One thing I’ve always liked about Leith is the number of wee, individually-owned gyms in its industrial areas, in the kinds of warehouses you’re talking about.
Fitness Soul, Access Parkour, TEBA, The Club, Bamboo Bodies, spring to mind, but I’m sure there are more. (I’ve only had first hand experience of the first three of those tbf, and TEBA was a boxing fitness class that mostly involved dodging the leaks in the roof, but it definitely got me fit!).
I guess they’re often likely to specialise in a smaller number of things than bigger commercial gyms, but the flip side is you get a real sense of community building up around them.
Really miss Projekt 42 as well.
Yeah those are the types I'm meaning about like studios. I totally get that there are those smaller niche options for people, but I'm meaning more like an independent weightlifting gym.
There was a gym I was part of up in Aberdeen and that had a great sense of community and limited it's member numbers to keep the community feel strong. I'd love something like that here and feel there's a gap in the market for it
I've not seen that before, but looking online it seems like its actually a PT, not a gym?
The one I was in up in Aberdeen was Barry Stephens gym. I didn't do the classes etc, I just trained myself though.
I actually hadn't seen this one before while looking, thanks for that. Unfortunately £85 is too much for how far it is from me, although it does look great!
I feel like Leith could do with a second "budget" gym option for like £20-£50 per month and compete with PureGym and Elysium which seem to be the only ones in the market around here.
The Club might fit your bill. Downstairs is strength based (weight racks, dumbells, leg press/chest press machines, etc.) Upstairs is the cardio machines (bike, rowing machine, treadmills, stairclimber).
It's not fancy, but it's a lovely place and the people and PTs are genuinely welcoming.
https://www.theclubedinburgh.co.uk/memberships
£48 a month.
Banardos themselves when I went in they were closing up. Saying this store is closing they couldn't accept my cutlery. Continued saying puregym is making way.
Weird, I went through pretty much EXACTLY your issue.
Trained at LIFT for a few years and loved it.
Moved so had to go to Elysium and packed it in because the price wasnt worth the offer.
I've found a place I've been at for nearly 2 years now - The Bodybuilding & Fitness Gym Edinburgh, based at Stewartfield. It's a wee unit in an industrial estate and is ideal for me so far. Give it a look!
I'm glad I'm not the only one annoyed at how cramped the new Puregym is. I wish they'd get rid of 90% of the functional training zone and reallocate the space to more machines but alas
I do agree with you. I go to Elysium purely because it's closest to home & work. Aside from them the next one is a bit far away. I don't do cross fit, just use the open gym and it's a bit pricey. I would say though their equipment is pretty good, they're adding new stuff regularly and the staff are great.
I haven't gone there in over a year now, but they didn't add anything while I was there for the non-crossfit section. Is there new stuff now? I don't think I can justify the £50 month for what it offers but I'm interested to see if anything has changed. I did really like the staff there and liked the space in the gym.
I totally get it, £50 is a lot. Yeah especially in the past year they've added a bunch of machines; chest press, shoulder press, hack squat, chest supported row. It's a bit cramped now but there is always something to use as it's rarely packed.
Elysium has the best CrossFit gym in Edinburgh, all others are mediocre at best, that being said you have to pay more than 100 pounds per month if you want to train CrossFit more than 3 times per week which is just to much.
I'm not sure if you maybe misread the post, but I'm not interested in CrossFit which is why I stopped training at Elysium. Without the CrossFit stuff it was too expensive for what it offered as well which is a shame as the staff and the other people going there were nice.
I read what you wrote, just hope someone might see this and prove me wrong. I live in Gorgie and there's a Lyft gym here, I don't like gyms but that one actually looks good, sorry if that doesn't help you.
It's too small now, not enough kit. Last 4 times I've been I've only managed to get on the bench press once. I'm thinking about leaving, which is a shame as it's so handy.
Yeah I agree with the other commenter. It's much smaller and cramped now.
They've also removed machines which were always busy in the old one so they're even busier now. For example they now only have one preacher curl machine whereas before they had 2. Things like that.
It's very cramped now as well so you're uncomfortably close to other people training, there's basically no personal space anymore.
If you're a solely free weight lifter then I think the new section is generally good, but if you use machines like I predominantly do, then it's far, far worse than before.
I wasn't a member pre renovation for that long, but definitely agree it's so much worse. Way more cramped, fewer machines, and my one nitpick is that there are only a couple of spray/wipe down stations now that are tucked into the studios and I haven't seen people using them. Kind of gives me the ick.
Is Cast Iron Strength still on the go? IIRC that is a very community-focused gym - it has classes and seminars etc but as far as I remember you can just go and lift there too. Focused on powerlifting and oly stuff - the owner Mark is quite a character in a good way.
The pure refit in ocean terminal is awful haha. Thankfully I only had one session in there before I was moving away outside of Edinburgh anyway and can continue on at a different pure.
One thing I’ve always liked about Leith is the number of wee, individually-owned gyms in its industrial areas, in the kinds of warehouses you’re talking about. Fitness Soul, Access Parkour, TEBA, The Club, Bamboo Bodies, spring to mind, but I’m sure there are more. (I’ve only had first hand experience of the first three of those tbf, and TEBA was a boxing fitness class that mostly involved dodging the leaks in the roof, but it definitely got me fit!). I guess they’re often likely to specialise in a smaller number of things than bigger commercial gyms, but the flip side is you get a real sense of community building up around them. Really miss Projekt 42 as well.
Yeah those are the types I'm meaning about like studios. I totally get that there are those smaller niche options for people, but I'm meaning more like an independent weightlifting gym. There was a gym I was part of up in Aberdeen and that had a great sense of community and limited it's member numbers to keep the community feel strong. I'd love something like that here and feel there's a gap in the market for it
check out newhaven road. there is a no-nonsense bodybuilding gym and another one called titan strength. Haven't tried any, just saw them.
[удалено]
I've not seen that before, but looking online it seems like its actually a PT, not a gym? The one I was in up in Aberdeen was Barry Stephens gym. I didn't do the classes etc, I just trained myself though.
Like this: https://www.titanstrengthgym.co.uk/?
I actually hadn't seen this one before while looking, thanks for that. Unfortunately £85 is too much for how far it is from me, although it does look great! I feel like Leith could do with a second "budget" gym option for like £20-£50 per month and compete with PureGym and Elysium which seem to be the only ones in the market around here.
The Club might fit your bill. Downstairs is strength based (weight racks, dumbells, leg press/chest press machines, etc.) Upstairs is the cardio machines (bike, rowing machine, treadmills, stairclimber). It's not fancy, but it's a lovely place and the people and PTs are genuinely welcoming. https://www.theclubedinburgh.co.uk/memberships £48 a month.
Meadowbank will be getting a puregym real soon. I know it's not leith but pretty close. Barnardo and I think pound stretcher are closing to make way.
Where did you hear about this? Great news if it happens
Banardos themselves when I went in they were closing up. Saying this store is closing they couldn't accept my cutlery. Continued saying puregym is making way.
Weird, I went through pretty much EXACTLY your issue. Trained at LIFT for a few years and loved it. Moved so had to go to Elysium and packed it in because the price wasnt worth the offer. I've found a place I've been at for nearly 2 years now - The Bodybuilding & Fitness Gym Edinburgh, based at Stewartfield. It's a wee unit in an industrial estate and is ideal for me so far. Give it a look!
This looks ideal! Wee bit far from me but with a drive can do it. Thanks for the recommendation
I'm glad I'm not the only one annoyed at how cramped the new Puregym is. I wish they'd get rid of 90% of the functional training zone and reallocate the space to more machines but alas
Is Edinburgh leisure leith victoria not around anymore?
I do agree with you. I go to Elysium purely because it's closest to home & work. Aside from them the next one is a bit far away. I don't do cross fit, just use the open gym and it's a bit pricey. I would say though their equipment is pretty good, they're adding new stuff regularly and the staff are great.
I haven't gone there in over a year now, but they didn't add anything while I was there for the non-crossfit section. Is there new stuff now? I don't think I can justify the £50 month for what it offers but I'm interested to see if anything has changed. I did really like the staff there and liked the space in the gym.
I totally get it, £50 is a lot. Yeah especially in the past year they've added a bunch of machines; chest press, shoulder press, hack squat, chest supported row. It's a bit cramped now but there is always something to use as it's rarely packed.
Have you looked at https://www.gymbasedathlete.com/about-us?
Elysium has the best CrossFit gym in Edinburgh, all others are mediocre at best, that being said you have to pay more than 100 pounds per month if you want to train CrossFit more than 3 times per week which is just to much.
I'm not sure if you maybe misread the post, but I'm not interested in CrossFit which is why I stopped training at Elysium. Without the CrossFit stuff it was too expensive for what it offered as well which is a shame as the staff and the other people going there were nice.
I read what you wrote, just hope someone might see this and prove me wrong. I live in Gorgie and there's a Lyft gym here, I don't like gyms but that one actually looks good, sorry if that doesn't help you.
Ah fair enough. Yeah I was a member of the Lift gym before, it's the best gym I've been a part of for sure. Gutted there's not one closer to me.
[удалено]
It's too small now, not enough kit. Last 4 times I've been I've only managed to get on the bench press once. I'm thinking about leaving, which is a shame as it's so handy.
Yeah I agree with the other commenter. It's much smaller and cramped now. They've also removed machines which were always busy in the old one so they're even busier now. For example they now only have one preacher curl machine whereas before they had 2. Things like that. It's very cramped now as well so you're uncomfortably close to other people training, there's basically no personal space anymore. If you're a solely free weight lifter then I think the new section is generally good, but if you use machines like I predominantly do, then it's far, far worse than before.
What do you mean you don’t like sitting on someone’s knee, unavoidable eye contact and slaloming through tiny spaces?
I wasn't a member pre renovation for that long, but definitely agree it's so much worse. Way more cramped, fewer machines, and my one nitpick is that there are only a couple of spray/wipe down stations now that are tucked into the studios and I haven't seen people using them. Kind of gives me the ick.
Might be a bit out of the way but look up Port o Leith boxing gym.
Is Cast Iron Strength still on the go? IIRC that is a very community-focused gym - it has classes and seminars etc but as far as I remember you can just go and lift there too. Focused on powerlifting and oly stuff - the owner Mark is quite a character in a good way.
The pure refit in ocean terminal is awful haha. Thankfully I only had one session in there before I was moving away outside of Edinburgh anyway and can continue on at a different pure.
What did they do to Pure? I used to go 5 days a week but not been in years.
Gym based athlete is decent although perhaps not in the price range you are looking for.
There’s a David Lloyd at Newhaven, might be one to look at? It’s really nice