When I first started attending Pilates at The Yoga & Pilates Place, it had been close to a decade…read moresince I had practiced. I felt right at home in the studio, and everyone made me feel welcome. Gail is a great instructor, always with an encouraging word and making sure that everyone is working to the best of their abilities. The Yoga/Mat room is brilliant when the sun is out; it really warms up the room. I've enjoyed the mat based classes so much, that I'll be starting reformer classes this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it!

I've only started Pilates recently as I couldn't go to the gym due to a broken wrist…read moreSurprisingly I'm enjoying it. I'm really impressed with the studio it's clean bright and airy, not like my previous gym. My instructor Hannah has great patience and is encouraging If your thinking about starting a class then I'd recommend The Yoga & Pilates Place

Been attending here regularly for a while now. There's a broad choice of equipment in good…read morecondition. Great opening hours that suit well. Drop off your keys as deposit for a locker key then crack on with your routine. Big plus for me is the daily rate charge. No contract and no hassle and great value if you're only attending a gym once a week like me. There are contract options available as well as up front options that offer good value for heavier users. Varied community of customers from those doing their own workout, to folk working through a tough routine with a personal trainer, to the folk on the weights. Staff friendly and helpful with any questions. It's a great local facility conveniently placed in Shawlands. Nice to have a bit of a view over Kilmarnock road too. Particular when it's wet and miserable outside!

I was a member of Future Fitness and relay enjoyed going to their gym, the membership was expensive…read morefor what you got. Some members would hog equipment and tell you that they where doing a circuit with 3 items of equipment. There was a rule that you had to arrive at the gym an hour and a half before it closed or entry would be denied. The changing rooms had a really bad smell as they had not been cleaned in some time with the toilets being a disgrace where l had to bring in scented toilet blocks to mask the stench. Some staff could be rude towards members, there was never politeness or any personal touch. When my membership ended l went elsewhere l would never recommend this gym. If there was a minus rating here i would kindly give them a minus 1 star.

I'm trying to tackle my complete lack of motivation for exercising so I thought I'd check out this…read moregym as recommended by Amanda R. I got a 24 hour pass online for £5 to go for a look around and a go of the machines as well. The gym is easy to get to on Cathcart Road and has it's own private car park. We visited at a peak time and there was loads of spots so that's always good to know. To enter you need a pin number and then you stand in a very futuristic pod thing to be let in. You can sign up in the front area as well, in case you aren't already a member. There are lockers in the main area which means they are inside the secure doors, and visible to the whole gym. This was one of my worries about going to a 24 hour gym as I've heard horror stories about people's stuff being stolen - this seems like it might not be an issue here as you'd have to be pretty brazen to steal someone's stuff right in front of everyone. The machines are laid out in one main area which is huge - there is rows and rows of treadmills, cross trainers, bikes, rowing machines as well as a free weight area and machines. Then there's a proper weightlifting room if you're into lifting the heavy stuff. All the equipment I want to use is here, and they also have free classes (as well as some paid ones). There was a good mix of people and by that I mean it wasn't a total gym-wank gym so most people should feel quite comfortable here. The music was bad, but when is gym music good? Bring your own headphones and you'll be fine. I would have ranked this place a 4 star quite happily, but I needed some help from the staff when getting my padlock set up. She was so super helpful and nice about my extreme stupidity that it gets bumped up to a 5 star.

A month or so in, and I'm really impressed with this gym. For less than half the price of what I…read morewas paying before I get loads in the way of cardio stuff, loads of resistance machines and a good sized space for doing body weight stuff. There's also a really big free weights section, but I haven't used that yet. The facilities are really good: nice and bright with a good changing area, loads of lockers, and good quality equipment that hasn't been battered about yet. I've not dealt with the staff yet, but they all look really friendly. There are personal trainers there, and the details are on the wall, but it would be great if there were prices up there as well. It's probably on the website, but something at the gym would be great. All in, this is a brilliant deal. For the price, you get membership for here and the one in the city centre, which is an absolute bargain. If you're looking for a new gym definitely give it a go.

Whether you're a novice or a hard core yogi, Chi and Co has something for you…read more I've been around and have practiced in a number of Glasgow studios. After making the leap and moving south of the river *gasp* I started taking classes at Chi. I reconnected with one of my former teachers Cathy Moran, who I practiced under at the Movement Studio in Park Circus and Merchant City Yoga. From Seasonal Flow, Ashtanga (my personal favourite), Yoga for Runners, even Aerial Yoga; there is something for every skill level. Mat and reformer pilates classes are also taught in the smaller of the two studios. Pros: - Variety of classes - Ashtanga - Great teachers who provide adjustments where you need it - Small classes - Online booking - Great value if you're an avid yogi and attend classes often, which I do (£55/month) Cons: - Smaller studio space than what I'm used to (but hey I've been to a studio that was operating in what was essentially a bedroom in the West End!) - those classes are never overcrowded and you will never elbow/hit anyone - Can be expensive at £12/class If you want to see the human body do insane things check out Cathy's 10:30am Saturday class... but make sure you've been practicing for months before attending!

Chi & Co has now moved to Seasonal Yoga Academy, 46 Darnley Street, Polloksheilds…read more W: seasonalyoga.net E: admin@seasonalyoga.net

Me, doing yoga? I know, what has the world come to?!…read more I'd wanted to try yoga for ages but I could never find somewhere that had classes when I wanted them and I was worried about being a newbie. A friend of mine posted about Infinity Yoga on instagram, and when I looked into it, it seemed like it could be for me. Based in Merchant City/Trongate behind Mono, they have a jam-packed timetable of classes so there should be something to suit everyone. While the classes are mostly heated classes, they do have Hatha yoga (no heating) and pilates. I went along to the lunch time session to try Hatha yoga. I'm not going to lie, I was really, really nervous. Thankfully the staff were really friendly and explained everything to me so I relaxed quickly. You leave your shoes at the door, and check in on the clipboard. There's changing areas with showers and you leave your stuff on the racks (it's all secure from the public so no need to worry). There's one main yoga space with mats laid out. I went in, picked a mat and got into the class, lead by Gemma. I found it a real struggle (I won't lie, I stupidly thought yoga would be easy) but at the same time I really loved it. Gemma was a great instructor, giving detailed instructions and always checking everyone was doing the poses right (or as close to it as I could manage, ha!) The lunch class goes for 45 minutes and I left feeling all stretched out, relaxed and euphoric. I'm really looking forward to going back, and am planning on going at least once a week from now on. - A beginner's membership is £15 for 3 classes, and then they have a range of options after that like pay-as-you-go or monthly memberships, or bulk packs of 10 classes. - Parking is available at King Street car park for £1.90 for an hour. - Bring a water bottle and towel. - No need to bring a yoga mat as they are provided for you.

Aww this is a GREAT yoga studio!…read more I'm currently on their introduction package, which is as much yoga as you like for 30 days for £30 - a fantastic deal. I'm in week 2 of it, and have been to, I think, 6 classes, and have had 6 different instructors! There's a wide range of different styles of yoga on offer, and the instructors seem really versatile. They're also just really lovely. What has really struck me about this place is the friendliness of it. The instructors seem to like to have a bit of a wee giggle during class - they often attend each other's classes, so there's some good natured banter. It's certainly not a place for po-faced yogis. And the other clients will say hello and have a little chat too. It's just a nice friendly, down to earth place. I love the studio itself. A long wooden floored studio with full length mirrors up one side (OK I hate the mirrors part of it - ugh!), and it's so lovely and toasty warm. Even if it's not a hot yoga class, there's beautiful residual warmth and it's so comfortable and relaxing. The mats are steamed after each class which is great for hygiene, and you are provided with towels or little face towels if you need them, for no charge. Shoes are left at the door, so you can pad about barefoot and still have lovely clean tootsies. So I'm enjoying it so far and the 30 day trial is a good opportunity to find out if it will suit me long term. But already I feel quite at home here.

There are 2 instructors at The Pilates Place, Ellie and Linda, and I take a class with Ellie every…read moreweek. I have been going for 6 months, and during that time the classes have been excellent. The class is small and Ellie always takes time to ensure each member is doing things correctly in a gentle and helpful manner. I have some health problems and Ellie can always find the time to make sure the exercises are suitable for me. She takes a genuine interest in each person and always keeps the classes relaxed. They are very accommodating if you miss a class, and more importantly NEVER make you feel bad about missing a class! I think everyone in the class has recommended the Pilates Place to friends!

Westenders have been swimming (and trapeezing) in the Western Baths since 1876 and for that reason…read morealone, it can be considered an institution. However, the magnificent building, situated near the University, is misleadingly-titled given that it is actually a fully-functioning leisure centre, with a gym, badminton courts, 5-a-side football pitches, Turkish suite, aerobics studio and a range of classes (some of which are also available to non-members). The pool remains the facility's main selling point and is situated in a truly grand hall lined with lovingly-restored balconies. Measuring 30ft, it is frequented by swimmers of all levels, as well as plenty of kids who love diving from the boards or swinging on the travelling rings and trapeze ropes. With the bar having recently had a lick of paint as well, the Western is an all-encompassing venue which many of the members consider to be a second home. For me, it'd probably turn into 600 quid a year for two games of 5s, but for the more dedicated among you, definitely worth checking out.

I have the pleasure of frequenting the Western Baths once a week (despite not being a member) as my…read moreclub has a 2hr slot booked for swim training. I've not been in any of the rest of the building so can only comment on the pool - I really like coaching here, the hall is beautiful, although it can get very warm standing at the side! Like other older baths, the Western baths has a trapeze and rings which I have never seen anyone use but you can watch on youtube if you want to see it done! Note the pool is 30 yards so a length will take you a bit longer than expected. To other coach type people, climbing the stairs up to the trapeze platform gives you an excellent alternative angle from which to watch people swim - best tip from last week!

It's been a while now and I'm still here - so I guess it is time for an update…read more I still mean everything I wrote in my previous review: I love the atmosphere, the interior, the variety in classes and most importantly, the people. Since my last review, I did not give up on Barre classes, and even though I still think of my old love Lagree Fitness at times, I am more than happy that Barre is here for me. I know this is just the type of training I can keep on doing for a long time - because I love it, because it challenges me and because the results show. There is a lot of room for improvement, both in skills and my body, but I feel I can change in a sustainable way, levelling up gradually. I have also started doing yoga regularly, taking mostly Foundations classes. This is a beginner type of activity, and as I only learned from videos before, it helped me a lot to get things right. But this is not the biggest asset of this class: the time and location makes it possible to have this as our regular event with my boyfriend, who is away three to four days a week, and comes back on Thursday afternoons, full of stress and various work related thoughts. We really need something that helps us leave all problems behind for a while, ease our minds and be able to concentrate on what is before us - and this is exactly something that was not possible before we both started participating in our weekly sessions. Neither of the two different experiences would be the same without the ladies I had the joy of meeting in this studio. Not only are all instructors absolutely brilliant, kind, helpful as well as beautiful personalities, but I can say just as nice things about the clientele these wonderful people attract here. So the overall verdict is - possibly all the stars in the sky. I hope The Kali Collective are here to stay for long.

Tucked away in the pentagon building the Kali collective is somewhat of a hidden gem…read more There are a good mixture of classes with a variety of yoga and levels. I particularly love Katie's barre class for a tough yet rewarding work out. Ultimately it is the instructors that make this studio. They are so friendly, so positive and make the studio the sort of place you always want to go.

As a former ballet dancer, I appreciate pilates for its strength training and conditioning. Since…read moremoving back to Glasgow a few years ago, I've popped into numerous studios and sampled a variety of classes to get a taste of the city's offering. Vanessa is a former professional dancer who offers mat-based and reformer pilates. It had been over a year since my last pilates class in the US, and I signed up for one of her 10-week courses. Since I was unsure how challenging classes would be, I attended the beginner class. Under the approval of Vanessa, I moved from beginner to intermediate and finally to the advanced class within 2 weeks. I benefitted most from Vanessa's guidance and support in the advanced mat-based pilates classes. I refined my technique, improved my posture (which you can lose when you stop dancing and start slouching over a desk!), and feel your core burn for days. If you're looking to lengthen and lean, strengthen and condition, Vanessa is your lady.