An amazing place for anyone to get fit, have fun and become part of a caring community. THE BEST…read moreindoor cycling classes in Scotland and beyond!! Flexible memberships, great events and chilled vibe. Unique mix of athletes and those just beginning their fitness journeys all working together. I try loads of fitness classes and I've never seen anything else quite like LifesCycle. Try it once and you're hooked.

Lifecycle is a spin studio but unlike any spin class that I've done at the gym. It's run by Jennie…read moreand Andy who are one of the most enthusiastic and welcoming couples that you could want to meet. They run special introductory sessions twice a week but will run you though how to set up the bike etc before any class if you ask in advance. The classes have music and visuals displayed on a big screen behind the instructor. I don't really know how to describe them other than awesome and motivating. The visuals are different depending on the theme of the ride and they really do make an effort with them. They do frequent themed rides for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and charity fundraising rides. Spin classes are hard work so bring a big water bottle, which you can get refilled during class and stuff to shower with. The showers are clean, have good water pressure and lots of hot water. The studio is really friendly so expect your neighbouring bikes to introduce themselves and to be asked how your class was multiple times if you're a new face.

My hotel didn't have exercise facilities so they suggested this gym. I didn't know where it was…read morebut saw it when I went to Rabbie's Cafe (right next door) Located in the basement of an office building is a self serve gym concept. They had a kiosk where you can become a member, buy a day, 3 day pass, etc. if you need any help there is a call button & someone does come out. I got a 3 day pass for about $16 USD. You use a code to enter and exit. They have an abundant amount of cardio equipment, free & machine (Matrix) weights. I visited around 7:00 on a Friday night and they weren't busy, just right. Equipment was newer and in good shape and the floor/area was clean. They also have showers & lockers (need to bring your own lock) as well beverage vending machines. TVs show health tips mixed in with Ads & commercials. Great place for a visitor to keep the workout routine at a reasonable price!

NOTE TO VISITORS: They have day passes available, and you MUST get them online to get an access…read morecode to get in. Wanted a little gym time on vacation and this hit the spot! The gym is in a sort of funky area. You have to enter a building and walk down an odd corridor to take some stairs down to the gym. It feels a bit like you're going to a basement. There really isn't natural lighting so it added to that vibe. The equipment is ok. They had enough machines and cardio equipment for most. The weight area felt a little light and small, but plenty to get a quick workout in. The people were quite nice and friendly, something I don't experience much in the states at gyms. In the states it's a laughably competitive environment where everyone tries to outdo each other. Being at a gym while on vacation, where am I going to get a protein shake, or a caffeinated preworkout? Luckily they had a pretty solid little machine there with anything you'd need pre, intra, or post workout. Def come in if you're from out of town, and if you're a downtown local, not a bad option at all!

I did my research before joining a gym in Edinburgh, and I think that this is definitely a…read morefive-star gym that beats out the rest on quality and price. It is not just the new, fantastically-built university gym for Edinburgh University, but it is also a community gym that welcomes members of the public to join as well, for just slightly higher rates. I like that this gym has variety and great quality. The main cardio room has great machines with touch-screen TVs that are easy to navigate and the best and most current gym technology. Behind this room is a weight room that can be very busy with lots of testosterone monopolizing the weights, but at lunchtimes it is much less busy and intimidating. In the back, with stunning views of Arthur's Seat, is my favorite gym room with great elliptical trainers along the walls and many large individual mats on the floor for using weights, medicine balls, exercise balls, etc. It is much more calm than the other rooms. I also love the classes. So far, I have been to two spinning classes, two Zumba classes, and a circuits class. They have all been great with really nice and helpful instructors. You book all of the classes online from seven days before the classes, but can also sometimes show up and see if there is extra space to join in. Spinning definitely fills up quickly, but it's worth it! This is a fantastic place and has a great vibe about it. With your membership, you also have access to the pool that's in another building. Thus far, I have been more than happy with all of the many other offerings in the main building!

great gym, just the hours, the open hours should always be the same 6am or earlier. Many if not…read moremajority of gym goers are early birds, but have to wait till 9am, on sat and sunday. Notice there's a queue every weekend. All gyms , rcp included, open real early 7 days a week as they know this, dont be lazy and open earlier!

Puregym Ocean Terminal Edinburgh, the gym that smells like a gym! Not a good thing!!!!!!…read more My wife, a nurse and myself a dentist are regular gym goers in Fife,Scotland and in Nova Scotia, Canada. We recently had a month in Edinburgh and joined this nearby gym. We were shocked to see no cleaner bottles by the equipment stations so asked about it, apparently it's to save on costs in order to keep fees lower! In about 18 morning visits we've seen a total of one person other than ourselves wipe down equipment. Even the staff when assisting others never do it. I hesitate to call them trainers since they obviously have not been trained themselves in gym hygiene. The smell hits you as soon as you enter, thankfully it eases off as one exercises! Sadly a lot of young people attend this gym and will grow up thinking this is normal gym behaviour. Let me assure you it is not! By the way there are at least two less expensive but cleaner gyms in Edinburgh, we just discovered this too late.

Just for the record, I would like to state a couple of things:…read more First...I am a Physiotherapist. Second...I hate going to the gym! However, at Christmas, a foolish notion overtook me and I signed up to run my first half marathon. Given my desire to finish this run, and not lose my hard-earned pennies (and dignity!), I felt it was necessary to put aside my hatred of gyms and start working out. My flatmates use this gym and talked me into going. I certainly don't regret it! For a joining fee of £25 (and then £18 a month, which you can leave at any time with no extra fee!), you get a massive gym, lots of machines and a variety of classes running every day. There are lovely big changing rooms with everything you need for post-workout showering/changing, and the best bit...it's open 24/7! You get in using a PIN number and it's extremely secure. The staff are around pretty much all the time and, unlike the previous reviewer, I found them to be quite friendly. In addition to the smiles, they don't hassle you like a lot of gym instructors do (hence my hatred!) but are available should you require them. There are plenty of hand sanitisers (although I saw very few folk actually using them!) and the staff will check people for not having a towel. Personally, I would rather people gave their seats a wee wipe down after using the equipment, and will not even ponder the alternative! All told, I've enjoyed working out here and will continue to do so until such a time as I'm ready to run this pesky half-marathon...hopefully I'll live to tell the tale!

I had the worst experience with this club and rude customer service trying to cancel my membership…read more The locker rooms were unsanitary and slippery, with no plastic bags for your clothes or any place to put wet towels. Half of the equipment in the gym needed to be fixed and updated. The mats were dirty, and there needed to be more weights for everyone. The steam room was out of service daily, and the swimming pool was filthy. I signed up for a yoga class, and they called to cancel the same day without an explanation. I wasted my time, energy, and money. I recommend joining the One Spa Gym, which has excellent state-of-the-art equipment and a fantastic spa experience. I canceled my membership after three visits, and I paid over £100 in the joining fee, pro-rated costs, and another month on top of that. Beware of scams, and stay away from Bannatyne.

I'd been looking for a new gym recently, not because there was anything wrong with my old one, but…read moreI'd moved house and it was now the opposite end of town. A colleague had recently rejoined Bannatyne's (which is handily only 5 minutes from the office) and was extoling its virtues, including how really reasonably priced the membership was. That's what really sold it to me. Bannatyne's is one of the higher-end gyms, but unlike Virgin or Nuffield, you get change from £40 for your membership - even if, like me, you go for the more expensive monthly rolling contract rather than signing your soul away for a whole year. It's even cheaper than Edinburgh Leisure. The gym itself has a good number of machines, and lots of equipment. Occasionally I've had to wait for the leg press, or the particular kettle bell weight that I want, but never for too long, and I just go and do something else in the meantime instead. The cross-trainers, treadmills and bikes have all got touchscreens with outside VR (I like to pretend I'm jogging through San Francisco), or TV (watch Eggheads whilst I cycle) to keep your mind off the whole exercise thing. And you can log all your exercises on your phone using their app. Pretty nifty. The pool itself is 16m, and quite shallow, and I've yet to find it so busy that I couldn't swim contentedly. There's a huge jacuzzi and a decent sauna and steam room too, which are always welcome. I haven't been to any classes yet (despite being a class fiend previously) but there's a good selection, you book up to 3 days in advance, and only the most popular end up with waiting lists so you're sure to find something you want to do. Best of all is that included in your membership is a free health check and a six-weekly fitness regime appointment with a PT. Now every time I go in I pick up my wee booklet and work my way through the various exercises I've been given, and tick it off on the back, feeling ever so accomplished and smug with myself. The facilities are all clean, modern and in good nick. I'd highly recommend Bannatyne's to anyone looking for an affordable city centre gym, and I'm glad I joined.

YES! Finally a 24…read morehour gym opens in Edinburgh. Pure Gym is situated on the new up-and-coming quartermile in Edinburgh, just a stones throw away from the Meadows and a short walk from the University - ideal for everyone. It only costs £17 a month to be a member of the gym, with a £20 initiation fee which is such a bargain. The gym is a really decent size and is filled with lots of workout machines and weights without being overcrowded. Every member is given a pin code which is used to enter and leave the gym, as well as enter the changing rooms. Classes are available at the gym, such as spinning, and there are plenty of personal trainers on hand to help you with your work out. Pure Gym is purely a gym - there is no swimming pool, sauna or jacuzzi, but there is a sun bed! The gym is never too overcrowded and there are always plenty of machines meaning that no one has to wait in line to use one - amazing.

So I gave Pure Gym a go…read more I've never been a member of a gym, nor have I ever been on any of those mad machines. I tried it for three days to learn the ropes and (since I'm not sure I'll have time for gyming for a bit) to try out a gym while I have a bit of free time. Applying for membership took about 5 minutes, all online and I was good to go immediately. The next day I showed up for my induction which was given by a lovely, relaxed - and most importantly completely not intimidating - lady who was patient in showing the machines, how to use them and explaining the ins and outs. After induction I was left to my own devices, so I tried out some machines. I was there at rush hour (but maybe some days are busier than others) and it was fine. There was no waiting for anything and everyone was friendly. I made the most of my brief membership and had fun. The gym itself, though I can't compare to other gyms, seems well equipped and there seems to be a relaxed atmosphere. The classes look like fun and apparently rarely fill up (even when the online thingy says they have, apparently they recommend you try showing up because there's so many no shows). There's a few rules such as: your stuff needs to be locked up (padlocks are available for £4), you need to carry a sweat towel when you're using equipment (again, available in vending machines) and there's no opportunity to bring friends (you're paying very little so I guess that makes sense!) Overall it was a good introduction to gyming. I had fun. The facilities are adequate, the staff are friendly and the atmosphere is fine.

My relationship with yoga is strictly casual; it's a challenge, something I enjoy, something I know…read moreis good for me, but even though I've been seeing it for a while, I'm not quite ready to commit, financially or emotionally. Hell, I don't even own a yoga mat. Given this attitude, the Bristo Yoga School suits me fine. Classes are cheap, drop-in, and may be as small as four or as big as twenty depending on who turns up. Here, you can do fun stretching followed by even more fun relaxing without feeling obliged to immerse yourself in the nuances of Indian philosophy, or the difference between Iyengar, Hatha and Ashtanga (which I have never understood). Nor, in the classes I went to with Lisa, was I ever expected to perform any extreme poses, such as standing on my head, balancing on one little finger and such, which came as a great relief. I suspect (in fact I know) that more serious practitioners would be less impressed by the casual set-up of the Bristo Yoga School, but it's perfect for people me, the Sunday drivers of yoga.

I don't currently go to regular classes at Meadowlark but I do attend some drop in classes,…read moreworkshops and special events. Meadowlark has an excellent range of classes for everyone from beginners to daily Mysore classes. The studios are light, warm and clean. The changing rooms are a little small if the class is full and everyone is using them but most of the time it's fine. I have found all the teachers and reception staff to be friendly and welcoming. For me the studio is just a little too far out the way for both home and work for me to do more classes here but it's certainly one of the places I'd recommend for trying yoga. They are opening another studio in March and I'm looking forward to trying aerial yoga in it.

My new gym and I love it!…read more First time I've had a 'posh' gym membership. Normally I end up working out in the 'muscle' type gym's but for convenience, opening hours and facilities, I signed up to the Nuffield. It is not cheap but worth the money if you go regularly. Clean, plentiful equipment in working order. Large range of classes at times to suit any needs and the pool is fantastic. I do love the steam room as well with its dark ceiling, fairy lights and menthol steam. To start, I had a health MOT - working out at 6am meant I could get this the morning after registering so all the height, weight and cardio measurements taken. Then the next day I was set my customised programme, based on what I wanted to achieve and what I liked doing. This part I like as if I don't like something, I'll not do it so my instructor listening to me was great :-) Check up will follow two months after the first assessment and then my programme will be modified so I don't get bored. I am a gym, equipment and pool kinda gal so I can't comment on the classes. The facilities are lovely and clean anytime I've been in and the babyliss hairdryers are really powerful so this is a bonus. All in all, really love it here. Happy working out 5-6 days per week and more than getting my £43 worth a month.

Decent enough gym at a fair price for a private gym. Gym equipment is good and there are lots of…read moreclasses and generally it's fine to just turn up without booking in advance if you're looking to go to the evening classes - I'm yet to find anyone who can confidently predict if they'll be able to attend a gym session a week in advance, but from going on a weekday when I had a day off work it seems daytime classes are completely packed when compared to evenings. The AC in the classes has been a bit iffy of late and if I compare it to local authority gyms outside of Edinburgh the overall standard isn't brilliant but then that's not really am entirely fair comparison. All in all if you're a regular gym goer it's good value for money - especially if you get some sort of discounted membership.

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! :)