Goodbye Edinburgh leisure membership, hello Edinurgh Boxing Academy!!…read more If you're looking for a proper work out, like walkingoutwithjellylegsohmygoshicantstopsweating kind of work out, you'll definitely want to try this place out. I did one class of the ultimate fitness and my abs were sore for a week! Its a very male dominated gym and can be quite intimidating when you first go in, especially as a somewhat unfit female who believes a quartetly run counts as regular excersie, but you'll just have to get over that quickly. You'll feel amazing, strong, sore, tired, and energetic all at once for days afterward. Trainers are good. They'll push you hard but they're not mean about it, just to the point. I'm hooked and plan to make this my regular gym, give it a go if you're looking for something different.

I'm not generally a gym sort of person. Don't get me wrong - it's not that I don't enjoy exercise,…read morebut I've never really seen the attraction of paying £80 a month for communal sweating and the opportunity to compare my bony bod to those around me. But Edinburgh's cold during the winter and, besides, I've reached the conclusion that there's only so much that running and cycling can achieve. So I reluctantly started researching the options again, starting with the usual suspects - David Lloyds and Virgin Active. Aside from the high monthly fee, one typically faces a hefty joining charge and minimum 12-month contract. Being both fickle and financially challenged, neither of these options particularly appealed. Next up was Westfield. While adequate as a compromise - it's certainly a lot cheaper than the Globo Gym-alikes - it falls well short in terms of the facilities, essentially being a quasi-public add-on to the sports facilities of Fettes College. I never enjoyed PE at school, so moved swiftly on. In desperation, I turned to Pure Gym, which I'd always viewed as the EasyJet of the fitness world. Their newest Edinburgh Gym in Granton (there are a couple of others scattered across the city) is just superb. I booked in for a tour and was instantly impressed by the sheer number and variety of their machines - three floors of running machines, cross trainers, bikes, and weights (free and fixed). There's just no hanging around waiting for equipment to become available. More importantly for me (I've always been a bit intimidated by gyms and the folk who frequent them) the staff are amazing. While I was waiting to be shown round, one of the personal trainers (a chap called Kevin) just stopped to chat to me about what I was hoping to achieve, what sport I do etc. Even more impressive, he's remembered me on subsequent visits and offered his advice. All the PTs really seem enthusiastic and approachable. Because it's a brand new gym, I got in on a ridiculously low introductory price. There's a minimal joining fee (which really just covers admin) and no contract, so you're not committing to 12 months. This gives you full access to the brilliant facilities, as well as a jam-packed schedule of free classes - basically, the only things you have to pay for are classes with an external instructor, like yoga. It may not have a swimming pool, steam room, massage etc like some of the premium gyms, but who needs that anyway? At a fraction of the price and with much more flexibility, PurGym suits me down to the ground.

Now I'm not a big fan of gyms as I've found that many are just way too over-priced and as a student…read moreits just too much to pay. However this year I decided it was time to up my fitness and when I heard Pure Gym had just opened a new gym for only £10.99 a month!! I had to give them a go. When I first began I was rather nervous but upon my induction I was shown round by a memeber of staff named Kevin who made me feel very welcome. The gym is split over 3 floors containing a good variety of different equipment and even has a separate studio room for classes. The staff are a great group of friendly people and I've found that they're always willing to help. The gym also offers a good range of free classes including spin and tone throughout the week. I would definitely recommend checking this gym out! :)

Ainslie Park is a sports centre located just off the Ferry Road in northern Edinburgh…read more The swimming pool is one of the better swimming facilities in Edinburgh and I have to say I do like it for its functionality. The pool is 25 metres in length and is wide enough to permanently have 4 lanes cordoned off for lane swimming and beginners. Sometimes these lanes are out of bounds for the many swimming classes available here, or for aqua aerobics. The changing area is unisex and there are 3 large family changing cubicles, which I find very useful when I visit with my daughter. The pool is only deep in the middle which means when you do a length you start in shallow water and end in it. I find this quite nice and it makes it easier to take a rest between lengths if, like me, you are unfit! There is a small diving area in the middle where the water is deep but there are no diving boards. I do find the water can be quite cold in this pool compared to others in Edinburgh but that is a minor gripe. I also find the staff can be a little offhand and not always particularly helpful. The pool can also get very crowded and I have seen some particularly bad behaviour go unchecked by the attendants which is offputting for the majority. These are minor points however I would suggest trying to use this pool at offpeak times if you just want a nice swim in peace.

This is a nice sports centreoffering a 25 metre swimming pool, a gym and two sports hall. All…read morefacilities are kept clean however the changing rooms are in need of a refresh. The place is always chilly and it is very annoying when exiting the pool. Next to a morrisons which you can go for lunch etc. The staff are all kind and helpful

This is one of Edinburgh's better practice facilities. the rooms are well-equipped with top of the…read moreline gear, and the outside practice rooms are really big, so great if you've got a lot of guys in your band. Because of the wooden floors and ceilings, the sound in the inside rooms can be a bit boxy, but I would still recommend The Depot because it is cheaper than Banana Row and also has great gear. However if you're looking for some place on the cheap, Forest Cafe has a totally passable room at half the price.

I got into yoga about two years ago because I ran lots and was constantly always struggling to…read morestretch properly. I hear about hot yoga, and having lived most of my life in very warm places like Florida, I thought the combination of hot and yoga sounded ace. I got a Groupon deal, and generally they run a special for beginners to try for two weeks at £25. Normally classes are £12 a piece unless you get a block card, then they are less. I've take several classes there after I used up my initial block and love it! It is super warm, but I enjoy it and you feel like you work a lot harder to concentrate and focus on the moves. I don't go every week, but I have definitely noticed a progression in my flexibility and it is so thrilled to see progress! Their website has an easy booking system and apparently, they will soon have an app. I've taken classes from both Lynne and Alan, and they were super easy to follow and very helpful you to get the position and movements right. The standard class is 1.5 hours and gets right into it with an hour of positions, which you do several times to push yourself further each time. The last half hour is some mat work mostly working the back and doing some stretching combined with shavasana. You can bring your own mat or rent one for a £1, and if you forget a massive bottle of water, they also sell those for a £1. Bring a towel and wear light clothing, I generally wear shorts, but then your knees are hard to hold during some poses, so it is easier to wear longer tights. I would highly recommend the trip out to try it. My skin always feels really nice afterwards as well. They do offer an early bird class Friday's at 6:45 am for £6 and they have a 1 hour express class or a Power class, which I am still meaning to try. It is a great yoga workout and an even better stretch, I definitely feel like it is a treat to go and during the cold, grey days or rainy weather, it feels like a mini-vacation to be warm!

This studio is in between my home and work and yet it took me almost 10 months to go try it out…read more And oh how I wish I could turn back time! Wonderful teachers, all very different, so it's nice to try out different ones. Also getting the variety in advice is nice. Some are tough, others super sweet, go try a class with each to pick what you need/like! I love that they offer hot yoga and power yoga. The hot yoga is strongly based on Bikram but leaves out the Bikram poses that I dont like haha. But having also the power yoga option is perfect as you can have two totally different workouts at the same studio, and they complement each other very well. One day I wanted to cancel as I had been feeling very tired all day, but I went to hot yoga and got totally energised! I felt the most awake that I had been all day. I used their 14 days unlimited for 25 pounds and would recommend starting this way and going as often as possible. Your body really adapts and even starts craving it! Makes it easy to go exercise AND enjoy it that way! The atmosphere in and after classes is always different, often after class nobody says anything to each other, in others everyone is very friendly... But the class itself is consistently good. They are open to listen to you personally and give advised based on your goals and maybe injuries. This will be my go-to place for workout in the coming months/years, thankful I found it! Love how addictive it gets if you go often! And, being in a 40 degrees room is a lovely break from winter. When I come home I still am warm enough for 3 hours after not to need to turn on the heater in my flat :) I also like the carpeted floor who adds to the padding of your mat. And the fact there is a whole wall of mirrors so you can see and correct your pose! On the down side, mat rental and water costs extra, something other studios in the studio do provide sometimes. I still give it a 5 though because it makes me feel soooo good!