Which GYM to join? (westpoint/Total Fitness)

NiSmO

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yomchi

NiSmO wrote:

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Im glad you started this thread. I joined total fitness this year after leaving west point and so far im not impressed. Westpoint was a palace compared to total. The free weights room is a mess - the other morning I spent 10 mins trying to find matching dumbells, and I couldn't find a pair of most! The benches are manky and stink not to mention impossible to move around - if you want to stick a bench under the smith machine it's a work out in itself to drag one of them over.
The cross trainers are squeaky and as was posted in another thread the pool is dirty.
The cable cross over machine pulley wheels are siezed on one side.
The showers dribble on you also.
My biggest gripe is the state of the weights room - while the staff sit outside yapping and drinking tea.

Rant over

brianthebard

How close are you to Maynooth, or any other University? Most colleges and IT's will have gyms that are also open to the public. Here in Maynooth the cost per year is €280 but I think that might only be for alumni, might be more for "outsiders". For students (of the college) its free

It doesn't have everything that a state of the art gym has, but all the machinery is in good nick, there's a decent set of cardio machines and there was a new free weights room added last year, which I've yet to visit.

All in all its a good set up and I imagine all the colleges in the Dublin area offer something similar/better. After all Maynooth is only a small uni.

ateam

As far as I know Westpoint is cheaper than Total Fitness. Total Fitness charges €399 for students and €599 for everyone else (prices from July 2006). Westpoint just offers a price for everyone at around €350-400..and often you can get special offers like 14 months for the price of 12.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both. I am a member of Total Fitness in Castleknock. At the moment it's undergoing a refurbishment, they are replacing the carpet and painting the place a bit(well overdue). Even with the new carpet, the gym isn't great. It's generally old looking, run down and dirty. The pool is a disgrace and the floors in the changing rooms are always filthy. Also, as a previous poster said, the weights room is a joke. Weights are never stacked properly. On the other hand, Total Fitness is huge. I have never had to queue for a machine even in the busiest times. The filth outweighs the advantage of space and therefore I would recommend you pick Westpoint, even though I did hear it gets busy during the winter...

fletch

How come you have not considered Crunch in Westmanstown....it's €399 for students, never gets too packed although in saying that is a bit lacking in the weights department. But it's handy to get to and is kept spotlessly clean

NiSmO

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ateam

NiSmO wrote:

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Where are getting the figure of 286 for Total Fitness? Is this a student price or a special offer?

NiSmO

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iascanmore

Check out the NAC aswell.

Pool obvisiously top notch.

The gym is sound aswell, free weights probably not as good as your "selected two" but they've loads of machines - cardio and weights.

Its always spotless, never so busy that you can't get a machine and staff seem to know their stuff. I'd highly recommend it.

Having said that I've only been a member for 8 weeks but I have been at the full range of times, weekdays and weekends.

They were doing a special back then and I got 14 months for both me and the wife for 800 yoyos total.

Not bad in my book.

ateam

NiSmO wrote:

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Yes, the prices I gave already are the current prices. Westpoint is far cheaper, in fact I heard yesterday there was a special offer, €295 to join Westpoint for 12 months.

yomchi

I'll go back to West point next year. Enjoyed training there so much more than Total. I'll live without the heavier dumbells

Easygainer

I'm in Total Fitness Sandyford, and while our purposes of use are probably different, a few things are universal:

-The staff have no clue. Granted I never needed them to train me but God help you if you do. They just fart around the place and are more out of shape than the average clientelle - not a good sign.
-As Jon said, finding matching db's is a game in itself. There were a few broken db's in the Sandyford branch for a good 8 months (22.5kg, 25kg, 27.5kg) which they only replaced after months of complaints. These are right in the range that many people use so it was a massive inconvenience.
-The pool area etc is good but I don't really care about that kind of thing.
-The hammer machines are great, some of the "life fitness" ones are pretty cramped though. The shoulder press, for instance, seems to be a variation on the milk tank Houdini used:

http://www.houdinitribute.com/img/milkcanposter.jpg

Overall it's a decent gym. They have good enough equipment and plenty of space. The staff and general atmosphere leave a lot to be desired. If you are inexperienced or find it hard to get motivated, you might want to start with a smaller gym.

slicus ricus

I live in Castleknock but go to college in Blackrock, so at the moment im using both the Blanchardstown and Sandyford Total Fitness - for the convenience of being able to use both gyms, its worth me joining TF.

The Blanch TF has gone downhill recently imo. A couple of weeks ago, the majority of the dumbells disappeared (apparently for health and safety reasons - somebody cut themselves on one, i think).

The Sandyford TF is pretty good tho. Some newer, more up to date equipment there. The staff there dont seem to do much at all, as ppl seem to go to the personal trainers instead of the TF instructors. The running track there is a good facility as well.

Westpoint is a much cleaner and all round more pleasant gym to go to. However, it gets way too packed as well as the dumbell issue.

ateam

Easygainer wrote:

I'm in Total Fitness Sandyford, and while our purposes of use are probably different, a few things are universal:

-The staff have no clue. Granted I never needed them to train me but God help you if you do. They just fart around the place and are more out of shape than the average clientelle - not a good sign.
-As Jon said, finding matching db's is a game in itself. There were a few broken db's in the Sandyford branch for a good 8 months (22.5kg, 25kg, 27.5kg) which they only replaced after months of complaints. These are right in the range that many people use so it was a massive inconvenience.
-The pool area etc is good but I don't really care about that kind of thing.
-The hammer machines are great, some of the "life fitness" ones are pretty cramped though. The shoulder press, for instance, seems to be a variation on the milk tank Houdini used:

http://www.houdinitribute.com/img/milkcanposter.jpg

Overall it's a decent gym. They have good enough equipment and plenty of space. The staff and general atmosphere leave a lot to be desired. If you are inexperienced or find it hard to get motivated, you might want to start with a smaller gym.

I've been to all 3 Total Fitnesses in Dublin and Sandyford seems to be the best. By far Malahide is the worst, the place is a mess. Avoid at all costs...Castleknock is catching up though

yomchi

slicus ricus wrote:

The Blanch TF has gone downhill recently imo. A couple of weeks ago, the majority of the dumbells disappeared (apparently for health and safety reasons - somebody cut themselves on one, i think)

Yeh a nasty cut as well. He lost the top of his finger.

Easygainer

ateam wrote:

I've been to all 3 Total Fitnesses in Dublin and Sandyford seems to be the best. By far Malahide is the worst, the place is a mess. Avoid at all costs...Castleknock is catching up though

Haven't been to others but I heard the one in Castleknock is a good bodybuilding gym.

Goldfinger

Jon wrote:

Yeh a nasty cut as well. He lost the top of his finger.

Ouch! How the hell did he do that? Catch his pinkie in between DB's or something?

yomchi

Goldfinger wrote:

Ouch! How the hell did he do that? Catch his pinkie in between DB's or something?

Some of the dumbells are in a jocker, i believe it was a welded barb sticking off one the cut him

topdog8

was in both gyms.. i actually prefer total but. have been in crunch aswell,, lovly gym but weights are very light plus very few Bars and plates etc, no squat rack either..
Going to join liffey valley gym as membership is up in total;

copacetic

Easygainer wrote:

I'm in Total Fitness Sandyford, and while our purposes of use are probably different, a few things are universal:

-The staff have no clue. Granted I never needed them to train me but God help you if you do. They just fart around the place and are more out of shape than the average clientelle - not a good sign.
-As Jon said, finding matching db's is a game in itself. There were a few broken db's in the Sandyford branch for a good 8 months (22.5kg, 25kg, 27.5kg) which they only replaced after months of complaints. These are right in the range that many people use so it was a massive inconvenience.
-The pool area etc is good but I don't really care about that kind of thing.
-The hammer machines are great, some of the "life fitness" ones are pretty cramped though. The shoulder press, for instance, seems to be a variation on the milk tank Houdini used:

http://www.houdinitribute.com/img/milkcanposter.jpg

Overall it's a decent gym. They have good enough equipment and plenty of space. The staff and general atmosphere leave a lot to be desired. If you are inexperienced or find it hard to get motivated, you might want to start with a smaller gym.

easy, what is the cost in total fitness for off peak? do you know what the off peak hours are there? considering leaving westwood for TF in sandyford..

sparky.7

hi, Nismo
was looking at your tread !!! . Am in same boat without going thro all postings how did you fair out and which did you choose as am looking to join gym in d15 nice 1.

Money Shot

There is another gym in Coolmine swimming pool. Haven't been there, but I've been told that it has everything you need, is cheap, and never packed.

http://www.coolminesports.com/health_fitness.htm

moneyminded

Hi,

I am selling my wife's membership for westpoint in blanchardstown. She is pregnant now and don;t want to use it anymore, I was talking to staff at wespoint and they will accept membership transfer from her. The Expiry date on membership is 31/04/2010. Current Membership costs €250 per year. I am offering €200 till the above date (30/04/2010). Can meet in Westpoint at agreed date and time to complete other formalities. Reply or PM me if intersted.

Cheers

travist

Total Fitness is a dump - more expensive, yet more of a dump

romperstomper

i've been a member of total fitness malahide road for the last 10 months and all i can say is that i don't think i'll be returning even though its on my commute route and is very handy (besides shops etc). staff are a joke and everytime they can't do something its the same excuse 'we're a franchise, you'll have to take it up with head office in UK'.
what a load of BS

AlanFurl

I'm in TF Sandyford, its ok at best. A lot of squeaky cross trainers, most of the bikes are in bad/not great shape - mismatching peddles, missing peddles, lobsided bike, knotchy peddling etc.. Seems to take forever to fix anything - bikes or resistance machines (if they even bother).

Gets very busy monday and tuesday evenings and this is when the shoddy machines really bocome an issue.

Even the resistence machines are broken - seats that won't adjust. A real pain in the ass.

They've placed a security guard in the car park though, i think he's been there for the past month or so..something like that anyway.

shanek248

Is there anyone out there looking to join Westpoint Gym in Blanchardstown. Im trying to get together a group of 3-4 people to avail of the special deal.

If I can get three more people to join with me it will be 144 euro a year! Bargain! If you join by yourself it costs 220 euro. (which is a bargain anyway but still :P)

Get on to me if you are interested. Post a reply here, PM me or text/ring on 0857843611