty keeping up, and at one point even the instructor forgot the moves, but this didn't seem to faze him in the slightest as he dreamt up routines that a dancer would be proud of. Consequently I didn't receive a very good workout at all because I spent most of the class standing around trying to work out what I was supposed to be doing! **

LA Spin Class: I went to the taster class which I would really recommend. The instructoress explained how the exercise bikes worked and took us through a 20 minute "spin" to acclimatise newcomers. Even this shorter class was tough and a great calorie burner. I am going to the full 45 minute class tonight - wish me luck! ****

Pilates: I rather over-reached myself with this one as I went on Saturday regardless of a hangover! However, despite a distinct queasiness, the class was pretty good and because of very limited attendance, personal tuition was possible. ***

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February 2007 - I am still going to the gym three or four times a week and enjoying it, but I'm afraid to say LA Fitness are back to their money grabbing tricks! When I joined the special offer was that if you attended the gym twice weekly for your first eight weeks you would get January for free. I more than doubled that requirement and yet, surprise, surprise, January's money still came out of my account! Someone from head office is supposed to be calling me back so I'll keep you posted! If you join on a similiar offer, make a note to check your direct debits.

Legs, Bums & Tums - I have been attending this class fairly regularly. It is a good class consisting of a warm up workout which is aerobic, but not challenging, followed by sessions to tone the aforementioned problem areas! The class gets really busy so book well ahead. ***

~*~

March 2007 - After speaking to head office and the club manager LA Fitness have now re-paid me the £51 for the month of January so all is well.

In another development, because classes have been so busy, the club has introduced a coloured band system so those who book their class are assured a place.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

* Tips - when gathering information about the various gyms in your area try calling first and then if the facilities sound promising book an appointment. If you just pop in they will try to sign you up then and there via pressurised sales technique and deals that are apparently available "today" only. Over the phone, where your credit card is happily out of their reach, you are more likely to get truthful information and can not be unduly pressured.

Club Opening Times

Monday-Thursday 6.30pm-9.30pm
Friday 6.30am-8.00pm
Saturday& Sunday 9.00am-4.00pm  

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