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The Mardyke Arena Discussion Thread

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,180 ✭✭✭EyeSight


    closeline wrote: »
    I hope the men dont get a gym to themseleves. Why would I want that to be looking at other men all day?? Much better when the women are exercising in there too.
    i wasn't saying we should get one. just that there would be uproar if we did and women didn't.

    either way you shouldn't be looking at anyone in the gym. its one of those places where people need their space. and i don't think any girl will be flattered by people staring at them in the gym


  • Registered Users, Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 15,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭rebel girl 15


    EyeSight wrote: »
    there are tonnes of studio rooms for women only classes. they pay the same as the men. if there was a man only gym and not a woman only gym, it would be deemed sexist and probably be brought to court. i just think it's a double standard. And i really wouldn't care, its just, one CV gym seems to be big enough for both sexes, yet the weights area is far too small for the amount that use it. if you go to the weights area anytime after 12/1pm its not even worth going because you spend more time waiting around than working out

    Women only circuit classes?? They wouldn't happen in a studio. As a regular enough user last year and the year before, the womens only gym was hugely popular. These circuit classes are for older women, 50 or 60+ - the Mardyke gym is well known for having a small weights area, if you have a problem with that, find a new one! The womens only gym was a big USP for the place. I've used both the womens only gym and the CV gym btw. Those classes had nearly 20 women every time I saw them going on.

    Cian92, its not a CV gym, its a mixed gym - off the top of my head there were 4 treadmills, 3 bikes, 10 weight machines, a stepper machine, 3 cross trainers, med balls and a small selection of free weights.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,180 ✭✭✭EyeSight


    Women only circuit classes?? They wouldn't happen in a studio. As a regular enough user last year and the year before, the womens only gym was hugely popular. These circuit classes are for older women, 50 or 60+ - the Mardyke gym is well known for having a small weights area, if you have a problem with that, find a new one! The womens only gym was a big USP for the place. I've used both the womens only gym and the CV gym btw. Those classes had nearly 20 women every time I saw them going on.

    Cian92, its not a CV gym, its a mixed gym - off the top of my head there were 4 treadmills, 3 bikes, 10 weight machines, a stepper machine, 3 cross trainers, med balls and a small selection of free weights.
    i won't find a new gym. a portion of my college fees pay for that membership(which i have no control of) so i will use it. as a UCC student whos fees have contributed, i have the right to provide feedback.
    the circuit classes don't run 24/7, they could easily just open the gym to all sexes outside of class times. 20-odd women in a class should not trump the hundreds of other users. so many women use the womens only one because it's there. it's not there now and it's hardly killing anyone, and the mixed one doesn't seem to be overly congested. would you be ok with it if there was a mens only and no women only?


  • Registered Users, Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 15,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭rebel girl 15


    EyeSight wrote: »
    i won't find a new gym. a portion of my college fees pay for that membership(which i have no control of) so i will use it. as a UCC student whos fees have contributed, i have the right to provide feedback.
    the circuit classes don't run 24/7, they could easily just open the gym to all sexes outside of class times. 20-odd women in a class should not trump the hundreds of other users. so many women use the womens only one because it's there. it's not there now and it's hardly killing anyone, and the mixed one doesn't seem to be overly congested. would you be ok with it if there was a mens only and no women only?

    You have the right to provide feedback, but please not in the aggressive tone that you have here - the old CV gym is twice the size of the womens only gym, plus you have the weights gym downstairs, having that corner of the place as a womens only gym was never an issue before, so why is it becoming an issue now? There are a lot of other women that use that gym and do so because it is womens only, and join the Mardyke because they can do so - the Mardyke will be getting money from all UCC students anyway, but need some unique points to attract other clients, they cannot survive on students fees alone. Anytime I have been in there, it is nearly busier than the CV gym, as I use both - though not since last year.

    I could complain a lot about the Mardyke and the treatment we have been given in there, but I won't - having a corner of the place womens only was never an issue. I don't think your issue is the womens only gym, its the fact that the weight area is so small - issue could be solved by letting people use the squad area at times no one is in there


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,180 ✭✭✭EyeSight


    You have the right to provide feedback, but please not in the aggressive tone that you have here - the old CV gym is twice the size of the womens only gym, plus you have the weights gym downstairs, having that corner of the place as a womens only gym was never an issue before, so why is it becoming an issue now? There are a lot of other women that use that gym and do so because it is womens only, and join the Mardyke because they can do so - the Mardyke will be getting money from all UCC students anyway, but need some unique points to attract other clients, they cannot survive on students fees alone. Anytime I have been in there, it is nearly busier than the CV gym, as I use both - though not since last year.

    I could complain a lot about the Mardyke and the treatment we have been given in there, but I won't - having a corner of the place womens only was never an issue. I don't think your issue is the womens only gym, its the fact that the weight area is so small - issue could be solved by letting people use the squad area at times no one is in there
    just because i disagree with you does not mean i'm being aggressive. i'm actually very calm.
    it was never an issue before? i don't see it being an issue now. i have always felt it unfair and voiced my concern, i just assumed now that the rennovations would have given us a bigger weights room, but rumour has it that the women gym will be back, which i'm pretty sure it will be.
    i'm surprised its attracts new customers, because its hard to find on their list of facilities and fliers. and i've been to a lot of different gyms and i can say that had they a larger weights area, they would attract a lot more customers. the equipment and location is fantastic in the mardyke

    all i'm saying is that i find it silly that instead of having 2 large CV-type gyms, why not have a larger weights area(which is really needed as it's the busiest part of the gym IMO) and one CV gym. also i really do feel it's a double standard on the whole sexism thing

    other than this i really don't have any other problems with the gym


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,556 ✭✭✭UpTheSlashers


    I dont see any "aggression" anywhere :confused: I think a few people just felt it would be a good idea with all this development that the free weights would get expansion. Maybe it will be, just with all this talk of more CV and womens stuff, it doesnt look likely. If you take away the "squad" gym (which many people have no acces to) the area is very small.
    I also find the "find a new gym" sneer very bizarre.
    I don't think your issue is the womens only gym, its the fact that the weight area is so small - issue could be solved by letting people use the squad area at times no one is in there

    I would agree with this sentiment.


  • Registered Users, Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 15,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭rebel girl 15


    I dont see any "aggression" anywhere :confused: I think a few people just felt it would be a good idea with all this development that the free weights would get expansion. Maybe it will be, just with all this talk of more CV and womens stuff, it doesnt look likely. If you take away the "squad" gym (which many people have no acces to) the area is very small.
    I also find the "find a new gym" sneer very bizarre.



    I would agree with this sentiment.

    Its not more CV and womens stuff - the womens gym was always there and was widely utilized - I know a number of UCC students who have gotten gym memberships at other gyms as well as the Mardyke, and I resent your suggestion that it was a sneer because it wasn't - these students who got other membership wouldn't be rich either tbh. I've read threads over in the H&F forum about the free weights area in the Mardyke and the joke that it is

    There is plenty of room there if the squad gym was the be utilized. Its not for the students and what they want - they are an outside business at the end of the day - we pay enough with our course and the treatment we get is bad at times


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,180 ✭✭✭EyeSight


    last year they used to open the squad gym for a few hours most days and it was very useful. however it was never open during peak times. they stopped doing it over the summer for some reason


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,144 ✭✭✭Parsley


    I was hoping there would be a larger free weights area as result of the development.

    i think they should swap the team area and the public area around. it'd be much better.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,556 ✭✭✭UpTheSlashers


    Parsley wrote: »
    i think they should swap the team area and the public area around. it'd be much better.

    Admittedly, i'm never around at peak times, but I dont think ive ever seen more than two or three people in the squad gym. Whereas the "public" weights area can get very crowded.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,144 ✭✭✭Parsley


    Admittedly, i'm never around at peak times, but I dont think ive ever seen more than two or three people in the squad gym. Whereas the "public" weights area can get very crowded.

    having 4 platforms/squat racks in there is excessive too. rarely even see two in use at the same time. but the two squat racks in the public section are constantly being waited on.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,556 ✭✭✭UpTheSlashers




  • Registered Users Posts: 65 ✭✭samapp


    You know how they have recently changed the building, I was there in September and after going through the security on ground floor I passed the stairs and continued all the way to the end to get to the guys changing room which was a small square room with lockers. are there new changing rooms now or are they the new ones?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,556 ✭✭✭UpTheSlashers


    samapp wrote: »
    You know how they have recently changed the building, I was there in September and after going through the security on ground floor I passed the stairs and continued all the way to the end to get to the guys changing room which was a small square room with lockers. are there new changing rooms now or are they the new ones?

    Those were only temporary ones. The "team" dressing were also used for a few weeks. The new ones will be upstairs i think.


  • Registered Users Posts: 31 2022rae


    I'm interested in trying some of the classes they hold (timetable here for those also interested) but I was hoping someone could tell me what kind of level they would expect as I'm not in my prime fitness wise and find it slightly intimidating. :o

    The ones that I'd be most interested in are the Step n Tone, Yoga and Spin classes. Also I was wondering what exactly they do in the Legs, Bums, Tum and Total Tone classes? (i.e. are they weights-focused or cardio?)

    Any help/info is greatly appreciated! Thanks :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭insinkerator


    Does anyone know what the deal is for the track? Can any member go out there and just run around it, or do you need to book or what's the deal?


  • Registered Users Posts: 22 Liona


    2022rae wrote: »
    I'm interested in trying some of the classes they hold (timetable here for those also interested) but I was hoping someone could tell me what kind of level they would expect as I'm not in my prime fitness wise and find it slightly intimidating. :o

    The ones that I'd be most interested in are the Step n Tone, Yoga and Spin classes. Also I was wondering what exactly they do in the Legs, Bums, Tum and Total Tone classes? (i.e. are they weights-focused or cardio?)

    Any help/info is greatly appreciated! Thanks :)


    I ve never visited the mardyke classes but in general you ll be able to join in anytime. The step classes might be a little tough at the beginning as u need to get used to the vocabulary they use and the different step combinations but after 2-3 classes you ll be fine so dont give up!
    with the spinning bikes you basically direct your own workout. there is a teacher to tell you what to do and motivate you but you are the one in control on how hard you make it for yourself.
    Legs, bums and tums will probably include a lot of exercise to strengthen your muscles usually without or only with small weights. total tone might use stuff like body bars etc... but again the instructor will tell you as a first timer what weights are appropriate :-)
    Have fun


  • Registered Users Posts: 31 2022rae


    Liona wrote: »
    I ve never visited the mardyke classes but in general you ll be able to join in anytime. The step classes might be a little tough at the beginning as u need to get used to the vocabulary they use and the different step combinations but after 2-3 classes you ll be fine so dont give up!
    with the spinning bikes you basically direct your own workout. there is a teacher to tell you what to do and motivate you but you are the one in control on how hard you make it for yourself.
    Legs, bums and tums will probably include a lot of exercise to strengthen your muscles usually without or only with small weights. total tone might use stuff like body bars etc... but again the instructor will tell you as a first timer what weights are appropriate :-)
    Have fun

    Thank you Liona! You're so helpful! That's great info, I'll definitely be giving some of them a try :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,759 ✭✭✭sporina


    hi, I am going to go to a class in the Mardyke this eve. I tried before but even though I was there nearly 1 hr before the class, it was full. And I remember it being a pain to park. So I have been reluctant to try again, up to now that is.
    So, is there anywhere I can park easily? Also, do I really need to be there an hr before the class (step and tone)? Between that and parking, its adds a whole lot of time onto a 50 min fitness class..:confused:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,180 ✭✭✭EyeSight


    sporina wrote: »
    hi, I am going to go to a class in the Mardyke this eve. I tried before but even though I was there nearly 1 hr before the class, it was full. And I remember it being a pain to park. So I have been reluctant to try again, up to now that is.
    So, is there anywhere I can park easily? Also, do I really need to be there an hr before the class (step and tone)? Between that and parking, its adds a whole lot of time onto a 50 min fitness class..:confused:
    if you're a student, pop into reception and they'll give you a parking disk so you can park on the mardyke walk. if you're not a student you can use the car park but it has limited spaces at the moment or you can buy a parking disk for 2 euros

    not sure about that particular class but if you ring them they're usually very helpful about that stuff


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,759 ✭✭✭sporina


    EyeSight wrote: »
    if you're a student, pop into reception and they'll give you a parking disk so you can park on the mardyke walk. if you're not a student you can use the car park but it has limited spaces at the moment or you can buy a parking disk for 2 euros

    not sure about that particular class but if you ring them they're usually very helpful about that stuff

    thanks for that - managed to park at the AIB - so all good, there were plenty of spaces along the mardyke rd though..


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,281 ✭✭✭Ricky91t


    New changing rooms have opened on the first floor by the squash courts, Very nice indeed! I think they're trying to move most gym users to the first floor so the teams/clubs can use the downstairs changing rooms.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25 Audacious


    closeline wrote: »
    When can students park in the car park again....

    What is the craic with Student parking actually?


  • Registered Users Posts: 866 ✭✭✭Palytoxin


    Anybody know if they charge for using the squash courts?


  • Registered Users Posts: 659 ✭✭✭yenom


    Anyone have the new swimming timetable, it aint on the wall in the pool.


  • Registered Users Posts: 34 cooranig23


    How do people find the staff in the Mardyke?

    I find them unfair to be honest, one day I was wearing a three quarter length pants in the pool and the lifeguard asked me nicely to get out as I was not allowed to wear these shorts.

    That's fine .. but I see people in the pool most days wearing a three quarter length pants.. and the same lifeguard never says a word to them..

    Also when using the gym one day I had no towel and I was asked to leave

    When I go to the gym now I always bring a towel and I look around and see people with no towels with them

    It's a disgrace.. when my membership is finished I won't be going back to them!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 649 ✭✭✭Jeebus


    cooranig23 wrote: »
    How do people find the staff in the Mardyke?

    I find them unfair to be honest, one day I was wearing a three quarter length pants in the pool and the lifeguard asked me nicely to get out as I was not allowed to wear these shorts.

    That's fine .. but I see people in the pool most days wearing a three quarter length pants.. and the same lifeguard never says a word to them..

    Also when using the gym one day I had no towel and I was asked to leave

    When I go to the gym now I always bring a towel and I look around and see people with no towels with them

    It's a disgrace.. when my membership is finished I won't be going back to them!!


    I have seen a lot of people kicked out for not bringing towels.

    It's very well advertised that you need one as well, so I wouldn't really call it unfair. To be honest, I'd be more annoyed if they didn't enforce those rules!


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,759 ✭✭✭sporina


    Jeebus wrote: »
    I have seen a lot of people kicked out for not bringing towels.

    It's very well advertised that you need one as well, so I wouldn't really call it unfair. To be honest, I'd be more annoyed if they didn't enforce those rules!

    i would agree, but it depends on how it was said. There is a right and wrong way to convey information such as this. Were they rude about it? Or just matter of fact?


  • Registered Users Posts: 164 ✭✭corcaighabu92


    Student parking...Park on Mardyke walk...get disk in reception..lasts for 2 hours. Must give Student Card and number plate.

    Think the squash courts are frre. Just need to book.

    The staff. Quite nice actually from what I see compared to other places.

    Firstly, I think that anyone that wears three-quarter lengths shorts are dicks. Simple ass.

    Secondly, I have never seen anyone wear them in the pool.

    Thirdly, You have to have a towel in there. For health and safety. Every gym has this. A person mightent have to have it in there hand all the time but at least have one with them. You know what I mean.

    That is all I have to say.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 22 Liona


    having worked at a gym before I know how annoying it is to kick people out for not bringing a towel and somedays when there are a lot of people without them u might be getting a little fussy... also somedays were so busy for me that i didnt have time to watch for towel usage or just didnt wanna but up the the discussion again.

    Also having worked at a gym before i find the madyke digustingly dirty and really what good does a towel do when nobody puts it under there sweaty ass on the mashines anyway??? :eek:


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