Hey, I’m going to be studying abroad in London and was curious if there are any good (aka not planet fitness etc) gyms around the dorm I’m staying in.
If you need any more info please let me know.
Thanks for the help
I studied a broad in London a few years ago.
Hey, where’s that gym that Arnold trained at back in the 60s when he was there?
I work in a gym about 10 minutes from your location. Give me a shout if you want to come for a free workout.
I’d recommend these as some of the better equipped places around the city;
Austinsprodigy’s list is good. Muscleworks is close to you and it’s one of the very few hardcore BB gyms in London.
Jubilee Hall (which is where I train) is in Covent Garden, which may be close to your uni depending where you’re going. It’s not hardcore, but it’s got a solid group of lifters and you can get away with most stuff. There’s also some cool equipment available (no thanks to the gym - most of it belongs to the more serious trainers and a couple other people) - safety squat bar, trap bar, football bar, prowler, rope and a pair of chains. Some people also have bands (I’ve got a pretty good collection that I sometimes share with people).
A couple of guys competed about a week ago in a qualifier for BB nationals and some of them smashed their categories. On the other hand there are also quite a few clueless guys there. So it’s a strange mix - commercial gym with a couple very serious trainees.
The barbells suck, however, but we’re working on fixing that. Worst case scenario I might buy a Pendlay bar myself.
B.
[quote]BiP wrote:
Austinsprodigy’s list is good. Muscleworks is close to you and it’s one of the very few hardcore BB gyms in London.
Jubilee Hall (which is where I train) is in Covent Garden, which may be close to your uni depending where you’re going. It’s not hardcore, but it’s got a solid group of lifters and you can get away with most stuff. There’s also some cool equipment available (no thanks to the gym - most of it belongs to the more serious trainers and a couple other people) - safety squat bar, trap bar, football bar, prowler, rope and a pair of chains. Some people also have bands (I’ve got a pretty good collection that I sometimes share with people).
A couple of guys competed about a week ago in a qualifier for BB nationals and some of them smashed their categories. On the other hand there are also quite a few clueless guys there. So it’s a strange mix - commercial gym with a couple very serious trainees.
The barbells suck, however, but we’re working on fixing that. Worst case scenario I might buy a Pendlay bar myself.
B.[/quote]
How busy does Jubilee Hall get between 10am-12pm and 3pm-6pm? I’m looking at getting a new membership away from my work gym. I really like the facilities but its always been too busy when I’ve been at these times. Must be all the out of work actors!
Muscleworks by absolute miles. Trained there 5-7 days a week for last 3 years.
None of the others come even close, although Gym Box in the City is well stocked, it is like a Globo Gym from Dodgeball, and the trainers are total pricks.
Off the top of my head, there are 3-5 IFBB pro level who train at Muscleworks regularly, and around 5-10 national amateur level guys as well. Ulysses Williams Jr is there from time to time, so is JD Dawodu every Saturday doing chest normally. I have seen a guy relatively lean bench 220kg for 8 reps in there lol.
The bars are all shitty quality though. DBs up to 180lbs, good selection of HS and good range of leg presses. Very busy between 5.30-8pm week nights. I can give you more info if you want.
[quote]Nards wrote:
I studied a broad in London a few years ago.
[/quote]
What was her name and did she have good teeth?
[quote]Austinsprodigy wrote:
How busy does Jubilee Hall get between 10am-12pm and 3pm-6pm? I’m looking at getting a new membership away from my work gym. I really like the facilities but its always been too busy when I’ve been at these times. Must be all the out of work actors![/quote]
I haven’t trained around 10-12 for ages, but it wasn’t too bad the last time I did. 3-4, even 3-5 it’s all right, but from around 6 (maybe a tad earlier) until 8 it’s really bad. I’ll try to ask some of the guys who work there about those times tomorrow.
B.
Yeap. Jubille Hall is one of my fav London gyms. Trained there a few times when I crash in London. Great atmosphere. It’s got practically anything you need for a crazy serious workout. Trainers look like they pump iron on the regular. Busy time in the evening, from 5pm till closing time, I’ve noticed.
It’d be cool if they had a deadlift platform though.
I love the place. Most of the guys there are gays so no one come pester me while I train or gawk at my big boobs and my guns. Awesome.
[quote]DarkNinjaa wrote:
Yeap. Jubille Hall is one of my fav London gyms. Trained there a few times when I crash in London. Great atmosphere. It’s got practically anything you need for a crazy serious workout. Trainers look like they pump iron on the regular. Busy time in the evening, from 5pm till closing time, I’ve noticed.
It’d be cool if they had a deadlift platform though.
[/quote]
You mean one like this?
Or a weighlifting platform?
Because there has been a deadlifting platform (almost exactly like the one in the pic) there for at least over a year. It got moved to studio 2 and is not in use after the NBA thing last month. Not sure if it will be making a comeback. There might be some changes equipment-wise since the NBA left some money. Hopefully that will mean new barbells and not new swiss balls.
[quote]
I love the place. Most of the guys there are gays so no one come pester me while I train or gawk at my big boobs and my guns. Awesome.[/quote]
So that’s what I lose by not training at 5pm? 
[quote]BiP wrote:
You mean one like this?
http://sledpress.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/deadlift-platofrm.jpg [/quote]
I’m not really fond of the one you posted.
[quote]BiP wrote:
So that’s what I lose by not training at 5pm? :([/quote]
Lol. You’re missing nothing, trust me 
I’d usually turn up after 8pm anyway, when the craziness starts to fade.
[quote]DarkNinjaa wrote:
[quote]BiP wrote:
You mean one like this?
http://sledpress.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/deadlift-platofrm.jpg [/quote]
I’m not really fond of the one you posted.
[quote]BiP wrote:
So that’s what I lose by not training at 5pm? :([/quote]
Lol. You’re missing nothing, trust me
I’d usually turn up after 8pm anyway, when the craziness starts to fade.[/quote]
Ah, so a weightlifting platform. There has been some talk of getting one among the trainers, but I really doubt it will happen.
I’ve trained between 8pm and closing a couple of times last year. Gets pleasantly quiet, although the weird lighting messed with my head a bit.
B.
[quote]BiP wrote:
Ah, so a weightlifting platform. There has been some talk of getting one among the trainers, but I really doubt it will happen.
I’ve trained between 8pm and closing a couple of times last year. Gets pleasantly quiet, although the weird lighting messed with my head a bit.
B.[/quote]
Yeah, I’m doubtful about the platform too. It’d be interesting to see where they’d put it if they decide to go with it.
As for the lighting, it used to bother me a lil’ but I’m used to it now. Training there during the day is nice too, especially with the sun shining through the glass roof.
[quote]DarkNinjaa wrote:
[quote]BiP wrote:
Ah, so a weightlifting platform. There has been some talk of getting one among the trainers, but I really doubt it will happen.
I’ve trained between 8pm and closing a couple of times last year. Gets pleasantly quiet, although the weird lighting messed with my head a bit.
B.[/quote]
Yeah, I’m doubtful about the platform too. It’d be interesting to see where they’d put it if they decide to go with it.
As for the lighting, it used to bother me a lil’ but I’m used to it now. Training there during the day is nice too, especially with the sun shining through the glass roof.
[/quote]
I gave them a list of 16 things they could/should spend the NBA money on. Let’s just say I’ll be happy if they just buy 3 of those things (a second rope for the cables, better collars and 2-3 good barbells). A platform was there too, but it’s VERY unlikely they’ll get one, even though at least one of the trainers (and I imagine about half of them, in fact) wants them too.
Yeah, the glass roof is nice during good weather. Except during the heatwave. Deadlifting in the wrong place meant death a couple of times this summer.
B.
[quote]Nards wrote:
I studied a broad in London a few years ago.
Hey, where’s that gym that Arnold trained at back in the 60s when he was there?[/quote]
Arnie’s gym was in east london in a place (shit hole) called Forest Gate which isnt far from the Olympics. I grew up near there and you sorta have to know someone to get in there from what i was told. It is an old house down Romford Road.
My gym is way out East right near Essex which is far from where you are but i have heard alot of good things about Muscleworks
[quote]adrenalinx wrote:
[quote]Nards wrote:
I studied a broad in London a few years ago.
Hey, where’s that gym that Arnold trained at back in the 60s when he was there?[/quote]
Arnie’s gym was in east london in a place (shit hole) called Forest Gate which isnt far from the Olympics. I grew up near there and you sorta have to know someone to get in there from what i was told. It is an old house down Romford Road.
My gym is way out East right near Essex which is far from where you are but i have heard alot of good things about Muscleworks[/quote]
Wag’s Gym (owned by Wag Bennet I believe).
And yes, Forest Gate is a proper shit hole. I was born there but my parents moved when I was 5 thank god!
Terrible suggestions so far-
Have a look at these op,the weightlifting club in Bethnal Green is close to where you will be staying and the Genesis gym is across town but might be worth the trek a few times a week depending on your free time.
[quote]Multiple Moods wrote:
Terrible suggestions so far-
Have a look at these op,the weightlifting club in Bethnal Green is close to where you will be staying and the Genesis gym is across town but might be worth the trek a few times a week depending on your free time.
http://www.bgweightlifting.com/[/quote]
LOL at “terrible” suggestions. Muscleworks is just as good as Genesis (i used to train there for years), and Bethnal Green WL club has about 10% of the equipment of Muscleworks.
Also, Genesis is the other side of London you idiot, unless OP has 2 hours to travel there and 2 hours back 3-5 nights a week??? It is nowhere near a train station, and very difficult to travel from OP via public transport at all.
[quote]Multiple Moods wrote:
Terrible suggestions so far-
Have a look at these op,the weightlifting club in Bethnal Green is close to where you will be staying and the Genesis gym is across town but might be worth the trek a few times a week depending on your free time.
http://www.bgweightlifting.com/[/quote]
I agree that Genesis gym looks great. A friend of mine is a trainer at Jubilee but does most of his own training at Genesis since he lives next to it and he loves it there. But it’s at least an hour away from were this guy will be living, so it’s not really the best choice for a regular gym. Maybe for the weekends. In fact, Cr Powerlinate and I want to go there once or twice once he’s back in London.
Haven’t heard about the Bethnal Green club before. Will have to check it out.
I think a good question is what kind of a gym the OP is looking for. Genesis is awesome for PL (and probably BB), the Bethnal Green one looks great for PL/OL, Muscleworks is mostly BB/PL as far as I know. Jubilee Hall is definitely good enough for BB and ok for PL.
B.
[quote]BiP wrote:
[quote]Multiple Moods wrote:
Terrible suggestions so far-
Have a look at these op,the weightlifting club in Bethnal Green is close to where you will be staying and the Genesis gym is across town but might be worth the trek a few times a week depending on your free time.
http://www.bgweightlifting.com/[/quote]
I agree that Genesis gym looks great. A friend of mine is a trainer at Jubilee but does most of his own training at Genesis since he lives next to it and he loves it there. But it’s at least an hour away from were this guy will be living, so it’s not really the best choice for a regular gym. Maybe for the weekends. In fact, Cr Powerlinate and I want to go there once or twice once he’s back in London.
Haven’t heard about the Bethnal Green club before. Will have to check it out.
I think a good question is what kind of a gym the OP is looking for. Genesis is awesome for PL (and probably BB), the Bethnal Green one looks great for PL/OL, Muscleworks is mostly BB/PL as far as I know. Jubilee Hall is definitely good enough for BB and ok for PL.
B.[/quote]
IMO
Genesis (which again is VERY difficult to travel to from OP’s location) is definitely much better than Muscleworks for PL. They have tons of great bars, you can train with teams, there are alot of competitive PLs there, has a monolift and specialty bars,thick bars, stones, Forza benches,some machines, DBs up to 200. Has a DL platform and tons of chains. Also can easily train BB there. Has one of the famous Nautilus Pullover machines that Dorian raved about. Cardio stuff is pretty sparse and old though. Best gym in London IMO.
MW has a wider range of BB machines than Genesis but the bars are all very cheap and shitty, rubbish to DL anything over 500 with shit knurling etc. No monolift, and no specialty bars at all. Not great for PL to be honest but certainly good enough.
Not been into BG WL club, but alot of people in MW train at both. Say the bars are better but no comparison in terms of volume and variety of equipment.