Five Star Pay as You Go Gyms – the ultimate in holiday fitness

Dreaming of that summer holiday, and planning to keep fit in style at the same time? The opportunities are there for those with sufficiently deep pockets.
The Christmas turkey has barely cooled off when the tone of the commercials on the television suddenly changes. There are three main themes; holidays, diets and fitness. In the darkest depths of the winter, the holiday advertisements have an undoubted appeal – especially those for the luxury end of the market.
For those who are lucky enough to be booking a five star luxury holiday, there may be a minor concern about keeping up their fitness when there is temptation all around. While this is a problem that most of us would love to have, it is interesting to see what is on offer at the top of the holiday market.
Smart modern hotels now often include a fitness suite and a spa. These are the ultimate in pay as you go gyms, because they are usually complimentary to hotel guests. Hence they can be considered as a gym where you pay by the day and get a free hotel room! Guests can expect state of the art fitness equipment, immaculate décor and ventilation, and expert staff on hand to assist.
Because these gyms cater for those who are just passing through, they need extra staff to provide help with equipment – no time-pressed hotel guest is going to want to bother with an induction session. The gym will often be open late at night or early in the morning, and even if there is no spa there will be a luxurious shower section complete with high-end toiletries and free fluffy towels.
As hotels continue to try to compete, there are now ‘six-star’ properties. One of the ultimate hotels in the world is in the desert city of Dubai, where guests to the tall tower can also make use of dedicated fitness equipment, infinity pools that look out far above the city, and a luxurious spa. Every tap in the hotel is covered in 22 carat gold, and every suite (there are no rooms) covers two floors.
For those seeking a similar experience nearer to home, the same group is now planning a six-star hotel in the centre of Glasgow, with the same facilities. If this goes ahead, Scotland could soon be hosting the ultimate in pay as you go gyms. Let’s start saving up!

Whether five-star or budget, it is easy to find all that you need to know about pay as you go gyms – both at home and on holiday. For great deals on passes for gyms of all types, visit www.payasugym.com

Hotels with pay as you go gyms in Birmingham

Posted to Birmingham with work, but still wanting to stay fit? There are ways to find cheap gyms that will suit your needs, however busy your day.
With times tough and jobs unstable, workers are often expected to commute for several hours a day and to absorb this unpaid overtime without a murmur. Lengthy journeys also eat into free time, making it very difficult to have any life outside work, and also limiting opportunities to stay healthy by getting some exercise during the week. Birmingham is a good example of this for those living near London if you have work to do there you could easily find that you are spending four hours or more a day just travelling. There must be a better way.
While staying away from home can also be very disruptive, it may well be worth trying to negotiate for this with the boss. You can cite some good reasons, including that you will have more energy as you won't be travelling for hours each day and so will be more productive. With train fares and petrol costs always rising, it may be cheaper for your employer to pay for you to stay in a hotel if they can get good rates.
If you want to stay healthy, try to arrange in a hotel with a fitness centre. There will be no need for a contract or any commitment to use these venues. Many of the best pay as you go gyms in Birmingham are in the hotels, and you may be surprised to find out the extent of the available facilities. At least one hotel has a twenty metre swimming pool, and resistance equipment, running machines and free weights are usually standard in the gyms. The best news is that access is often free to hotel guests, and available twenty four hours a day. This is very useful if you are working shifts and find that your free time is at unusual hours in a city that is strange to you.
If the hotel does not have any fitness facilities, it is usually possible to find cheap gyms nearby if you are staying in a big city. Gyms in other hotels may also be open to non-residents, and you might even be able to get some free trial passes.
So don't despair if you are sent away you can turn it to your advantage.

Are you looking for good deals on www.payasugym.com/cheap-gyms-in-birmingham(especially pay as you go gyms) in Birmingham? For details, locations, user reviews and discounts on day passes, visit payasugym.com

Try out the latest fitness fad at one of the gyms in Sheffield

It seems there is always some diet or fitness craze going on, some crazier than others. This latest one – the high intensity workout – might just work however.
Last year we saw Zumba top the list of the best way to fight the flab. Previous years have awarded the crown to diet crazes such as the Atkins diet or the maple syrup diet. This year is the year of the high intensity workout. It’s not new, the principle has been around for years and plenty of fitness professionals already subscribe, but its mass appeal is growing. Well, it certainly sounds exhausting but what exactly is a high intensity workout?
It’s all fairly self-explanatory, really. Essentially, the idea is that you exercise with (unsurprisingly) high intensity, the idea being that you burn more calories that way. This might not sound like news to anyone who has an ounce of common sense, but here’s the trick (and the best bit): you only work out for a very short period of time. And by short, we mean short. As in four or five minutes. Sounds good to me, surely most people can cope with just five minutes of exercise a day?
Well, it all depends on the exercise being done. High intensity training isn’t for the faint hearted. You are supposed to lift as much weight as you can before your muscles literally fail you. Or run as fast and hard as you can so that you can’t take in oxygen fast enough, which means your muscles, literally, fail you. In short, you push yourself to the point of collapse. Which doesn’t take longer than about four or five minutes to achieve.
The benefit of this type of exercise has to be, surely, the time saving it offers. No need to sit in one of the gyms in Sheffield for half the afternoon, working your way sedately through the various machines. Nope, you’ll spend longer in the changing room than you do in the gym itself. It also claims to get results, sculpting and toning as well as giving you a cardio vascular workout at the same time in Sheffield.
Sounds appealing? Make sure you have a reasonable level of fitness before you embark on a high intensity training programme. It can be a bit of a shock to the body so you need to be confident you can cope with it before you attempt it. The best place to start is at a gym, where you can be sure you have been given a decent programme suited to your individual needs by a trained professional. There are plenty of gyms in Sheffield that run high intensity training sessions and programmes, with different gyms offering varying options – if one doesn’t suit you, don’t be afraid to shop around until you find one that does.
Visit www.payasugym.com to buy a pass to one of the many gyms in Sheffield where you can try out a high intensity programme for yourself.

New look for leisure centre as 2012 Olympics approach

With the 2012 London Olympics fast approaching, Wimbledon Leisure Centre is onto a winning streak with its recent reopening and £2 million refurbishment now underway.

 

The upcoming Olympic Games have got the people of Britain motivated to keep fit and get involved in a number of new sporting activities.  With this in mind Wimbledon Leisure Centre is now benefiting from a £2 million boost to improve its facilities.

 

It now boasts brand new members’ changing rooms, a new look gym with cardiovascular machines and weights, a new studio and exercise equipment, and a new reception with a brand new layout and fast track entry for members, making any visitor’s gym experience one that they’ll want to repeat.

 

You can be inspired by your favourite sporting heroes and take up a new activity at the centre, or simply enhance your performance in a sport you already love.

Your activity of choice might be some laps in the pool, or some fast paced cycling, but for those that like less of an Olympic workout and would prefer to opt for something a little more relaxing, the centre also now offers new yoga classes with instructor Graham Hyman every Monday evening in the activity room from 6.30-7.30pm. These classes include the encouragement of strength and flexibility through some dynamic sequences using posture and breathing, to enhance self-awareness, well being and focus.

For some more energising activities you can make use of the fitness centre and swimming pools, or take part in group exercise classes or women only sessions. Bums, Tums and Thighs, and virtual and active aerobiking are also on the programme at the centre.

For those who want to work out without their children in tow, the crèche offers a fantastic facility to use while you stay in shape. The dance studio will appeal to those who are taking up the current dancing trends or aerobics, and if you are after somewhere to celebrate then the centre also has provision to host birthday parties.

Wimbledon Leisure Centre has a strong focus on encouraging the local community to take up exercise, stay healthy and have fun.

The £2 million investment will mean the centre benefits from an upgraded health and fitness area and in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Wimbledon Leisure Centre will continue to place great emphasis on making its services accessible to everyone. The accessibility of the centre is highly important and it includes a pool hoist, ramp access and wheelchair access to poolside activities, as well as disabled changing facilities.

So take advantage of the upcoming games and the new facilities at the centre. Whether it’s just a dip in the pool, a quick session in the gym, or Olympic gold you’re dreaming of, then the leisure centre can offer you the facilities you need to hone your new found skills and to keep you trim all year round.

For a pay as you go option at Wimbledon Leisure Centre just visit www.payasugym.com

Family Fitness on a Budget – Tips for activities with young children

An active lifestyle is important for the health of the whole family, but how do we fit fitness into our busy, financially constrained lives? We offer some fun, cheap ideas to help the whole family get active. Opportunities are more varied than ever, from family bike rides to cheap gyms – enjoy!

Family life with young children can be hard work. Whether you’re battling through sleeplessness with a newborn, tearing your hair out over toddler tantrums or negotiating growing independence with your school age child, the last thing you want is another thing to add to your “To Do” list. Even when that thing is something as sensible as the recommendation that parents and children need to get active together if we are going to avoid major health problems on a society-wide scale from the next generation onwards. It may help that there are plenty of economical, fun ways to get active together. Below, we consider some ideas you might like to try out. Interested in the idea of cheap gyms that offer a pay as you go option? Have a look at www.payasugym.com.

Young baby

With a young baby, nothing beats walking. Pop your little poppet into a sling or a pushchair and you’re away! For mums, it’s gentle exercise for your postnatal body. For dads, it’s a way of getting some fresh air, bonding with your baby, and giving mum a rest. And it’s cheap! Gyms are another possibility, as many now offer crèche facilities, providing some precious me-time for pushed parents. For those who prefer a more structured group approach and the social element that this can bring, why not give buggyfit or baby swimming classes a go?

 

Toddler

If you haven’t taken your little one swimming yet, have a go! They’ll be ravenous and exhausted afterwards – generally considered a bonus for easy mealtimes and bedtimes. Many swimming pools offer cheap rates at off-peak periods and some children’s centres even do free swimming. Outings to the park and turning toddlers out in the garden are another good and cheap option. Don’t be tempted to sit back with a book while you can, though – remember, this is supposed to be active time for you, too! While you’re chasing them around, playing hide-and-seek and rolling around the grass, just think how well-earned that glass of wine will be when the little cherub is in bed.

 

School age children

At this age, your children are becoming coordinated enough to engage in sporting activities with you. Focus on something you all enjoy doing together – for example, cycling and football popular options that needn’t cost the earth. You’ll be setting a good example and making the activity much more interesting for your child if you engage in the sport with her. If your child is a bit more independently-minded, consider your local leisure centres. They will usually offer all sorts of activities for school age children, and there may well be cheap gyms attached to the centres as well – so you have no excuse not to get active!

 

Parents

Finally, don’t forget the importance of a little time just for you. Trying to do your best by your children during these financially straitened times is very hard work, and it can be stressful to feel like you’re having to do everything on the cheap. Gyms and exercise classes may feel like a luxury – but then, they don’t have to cost the earth, and you deserve a little luxury!