Keep those Resolutions! 2. Gyms

Keep those Resolutions! 2. Gyms

The chiming in of a New Year means resolutions. Drinking less, eating healthily, and exercising more, are usually high on the agenda.

This January, in a series of posts, we are exploring the healthy eateries, juice bars and gyms to visit during your stay in the capital. Perfect if you are visiting London in 2016 and don’t want to break your resolutions.

Read our previous blogpost on healthy eateries.

As a holiday lettings agency guests often enquire about gyms they can visit during their stay in London.

Gyms in London are notoriously expensive, and tie you down with contracts – not at all suitable for tourists who are only in the capital for a short period of time. In this post we are uncovering a new phenomena of no-contract and pay-as-you-go gyms.

ClassPass - is available as a monthly subscription allowing users access to hundreds of fitness studios across London, the number is growing almost weekly. This service offers a wealth of exercise opportunities from Pilates, dance, bootcamps and boxing.

ClassPass is available at £79 per month, and users can sign up on a month-by-month basis, this subscription allows the user to attend a maximum of three classes per studio within that month - Learn more. 

Payasugym - was launched January 2011 and consists of e-passes, which are added to an “eWallet”. One ePass entitles you to one visit at your chosen gym, and start from as little as £3. Adding additional ePasses is much like adding credit to a pay as you go mobile phone.

The ePass is a voucher code sent by email or SMS, you take this to the gym's reception for entry. There is no limit to the number of times you can visit a particular gym. You don't have to give any personal details, which means you won't be bombarded with calls from the gym trying to get you to buy a membership. Passes are valid for 30 days, you can get a refund anytime while valid. Learn more. 

Note: some gyms offer their own pay as you go access, so it is worth calling up gyms in the local area to check.

No Contract Gym Memberships.

A host of gyms around London now offer no-contract memberships, meaning you can cancel your membership whenever suits you.

Easy Gym - is a no contract gym –offering flexibility so you can join and leave whenever suits you. They also offer day passes. A monthly membership to their Fulham gym costs £24.99 and a day pass costs £9.99 (with no joining fee). To cancel membership all you need to do is get your bank to cancel your direct debit, or if you pay by debit and credit card you simply send your details and digital gym pin number via email. EasyGym has 8 gyms in London.

Virgin Active - also offers no-contract memberships (from around £60 to £85 per month, depending on the club) and only introduced contracts in 2004 due to demand from members for better rates for those who were prepared to commit for a longer period of time. 

Parks - if none of these options tempt you, or you’d rather not part with your hard earned cash, London offers a wealth of spectacular parks, the perfect outdoor space for a jog, or leisurely walk. This way you can explore more of London whilst exercising, hitting the two proverbial birds with one stone. 

Have a look at this website to learn more about London’s Royal Parks.

- We hope you have found this post useful - enjoy exercising your way around London! -