Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Best gyms in Dublin?

Options
  • 23-06-2019 5:04am
    #1
    gagomes
    Registered Users Posts: 377 ✭✭


    I am a member of two gyms in Dublin and I have just returned from a trip to the US where I have been on the best gym I've ever set foot on.

    It just basically had all the top equipment I could imagine and more, e.g hoist fitness machines, nautilus glute drive for hip thrusts, some beds to help stretching hamstrings with a mix of mechanical and electric tension, etc; in addition 4 tenis courts, 2 basketball courts, 4-5 general dancing/class rooms, 1 room for yoga/pilates with equipment, one room for general explosive training (sleds, etc), a crossfit room, internal mountain climb thingy, etc. It was basically a little world of fitness and obviously it made it very pleasureable to go in there. The monthly price was something like 300$USD which doesn't surprise me.

    So I am now wondering, what are the best gyms in Dublin in terms of size and diversity of equipment? Also, any gym in dublin with a nautilus glute drive?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    caviardreams
    Registered Users Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭caviardreams


    What are the gyms you are already a member of?

    Depending on what you are looking for - if it is purely strength/bodybuilding maybe Southside Strength & Fitness.

    If it is a pool, tennis courts, classes, and a normal gym set up, David Lloyd in Riverview maybe

    A new Raw has opened in Donnybrook - haven't seen it yet but the lighting from a few pictures makes it look more like a Superdry/Hollister store to me! Seems to be marketing itself as high quality/premium though so could be worth a look

    A lot of people who are into strength probably wouldn't be bother paying an extra 50-100 euro a month for somewhere with cardio classes, yoga, tennis courts etc. thrown in and vice versa, so market segmentation and product differentiation works imo. I don't think it would make sense for somewhere to try to cover *all* audiences/markets in their offering


  • Options
    #3
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,557 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Dartry Health Club has a Nautilus Glute Drive, pool and sauna.

    And racks and barbells dumbbells.

    Best is subjective as has been pointed out.

    Best for me would be a gym that was conveniently located and had racks, proper bars and plates, dumbbells and where I didn't have to wait to use anything. Haven't found one of those yet.

    Most gyms in Ireland don't try to be all things to all people.Very few people would pay the equivalent of $300/month for a 'commercial' gym just to have access to loads of equipment they will never use. There is a market at a certain point but it'd likely be very small at that price.


  • Options
    #4
    caviardreams
    Registered Users Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭caviardreams


    Actually I just thought of the new Perpetua in the docklands - I think it's 90 euro a month for gym facilities plus you can upgrade to extras like class membership and crossfit etc. on top of that. No tennis courts or pool as far as I know though
    https://perpetua.ie/


  • Options
    #5
    el Fenomeno
    Registered Users Posts: 3,131 ✭✭✭el Fenomeno


    caviardreams wrote: »
    Actually I just thought of the new Perpetua in the docklands - I think it's 90 euro a month for gym facilities plus you can upgrade to extras like class membership and crossfit etc. on top of that. No tennis courts or pool as far as I know though
    https://perpetua.ie/

    Perpetua is one of those gyms that seems to have blown it's entire budget on branding and advertising, and now they are left in the embarrassing position of not being able to afford lightbulbs for their gym.

    This room in particular moonlights as a Laser Tag arena for school tours:

    035ZOscl.png

    In their defense, it's a fantastic place. Built on the simple foundation that the weights you lift from a €250 per month membership scientifically build more muscle than those you lift from a €30 per month membership.


  • Options
    #6
    gagomes
    Registered Users Posts: 377 ✭✭gagomes


    I should have clarified what I'm looking for and that all the extras were just to show why I felt that gym was outstanding. I don't do any ball sports or dancing or climbing. Just weight lifting mostly for body building. I'm currently in 1escape in smithfield and anytime fitness in HSQ.

    What I found amazing about that gym was indeed the diversity of equipment and the very high quality equipment, for example, these machines were awesome to work chest in as it lowered your body in a way that lowered the strength on your shoulders and therefore less pain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBqXjRrXlQ4

    I also got my best lat pull down pump on the hoist lat pull down machine which moves similarly to reduce back arching (not that I feel this really was an issue for me) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj9lVEstCVE

    In general, I don't use classes or non-cardio/lifting equipment, but I would love to be able to use machines such as nautilus glute drive and a variety of other equipment as was present in that gym, which by the way is Bay Club in California, Pleasanton

    Other machines I didn't mention which I quite liked:
    - incline pull up slide
    - decline push up slide
    - incline kneeled abs slide
    - t-bar row machine
    - decline squat machine
    - standing calf raise machine


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,557 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    That first machine looks like a movement that would be replicated with dumbbells on a decline bench. I'm not sure the movement on the pulldown one really mitigates against arching the back which usually happens when people go too heavy and can't do the movement the way it should be done.

    As for incline pull up slide, decline push up slide and incline kneeled abs slide, I have no idea what they're supposed to be.

    Even Flyefit have t-bar row machine, decline squat machine (presume this is an angled leg press) and standing calf raise machine.


  • Options
    #8
    gagomes
    Registered Users Posts: 377 ✭✭gagomes


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    As for incline pull up slide, decline push up slide and incline kneeled abs slide, I have no idea what they're supposed to be.


    Agreed with everything you mentioned. I am a keen believer of lowering the weight, however, even at low weights, I feel my shoulders get a bit achy after a chest workout. I felt this machine made it super easy and pain free, and even at the 2nd lowest settings, I could feel my chest pump after just 6-8 reps.



    As for the

    - incline pull up slide
    - decline push up slide
    - incline kneeled abs slide
    - decline squat machine


    Can be found in this image. Exact equipment.


    https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0029/7828/3564/products/ELEVATE_circuit.png?v=1537883763


    And yes, there is ways to get all of this done, but wouldn't it be nicer if we didn't have to appeal to the mcgyver/bear grylls in us?


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    Even Flyefit have t-bar row machine, decline squat machine (presume this is an angled leg press) and standing calf raise machine.

    The decline squat machine, I meant the one in the picture above. They did have 10+ different squat-type machines of which 5-6 were variants of the standard leg press.


  • Options
    #9
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,557 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    gagomes wrote: »
    Agreed with everything you mentioned. I am a keen believer of lowering the weight, however, even at low weights, I feel my shoulders get a bit achy after a chest workout. I felt this machine made it super easy and pain free, and even at the 2nd lowest settings, I could feel my chest pump after just 6-8 reps.



    As for the

    - incline pull up slide
    - decline push up slide
    - incline kneeled abs slide
    - decline squat machine


    Can be found in this image. Exact equipment.


    https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0029/7828/3564/products/ELEVATE_circuit.png?v=1537883763


    And yes, there is ways to get all of this done, but wouldn't it be nicer if we didn't have to appeal to the mcgyver/bear grylls in us?





    The decline squat machine, I meant the one in the picture above. They did have 10+ different squat-type machines of which 5-6 were variants of the standard leg press.

    You won't find a lot of those in most gyms here. You can get a pull up machine that essentially reduces the weight you're pulling up, which is the same as the incline pull up.

    Chest flys on decline bench is hardly McGyver. It's pretty standard.


  • Options
    #10
    silverharp
    Registered Users Posts: 17,848 ✭✭✭✭silverharp


    Is there not a downside to depending on particular machines? Every gym will have dumbbells and a cable area. That should cover flys?

    A belief in gender identity involves a level of faith as there is nothing tangible to prove its existence which, as something divorced from the physical body, is similar to the idea of a soul. - Colette Colfer



  • Options
    #11
    WadeWatts
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭WadeWatts


    Any suggestions for a gym in city centre with a decent number of racks? Most seem to have only 2 or 3 at most and some if not all will be Smith machines.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    silverharp
    Registered Users Posts: 17,848 ✭✭✭✭silverharp


    WadeWatts wrote: »
    Any suggestions for a gym in city centre with a decent number of racks? Most seem to have only 2 or 3 at most and some if not all will be Smith machines.

    flyfit off Pearse st has either 8 or 10 , best avoid between 5-7pm you would still be queuing.

    A belief in gender identity involves a level of faith as there is nothing tangible to prove its existence which, as something divorced from the physical body, is similar to the idea of a soul. - Colette Colfer



Advertisement