Gym was never a word in my vocabulary 2 years ago...I would start/stop, start/stop (sounds familiar…read moreright??!) - I just couldn't find 'the one'. Until I moved into the West End community. Core9 West End is unlike any other 'gym' I know. They take great pride in positively impacting people's lives through a personalized fitness program. I am not just a number but a member of their family and I couldn't imagine my life without them - in fact, my life has changed because of them - I am fitter, healthier and addicted to training (argh never thought I would say this!). The trainers are exceptional and supportive and they know when to push and when not to - sometimes a good belting on the boxing bag is all it takes to improve my mood if I've had a bad day. Being a busy mum of 2 (3 if you count the husband!), working full time and studying full time, I can always fit a 31 minute session in (sometimes 2!) each day. The best part is the results just keep on coming after almost 2 years training with Core9 - no two days are ever the same and they constantly keep you on your toes. I am truly blessed to have found Core9 - they are number 1 in my books and I will be forever grateful to them for how they have changed mine, and my families, lives!

From the owner: Core9 is not just an out of the box gym or health club but is in itself a fitness regime combining…read moreGymnastics exercises, Kick-Boxing fundamentals and Military training techniques. All specifically designed with our individual clients' needs in mind. The freedom of the most flexible workout ever!! * Finish in 31 minutes. * Never do the same workout twice. * Personal trainer to keep you on track. * Workout when you want. * No class times * No bookings required By removing the barriers of class times, lengthy training times and personal training expense, it offers people of all fitness levels the most efficient, effective and personalised way to challenge themselves, enhance their health, and become greater each day.

I love my gym! I've been a member here since January 2014, after joining at my local Snap. At some…read morepoint my membership transferred over to the city location - apparently it's based on the location you attend the most. I was super happy with the transfer because it means I get to use the awesome classes. Body Balance is my fave and they offer a number of different sessions each week. Apart from the fantastic staff, people who attend here are pretty low key and I never feel out of place in the free weights area. There are also plenty of treadmills, bikes and elliptical thingies, so I've never had to wait. My only criticism is that there's only one set of light weights (1-10kg dumbbells). You would think for a gym this size they'd get a second set. It's a minor criticism and doesn't detract from my 5 star rating. Best gym ever!

The gym owns pretty much everything that you need from weight machines to cardio machines, but out…read moreof all that one thing that makes this gym exceeds is the 24/7 OPEN time which is not great! There is large amount of space in the changing rooms as well.

Despite the fact I swore my money would never pass through the hands of Fitness First again, here I…read moream starting my "new financial year resolutions" with a new fitness regime and with a gym that isn't that bad. In the five or so years since I was last a member it seems they've scrubbed up and pulled their socks up. You can have as much or as little guidance as you like and classes like boxing, body balance (a lot of Les Mills) and more should keep boredom at bay.

This is easily my favourite Fitness First in Brisbane - there is no better way to shed those kilos…read moreand feel fantastic than at Fitness First in Toowong. The reception staff always offer perky greetings and on Fridays, a bowl of fresh fruit for those post-workout munchies. Having never braved a personal training session of fear I may in fact hyperventilate, pass out, or worse, embarrass myself in front of the muscley trainers, there are plenty of them, and friends rave about how good their sessions are. Good for them. Personally, I'm a massive fan of gym classes - the RPM instructors are packed with ridiculous amounts of energy, and motivate you to the point where you think your lungs are actually going to explode out of your chest. They introduce themselves to each individual rider every session - and if you're a regular, watch out because they will shout out your name if you aren't keeping up! Despite being an Australia-wide chain, this particular Fitness First really adds a personal touch to their operations, and as a result, is always buzzing with fitness freaks and health-seekers. They also offer a child-minding service, complete with a large playroom which is supervised by the staff.

Lately, there has been a growing fad of 24/7 gyms. I've always thought that no one would actually…read moreuse them 24/7 so it was more a gimmick really and the fad would slowly phase itself out. Even if it was a fad, I walked my butt into the ifeelgood gym at Indooroopilly after pigging out on Sushi (what good shop positioning, right next to a sushi train) and I was impressed that the equipment was fancy and clean (clean being the operative word) and there were actually people in this joint. I checked out the memberships, and they start from $8.95 a week... so if you aren't looking to pay the $20 ish dollars a week other big gyms are charging, this is a great price. They also have personal trainers on staff if you need a jumpstart to a not so jump-starty program and they are really friendly. You don't see the guys pumping iron that much here, but more the cardio chicks, but it's as good as any other 24/7 gym place. At least the equipment is clean right?

From the owner: 2 locations - Indooroopilly & Oxleyread more

I visited Mad Dance House and took a few classes in yet another aborted attempt at embracing…read moreexercise around half-way through 2011. An old friend and I somehow came to the conclusion it would be good for us. It was, but we didn't count on our lack of resolution. The classes we went to were called "Girly Street Jazz", and typing that makes me feel like a girlier girl than an American cheerleader and I want to wince, but they were good classes. Set up in a building near The Victory Hotel and Queensland Writer's Centre at the time, I believe classes have now moved to a new location on Elizabeth street, near Govinda's Vegetarian Restaurant (excellent and a Brisbane local favourite). Apparently the new premises have air conditioning unlike the old place, because even on a winter night it got extremely hot in this tall brick building. (Then again, Brisbane's Julys are barely winter.) And you will work up a sweat and feel insanely hot in any case, because you're somewhat deftly thrown into the deep end from your first class. (You realize you're undergoing a baptism of fire but also appreciate it's for your own good.) Definitely bring a LARGE bottle of water with you. The classes are obviously highly cardio, but even then it's surprising at how hard you are pushed. It didn't meet boot camp level, but it came near. Also, the second half of the lesson comprised the learning of a fairly complicated dance routine, so you had to really engage your memory as well as keep your body moving. The scheduled 45 minute lesson went for an hour and felt like it went for three hours, but it was exhilarating. And, it was good for me. Thinking about how I no longer go here makes me feel justly chided. For $14 a lesson, these classes were well worth it. There was also a strange sense of bonding between you and the class members by the end of a lesson, like strangers in an emergency (oh no - the elevator doors won't open) or people climbing a mountain together. It feels a bit like both, with everyone looking scattered and afraid at the start and shy of making eye contact, then clapping each other on the arm at the end of the session.

I used to swing by Mad Dance House for beginner hip hop lessons with friends on Tuesday nights…read more (5:45pm) with Tammi T. Tammi's insanely talented and always knows how to break the ice with first timers who are reticent about dancing in front of others. But it's a group process, with each class beginning and ending with a warm up and warm down. There are huge windows for ventilation and two large fans that whirl madly throughout the classes, but this won't stop you from sweating like a beast. Make sure you bring a big water bottle, otherwise bottles can be purchased from the front counter. There are also change rooms and toilets for those coming straight from work. My friends and I were real beginners. The routines were tricky but relatively easy to pick up. Also the crowd was very supportive and friendly, and always focused on having a good time and nailing the moves and helping others achieve the same. One of my friends has since performed in one of Mad Dance House's hip hop shows and she's almost dancing like a pro. The only problem, which shouldn't really be a problem (!), is how popular these classes are. Spaces fill up quickly, so it's important to arrive early to get a good position in front of the mirrors. That said, Tammi's always considerate and rotates the front and back rows. That said, bring a friend along and you'll both get in for cheaper.