Many of you are probably members at a gym / fitness center in Zurich. The purpose of this thread is to discuss issues and experiences with the various fitness centers.

Specifically:

• Location
• Value for money
• Contract terms (are they aggressive)
• Facilities
• Friendliness of staff
• Willingness to negotiate
• Whether you've done any comparisons to other gyms.
• Willingness / ability to communicate with you in English if required.
• How much you pay for a membership

Are you going to your gym for the perceived "chic" value, or are you going there because you shopped around and decided your gym had the best value for money?

One thing you may not know is that at some gyms the amount paid by some members can vary between 700 and 2000 per year - for exactly the same service.

Don't get mad - get informed Fire away people...

Migrospark in Stockerstrasse. Brilliant. Good value. Single entry tickets. Very crowded after work.

Holmes Place as above but with absolutely no trace of the Good value and single entry bit.

Luxor

Activ Fitness
Heard lots of good things. Never been.

Keiser : Weird. Weird. Weird.

dave

I was a member at Luxor when I lived in the city. Staff were OK but not too helpful or friendly. The facilities were OK but I have not found a gym here with really up to date equipment, I was completely spoiled in Scotland as the gyms I used there have the most up to date kit available. What I did like about them was they opened at 06:30 so I could go before work, it was on my tram route so no hassle. They also have a creche on some mornings during the week. Cancellation was no problem at the time my contract was up for renewal but that was the only time I could cancel without moving 40Km outside of Zurich. It has been 3 years since I went there so I don't know if it is different now.

I'm now a member of a gym near Affoltern a.A. so if anyone wants a recomendation for that area let me know.

I'm a member of the TC gym in the Airgate building in Oerlikon, 10 minutes walk from the train station in Oerlikon. (They also have other branches, see website link below).

I didn't shop around, but chose it for primarily for location (I need somewhere close by and easily accessible otherwise it's too easy an excuse not to go ). I did note, however, that it wasn't the cheapest but also certainly not the most expensive around.

I would fully recommend it. Plus points for me are:

• It's big, light and airy inside, unlike some claustrophia-inducing gyms I've been to in the past.

• Modern equipment (with little tv screens in the cardio machines). The strength/weight machines look new and are well maintained, but use the old-fashioned weights rather than a pneumatic system.

• Friendly, helpful, knowledgeable staff (in my experience) - good support for planning out training schedules to your needs. E.g. recently I had a problem with an unstable knee causing me problems while running - now fixed (and half-marathon road tested ) thanks to targeted stability and strengthening exercises and time invested on the part of the trainer.

• They offered free energy drinks to all during the hot summer months (there is also a more expensive package that includes towels and drinks).

• Opening hours 6:30am-10:30pm (I alternate through phases of being an early bird or night owl or a lunchtime break).

• It is never too busy - I have never had to wait for machines. Having said that I've very rarely been at what I presume is probably the peak time early evening (5-7pm).

• I've always got by in German, but I have heard staff speaking good english to other gym members.

• Free test training (Probetraining). No hard sell as far as I was concerned.

The only negative point I can think of is the one off CHF120 (I think) new member fee, on top of the annual membership fee.

They just renovated the changing rooms and wellness facilities, sauna etc, but I haven't seen it since reopening as I've been away. They also have squash courts if that's your game.

No idea about bargaining with respect to price. Up-to-date prices on their website. I paid in 3 installments of CHF350 for a year, cost a little extra (CHF20 more?) compared to one lump sum payment.

I haven't terminated a contract with them yet, so can't comment on any potential difficulties there. I did note however, that unless giving at least one month's notice, the contract automatically rolls over for another year. I was assured, however, I would get a reminder about this at the time so as to avoid unpleasant surprises!

Edit: I forgot to add they also offer various classes (spinning, aerobics, pilates etc.) but I haven't tried any of them, so can't comment. I'm also not affiliated to this gym in any way, just a very happy bunny with the service and facilities i've encountered there.

I used to be a member of Activ Fitness in Central, which was fine, but switched to McFit in the Shopville/Hauptbahnhof for reasons of convenience.

McFit opens daily at 06.30 and 9am on weekends. It's open almost every day of the year, even with sunday hours on some public holidays.

There are four sections, the main gym is full of carido stuff: cross trainers, steppers, treadmills, bikes and a few power plate stations. The mezzanine level has various "David" weight training machines. There's a studio for group classes (there are two classes per day during weekdays) and finally there's a weights room (where the real action takes place, baby).

The equipment is not bang up to date, bleeding edge technology stuff but it's also not old junk. It does the job no frills, no fuss.

The staff are quite competent and friendly and the general aura of things has improved in the last year with the new management.

I go early in the day and it's not usually very busy, although you'll be advised to get there PFQ if you want a cross trainer first thing Monday morning. I think it gets busy in the evenings, but someone else will have to comment about that.

The other customers are mostly "real" people too. I can only think of one woman who has to be in full make up before starting on the stepper and there's only one macho dickhead I can think of.

I haven't shopped around for pricing lately, however I remember it was quite reasonable. Also, they have "Morgen-Abo" which is about half the price of the full membership - the only rule is that you have to be in there before 11am.

=DM=

Now I'm intrigued. That is indeed personal training.
dave

I'm reminded of an induction introductory session at did at Kieser Training near the Dub. The girl told me the sequences of exercises I was to do, and I asked her what if I wanted to vary the routine or do it in a different order. Her answer was "You can't." This was followed by one of the strange pauses where the expat tries to establish whether the other person is joking. That was only the first aspect of their weirdness...
dave

I had exactly the same experience, except at that point I politely explained that there was no way that we would be able to do any business and walked out...

Something just come to mind, all those who have joined gym's should check with their health insurance. Many give a sfr 200 bonus a year if you join a gym.
Oldhand

I have belonged to Migros Fitnesspark on and off since I arrived in Zurich. I recently rejoined and normally go to their facility at Puls 5 which is pretty modern and luckily... for some odd reasons... never too full at any given time of the day. Staff is always very helpful and friendly and many of them do speak fluent English. Plus as all the Fitnesspark gyms do, they have all the bells and whistles to help you relax after a "rough" workout. They also offer a large array of aerobic classes. The only downside is that you always have to pay for a full year membership in advance but on the bright side, they do accept credit cards.

As far as insurance paying for a part of your healthclub membership that is normally only possible if you have the supplemental insurance. Basic insurance does not cover healthclub membership. There again, on the bright side, and in my case, my supplemental insurance costs me 600 francs a year and my insurance pays me 90% or 600 francs of the healthcare cost. Since my memberships costs 1100 francs a year ( I know... robbery considering I used to pay for similar facilities 50 dollars a year for my gym membership in San Francisco with 24hr Fitness - one of the advantages of having been a member with them for almost 10 years) the supplemental insurance is basically paying for itself.

Anyway, if you are only looking for a place with nothing more then machines to work out, there are two or three new gyms in town whose membership rates start at 29 francs per month. Just google them.

I was a member of Nordfit, located opposite the big Centre 11 Coop, north of Oerlikon station.

It's a fairly nice gym with lots of classes if you want them and a good selection of machines. It was a little light on the free weights I thought.

It was around 100/month, but my problem with them was the fixed period pricing. You could pay 6 or 12 months in advance, but even after completing a 6 month block they would not allow me to switch to a monthly plan. Since i wasn't sure how long i'd be there, this was no good.

Another example of Swiss inflexibility driving away a customer i'm afraid. I now use the free gym at my office.

Husband and I are members of Activ Fitness. I like being able to use the facilities in different locations when I am working outside the home in another town. Have visited the ones in Dubendorf and Wadenswil as well as the one here at home in Stafa. The staff was friendly and helpful and tried to speak English to me if they could. The places were clean and modern. Classes are varied and convenient. I am very pleased.

very true.. a friend of mine workouts at Activ Fitness and likes it and from what I've seen in the 20minuten, Activ is also offering at the moment 100 CHF off a membership (not sure if it is a 6 or 12 month membership)

Hi Guys

Have you any of you heard of a gym on Seefeldstrasse? I heard a rumour that there is one there but I haven't been able to find it in the gelbeseiten.
If anyone has could you tell me what its like and the price please?

Cheers

Brian

There's one behind Bahnhof Tiefenbrunnen, in a restored mill: is that where you mean? They are famous for dance classes and have teachers from around the world.

i guess that could be the one but i didn't realise it was all the way down at Tiefenbrunnen.
Do you know anything else about it Uncle Max? Even the name?

B

The gym at the Mühle Tiefenbrunnen is called "arena225". Check out www.arena225.ch for more information.

Sorry for not posting for long...busy with finding an apt (successful!!), moving (not so much), and settling down.

Anyways, just to add to this discussion, I discovered that people with "university degrees" can become members of the ASVZ (asvz.ch) for a yearly membership of just CHF 350!!
This is the information as I know it: -
Go to the office at the University campus above Zentral with your passport and "diploma". All originals. And the money. This gives you access to all their facilities around Zurich, including the one in Zentral. From what I've found so far, this is the best gym out there for fitness freaks (by that I mean people who want to do cardio training as well as weights, not people who believe fitness is going to a "wellness center" and and sitting in a sauna followed by a few hours in the tanning salon).

Also, the Activ Fitness in Horgen (on the lake) is fantastic compared to the one in central. No University degrees required, but depending on where you live this may not be the most convenient.

Hi Sooninch

Thanks for that info. I've often walked past that Uni Gym. Its near to the polybahn that goes from Central right?

It looks pretty good so if its possible to join up with a university degree like you say then thats brilliant.

Do you know anyone who has joined or can I ask how you heard about it?

Cheers

Brian

I asked around at work for good gyms to join (I just moved to Zurich), and I work with several alums from ETHZ. They told me that this is a gym for academics in this city. They gave me the contact information, I called in yesterday and they confirmed that I could get membership just by showing them I have a University degree and that I am here in Zurich legally.

The lady on the phone was a little unclear about the University degree part. Apparently the system in much of Europe (other than UK) is unlike the 4 year College + Graduate School system I am used to. She did enquire as to the exact nature of my degrees, including the institutions before giving me any details. She told me that I was eligible, and even sent me the forms!

May be worth calling them at 1-632-42-10 before you go.