Advantages: Get fit, increase self-esteem, fun (yes really!)
Disadvantages: NONE!

...with the best equipment, the TVs, DVD players and radios to distract you from the fact that you are breaking into a sweat and before you know it you have been running for an hour and it didn't even feel like you were exercising because you were so into your favourite program! RESULT! They also have that exclusive health club feel about them, the cafes with the low fat shakes and healthy food, the dance studio, the hydrotherapy pool and all the latest technology on fitness and beauty. These gyms are also good for quality of service, personal training sessions if you want them, a general feel good factor and the fact that you could stay there all day being pampered or relaxing after a workout! 'Usual' gyms These gyms are usually kitted out with the same kind of equipment as the exclusive gyms but they do not have the extras you might expect... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: versitility of use
Disadvantages: cost

...I have one of these and there great, I haven't writen this but this is for general information only, just to say, this can be as hard as you want it to be, but in the saying no pain no gain, and lots of people have never heard of it. There is a totally new strength training station, a totally different fitness machine setting a new standard in the exercise industry - the Total Gym 1000. One Look and you'll realize that this is no ordinary exercise product. With over 60 proven routine exercises, effortless changeovers, solid steel construction and a revolutionary design, the Total Gym is the one piece of equipment that replaces and entire gym. Total gym is unlike any strength machine on the market today! Constructed of solid steel, Total Gym comes fully assembled right out of the box. It sets up in seconds and is so uniquely... Read review

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Advantages: Bright pictures, nursery rhymes
Disadvantages: None

...book is aged at the 1-2 years age group. The Introduction The authors start with an introduction telling you that it is never too early to start reading to your child. They also give you advice on reading the book, to use different voices, to take time to look at the pictures and to let your child join in the story. enjoys. The authors also encourage you to sing the nursery rhymes and to emphasise words such as "Wheeee" and "Bump" to add to the pleasure and enjoyment of the book. The Story The story is very simple which is what you would expect for a book aimed at the 1-2 years age group. The babies who are walking or crawling go with their mums to the gym, there we see them on the equipment (should point out here the gym is like a soft-play gym and not the weights and aerobic machines kind... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Extremely versatile piece of equipment
Disadvantages: Can take a little time to get used to

...Rather than spending an excessive amount of money on a fairly standard piece of equipment i would reccommend purchasing the OneBoby 26" Anti-burst Gym Ball. I am a qualified fitness instructor and personal trainer and see many people buying expensive products that have minimal advantages to the lesser priced products. This gym ball is an excellent product which i would recommend. In my personal opinion you will complete a much more effective abdominal workout using the gym ball rather than completing abdominal workouts on the floor, the reason for this is that whilst you are maintaining balance you are using all your core muscles alongside your abdominal muscles. You are not limited with this equipment to just working your abs, you can lie on your front on the ball and complete dorsal raises to stregthen your back, you can place... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Get Fit
Disadvantages: COST Customer Service

...My partner and I have been a member of our local Total Fitness Gym for more that 4 years now. At first the gym was newly opened and so all the facilities were clean and brand new and working. There is a large gym area with a weights area and a women only gym. The machine are new and they do have modern equipment. There is a large 50m swimming pool, which you have to wear one of those silly hats for. A hydrotherapy pool, which as beds under the water which you sit on and feel bubbles against your skin. Steam room, Sauna and Solarium. Sun beds which cost from £1 per minute to use. There is also a cafe area. Which really put me off my workout, to smell fried chips when your working up a sweat, regularly made me feel sick. Now, overtime machines stop working, showers are out of order for weeks on end, steam rooms and Saunas... Read review

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Advantages: plenty of equipment, free film hire, close to city centre, hot tub
Disadvantages: no car park, air conditioning needs work

...was not an option for me as I work a few miles away. Cardio machines: there are many machines available, particularly the bicycles, running machine and steppers. These are positioned in front of an array of TV screens so you can choose which channel you wish to watch if you bring headphones (supplied when you join). These do get busy at peak times but I always found some free. Sometimes the background music is too loud to hear through your headphones properly, particularly in the evenings, but they will turn the volume down if you ask. Weight machines: At peak times you will have to wait to use some equipment but the "express workout" room downstairs is always quiet and allows you to do many of the same exercises. The express workout is very good for those with limited time - you work round the machines in half an hour. Exercise classes... Read review

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Advantages: Nice Design, Good Workout
Disadvantages: Not as good as similar priced ergos, Water Goes Green

...time to row 500m). You can set time or distance based workouts as well as do interval training. There is also some scope for connecting a heart rate monitor. All in all the water rower is a beautiful piece of gym equipment. While I wouldn' t recommend it for a keen rower for anyone else it is an excellent workout. The only problem I have had with mine has been that the water in the tank has gone green and I have found it hard to clean.... Read review

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Advantages: investment in your future, feel better, gets easier with time (I promise)
Disadvantages: can be pricey, takes motivation which does not always come natural

...What does one look for in a gym? Well (at least in my case) I have it pretty clear in my mind: Firstly, I want a gym that offers me "value for money" - by saying that, I do not necessarily mean in terms of the cheapest price around but in terms of cost per use. A gym which costs £30 a month which is in an inconvenient location or has a terrible atmosphere may be less "value for money" in the long term than a gym which is £55 in terms of "cost per visit" e.g. I may only go once a month at the cheaper less convenient gym (which makes cost per visit = £30) but I may go an average of 2 times a week at a more user-friendly but pricier gym (cost per visit = £6). Therefore the next thing to look at is attractive features which will make it EASIER for me go to the gym MORE rather than LESS as I am making an investment in my long... Read review

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Advantages: Different settings, occupies baby
Disadvantages: singing the tunes all day long

...This was given to my son at Christmas when he was nearly 6 weeks old. It has been the best toy for him so far other than giggling at me and his dad. Age Suitability ----------------- This gym is designed to be used from birth till toddlerhood. I don't honestly see it being much use in the very early weeks when babies barely open their eyes and everything is interesting (our stair banisters were a particular favourite to watch when Adrian was a few weeks). But once your baby is becoming more alert you can place him/her under the gym and set it to an automatic mode where it plays tunes and flashes lights constantly to entertain baby. Once your baby is a little bit older you can try it in the setting where it plays music when baby hits the dangly parts. For toddlers the gym can be altered so it can be used as a keyboard... Read review

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Advantages: Sturdy, Bright, Multifunctional
Disadvantages: None

...Okay so my 1st Ciao product review – so go easy on me! When my son was a couple of months old I started looking round for a baby-gym. I wanted something that had a little more than the seemingly standard pastel soft toys on and this seemed to fit the bill. Quite a few places stocked it for £17.99 but then I saw it on offer for £12.99 in Woolworths and couldn’t resist. However, I haven’t seen it for a while and am unsure if it has been discontinued in favour of the ‘next-stage’ multi-product. The product is advertised as a 6-1 toy, however the main uses are as a baby-gym and a walker – the other uses are just a bit of a gimmick really. On opening the box the baby-gym was self-assembly, but this doesn’t require any special tools and is very straightforward – taking only a few minutes. As a baby-gym it is a very good toy... Read review

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