How could you not try a trainer who calls himself "The Transformation Catalyst"? Dominic Munnelly…read moreis the man behind the dream and is a highly enthusiastic personal trainer based on the southside. He regularly contributes to RSVP etc, has an interesting blog (http://thetransformationcatalyst.wordpress.com/) and is very active answering questions and giving advice on boards.ie. When I went to see him he was in a smaller gym but moved to the Crossfit gym a few weeks later-looks like it's far more roomy. I'm pretty sure he could put you through your paces in any location-indoors or outdoors though! Dominic was great at answering emails enquiring about his services and saw me early on a Saturday morning. Had a little assessment (not so sure about the body fat reading) and a fun workout-he's quite Crossfit (http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html) based with solid Olympic lifting thrown in and sensible nutritional advice. I liked it that he also incorporated yoga and foam rolling-good for the perpetually injured! Wasn't thrilled that he insisted on telling me my weight even though I begged him not to...but I'd stopped crying within a week or so. He emailed me a programme a few days later which was nice and gave plenty of things to keep me occupied-mix of weights and Crossfit workouts. It was a bit too full of push-ups and bodyweight squats for me though....my shoulders and hip flexors were threatening tendonitis within a couple of weeks. I'd have preferred if the training session included a run through/more detailed discussion of the programme too-didn't have some of the equipment in my gym. Bit pricey at €80 per session but he is good and is amenable to doing follow up sessions whenever you like. He also includes a free "check up" the week after to make sure you understand all the exercises etc. I'd probably have to say the Edge (http://www.yelp.ie/biz/the-edge-clontarf-dublin) suited me better in the end-David there picked up on shoulder and hip tightness before he gave me a programme and purposely avoided push-ups and squats to try to correct imbalances. And that was without being told I'd had issues before! Bonus: Dominic brought me a homemade flapjack. Feeding me on a Saturday morning merits an extra star!

if you're looking to try out some yoga or you're looking for a change of place. Yoga Rathmines is…read morea good place to start. They offer both ashtanga and hatha yoga, while also offering beginner's classes as well. All the class times are in the later evening, which is good if you're motivated because you won't be able to use, I got out of work late as an excuse. Also what better way to relax before bedtime than yoga? If you're not sure if yogas you're thing or you have a busy schedule they offer drop in classes. At €13 they're a bit pricey, but if you like it it's definitely worth signing up for a course, and even if the course start date has passed, they'll adjust the cost to the amount of weeks. Not bad at all.

Andy also runs a Strentgh and Conditioning class in Sportsco on Thursdays at 6pm. I went along…read moreyesterday for the first time, with a degree of trepidation, after hearing they'd involve something called 'suicide sprints'. Had never heard of them before and Google didn't exactly make them sound pleasant. It turns out they're something I'd have known as shuttle runs and done once upon a time with football and taekwondo. Still, it had been a while since I'd done circuit training. So along I went and there were 13 in the class of varying ages and fitness levels. That didn't matter. If you're unfit and giving it 100%, you'll get as much out of it as someone younger and fitter giving it 100%. I was drenched in sweat and knackered at the end of it but I felt good. I'll be stiff today and maybe a bit more tomorrow but I'll definitely go there again!

In a city plagued by pricey and often unimpressive fitness options, Andy Kenny stands out as a true…read morehero. Not only are his classes top-notch (and a steal for the price), he's also very personable and makes sure his clients know how to get the most out of their workouts, both in and out of the gym. His spinning classes rank with the best I've taken in New York and California: his non-nonsense, gimmick-free training is directed toward real cyclists, and that means the rest of us get the best workouts, as well. None of that "up for four, hover for four, pedal backwards as you pushup on the handlebars" crap here: just pure, honest, sweat-puddle spinning. Find him on Facebook--he'll give you your first class for free!

I'm gonna go five stars on this one. I'm not a squatter but I do appreciate this place being…read moresomewhat accessible amongst other things. It's hard to qualify this place as a "squat" per se because it seems cleaner and more public than other squats I've chanced upon. I dropped by for a music workshop that was listed on their site as happening at 7:00, but it actually started at 8:00. When it did commence, it seemed like 5 people or so gathered in to do something that didn't involve a t.v. or laptop computer. Yeah, you read it here first. Take that, Ethan Kath. There is a comfortable Miss Havisham's mansion type atmosphere there ( this used to be Neary's hotel I believe) and the people seemed very easy going. An older gentleman came in with me, and one of the people there seemed to have no problem answering question upon question and tolerated an endless stream of banter.....could be an Irish thing? I don't know. Tea was available. They were polite and I believe that's a big plus for a place that requires no (as far as today) admission prices or monies for services. That being said I wouldn't go here for an indie Starbucks or angry YMCA yoga experience... Do go here to interact with human beings that have probably read more than one non-fiction book within the span of a year and to experience a sense of community based in anarchist priniples. They also have a shaz load of books so you could probably get away with just getting some tea and looking at a book if you're a total hermit and don't like talking to people.

There's nothing else like this in Dublin. It's an autonomous social centre run democratically by…read morevolunteers, right in the middle of town. There's a vegan café, bike workshop, various gigs, infoshop/library, free computer room, and loads of other stuff going on. The atmosphere is good-natured and down-to-earth. Political posters, paintings, banners, and graffiti abound. It's run by anarchists, and it's a friendly place for women, LGBT people, migrants, and other people who are marginalised in this society. It's a bit of a culture shock but that's a large part of what makes it so interesting. The whole ethos of the place is about people treating each other as equals. It's not about spending money. Everything is done by donation. There's a 'free shop' where you can take whatever you want for free and donate what you want. You're bound to meet some cool/interesting people there.

I don't often give 5 stars, however on this occasion it is more than justified…read more The class was pitched really well, and the instructor Ann was on top of her game. She promotes gentle yoga, with a bit of fun thrown into the mix. All those who were there really enjoyed it. I would have no problem recommending a visit. Looking forward to my next class

Does the mention of crossfit leave you running a mile and dreading the thought of being surrounded…read moreby the fittest people in the world who could eat babies for their breakfasts?!? I think that was certainly my initial impression on walking in the door. Yeah so I consider myself slightly fit but would I just look ridiculous in a place like this...? Crossfit Green was the first CF box I looked at in my search and speaks volumes that I didn't look anymore. This is a fantastically set up box,both in terms of size, equipment and especially the people here. Dave and his team have boundless amounts of energy and work tirelessly to help every improve. Be this learning how to do a tumble (yes that was me...) to lifting more than you ever thought possible. Their step by step approach makes sure no one is left out and you are encouraged all the way. Cost wise it is so much better than many other places within the same area; no limits on the number of sessions you can attend. Its one price all in.

A quick glance at my reviews would make it apparent that I'm quite fond of cake. This love is…read morepretty much matched by actually enjoying going to the gym though! Unfortunately I'm also injury prone and struggle to keep my poor body in something close to working order. I ended up visiting John Kelly when an irritated piriformis had stopped me from doing lunges and step ups and shin splints and tight calves were hampering my running. The physio hadn't helped and I was going crazy. He was easily contactable by email and answered all my initial enquiries (there were many) rapidly and patiently. We arranged a Saturday appointment. I arrived just about on time-it's quite out of the way if you don't know the area and in his house. John was friendly and very professional. He's a sprinter and very involved in fitness so has sympathy for the injured! We had a chat about my issues and then he examined me standing and lying. He actually picked up on the fact that my hips aren't level almost immediately. Most people don't-considering the difference is, literally, millimetres. He manipulated some trigger points and then performed dry needling to the piriformis and one of my calves (reckoned that was enough for one day). It was NOT a relaxing massage but that wasn't what I was there for! I'm sure he could do the nice relaxing thing if you wanted but it would be a bit of a waste when he is actually talented at making people better. 3 days later I could lunge again. I was ecstatic! He also works as a personal trainer and does nutritional advice. I haven't had personal experience, but if he manages to use even a fraction of his knowledge and enthusiasm in it I'd be pretty confident that he'd get results! Minus one star for the location-it's not easily accessible by public transport and I'd personally prefer a clinic type set-up. If you have an injury and want it fixed though, he's your man!

Great gym in Dublin 15. It's a bit out of the way, which means everyone needs to drive there. But…read morethey have everything you would need for a good workout. Best thing that gives the edge over other places is access to tennis courts as well as loads of good and free classes. Never seems too busy either so you can always do what you need to! The spinning classes are really good, the instructors get really into them. There is also a steam room, sauna and jacuzzi to relax after a workout!

The Crunch fitness club is the best around Dublin 15. I discover this place about 7 years ago and I…read morestill like it. The main thing for me was to find a decent swimming pool in Dublin; finally I came to the Westmanstown to find out a new place, with a great gym and a nice pool, tennis courts, and car park. The place is clean, it has the gym with a 200 metres track, equipment to do weights, basketball, badminton, and many other activities pitch. Swimming lessons, aqua aerobics and so on. This place will be definitely the best of what you could get in Dublin 15 (even with the NAC being in the area). The Sports are not well supported in this country, and it is a pity that all people see is the money aspect of the disciplines. There should be more support from the government to create better athletes and a healthier society. The prices to join the Crunch are the same as anywhere else if you compare here you will get value for your money, you might get cheaper places but you will end up paying more because the place is not clean or the service is bad as well as the facilities you will get won't be the same. Nothing will be perfect all the time, of course something will go wrong someday, like water being cold or a power cut, but every time something happened I was well looked after. A family place for excellence, here kids are aloud and there is activities for them as well, the time is restricted which is ok. I really recommend it if you have children, go there and have a look, the staff will show you around all the facilities. I hope you will like it and get fit, remember..."Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body" .