Over the last decade, the market for personal sports coaching and working out in gyms has grown significantly. Gyms have become increasingly popular with men over the last 15 or so years. However, dedicated gyms and health clubs for women started opening their doors in the 1990s.
Today, practically all British towns have leisure centres and sports facilities. That leaves fitness enthusiasts, and fitness hopefuls, with a problem. Which one(s) are the best for women's needs and fitness goals? We can't decide that for you, obviously. But, we can point you to some of the best female only gyms in London and elsewhere around the country.
| 🏨Facility name | 🏋️♀️What you'll find | 🤼Personal training? |
|---|---|---|
| Gymophobics | Circuit training air-powered machines no group classes | Yes, all training is individualised. |
| Total Fitness | gyms with ladies only area group classes | Yes, as an option |
| StrongHer | strength training | Yes, as an option |
| Siren Asylum | aerial dance equipment circuit training yoga weights | Yes, as an option |
| SD Strength | weight and strength training | Yes, as an option |
| Curves | 30-minute workouts | yes, as an option |
About Women's Fitness Centres
Before we start talking about any gym for ladies in Birmingham or anywhere else, we should talk about women's health, and other issues important to them. The health and fitness industry targets beauty standards, as well as wellbeing, to draw female gym-goers in. However, men's wellbeing and appearance matter too, so why do advertisers single women out?
The female body goes through big changes in a woman's lifetime. Classes such as post-natal yoga and Pilates, and exercise programs designed for pregnant bodies, are some of the services available. As this clip shows, the debate rages over whether those are valid arguments.
The fitness classes near me offer a supportive environment other gyms would find hard to beat. The 'bro culture' has a different take on community and support, one not always responsive to females' needs. So, each gender having a space to develop and express themselves is a sound idea. Now, we reveal one women only gym after the other.
Gymophobics
Gymophobics is a ladies-only franchise with a focus on encouraging women to work out, even if they hate to. If you have weight loss and fitness objectives, Gymophobics has over 40 franchises to choose from. Many facilities have a personal trainer on staff, should you need targeted guidance.
The Gymophobics approach is a holistic one. That means that they take all aspects of its members’ lives into account when setting up their individual fitness programmes.
Such aspects include diet, cardiovascular strength, and fitness goals. Furthermore, each personal trainer assigns home exercises to their members according to their needs. Besides all that, you'll also find these features at your local Gymophobics facility:
Training
- individual training plans
- revised every three weeks
- home exercise regime
- diet/nutritional guidelines
- no group classes
Equipment
- 10-station circuit
- 30 minutes to complete
- air-powered machines
- 'traffic light' system
Extras
- no headphones allowed
- conversation encouraged
- planned social events
- group fundraising
⏰Operating hours: by appointment
💰Price: ~£45/month
📍Locations: 38 across the Midlands, and North and South England
🌐web address: https://www.gymophobics.co.uk/gyms/
Total Fitness
This gym franchise counts 15 facilities across Wales and Northern England. It opened its doors in 1993 and, today, 600 staff members serve their 100 000 members. They're not all female. Still, this gym earns its spot on our list of women only gyms because it created a space exclusively for female fitness enthusiasts to train in.
The gym's Ladies Only area includes treadmills, rowing machines, and other cardio equipment. You'll also find strength and resistance equipment.
Though not strictly a female only gym in Liverpool and other cities, Total Fitness acknowledges the challenges females face when trying to stay fit. Total Fitness has everything from dumbbells and kettlebells, to squat racks and chest press rigs. Naturally, ladies may work out in Total Fitness's co-ed areas.
Classes
- spin
- yoga
- kettlebells
- aqua fitness
- circuit training
- swimming and more
Equipment
- free weights and machines
- cardio equipment
- functional equipment
- swimming pools
Extras
- personal training
- digital workouts
- total fitness app
- squash courts
- small group training
- nutrition guidance
⏰Operating hours: Monday - Thursday: 6 AM - 10 PM; Friday: 6 AM - 9 PM; Sat-Sun: 8 AM - 7 PM
💰Price: £45/month for adults; £29,99 for youths and students; £35,00 for 55+; £495 for yearly membership
📍Locations: 15 locations across Northern England and Wales
🌐Web address: https://www.totalfitness.co.uk/workout/the-womens-gym/
StrongHer
Many women resist strength training because of the stigma attached to it. Lots of petty name-calling, and the fear of bulging, distinctly unfeminine-looking muscles. StrongHer's owners would like you to see that lifting weights is not bad or ugly. In fact, it might be the workout you're looking for.
StrongHer creates a welcoming environment, and celebrates its diverse community. Women only fitness clubs Leeds have nothing like this on offer!
If you're just getting back into fitness, join their Warrior Project, which dedicates 12 weeks to getting you on track. After that, you'll want to join one or more of StrongHer's classes.
Classes
- running
- flow/yoga/Pilates
- HIIT
- progressive 'lvls'
- lifting
- Hyrox
Equipment
- weights
- prowlers
- sandbags
- sleds
- bumper plates
- squat racks
- cardio equipment
Extras
- personal training
- sports massages
- physiotherapists
- nutrition guidance
- protein shake bar
- childcare
⏰Operating hours: Monday - Friday: 6 AM - 9 PM; Weekends: 8 AM - 4 PM; Bank holidays: 9: AM - 5 PM
💰Price: membership starts at £17,50/month
📍Location: 19a Cudworth St, Bethnal Green, London E1 5QU
🌐Web address: https://www.strongher.co.uk/classes
Siren Asylum
Kat Loveday, Siren's owner/operator, had a thriving pole-dancing studio. Her all-female clientele raved about the space, and how safe and free they felt there. Siren fosters an atmosphere unlike any other ladies' gym in Manchester.
In 2017, Kat expanded her facility, and added gym equipment. Then, she set about designing an array of fitness classes to suit clients' needs, from beginners to the already-fit.
You can get a personal trainer Edinburgh by clicking that link. This is what you can find at Kat's studio:
Classes
- dance
- weights
- circuit training
- yoga
- aerial arts
Equipment
- poles, hoops and trapeze
- weights
- cardio machines
Extras
- personal training
- café
- vegan food
- inclusive facility
⏰Operating hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 2 PM - 9 PM; Tuesday: 2 PM - 9:30 PM; Friday: 12 PM - 2 PM, and 4 PM - 9 PM; Saturday: 11 AM - 3 PM; Sunday: 12 PM - 4 PM
💰Price: start at £32/month (good for 4 classes)
📍Location: 24 Missouri Ave, Manchester, M50 2NP
🌐Web address: https://www.sirenasylum.co.uk/classes/
SD Strength
In all fairness, this is not a girls only gym, it's a strength training facility for women. Its owner, Siobhan Houldridge, a Strongwoman competitor, leads classes for women exclusively. She rose through the ranks to earn top place in her discipline.
She knows firsthand how challenging it can be for women to focus on strength training in a coed gym. And, she knows what it's like to work towards a goal when no one believes you can do it.
So, she makes faith in her clients a pillar of every class. If weight training is brand new to you, Siobhan's 12-week strength and conditioning programme is a great place to start. Should you prefer circuit training, Get Fit classes are the ones for you.
Classes
- Get Fit group training
- Get Strong group training
- Saturday Strongwoman
Equipment
- weights
- sleds
- prowlers
- slam balls
- battle ropes
Extras
- personal training
- online coaching programme
- supportive environment
⏰Operating hours: The club is semi-private; you may book lessons from 7:15 AM to 8:30 PM, Tuesday - Thursday. Mondays, the club holds classes in the evenings, and on Sunday, from 10 to 11:30 AM.
💰Price: membership packages start at £25/month
📍Location: Unit16 Gym, Sanderson Street, Sheffield
🌐Web address: https://www.sdstrength.co.uk/packages.html
Curves
We end our exposé the way we started it: with a franchise gym brand - though, not a homegrown one. Curves International found its start in the US, in 1992. Back then, female only gyms were a new concept, although many gyms with women's only section existed.
Curves offered something new in fitness: 30-minute workouts. Typically, one might spend an hour working out on various pieces of gym equipment or a yoga routine. Still, Curves packs a lot of energy into its classes.
These women's only fitness classes are for enthusiasts with goals, who don't mind taking the pleasant, slightly more relaxed road to reaching them.
Classes
- The Workout
- The Circuit
Equipment
- free weights
- cardio machines
Extras
- personal training
- nutrition guidance
- the Curves app
⏰Operating hours: vary by location
💰Price: memberships start at £34/month
📍Location: 20 locations across the UK
🌐Web address: https://www.curves.eu/en/find-your-curves-club/
Working Out with a Personal Trainer
Some men prefer their fitness guidance to come from men, and some women prefer a female fitness trainer to guide their efforts. You'll find nothing wrong with either option, but we have a few points for you to consider.
It's important that you feel totally comfortable with your trainer. You may need to talk about intimate matters with them. For women, such could include talking about periods, postpartum stress, and other concerns.
A male fitness trainer is qualified to help you deal with such matters. However, you might feel uncomfortable broaching such intimate subjects with a stranger.
Working Out With a Superprof Fitness Trainer
These days, websites and directories make it easy to find a private fitness trainer. Much easier than, say, finding a facility for women's fitness in Glasgow anywhere else. Superprof is one such platform, where you can find fitness tutors to train you online, or come to your home.
and description
Superprof connects you with a selection of private trainers in the UK and worldwide. To find an online personal trainer - or, one who makes house calls, you only need to type 'personal training' on the Superprof home page search bar. And then, browse through fitness professional profiles to find the one(s) that suit your needs the best.
You might not have the time or desire to go through 6 000+ profiles. So, Superprof's filters make your work even easier. You can narrow your search to coaches who specialise in working with kids, or with your fitness level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced). You may further tailor your list of trainers to align with your budget by applying the Rate filter.
My personal trainer Manchester, a wonderful female private fitness coach, helps me stay motivated and engaged. With such a Superprof, you too can reach your fitness goals. As long as you have a good rapport with your fitness instructor, their gender matters not.
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I think this is a great idea and I would like to have male only gyms for the same reason because women often approach men and give unwanted sex comments to them because of what they are wearing.I think women should have their own gyms and men should have theirs I don’t believe in mixed gyms and it’s why I don’t go to the Gym myself as there are currently no male only gyms I know of.Also apart from getting unwanted attention from women when a man turns them down or tells them to go away some women will accuse men of harassment to get back at them for being rejected so single sex gyms are a great way of avoiding these issues now let’s hope men get their own gyms as well.