I’m no stranger to fitness – I love attending my favourite zumba class and recently did a 3 hour zumbathon for The Martlets Hospice. I also enjoy going to balates class at my local Sweaty Betty, and when the weather’s nice enough I’ll be back to hula hooping now that we have a garden. So when Fitness First invited me to have a look around their Brighton gym and have a personal training session, I jumped at the chance.
My past history with gyms and fitness
My history with gyms has been on and off. When I was a student I used to go to the gym with my friend Sarah. That was, until I got ill with Fibromyalgia and ME. Years later, once I’d regained a lot of energy and strength (maybe I’ll write a post about that one day?), I went to spin classes and also to the gym along the road to where I lived at the time. My life changed again, and I took another break, joined a gym when I got better again, and then started my beloved zumba classes which I still go to.
My thoughts on gyms
My thoughts of gyms have always been mixed – expensive joining fees, being conned into contracts, being looked down on by other attendees because I don’t look good enough, strong enough, that I’m being judged because of what I’m doing… yeah. The thing is, a lot of us feel that way, and it’s the overcoming those thoughts that matters.
What I recommend is getting hold of a few day passes to gyms and seeing what YOU think of the place and getting the opportunity to use the equipment – luckily Fitness First do let you have day passes – you’re allowed 4 per year, which is enough to give you a feeling of the gym itself and see if it’ll fit in your routine. Other gyms also do these – it’s worth having a look at a few to see which is right for you.
What I learnt from the PT
I had my PT session with the lovely Annalisa from Anna in Her Wonderland, and our trainer was Sam. We had a chat with him about what we both wanted from the gym. My personal aims are to improve on stamina, my fitness level in general, and to improve my muscle tone. Sam was helpful and patient with us, and I now have a routine which I can use when I next pop along to the gym – which should be soon.
Check us out!
What can you find at the Fitness First Brighton gym?
The Fitness First Brighton gym is home to:
- Gym Floor
- Cardio Theatre
- Group Exercise
- Spin Studio
- Beauty Room
- PT
- Sauna
There are lots of classes at the gym, including Spin, BodyPump, BodyBalance, HIIT, Circuit Training, yoga, MMA and Boot Camp.
And if you’re wondering about the changing rooms (I mean, who isn’t?!) then they are exactly what they look like in the picture above! The lockers are operated by your membership card and are in a number of different sizes, including tall ones which you can hang things up in.
I’m going to pay the gym a few more visits and see how it holds up – there a number of gyms in Brighton and they vary in price. I’d say Fitness First offers premium facilities and classes (bar a pool) for a mid-range price. You’ll find Fitness First Brighton at 78-81 Queens Road, right by Brighton station.
Have you been to a Fitness First gym before? Let me know how you found it in the comments below!
NB: My visit to Brighton Fitness First, and a number of complimentary day passes have been recompensed by Fitness First themselves, but all words and opinions are of course my own.
I used to be scared of gyms too! Having lots of weight to lose the thought of going and being around all the skinny fit people literally made me cry!
When I got there though I realised it wasn't that bad at all and a lot of the other members either felt the same or were so helpful and lovely!
xxx
Claire
http://www.theclairediary.co.uk
Yes – the staff and other members really do help the atmosphere, don't they? I've been told that the cheaper gyms aren't as good with this – friends and colleagues have also told me that they are often jam packed (so you have to queue to work out!) and that people don't look after the equipment – not fun! I'd rather pay a little more and not have to queue – my time is precious as it is!
So interesting to read about this because I've often passed this gym but not seen inside since its refurbishment (it used to be an all-women gym until it burned down and was redone a few years ago). If you are looking into Brighton gyms, I can recommend Pure Gym just around the corner from FF. It's very cheap, although that does mean that it gets very busy and it doesn't have the branded classes that FF has.
Oh it's lovely inside! I've not tried Pure since I've been told that it's very busy – not good for someone with anxiety issues like me. I prefer to work out somewhere a little more quiet. A couple of my colleagues go to a hotel gym by my work where you can pay as you go; it has a pool and it's only a small amount more than the cheaper gyms, so I'm going to give it a try. They, like FF, have day passes and there's no obligation to join, which would be good for me since when I have phases where my health isn't as good and I won't end up paying out if I don't go. I might have to write a review of it once I've given it a go!