Sweaty pants & over charging.. (LA Fitness in general)

Member Name: pphb

Product:	LA Fitness in general
Date:	14/02/02 (597 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Get fit if you can be bothered

Disadvantages: Busy, expensive, no classes

How stupid was I to join a gym anyway? The last time I did any serious exercise was at school 7 years ago, what ever made me think that I would really go 3 times a week?? Maybe it was that copy of Cosmopolitan with the beautiful ladies, no cellulite, perfect flat stomach & no orange peel bum (they really do disgust me - surely it's not natural!) Or was it just that a lot of friends joined & could be bothered to go after work (why I'll never know!)

Anyway, it was a Saturday afternoon in the summer, very sunny, lovely! The gym I chose to join was very new with a swimming pool, the thought of a swimming pool in summer is just too appealing (well, not as appealing as an Ice Cream but I had to start somewhere)

The gym in question was LA Fitness in Cheltenham. Very new, latest equipment (probably, I don't know I've never used it!) and finally a fair few lovely men! Which is probably the reason I've never been on the running machine, who would want to watch me trip over both feet & fall flat on my face, as this is more than likely going to happen to me!

So luckily as I work for a very large company I get corporate membership & pay £36 per month (rather than £45) What was included in this when I joined? All machines, weights, swimming, jet pool, sauna (that's always broken), steam room, and classes including yoga. They have a créche facility (no use to me but very handy for mothers/fathers - there is a charge for this)

I thought I'd pop along for a swim on my first few very energetic 'I'm gonna be a size 8 fit bird in no time' moods - these did not last long (and if I thought about it for longer than say, erm, a second? I'd know that I will never be a size 8, I am a curvy size 12 and that's that!). I got changed & went out to the pool to find water aerobics going on, ok, never mind I'll try & work out the equipment (very bad I know - they hadn't even offered an introd
uction lesson) I went out to the exercise bikes (they have about 20) These were all full! With queues! Ok, I'll try the rowing machine... another queue. Right, the flippin' running machines.. yep, you've got it ANOTHER QUEUE! I refused to wait in the queues just to fumble around on a bike for probably about 3 minutes anyway (before I collapse) and then wait to queue up for another piece of equipment. Hmmm, why did I bother I hear you all cry!

This was just a fantastic reason for me to say 'bugger it' I'll go home and come back some other time. So I did. All the while the current members are paying £45 per month and not getting the service or treatment they should, what are the gym staff busy doing? Yep, signing up new members, showing them round and offering 30 day free trials!! We pay very good money and can't get on the equipment, let alone a free flippin' trial!

Right, so I haven't been since November that's £108 I've wasted in 3 months. I can't get on the equipment, I haven't even had an introductory course & then when I thought maybe I won't bother with the cardio vasc stuff and do some classes, yoga is a bit less taxing (by the sounds of it - more my style) I then found the yoga is always booked up, you have to book at the end of one class to get in for the next week. You also need a beginners course in this, they don't do them very often but they took my number & said they would give me a call when they had another session.... I'm still waiting!! Aaarrgghh!!

I went out last night with the girls for a meal & a film (p.s shallow Hal is not so great) We are all joined to LA Fitness & Emma, one of the girls, asked if we had received our letter from LA fitness yet. 'No' we replied, what is it??? It's telling us we now have to pay for the yoga classes!! WHAT!!! They have many members and like any gym there will always be people like me who pay
the money & don't go, it's not like they can't afford the trainers, they have about 3 yog sessions a week! They already make an absolute fortune. They never have any available spaces, or introductory lessons (for anything) What exactly am I paying for?? They will now want me to pay £2-3 for a class of yoga? Does that seem fair to you? Nope!

They also forget to mention when you sign up that you're entering a contract for 12 months, how convenient. So to sum up, they are expensive, overcrowded & trying to charge double (effectively).

I have a friend that has cancelled his contract before the 12 months due to them not being able to supply the equipment they should - he has received letters from their solicitors & debt recovery to get the money back! I can hear you all asking what the contract say's.... what do you think? Yes, you're right once again..... Management discretion! The excuse & reason behind these problems, so they can continue to charge & we don't have a leg to stand on!

It's my fault partly, although the small print, terms and conditions are boring you really should have a read & go through them properly. I am now on going to stick to my energetic, fun dance lessons that I have once a week in the local school sports hall £3 a session, much better than LA Fitness and cheaper.

All beware & check the gym's out at peak times as well as off peak to see how they cope with the current members, read the small print too.

Thanks for listening - I am turning into a right moaning Victor Meldrew.... no, really 'I don't bloody believe it!'

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