So reluctantly, I find myself a gym member once more. For probably just more than a month now, Chantelle has us both signed up by the ridiculously convenient (in terms of location) Bay Fitness Gym.
The gym is situated in the Mountain View Centre (next to Woolworth) in Avondrus street, making it a whole five minutes, if not less, away from me. Obviously it is a lot smaller than the large gym chains like Virgin Active (where I have gone to gym for the majority of my adult life), but is nevertheless spacious enough to play host to all the weights and machines that one needs, with a handy little studio floor tucked in via a second floor platform perched on top of the very decent bathroom facilities.
As I said, all the usual suspects in terms of weight and cardio machines can be found on the floor (in limited quantities due to the space restriction), but the weights section is well stocked, the music system upbeat and on point, and the staff are particularly friendly, helpful and available.
There are some classes presented in the morning and evenings (including spinning), but as I have not yet been able to try any of them out, I can’t quite comment on that.
Sadly though, Bay Fitness continues that horrible gym practice of encouraging lengthy term sign ups rather than more simple, friendly month to month ad hoc arrangements, meaning that Chantelle and I both signed up for an initial six month period at a rate of R390 per person per month.
(And of course, as gyms are always prone to do, there is also a big sign up/administration fee upfront which can’t really be explained and is needless to say, a bit of a turn off).
We did however receive two bottles of wine on sign up, so I guess that counts for something! :)
All that said though, the setup is decent and well run, the atmosphere good, and admittedly, I’m rather fond of it already (even if I find myself not being particularly fond of gym itself any more).
The icing on the cake however has to be its location. By far the most convenient gym option of Gordon’s Bay residents, I now find myself dropping the kids off at their respective little play schools and then popping into gym for a quick session before heading home to work – with the entire journey being pretty much in a short straight line!
And you know just how much of a sucker I am for convenience… :)
Related Link: Bay Fitness Gym | Facebook Page