Gyms

dorothy

I've fallen out with my gym. Does anyone use a gym around here that they like? I noticed there's a Black Label Fitness First opening on the old Arsenal site, but that's not until the summer. Wondering about The Factory in the meantime.

Arkady

My missus just moved to Princess Park Manor in New Southgate. they have an Esporta gym there in the main mansion building, just a few minutes walk from the station (and only ten minutes by train from FP/7 from Harringay). The gym looks absolutely amazing, with a colossal pool. I'll near go near it myself, of course.

Reg

"I've fallen out with my gym." I think I need to hear more about this. Please.

ADGS

A friend of mine lives at PPM (or Coleney Hatch, as I still prefer to call it)! I'm guessing Mrs A hasn't bought the unshiftably overpriced observatory suite?

Colette

The Virgin Active up in Crouch End is very nice. Not cheap though.

Emma

I don't know which gym you use(d), but I've always found the Harringey Fitness First (near Sains) to be brilliant. Also the big windows look out over the MacDonalds drive through, which is an excellent motivator. Plus the walk there and back through the park is lovely.

sincers

Another vote for Virgin, but the Angel one. It has a big pool and a massive spa. Just don't leave your bike locked to the railings and expect it to be there when you leave.

Arkady

@ADGS – Yeah the people there seem to call it Colney Hatch (whether or not they include ‘Mental Asylum’) too, ‘Princess Park Manor’ is a tad too pretentious. No she didn’t get the observatory, she’s flat-sharing with someone. About sixty seconds from New Southgate station, which is handy as I’m about the same from Harringay Rail. Amazing place, I’m looking forward to barbeques in the summer in the extensive grounds. Also, her flatmate works for Free Trade Agency (<http://www.freetradeagency.co.uk/fta_roster.html> which has advantages.

Arkady

Apparently JLS and Linda Bellingham live there too.

Kaz

Always been happy with Aquaterra (Sobell etc), several locations, good classes, decent gyms, sauna/steam rooms and swimming pools. And cheap, which is the major benefit to me.

It's not fancy though, at all, and some of the changing rooms and facilities are a bit run-down and could do with a facelift to say the least.

It's also run as a charity, with money invested back into the community, which I approve of. Surely Mr Branson have enough money by now?

dorothy

@Reg, since you ask. I fell out over my missing trainers. I left them there, and went back to see if they'd been found the next day. The locker staff described them, where they'd been left and said they had them. When they looked in their massive bin of stuff, they changed their mind, and said they didn't have them. I must have left them at home, been delusional etc. It was my fault for leaving them, but it was their attitude I didn't like. Also their system for collecting forgotten stuff is really slack. I assume someone who'd lost their plimsolls asked about them and has now got my brand new £120 New Balance's. I've had other stuff taken, but the trainers were, well, a step too far. It was The Lab in Muswell Hill, really swanky with an ozone pool, grounds and everything, but they can keep it, and their jacuzzi full of Muswell Hillites going on about private schools, expensive divorces, their own or their partner's affairs, and sodding dinner parties. I had a look at LA Fitness in Muswell Hill and the Fitness First in Crouch End which was really friendly. Still looking around. Thanks for suggestions.

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dorothy

I'm thinking that way now. Just go for a run, come back and do a few sit ups and press ups and a bit of stretching without all the faffing about.

WillM

@Misscara - reminds me of a friend of a friend who had his bike stolen, and found it at Brick Lane bike market being sold by the person who'd stolen it. He called the local police station to ask them to come along to reclaim possession of the bike from said crook, but they refused.

One argument and a heavy punch later, and he was re-united with said bike.

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sophie

they are nice in the fitness first in crouch end but be careful because apparently it is a franchise, so not all fitness first members are allowed to use it. they let me in to one of their classes anyway without realising, but on the way out told me that i wasn't really supposed to be there. i'm not sure how it works about using other branches if you sign up with the CE one. fitness first can be a bit annoying (busy, some unhelpful staff, too many people in classes) but i like it because there are so many - i use four different ones near work, as well as harringay and holloway.

miss annie

If you join the FF Crouch End branch it should be possible to use all other 'blue label' clubs, whereas if you join a regular blue label club they don't let you use the ladies gyms. Which is backward.

ActionVerb

There's a new fitness studio type thing that's opened up next to Nisa just outside the station. I got a leaflet yesterday, but it's in my other coat so haven't got details, and I think the chap was saying this morning that they do free circuit training at 11am Monday - Friday.

ADGS

It's not just JLS and Bellingham - I was forever getting the door held open for me by people I failed to recognise as soap actors &c. Girls Aloud used to live there, and I believe the girl with whom the footballist cheated on Cheryl Cole still does. I'm surprised it doesn't get more paps hanging around, especially since the security's not all it claims to be.

Mirandola

The new fitness studio place near NISA looks like it could be okay - curious to hear if any stroudgreen.orgers use it.

annalou

Why not just take up running or cycle to work? Sweating it out on a treadmill with a load of other office workers and paying loads for the privilege always seems a bit mental to me when there's so many green spaces around. If I fancy a swim I use Highbury Pool or Clissold. Much better value for money.

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Margolada

the Factory offers discount membership for those who only want to use the gym, not the classes, and they chase me to sign up for free 6 weeks review meeting, where they set new exercies. I have been leaving stuff around and nothing went missing yet ... good luck with finding a nice gym :)

graeme

Virgin Active have been pretty good. Am in the 'use any branch' membership which is really good. Staff are ok.

The Broadgate one behind Liverpool St Station has a 25m,6 lane pool which is empty at weekends, as is the branch on Old Broad Street at weekends (think it's an ozone pool, small). Definitely worth the trip in for some peace and quiet.

The pool area at CE is a bit grotty though, and they charge for towels (at City branches they are complimentary). CE has a private female-only section in the main cardio/weights area.

mikecabic

@misscara The outdoor gym is actually joint mobility adult playground, it's meant for elderly people, although I don't think many of the users realise. All but one are non-resistance, and focus only on flexibility and some core strengthening. Running trainers and two adjustable dumbells are all you need (and maybe a pull up bar if you want to really do your lats). The local hills make for great interval training.

mikecabic

I think they originated in China, they are absolutely everywhere. <http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo52564.htm>;

dorothy

Thanks I joined Fitness First Black Label in the end, the one at Arsenal has an offer. When it opens in June if I don't like it I can cancel, so I'm not locked in for a year. In the meantime I can use any branch, including the Crouch End one. I quite like that one, it's small, but friendly. When I had a look round, there was a disorientated mad old lady, standing and shouting in her knickers and vest at reception. None of the staff were phased at all. I find the corporate-ness of gyms all a bit much sometimes. I'm working on the pull up and getting up a local hill to do interval training, but that may take me a little while yet.

littlemissnameless

The FFFW in Crouch End is the gym I go to. I haven't been in for 2 months, but tbh there isn't much to go by around Stroud Green. Just a park lol. I have been looking for an all female gym with a pool, which isn't going to happen. Unless I would want to go to Angel (New River) or Stoke Newington (Sunstone) and I don't. So I have been looking at (women only) classes but they are at such random times.

To dorothy, the FF in Crouch End isn't great but is ok. The people running the club have no idea sometimes. I have noticed that everytime there is new management the standards slip A LOT. Lucky for you that you have the other club to run to at Arsenal. It use to be a lot better oh well! I just want to do my thing and go, but a lot of ladies love to gossip and well it's annoying lol.

miss annie

That's why I joined the grotty old mixed FF on Seven Sisters/Hornsey Rd. The ladies one in CE is cleaner and quieter but there's way too much faffing about, looking at each other and chattering. I quite like the fact that all the stinky, grunting, meatheads are so obsessed with looking at themselves in the mirror that they pay no attention to me at all, and I can get on with perspiring and making a fool of myself in peace.

missthing

miss annie - what a great theory!

ive always like park road pools just off ce; their gym is well equipped, clean and light and they have always been very helpful but also know when to leave you alone.

the outdoor pool is wonderful in the summer too.

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