Gyms in the UK

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong place, but i need some help.

I’ve recently moved to Bristol, UK and am having a tough time finding any decent gyms. There are the usual fitness firsts about and this very fancy and expensive chain called Cannons but i’m not really into that, though it may be my last resort.

I prefer just a good quality gym with a good selection of free weights filled with people who just want to train (not full of the posing idiots you seem to get in fitness first). I’m not fussed about saunas and steam rooms and all that.

Anyway, do any of you know of any good places to train in Bristol?

Thanks.

I don’t know of any in Bristol, but some fitness first gyms are passable. If you find the right time, you can have the whole place practically to yourself. Most have power racks/DBs up to 50kg, benches, seated cable rows etc.

Occasionally I have to train in one, and I just ask the staff when it’s quietest.

have a look at this list

www.powerliftinguk.com/showthread.php?t=2142

I live in Southampton and there is ONE gym which is passable for an Oly gym, but it’s too far away from uni. Having only recently go into lifting I really want to find a gym with good coaches etc, so that I don’t have to look in books/youtube for tecnique.

I was thinking of start up a chain of powerlifting gyms…but I have no money anyone got about £500k to spare?

I’m considering studying abroad in Luton at the University of Bedfordshire for Spring Semester '09. Bedfordshire U’s website shows no free weights in the pics of the gym they have. . .

Does anyone know of a good gym in Luton with free weights?

In Bristol there is an AWESOME powerlifting/bodybuilding gym on Whiteladies Road in an old church. If I remember right its actually called Church Gym. It’s near the top of the road on the right hand side.

Also, try Bristol Grammar School gym (behind Browns restaurant). Big rugby school so decent lifting gym.

Re gyms in Luton, call Pullum Sports (www.pullumsports.co.uk) and ask them. They are a hardcore lifting equipment manufacturer based in Luton and they are sure to know.

PS after Florida, Luton might be a big let down. I’d suggest Bristol or London.

…or Southampton

Luton is absolute hole…it like the centre of Detroit but a whole town.

I find myself having to do this rather a lot.

I apologize for the piss poor standard of gyms in the UK (especially in large, English cities).

This is because the companies that operate gym chains are run by morons who don’t want to intimidate the sensitivities of paranoid, pencil neck office worker geeks.

I have been in the gym business for 23 years and currently run a very good gym but, unfortunately the industry seems to be getting worse:(

Anyway, that’s enough of that; I’m getting myself down.

Good luck, I hope that one of the suggestions works out.

Regards
Chris

[quote]echelon101 wrote:
I live in Southampton and there is ONE gym which is passable for an Oly gym, but it’s too far away from uni. Having only recently go into lifting I really want to find a gym with good coaches etc, so that I don’t have to look in books/youtube for tecnique.

quote]

Check out ‘The Gym’ in Calmore Rec centre. Its only a 30min bus ride from centre of town and has excellent weight training facilities with many powerlifters training there (including myself on sundays). Plus there is Kingsland gym just of from the park in town. This is actually moving near to shirley, just 10mins from train station. Its a bodybuilding gym but their good guys.

However as for coaches good luck. It seems oly lifting is a dying art in the uk. Nearest I know of is oin Bournmouth.

As for gyms in Bristol try posting on PLUK as has been suggested and www.muscletalk.co.uk