Gyms and Health Clubs

Standard rates about 130p / month. Busy from 1-3pm and then again after work hours. Best time is from 9-12:30.

[QUOTE=Stormy]Le Parc is at 645 St. Martin. It has a pool as well as the standard machines.[/QUOTE]Last time I was in town I got a monthly membership to Le Parc and I thought it kind of sucked. It was large, but it was often mobbed and the free weights were a bit on the lousy side. Besides, the whole place just seemed a little grungy. I was in the San Martin Park area, so I think it was the best place that was close. Someone let me know if I'm wrong.

Meglaton at Riobamba and Areneles is only a 15 minute walk from the Plaza. Very upscale and clean. But as with all gyms here, going at 7 or 8pm means there will be a crowd.

[QUOTE=Thomaso276]Meglaton at Riobamba and Areneles is only a 15 minute walk from the Plaza. Very upscale and clean. But as with all gyms here, going at 7 or 8pm means there will be a crowd.[/QUOTE]Yeah, I really like that gym, but I find a certain PITA factor in crossing Avenida 9 de Julio, so I'd rather not go that way. Is anyone familiar with olimpia cancilleria? It bills itself as a squash and racket club, but it also has weights and the like.

[QUOTE=SmirkyBiscuits]Yeah, I really like that gym, but I find a certain PITA factor in crossing Avenida 9 de Julio, so I'd rather not go that way. Is anyone familiar with olimpia cancilleria? It bills itself as a squash and racket club, but it also has weights and the like.[/QUOTE]What is a PITA factor.

Put It in a Tight Ass?

Pussy Is Tempting Always?

[QUOTE=Daddy Rulz]What is a PITA factor.

Put It in a Tight Ass?

Pussy Is Tempting Always?[/QUOTE]Close! PITA (acronym) Pain in the ass. Example: She's a great lay, but then there's the PITA factor.

[QUOTE=SmirkyBiscuits]Close! PITA (acronym) Pain in the ass. Example: She's a great lay, but then there's the PITA factor.[/QUOTE]Funny how your definition and my first one are close.

If you find crossing 9 July a PITA and are close to Ave. De Mayo here is a little trick figured out by us public transit users. Enter the supte station on either side and then follow the signs to transfer to either the A or C line. A to C if your going from Cerito to Pelegrini or the reverse Peligrini to Cerito. It's a great way to cross the street when it's raining. In the rain the tunnle floods so your shoes get wet but they would have outside anyway.

[QUOTE=Hemin]There is a very good one in Montevideo (just corner with Vicente Lopez square) the place is upscale and has very good facilities. The trainers are good and dedicated. The monthly fee for the gym is 120 (all days) and the trainers must be about 35 per hours.[/QUOTE]This is Deporte Total which I happened to visit today. Price is unchanged with other plans at 100 (8 visits per month) and 110 (12 visits per month)

The one kicker is that you need a medical certificate for $50. They have an on-site doctor that does them on Monday mornings. She said it was a requirement for all health clubs but it's the first time I've heard of it and I've belonged to 5 or 6 clubs in the last couple of years. Either it's a new requirement or most clubs ignore it (shocking!

Or you can buy a day pass at the Park Hyatt ($250) or Alvear Palace ($350 including a 1 hour massage) Which doesn't really seem very practical approach for most of us.

Mongers-

A few weeks ago I renewed my Megatlon membership for another year to the tune of $85 AR per month. The rates are very screwy at these places, several people have told me they were quoted $300 AR for a one month membership at the Alto Palermo branch. I think negociating with these gyms is like negociating with chicas in that if they know you speak spanish, live here full time and know the score, they will not try to fuck you over as much. An important clue when joining Megatlon: the only way to get the best rate is to use a credit card, if you pay cash the rates are much higher for reasons that I am unaware of.

Suerte,

Dirk Diggler

Can somebody recommend me a good female masajist. A normal girl / woman and not a hooker.

I prefer if she can come to my home or she is located near Microcentro, Puerto Madero.

Her name is Sandra and is bilingual and has excellent references.

Since moving, I had to find a new gym. I tried out the Megatlon at Alto Palermo which is pretty close to my house, but their pricing was pretty off. I was quoted 240 a month without a contract and 140 a month with a contract, I was about to sign up for a 6 month membership when I found a great gym about 2 blocks from my house on Coronel Diaz, which is called Well CLUB. They have 6 locations all in Palermo, Barrio Norte and Recoleta, with swimming pools, wet and dry saunas, solariums. All their machines are brand new and comparable with megathlon's machines. The price was somewhat less as well. I was quoted 120 a month without a contract and 90 a month for a 6 month contract, so I signed up.

Same equipment as megatlon, but at megatlon I pay 300 US for a 6 month contract and here I pay 200.

Here's the website.

[url]http://www.wellclub.org/[/url]

Bad

Are you sure they all have a pool? From the web site it looked to me like only the Arenales location has one.

Bob

The location I use does not have a swimming pool, but I was told others do. I usually swim at home, so I am not going to drive to another location just to swim, but I have the option if I wanted to. But if you have any questions, you might want to call them directly. I have only been to one location so far.

Bad

My gym now has signs all over it that say that after 9-30-07 they won't let anyone use the gym until they have a medical certificate on file. Easy Go's April 2007 post noted this legal requirement, and that it was being widely ignored.

Does anyone know if there is an exception for non-residents, or short term visitors? For example, it seems unlikely that all hotels are supposed to require you to get a medical clearance for a one hour one time use of their gym.

Assuming it really is needed: Does anyone know where to go to get this certificate without waiting in some clinic half the day? My gym is small and does not have a doctor lined up. I have my doubts as to whether Easy Go's gym doctor (there Monday mornings) will see non-members.

Megatlon is getting ready for some heavy price increases after upgrading Rod Pena and Alto Palermo. I was quoted 1500 pesos (cash) for the year. Last year it was 1100. The year before around 900.

I am not sure if it (1500) included Alto Palermo which the guy said was now a different category from the Platinum membership. It is considered Superior. Someone I know went there last night and was told the price to include Alto Palermo in the network it was 1800 pesos for the year. I asked about Arenales only, as I do not use the other locations and the fucker said it was more to go to only one place. You can never get a straight answer out of these guys and I think each location has different pricing.

Although I have been a member for 3 years I have had enuff of these 20-40% jumps. I will be looking for a new gym closer to home.

My question is for all you guys in the USA, what is the average monthly cost for your local gym?

Thanks.

Nearby your residence is La Parc. Monthly priced at 165p--that's month to month. Pretty steep. On a yearly contract I was quoted 99p / month.

You should check out wellclub, they have 6 locations in the Palermo / Barrio Norte area. I pay $200 US for 6 months, but I think if you pay a year in advance, you will only pay around $350 US.

Went around today for some info:

Megatlon has a tiered price structure depending on what locations you want:

Reconquista, nice, pool, 4 floors, closes at 10, 5 on Sat for 110 a month (1320 Yearly) Locker is 240 a year you get all locations except Arenales and Alto Palermo, Total: 1560. 6 blocks from my home.

Arenales, no pool, includes all locations except Alto Palermo, I rent a locker for about 330 yearly, renew in Feb. For 1550 pesos, plus locker, total about 1900 pesos about 13 blocks from my home.

Include Alto Palermo: 1800 pesos plus locker at Arenales, total over 2100 pesos.

Bad: I went by Wellclub on Rod Pena yesterday, it is a little small and old. Free weights room is tiny. I cannot go out to Palermo as it is too far. FYI, I have been to the Megatlon in Alto Palermo once in three years. Thanks for the heads up but location is not good for me.

Sportclub: Sportclub.com.ar Diagonal Norte and Florida, 9 blocks from my home. Nice new gym, two floors, no pool at this location but others in their network, closest one at 2060 Paraguay. Hours at this place until 10 pm, 3pm on Saturday. One year 1045 pesos, locker about pesos for one year, total: 1250. I was told lots of secretaries during lunchtime and after work!

Sportclub: 300 pesos less than local Megatlon, almost 900 pesos less than the superior membership of Megatlon.

I will check out LaParc Monday. But I have decided enough is enough with price increases and will be changing soon.

Hey Thomaso,

I have a question for you. If I get membership at the Alto Palermo Megatlon, does that include free parking?

[QUOTE=Thomaso276]Went around today for some info:

Megatlon has a tiered price structure depending on what locations you want:

Reconquista, nice, pool, 4 floors, closes at 10, 5 on Sat for 110 a month (1320 Yearly) Locker is 240 a year you get all locations except Arenales and Alto Palermo, Total: 1560. 6 blocks from my home.

Arenales, no pool, includes all locations except Alto Palermo, I rent a locker for about 330 yearly, renew in Feb. For 1550 pesos, plus locker, total about 1900 pesos about 13 blocks from my home.

Include Alto Palermo: 1800 pesos plus locker at Arenales, total over 2100 pesos.

Bad: I went by Wellclub on Rod Pena yesterday, it is a little small and old. Free weights room is tiny. I cannot go out to Palermo as it is too far. FYI, I have been to the Megatlon in Alto Palermo once in three years. Thanks for the heads up but location is not good for me.

Sportclub: Sportclub. Com. Ar Diagonal Norte and Florida, 9 blocks from my home. Nice new gym, two floors, no pool at this location but others in their network, closest one at 2060 Paraguay. Hours at this place until 10 pm, 3pm on Saturday. One year 1045 pesos, locker about pesos for one year, total: 1250. I was told lots of secretaries during lunchtime and after work!

Sportclub: 300 pesos less than local Megatlon, almost 900 pesos less than the superior membership of Megatlon.

I will check out LaParc Monday. But I have decided enough is enough with price increases and will be changing soon.[/QUOTE]

Mongers,

I too have been put off by the recent shake-ups in the pricing / equipment at Megatlon. I go to Megatlon Rodriguez Pena and they recently installed all new equipment in the weightroom. This new equipment is total and complete shit; there are less machines and freeweights (the machines now have LESS weight in their stacks) now there are not all the machines I need to get a proper workout. For example, they replaced the three decent bench presses with two competlely useless bench presses that are almost impossible to find balance on. I am paid up until April but I will not be re-upping my membership if I can find something better. I was recently in Medellin, Colombia and there I went to a network of gyms called BodyTech (they also exist in Rio de Janeiro) that was on par with the best gyms in the USA, something no gym in Argentina has ever come close to.

Suerte,

Dirk Diggler

Thomaso276 asked about pricing in the US.

I pay $US300 annually in the US but don't live in a big city. That's for a local club with lots of lots if Olympic free weights, weight machines, and aerobic equipment. No pool. Lockers are daily use only (free) Never crowded and the manager hires for cute.

LA Fitness is opening a big new club nearby. Announced pricing is $S30/ month for a month-to-month plan. Looks nice on the plans and includes a pool.

I was in LA (Santa Monica) at Christmas and used the Spectrum Club there. Daily fee is $20 (ouch! And I think the annual cost is around $500-600.

I paid around $AR60 for a month at the basic little gym I go to when I'm in BA (price was for Sep 2007) No Olympic free weights and no aerobic machines except for a couple of old treadmils and exercise bikes. Small and crowded at prime time.

I'd join another gym if I lived in BA but these guys are friendly and don't hassle me about the health certificate so it's OK for a couple of weeks. The club (Akros) is at Junin & Juncal.

Thanks Easy, as I thought, Megatlon wants as much if not more than USA gym.

Bad: I do not know about parking, isn't there parking for the mall itself?

I see,

The answer is: Yes. The average chain gym will charge you between $25-$40 a month. If you are renewing your membership, many times they will give you a huge discount and they also have 2 for 1 deals. All of this is unheard of here in BA. [QUOTE=Thomaso276]Thanks Easy, as I thought, Megatlon wants as much if not more than USA gym. [/QUOTE]

Okay so today I go by two places to check them out.

I walk to Sportclub second location at 2000 Paraguay (about the same walk from my house to Meg. on Arenales. Big building, lots of equipment, somewhat dated but servicable. Dirk: you may want to check it out as the benches seemed wider, machines had lots of weights. 20 kilo discs abound. Drawback: the lockers and showers are dark and dank. Need some cleaning on the tiles. Pool.

If I join Sportclub this location is included in the very reasonable price.

I go to Meg. and work out and tell them I have had enuff of their price increases (in a nice way) I tell them I will need my electrocard report that I turned in last month and they can't find it. The guy will be looking for it over the next couple of days. Amazing that they wanted this report and letter from the doctor and yet their is no file system with a file for me they can just open up. No one seemed to know where the report went. Guy was looking in drawers at the front desk! I wonder: if I have a heart attack will it magically appear.

I walk to La Parc and speak to some little faggot. He tells me 200 pesos for a month and a monthly price of 120 pesos (X 12) for the year. I get the tour (nice lockers, bathrooms, dark and small spaces for free weights, very little free weights) older machines. Everything is along walls, no big room to work out in. Some girl who is answering my questions seems surprised when I tell her the kid at the desk gave me a foreigner price (Hound was quoted 99 monthly @yr and 165 monthly) and it bothers me. Seems to bother her too. As I am leaving I tell the kid at the desk I wasn't that impressed with the place and also tell him he gave me a foreigner price. He says it is the same price for everyone. I almost ***** slap him.

So much for La Parc.

So far best deals: Meg on Reconquista (includes several others like Rod Pena but not Arenales and Alto Palermo) at 110 monthly @ yr or Sportclub on Diag Norte & Florida, new place, 90 monthly @yr with option to use the one on Paraguay.

[QUOTE=Thomaso276]Okay so today I go by two places to check them out.

I walk to Sportclub second location at 2000 Paraguay (about the same walk from my house to Meg. On Arenales. Big building, lots of equipment, somewhat dated but servicable. Dirk: you may want to check it out as the benches seemed wider, machines had lots of weights. 20 kilo discs abound. Drawback: the lockers and showers are dark and dank. Need some cleaning on the tiles. Pool.

If I join Sportclub this location is included in the very reasonable price.

I go to Meg. And work out and tell them I have had enuff of their price increases (in a nice way) I tell them I will need my electrocard report that I turned in last month and they can't find it. The guy will be looking for it over the next couple of days. Amazing that they wanted this report and letter from the doctor and yet their is no file system with a file for me they can just open up. No one seemed to know where the report went. Guy was looking in drawers at the front desk! I wonder: if I have a heart attack will it magically appear.

I walk to La Parc and speak to some little faggot. He tells me 200 pesos for a month and a monthly price of 120 pesos (X 12) for the year. I get the tour (nice lockers, bathrooms, dark and small spaces for free weights, very little free weights) older machines. Everything is along walls, no big room to work out in. Some girl who is answering my questions seems surprised when I tell her the kid at the desk gave me a foreigner price (Hound was quoted 99 monthly @yr and 165 monthly) and it bothers me. Seems to bother her too. As I am leaving I tell the kid at the desk I wasn't that impressed with the place and also tell him he gave me a foreigner price. He says it is the same price for everyone. I almost ***** slap him.

So much for La Parc.

So far best deals: Meg on Reconquista (includes several others like Rod Pena but not Arenales and Alto Palermo) at 110 monthly @ yr or Sportclub on Diag Norte & Florida, new place, 90 monthly @yr with option to use the one on Paraguay.[/QUOTE]Thomaso, I belong to the Megatlon in La Imprenta (Las Cañitas) and the prices were ridiculous last year and they have gotten absurd with the new year. Last year I paid AR$1,500 pesos for a one year membership. All new memberships are now being quoted the following:

One year membership AR$1,925 or $160 per month if they charge your local credit card over a one year period. However, if you pay in cash or one payment, now this is absurd, the annual membersip is $2,100.

By the way, if one joins one of the other Megatlon gyms that have less expensive memberships you cannot use La Imprenta gym, however, if you join La Imprenta you can use all the other Megatlon gyms.

I've tried quite a few of the gyms you've been investigating and the best I've found so far, albeit expensive, is La Imprenta Megatlon. The machines are state of the art and the pool is impressive. They have on going classes all day and night. Rarely does one have to wait for a machine or weights.

I believe they get these prices because the place is always frequented by local models like Liz Solari, or television and movie stars, or historians like Felipe Pigna.

[QUOTE=Facundo]One year membership AR$1,925 or $160 per month if they charge your local credit card over a one year period. However, if you pay in cash or one payment, now this is absurd, the annual membersip is $2,100.[/QUOTE]You don't pay a whole payment when charged to the credit card, you are charged monthly. Also, if you are 2 people the rates reduces, I believe they have a kind of deal with the credit cards companies or something, since it's as you said, absurd that cost more when paying in advance.

[QUOTE=Facundo]By the way, if one joins one of the other Megatlon gyms that have less expensive memberships you cannot use La Imprenta gym, however, if you join La Imprenta you can use all the other Megatlon gyms.[/QUOTE]Yes, and this structure repeats, as if you get a membership in the congreso megatlon, you should pay an extra fee to get to the one in rodriguez pena.

[QUOTE=Facundo]I believe they get these prices because the place is always frequented by local models like Liz Solari, or television and movie stars, or historians like Felipe Pigna.[/QUOTE]Yes, La Imprenta it's a very nice neighborhood, and it's amazing "la imprenta" gym which it's located one block away, just next to persicco it's only 70 pesos per month, but you don't have this beauty close to you. (the attached pic is Liz Solari)

Yes, the cash price can be higher than a credit card!

Anyhow today we went to Meg. On Reconquista and it was pretty good. Lots of free weights and machines. Saturday is very slow so no problem waiting. They tell me it is very crowded during the week around 6pm due to office workers. Just as well, I prefer around 4pm. I will check it out. We are going to make an offer to the manager next week about renewing two memberships.

Thomaso,.

Let me know if this works out. I tried something similar at the Alto Palermo branch and they wouldn't budge. I tried to get one membership at a discount if I purchased and paid for both up front and they said no. So let me know if it works.

Thanks in advance,

Bad[QUOTE=Thomaso276]We are going to make an offer to the manager next week about renewing two memberships.[/QUOTE]

Thomaso,

Did you check-out the new gym on Viamonte 800 block?

Inexpensive, all the weights are new and the dumbells have a nicely padded grip.

Take Care,

RG.

P. S - airconditioned too!

I checked out these two Megatlons last month. At Alto Palmero, next to the shopping mall, they wanted $300 pesos (all prices will be in pesos) per month plus $30 for the membership card plus $30 for a cardio test. A nice facility, all new LiteFitness equipment. I do not recall the selection of free weights. No pool. Air conditioned as I recall. I don't recall the hours but I do recall that they are open 7 days a week.

At Recoleta (on Arenales between Riobamba and Ayacucho) they wanted $240 per month, no fee for a membership card (no membership card either, I just use my receipt) and no mention of a cardio exam. A nice facility, all new LifeFitness equipment, an adequate selection of free weights (although I do not use them) No pool. Air conditioned. CLOSED Sunday.

In both cases you can use only the one you join. I know that there's a pool at the one on Rodriguez Peña but I was told that it, and I am not sure if "it" meant only the pool or the whole facaility, is being remodeled.

Feel the Burn, Bob

Saw this a bit late.

I joined SportClub at their "Checcina" location, which is on Bartoleme Mitre, between Montevideo and Rodriguez Pena. When I joined (October 2007) they had a deal for an 8 month contract for 95 pesos per month for the first member, 80 pesos for the second and 65 pesos for any additional. They have a pool, decent-sized room for free weights and machines (with a number of duplicated stations) a large number of treadmills, abut 10 bike machines, three stair-steppers and two ellipticals. All in fairly decent state of repair, or even recently new. A couple of good-sized rooms for aerobics and karate classes. The building was fairly clean and they had temporary lockers on a couple of floors, as wells as lockers for rent in the shower rooms (which were fairly clean)

I moved recently to Barrio Norte and the SportClub membership included the location (as Thomaso describes) at 2000 Paraguay (there are SportClub locations that the membership did not include, but I don't remember now which ones they were)

The building is a little older, but not bad at all. I found that the bicycle machines and treadmills are in even better repair and newness than the other location. The weight rooms are about the same, fairly nice. I haven't seen the pool yet, but the shower room is a little smaller than the other building. They don't have any temporary lockers, but in the shower rooms they have a corner fenced off with an attendant where you can leave things in exchange for a ticket.

I like SportClub quite a bit. Reasonable price, the people are friendly and the facilities are not that much lower than what I was used to in the States when I went regularly 10 years ago or so.

I don't agree with El Queso's evaluation. I was a member of Sport Club Cecchina on be. Mitre from Feb. 2007 to Jan. 2008. They offered me a year membership at 80 pesos per month but then mysteriously began to charge 90 pesos about halfway through the contract. They do not have 3 stair machines. They have two and one was broken most of the time. They do not have 10 stationary bikes, more like 7. The place is brutally, brutally, brutally hot, partially due to the pool but mostly due not having any AC and silly fans that are too high up in the air. It is at least 80 F in the winter in the workout room and well over 90 F in the summer (I checked this with a portable thermometer)

Also the showers are full of mold and at any given time about 70% have shower heads. There are no toilet seats anywhere. There is no water cooler in the aerobic room. The water cooler by the locker room is frequently empty. They do have a decent number of treadmills but 1 of 4 is broken on average and another 1 of 4 needs lubrication or the incline does not work, etc. The butterfly press broke around May and was still broken in January. I had to make three visits just to cancel my membership. The place is often overrun with kids from the private high school next door and even worse, the locker room is full of screaming, uncontrolled, minimally supervised 4-9 year old kids who use the swimming pool. They sit on the stairs coming down to the locker room and on the floor in front of the locker room and seem petulant when kicked.

It got the job done but I don't recommend this particular branch. If it had not been two blocks from my apartment I never would have put up with it. I will say I did not ever use the pool. Nor did I ever avail myself of the classes, of which they did seem to have plenty. They have plenty of free weights so that is a strong point if that is your thing.

Did I mention that it is extremely hot in the exercise room? Also most of the women there (at least the time of day I went there, normally between 11 and 2) are older and not doing anything but walking on the treadmills and talking on their cell phones.

Also it is very hot in this fucking place.

[QUOTE=Dickhead]I don't agree with El Queso's evaluation.[/QUOTE]Heh - I guess our posts show how different people can experience two different things in the same place:)

The excercise rooms in what I am familiar with had air conditioning (from big pipes running the length of the machine room, blowing air in both directions from ducts spaced about 15 feet or so. They blew directly at the aerobic machines. When working on the weight machines I didn't notice much of a difference in temperature. In fact, I often felt chilled after I stopped to rest after sweating from the workout. I never worked with the free weights, which were in a different part of that floor and the air may not have distributed well in there. I am a profuse sweater - I can sweat to a soaking wet condition at 80 degrees if I have air movement at all. I didn't feel oppressed in there.

I never saw the broken stair-steppers - they were always functioning when I was there, but there were 3 ellipticals, and one of them was always broken - it always seemed to have a problem with the band that drove the wheel / magneto. Two ellipticals together with one of those broken, and the other elliptical on the other side of two stair-steppers, between the third stair stepper.

I never saw any of the treadmills broken, and the treadmills were almost always completely utilized when I was there. As to whether or not they needed oil or wouldn't incline I can't say, because I prefer the bikes and ellipticals - less damage to the joints.

As to the showers, perhaps I mispoke. They seemed clean to me (having only seen them once - I used the locker room once to change for the pool) but I never showered there - I lived about half a block from there and didn't bother. I don't like showering in public places anyway for exactly the reason of mold and other crap. I can see how I might have missed how bad they were.

My normal workout time was between 3:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon. It would get more crowded the later I was in there, but I don't recall at all seeing kids in there in general, except for the day I had my doctor's exam, there was a swim class being taught that afternoon and there were 4 or 5 kids about 10-14 in the lesson, all very well behaved.

And my god, there were a couple of really gorgeous chicks that would come in and do stretch routines between the two rows of weight machines.

So far I have had no problem at all with my charges. I pay for three people including myself and every month I get charged properly.

Now, I haven't been to the Checcina location since the beginning of December because I had to got he States and then moved in January. Maybe things were really bad after I went?

I found the free weight room to be tolerable, temperature-wise. It was the exercise room that was hot (it is directly above the pool) It could easily be that they did not turn the AC on until later in the day, and it makes perfect sense that the kids would be gone by late afternoon since they obviously came from some school or another. I don't think I was ever in the place after 2 PM, especially given that my theory was that it would get even hotter as the day went on. I do remember one gal telling me they did have AC and pointing to those pipes to which you refer but since I tested the temperature empirically I can safely say the place is an oven. Maybe I missed the third stair stepper but the one rowing machine never worked right either (slippage when pulling, leading to inconsistent tension, leading to potential for injury)

I've been working out at this place over the last couple of weeks and for what I want it suits me just fine. At 60 pesos a month (short term membership and no joining fee) you can't complain about the price. No medical certificate needed either - nor any preliminary instruction given on how to use the equipment when you first joint. After you've paid your money you just walk in a get on with it. Its the kind of place you'd expect to find in Abasto rather than Recoleta - a Mega-mile away from Megaton. Not the most modern equipment, badly marked and some poorly maintained. Lots of free weights, but hardly any safety clips - easy to drop a 20Kg weight on your foot if you loose your balance. Needless to say, a certain amount of improvisation is needed if you want to get the best out of the equipment. An assortment of other weight machines from a variety of local manufacturers. Very few treadmills or exercise bikes. No aircon, just ceiling fans. Even on a mild day like today it was a bit steamy in there. Attracts a youngish crowd of locals including some fit looking girls. Best avoided during busy times (after 5 on week days) when it gets overcrowded.

In summary - just my kind of place. Reminds me of my old rowing club gym. Recommended, but not if you are in imminent danger of a cardiac arrest, or if you don't know how to organize your own training session.

An update from my visit here today. $250p a month if you go month to month. 150p a month if you do a year deal with a debit card and 120p a month for a year deal if you use a credit card. As best I can understand it.

Will be heading down to BA in a couple weeks and wanted to see if there is an update on gyms you all would recommend for a 2 week stay.

Thanks

Megatlon told me when I signed up for a pre-paid six-month membership that the money that I was paying up-front would be the only financial transaction that would occur. They said that after six month my membership would automatically expire. Yet, they kept charging me forty dollars a month for seven months thereafter, until I convinced VISA to block their charges. Be careful with these people-- I didn't authorize them to use my details for direct debit, yet apparently to them a foreign credit card was an invitation to steal funds. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THESE PEOPLE.

Anybody have a current recommendation for a good gym in Palermo?

Thanks.

Moore.