Puregym - any good?

Author
Discussion

gotoPzero

Original Poster:

18,186 posts

196 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
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Anyone a member?

I have been to my local to have a look round. Seemed alright.

Used to go to YMCA and Village gyms but its been 15 years since I was going regularly.

My next nearest is a Virgin Active, called in there too. Didn't seem much better than the Pure Gym and was 5x the cost.
Only advantage was a pool.

The only thing that's put me off is the reviews, my local one does get ok reviews but little things like the air conditioning is apparently "broken" and has been for a couple of years.

I was thinking of going with an off peak membership as I can go in the mornings no issue.

N88

1,306 posts

186 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
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They’re great for the money - I was a member for many years before switching to a fancy health club type place.

I went first thing in the morning around 6am and at that time it was reasonably quiet - peak times in the evening it gets pretty busy.

Ultuous

2,252 posts

198 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
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Down one right now... Good value for money, air con's always blown nice and cold; the only gripes I have are it gets absolutely rammed in peak hours (but sounds like that won't trouble you) and it's a little short on hotties! laugh

Edited by Ultuous on Monday 17th July 23:01

gotoPzero

Original Poster:

18,186 posts

196 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
quotequote all
I will prob go about 10am on weekdays or maybe 1pm if I have something on in the morning.
The chap who showed me round said they do no joining fee every now and then, being a tight git I might wait and see if they do that any time soon.

The virgin active is tempting too but it was empty - the puregym seemed about 50% capacity and prob closer to 80% in the weights area.


Ultuous

2,252 posts

198 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
quotequote all
It's not something I keep much of an eye on, but the no joining fee feels like it's on more often than not!

gotoPzero

Original Poster:

18,186 posts

196 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
quotequote all
Does not seem to be on at the moment I tried nofee and it didnt work.

Will try again in a few days.

nipsips

1,166 posts

142 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
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Try ZEROJF - I joined last week as my gym burnt down, it worked for me smile

gotoPzero

Original Poster:

18,186 posts

196 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
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Ohh got all excited... then "Invalid Promotional Code"... frown

numtumfutunch

4,873 posts

145 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
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Im planning on joining a gym for the first time since the lads were born 20y or so ago

Since then Ive been a decent runner but havent done weights/resistance/equipment and I have a feeling things have moved on

What kind of induction do Puregym do?

Would it be reasonable to pay the first month and sign up to a quick look around and get a thumb nail fitness program or would I also need to book a PT for a few sessions too? Or sign up to another high street gym charging x3 the price...........

Cheers

egor110

17,365 posts

210 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
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numtumfutunch said:
Im planning on joining a gym for the first time since the lads were born 20y or so ago

Since then Ive been a decent runner but havent done weights/resistance/equipment and I have a feeling things have moved on

What kind of induction do Puregym do?

Would it be reasonable to pay the first month and sign up to a quick look around and get a thumb nail fitness program or would I also need to book a PT for a few sessions too? Or sign up to another high street gym charging x3 the price...........

Cheers
if your runner check out stephen scullion on youtube.

3.10 marathon runner , think he teaches/coaches at a American uni but posts up his gym work outs.

nipsips

1,166 posts

142 months

Sunday 16th July 2023
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Are you joining a central London gym? Sometimes the promo code doesn’t work on premium gyms but you can cheat, my ‘home’ gym is set 20 miles away and I use my local gym under the access any gyms bit - worked out cheaper that way.

They do an induction but that’s it - it’s pretty much how to use the equipment and not injure yourself. The app does have workouts though!


addey

1,104 posts

174 months

Monday 17th July 2023
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A brand new PureGym opened up near me last week so I took advantage of the special offer price and joined up. Its nice inside, spacious with decent equipment and changing rooms are smart, as you'd expect from a brand new facility! Lets see how it all looks in 6 mths though.....

The thing that really amazed me was the lack of any 'regulation' when joining up! I sat in my car and did it all online which obviously included a disclaimer of some sort, and then got the QR code on my phone and walked in and started using the equipment! No health screening, no BP check, no compulsary induction, not even a cursury attempt to show me any of the equipment! That's all fine with me but I watched people wandering around without a clue what they were doing. I guess this is their model (minimum staff and push people towards PT etc.) but its very different to gyms I've been involved in (working and as a member)


gotoPzero

Original Poster:

18,186 posts

196 months

Monday 17th July 2023
quotequote all
nipsips said:
Are you joining a central London gym?
No up in the NW.

Freakuk

3,464 posts

158 months

Monday 17th July 2023
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Used to go to my local PureGym a few nights a week, it was always pretty busy in the evenings, if I managed to get there in the mornings/afternoons it was always much quieter.

Classes were always a bit hit and miss, but that was down to the individual taking the class more than anything.

I did move to Exercise4less when my PT moved from PG to there, same kind of experience and actually cheaper if that's an option.


Animal

5,347 posts

275 months

Monday 17th July 2023
quotequote all
PureGym is cheap and cheerful, but there are lots of branches so they have enormous buying power. As a result, you can go into pretty much any branch and find the same equipment and there's usually quite a bit of it.

Individual gyms do vary though, so would be worth seeing if you can get a couple of guest passes to go to your nearest one at the times you'll likely be training to see what it's actually like. Because they market themselves as a gym for everyone, you get all sorts of people in there, from gym bros to women in full makeup doing countless sets of barbell hip thrusts and vaping between sets. It also seems as though most of the gyms are unstaffed now. The "staff" you see are self-employed PTs.

The broken aircon isn't really a little thing: if you're working hard and the gym is full then it's likely to be quite hot and with little air flow. That'll get uncomfortable quickly unless they have fans or the doors open.

Try it for a month and cancel it if you don't like it?

Jamescrs

4,875 posts

72 months

Monday 17th July 2023
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addey said:
A brand new PureGym opened up near me last week so I took advantage of the special offer price and joined up. Its nice inside, spacious with decent equipment and changing rooms are smart, as you'd expect from a brand new facility! Lets see how it all looks in 6 mths though.....

The thing that really amazed me was the lack of any 'regulation' when joining up! I sat in my car and did it all online which obviously included a disclaimer of some sort, and then got the QR code on my phone and walked in and started using the equipment! No health screening, no BP check, no compulsary induction, not even a cursury attempt to show me any of the equipment! That's all fine with me but I watched people wandering around without a clue what they were doing. I guess this is their model (minimum staff and push people towards PT etc.) but its very different to gyms I've been involved in (working and as a member)
Doesn't surprise me, I have used many different gyms all over the country due to travelling for work under different names and I never have or have been offered any kind of induction at any of them, My preferred chain is Anytime Fitness but i've used others linked to hotels or whatever is nearby where I can buy a day or week pass.

I've found varying levels of quality even within the same gym groups but I personally would not join any gym brand where their go to equipment brand is Technogym, their Cardio Equipment may be fine but usually their weight machines are considered to be fairly poor in the world of gyms, they are popular because they are cheap.

LordGrover

33,704 posts

219 months

Monday 17th July 2023
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Pure Gym opened near to me end of March; I joined for no fee at £15.99 month for six months. Pretty good deal IMO.

It was new gym so all new kit - it's been three months and it's still pretty good, could be cleaner though.
I'm only interested in barbell training so spend all of my time in the racks, which are relatively numerous; though most of them don't have catch bars which is frustrating, esp. for those of us who prefer to train alone.
The two squat racks with safeties are the type with hooks which you have to lift over to unrack, which inevitably hits the hook above. Also, at peak times they seem to get used for bench presses as a bench will fit inside (there's only one dedicated flat bench press, plus incline and decline).
All in all, for my use it's pretty good value - my options are limited locally anyway.

Slowboathome

4,460 posts

51 months

Monday 17th July 2023
quotequote all
gotoPzero said:
I will prob go about 10am on weekdays or maybe 1pm if I have something on in the morning.
The chap who showed me round said they do no joining fee every now and then, being a tight git I might wait and see if they do that any time soon.

The virgin active is tempting too but it was empty - the puregym seemed about 50% capacity and prob closer to 80% in the weights area.
I used to go at those sort of times.

I think they're great value, but the 'ambience' very much depends on the area and clientele.

nipsips

1,166 posts

142 months

Monday 17th July 2023
quotequote all
Try ZEROJF - I joined last week as my gym burnt down, it worked for me smile

Ben-imhe8

82 posts

57 months

Monday 17th July 2023
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Ultuous said:
and it's a little short on hotties! ??
Not to be underestimated, I remember every Tuesday and Thursday at 8am on the dot a right fitty would be making use of the cross trainers, which happened to be infront of the treadmills.


Funnily enough I could never run as long or as good a pace on Monday , Wednesday or Friday