There is a growing demand for good gyms across the UK, leading to the emergence of various gym chains and fitness clubs. These gym chains, known for their quality services and well-equipped facilities, have expanded their presence nationwide, making it easier for individuals to find the best gym in the UK. In addition to luxury gyms and gym chains, some gyms specifically cater to beginners, providing a welcoming environment and personalised guidance to help newcomers feel comfortable and confident in their fitness journey.
This simple table will show you the top gyms in our guide (featuring nationwide gym chains and local city gyms), a rough guide to price (these change regularly), and the gym's focus.
| Gym | Location | Price Range | Focus (Strength, Cardio, Endurance) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PureGym | Nationwide | £ | All |
| David Lloyd | Nationwide | £££ | All |
| The Great Outdoor Gym Company | Nationwide | £ | Cardio |
| DW Fitness First | Nationwide | ££ | All |
| Hussle | Nationwide | £ | All |
| JD Gyms | Nationwide | £ | All |
| MCP | London | ££ | All |
| BXR | London | £££ | Strength |
| Circuit Society | St. Albans | ££ | Cardio |
| Forder’s Gym | Birmingham | £££ | Strength, Endurance |
| Ultra Flex | Leeds | ££ | Strength |
| Cave Fit Gym Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £ | Strength conditioning |
| Federation Gym | Manchester | £ | Strength (Bodybuilding, Powerlifting and Weightlifting) |
| The Compound Gym | Cardiff | £ | Strength, Conditioning |
🧐 Best UK Gyms Near Me: Which Gym Should You Join?
When people want to learn more about gyms in the UK, it has less to do with a specific fitness plan or laid-out goals than a desire to enrich their lives. People look into gym memberships for another reason, but we'll tackle that later. Think about it: if one can pay for a gym membership, they could just as well spend that money on fitness equipment and commit themselves to a scheduled workout at home. They might even invite a mate over or adopt the buddy system so they stay focused on their goals.
Going to the gym is great for your body, but it's also great for your mind.
Rory Mcllroy
The popularity of gyms can be attributed to factors such as the availability of 24-hour gym options in cities like London, offering flexibility for individuals with busy schedules. For example, Fitness First, David Lloyd, and Nuffield are some well-known gym franchise brands in the UK, catering to a wide range of fitness enthusiasts with their diverse facilities and membership options.
Important Tip: Reviews and recommendations play a crucial role in helping individuals find the gym that best suits their needs. Some fitness enthusiasts may prefer smaller, local gyms in their city over large franchise chains.
Online platforms and gym review websites provide valuable insights, allowing people to make informed choices based on the experiences of others. All of these gyms offer personal training services with trainers who hold a minimum of a Level 3 Personal Training Qualification.
🏋️♂️ Reviewing the Equipment in the Best Gyms
Whether you're looking for a luxurious gym, a beginner-friendly fitness centre, or a budget-friendly option, numerous choices are available in London, the UK, and England. Here's an overview of what you should inquire about and observe when you're reviewing and comparing the gyms around you before committing to a legit gym membership.
Rowing machines, ellipticals, treadmills, stair climbers and stationary bikes
Hammer strength machines, cable and pulley machines, pulldown machines, leg extension machines and others
Dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells and weight plates, and, of course, the various benches needed to use them
Dipping bars, chin-up bars, and abdominal bench
Punching bags, stability balls, medicine balls, jump ropes, a walking track and more
Overall, the increasing popularity of gyms can be attributed to the desire for a healthier lifestyle, the availability of diverse fitness options, and the convenience offered by well-established gym chains. It's an exciting time for fitness enthusiasts as they strive to find the best gym or health club that meets their individual needs and goals.
Ultimately, the best gym is one that fits your budget, location, and workout needs.
👉For example, PureGym, known for its affordability and 24/7 accessibility, and David Lloyd, which offers a more luxurious experience with extensive facilities like pools and tennis courts.
👉For those focused on weight training, MCP in London is highly recommended, while Ultra Flex in Leeds is ideal for bodybuilding enthusiasts.
In the following paragraphs, we'll be looking at selection of nationwide gym chains and local gyms at several cities in the UK.
💪 PureGym: Nationwide
PureGym has been around for over a decade and is becoming one of the go-to gyms for cheap membership. In terms of membership, it's the biggest gym chain in the UK, with over one million members. Many PureGym locations are open 24 hours a day, meaning you can use cardio training tools and weights or attend classes when it suits you. Of course, classes tend to take place during the more sociable hours, but you can use the rest of the facilities whenever you want.
The membership ranges from around £10 to £20 monthly, depending on your location. For example, membership in London tends to be more expensive than elsewhere in the country. There are also options for off-peak membership, which limits when members can enter the gym but is cheaper than full access.
💪 David Lloyd: Nationwide
David Lloyd is a UK sports, health, and leisure club chain. There are nearly 100 David Lloyd clubs in the UK, with a handful across Europe. David Lloyd clubs are where you can enjoy a workout, attend classes, swim, or play tennis. That instead lends credence to the idea we expressed above that people seek gym memberships to enrich their lives.
You'll find a lot of the same training gear here as in a PureGym, but there are also a lot of other facilities to go with the extra you have to pay to be a member. The cost of gym memberships is not regulated in the UK, so facilities can set their prices as they see fit.
💪The Great Outdoor Gym Company: Nationwide
This company creates outdoor gyms in public spaces. With over 1,500 locations, most of us would have come across one close by. This initiative is great for those who don't have the budget for a gym membership or don't fancy paying for one.
How good these open spaces are will depend significantly on the time of year and whether or not it's a nice day. If you're dedicated, you mightn't mind working out in the pouring rain, but most individuals might prefer to work out in a dedicated indoor space.
While this outdoor fitness experience is a money-saving concept, but with such unpredictable weather, not everyone is keen to break a sweat outdoors. If you intend to join a standard gym to avoid any weather-related ills, you should learn about the type of equipment each facility features before deciding which one to sign on for.
💪 DW Fitness First: Nationwide
If you're new to working out or going to the gym, DW Fitness First is a welcoming place hosting various classes with facilities nationwide. That said, many of the locations are in London. So if you want to try out a gym to see if you like it, these might be some of the best.
There’s a lot to think about when choosing the gym that’s right for you. Going for a taster session at several gyms is always a good idea. That way, you can find one(s) you like and would be willing to commit to long-term and decide if being a gym rat is your cup of tea. Beware that some gyms allow an introductory session at no cost, while others insist on signing a membership agreement before you can access the facility.
💪 Hussle: Nationwide
While not a gym, Hussle (previously PayAsUGym) is a service that allows you to access some of the UK's best gyms without a membership. You can either get passes valid for a single day or bundles of 5 or 10 days' worth of passes.
For some, a gym membership every month motivates them to work out, but others prefer single-use tickets to access a gym, so they'll go more often. This system is suitable for anyone who can't schedule regular workouts or get around to training enough to make being a gym member worthwhile.
💪 JD Gyms: Nationwide
JD Gyms is a reputable name in the UK, being one of the subsidiaries of JD Sports. With over 80 locations across UK, JD Gyms is a fitness chain which offers a wide range of classes which cater to absolute beginners and seasoned gym-goers.
JD Gyms is known for its nearly 24/7 access for its locations, excellent facilities, and affordable membership packages, with straightforward payment details on each respective gym location's website. Generally, each gym location has different membership prices (inclusive of classes), but they follow a standard package and a Plus package. The best part? No joining fees and contracts are required. Here's an example of membership price packages for different JD gym locations.
| Locations | Standard Package | Plus (+) |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol | £10 | £35 |
| Barnsley | £25.99 | £29.99 |
| Hull | £26.99 | £29.99 |
💪 MCP: London
Manor Car Park (MCP) Gym is seen as one of the best in London for those interested in weight training and lifting. Based in a former car park, it is a very cool location, but more importantly has a lot of space and plenty of exercise tools, no matter what type of fitness regime you are looking into. Additionally, gym members are also connected through a mental health bonding community while they sign up for group activities like marathons or cycling together.
As for the cost, memberships start at pretty reasonable costs (especially for London), especially when the city is London, which is usually well known for high-end, luxurious price packages. If you worked with an online personal trainer at Superprof, you could spend roughly the same amount to get a personalised workout regimen. You could get nutritional guidelines to follow and dietary recommendations tailored to your body type and circumstances, too.
💪 BXR: London
This gym is one of the finest in London, and the membership cost reflects this. To become a member of one of the capital's most exclusive gyms, you'll pay over £100 monthly. That steep fee gives you access to the finest amenities and workout spaces designed with the help of heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua.
💪Circuit Society: St. Albans and London
This relatively new franchise has locations in London as well as an HQ in St. Albans. This is a cool idea; it provides mainly circuit training with a lot of cardio kit including echo bikes, but there are also some strength-building moves incorporated.
Individuals can work with or without trainers, and the bikes help to work on your form and ensure you are correctly managing your workout. The gym aims to launch in new locations, including residential areas where they don’t already have gyms, so if you’re not in a spot where the Circuit Society already exists, you could be soon enough.
💪Forder’s Gym: Birmingham
Forder’s is not for the faint of heart. One of the first UK gyms involved with the endurance competition Hyrox, the gym offers an incredible level of fitness testing and support. The founder, Darren Forder, once competed in the Hyrox World Championships.
Here, you’ll find both indoor and outdoor spaces for training, where you may feel like you’re in a strongest man or strongest woman competition! There’s a 1.2km track and plenty of chances to work on cardio, too. You can also opt for personal training from some of the very best endurance athletes in the area.
💪 Ultra Flex: Leeds
Ultra Flex is a gym that has a reputation for bodybuilding, but the gym itself is absolutely huge. Situated in a big building with exposed brick and a martial arts studio on-site, the gym comes in at 15,000 square feet.
One of the reasons why it appeals to bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts interested in resistance training is the fact that it has dedicated areas for different parts of the body and a huge number of amenities. Ultra Flex is modern, efficient, and packed with top exercise infrastructure for the best experience. Residents of Leeds and the surrounding areas are fortunate to have such a top gym available to them.
💪 Cave Fit: Edinburgh
If you're currently based in Edinburgh, consider checking out the personal training sessions at Cave Fit. This gym offers a range of programs focused on conditioning, mobility, yoga, and even Pilates. Founded by Peter Oakden, a former professional athlete and Royal Marines Commando, Cave Fit believes in helping everyone to lead a healthier life through functional fitness.
Located at The Edinburgh Grand, this place is accessible via public transport and has a team of experienced trainers to cater to your fitness needs across different schedules.
Some of the key elements of their coaching sessions include:
- Consultation by a Body Transformation Specialist
- Nutrition coaching
- Stress management
- Task, habit and mindfulness development
💪 Federation Gym: Manchester
This place is a haven for those who are into weightlifting, powerlifting and bodybuilding. Located in Spear Street, Manchester, this gym boasts more than 45 bodybuilding machines, 70kg dumbbells, a posing room, dedicated racks, platforms, bars and plates as well as physiotherapy services for members.
A wide range of membership packages is offered according to peak and off-peak seasons. Day passes and weekly passes are also available.
💪 The Compound Gym: Cardiff
Finally, we have The Compound Gym, which is located in Cardiff. Known for its elite fitness facilities, members can enjoy their fitness sessions indoors at their 8,200 sq ft. open gym or outdoors at their 2,000 sq ft. outdoor training area.
Currently, The Compound Gym offers three membership options: Full membership, Open Membership, and Strength and Conditioning Classes. Members can choose to pay monthly or annually for full membership or choose to pay weekly or daily for open membership and specific classes.
🎯 Do You Need a Personal Trainer?
A gym membership can be beneficial, but unless you need access to the training tools at a specific gym, you can get all the benefits of a gym membership by exercising with a personal trainer or fitness tutor. They can tailor each class or workout to your fitness goals, body type, and various exercises you like.
As per our earlier recommendation, consider getting help from a personal trainer on Superprof. Superprofs can meet you at your home, at the gym of your choice, or work with you online. Some Superprof fitness trainers will even train with you outdoors. Superprof has plenty of personal trainers and coaches nationwide, so you should be able to find the perfect tutor.
There are three ways to get personal training from one of the coaches on Superprof: face-to-face, in groups, or online. Each option has pros and cons, so you'll want to carefully consider your fitness goals, schedule, and budget.
Face-to-face sessions
- Your coach can focus solely on you
- Personalised and tailored to your fitness level and needs
- Practical and cost-effective if you have the budget
Group sessions
- Cost of each session is shared, more budget-friendly
- Usually shared with friends, colleagues or family members with the same fitness goals
- Suitable for group training for marathons or obstacle courses
Online sessions
- More flexible and less hands-on
- Personal trainer acts more as a consultant
- Pre-set nutrition and workout training plans are given out to use during your preferred schedule
Don't forget that many personal trainers, coaches, and tutors on the Superprof website offer the first hour for free. Use these free hours to arrange sessions with several trainers and coaches to determine which is best for you. With a personal trainer by your side, every drop of sweat counts towards a targeted training plan designed specifically for your body's needs.
Feel free to discuss their experience, qualifications, rates and schedule and see if you get along well with them. After all, everyone learns and performs better when enjoying themselves, so having a good rapport could do wonders for you and your workout routine. You can also read reviews left by the coaches' other clients before you get in touch with them to have a decent idea of how good they are before you even speak to them.
Enjoy your first personal training session with Superprof UK today!
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What About JD Gyms, Formerly Xercise4Less. Excellent Facilities, Clean And A Vast Array Of Machines And Loose Weights.. My Favourite Gym By Far.. Oh And Cheap Multi-Membership.. Highly Recommend.
Thank you for your thoughtful recommendation, Russell ! 🌟