Hello People!
thanks for this amazing thread with loads of information!
Since I am coming to Zurich in like a month so this thread really helped!

One big question though! (maybe a stupid one):
Normally do the gym provide a towel for you or u have to bring your own? (this can be a pain in the a** when u need to carry additinal towel to work!)

Thanks in advance

oh, and has anyone been to the ARENA in Wallisellen before? Or heard something about it?

Cheers

Just speaking as to my experience, you can rent towels there for a franc or 2... This is why I just bring my own.

Migros Fitnesspark: no free towels. can rent towel for a few francs. I bring my own.

As far as I know, most places offer no free towels, but you can rent them for a couple of francs, although I rarely see people use this offer. I have heard of a gym where you could take a "deluxe" package, including a free towel and 50cl of water with every visit, but I believe that extra alone was already 400 chfr, so don't really know if it's worth it.

400 chf for towel and water... such is "deluxe"..
even 2 chf per time it's already quite a bit...
I guess it's better as you guy say, bring our own

Thanks for the reply!

Arena is newly open and will become more crowded once the apartments around the development are built. However they have a special summer offer where you avoid the extra membership costs until Aug 31st. You just need to print a voucher from their website.

Don't know about the towels, I remember when I was in Holme's Place for a year (really wierd joining process with a "suitability interview"), they included towels as standard.

arena225 by tiefenbrunnen station . adress is 225 seefeldstrasse in the mill.. not bad i joined it a month ago (trial 250chf for 2mo)

POWER RACK FTW!!

Superb, I'll be joining.

If you work or live at or near Zurich airport I thought you would like to know that a new gym in opening up. See:
airportfitness

Does anybody know a good gym in Wiedikon area? I live close to the Goldbrunnen platz (PLZ 8055). It's important to me that there would be enough dreadmills and bikes (I like the ones where you sit lower.. don't know how to call these bikes). And the place to do the stretching, aerobic classes etc are not so important, would prefer to do some weight training after cardio.

Thanks alot!

are there any 24hr gyms?

Holmes Place, Zurich.

Very expensive (for what it is); fixed term contract; badly managed; far too many members, so always busy and tough to get on the equipment (avg wait 15min - peak times); no good qualities at all..

Only a fool would join this pathetic European outfit of an organisation.

I was once that fool!

PS: Make sure anything the sales/registration clerk mentions, promises or assures to you off (i.e., contract wise) is written on the contract and signed. As it was my friends saving grace recently, after he signed up to a 24 month contract with a discount on the monthly premium and was told he could quit (with no charge) by giving 3 months notice after 12 months. Lucky for him it was on the contract, as he insisted the clerk to write it down and sign when he joined 18 months ago.

Thanks for the hints about contract, etc... will keep it in mind in my Test-Training tomorrow in Holmes.

I had my doubts already about this club when their website had no mention of prices and the lady on the phone declined giving me any information about membership conditions unless I try the club.

I was looking for a gym last year, checked out Holmes, but I joined Activ Fitness at Central. It's great for training mid-afternoon if you can but it's not claustrophobically busy at 6pm either. The up-side for me is three brand-new rowing machines and one is almost always available. The down-side is a small free-weights area - two benches, one of the bench-press on a rail things, and an upright frame for triceps pull-downs and other stuff. Maybe space for one other person who is doing a standing exercise but that's it.

Cost of Holmes when I looked was CHF1300 per year (I have a feeling that was a special). Cost of Activ was CHF750 per year when I signed.

p.s. The same b.s. one year fixed term contract at Activ though. Apparently if I get a doctor's note of injury or a proof that I moved 30km away from Zürich, I can cancel - nice attitude!

Is anyone aware if any real "American Style" gym (located anywhere between ZH and Winterthur) exists, meaning a gym which includes extra facilities such as a sports hall in which to play (for example) basketball?

I would pay anything for a gym like this. It's the most important thing I will miss from Chicago.

Thanks

For all of you looking for a gym in Zürich, check out: http://www.crossfitzuerich.ch

Not your usual "sit-on-random-cardio-machine-for-forty-min/pull-push-press-on-other-maching-for-another-forty-min" workout. Might not be for everyone, but if you're serious about training, I can say for sure that you'll have great results and fun doing CrossFit.
Also great for meeting people since you're working out together with others.

disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with this gym. I have however done a couple of workouts there.
Now go sign up for a free Saturday tryout and get going!

exactly what I would sign up for...but one needs to be at a good level to get going...I used to work out a lot some 10 years ago and to get back into the groove you almost need to do stuff in a regular gym before you go there...I mean look at the group on the video...everyone fit and in shape..when you join such group out of the blue one would become a laughing stock...

There are people of all fitness levels at crossfit in Zurich. The workouts are all scalable to be appropriate for all levels of beginning fitness. I can promise you that no one laughs at anyone because of fitness level.

Also, as someone who thought they were in shape based on regular gym visits and running over numerous years, nothing but crossfit can prepare you for the workouts. Each workout is designed to get the most out of yourself so no matter the fitness level you will feel it after each session. You will see the instructors with everyone else on the ground after the workouts.

** I have no financial interest in crossfit Zurich or anywhere else. I am a member and have found it a great workout. It also has great people (members/owners/instructors)

I'll second that. It's the role of the trainer to adapt each exercise to the level of the participants. One guy might be jumping onto a 50cm box while another is stepping up on a 15cm.
I'm always feeling very competitive before a workout but regardless of if I've lifted more or less, ran faster or slower or needed more or less time than the others, once the workout is finished I just feel humbled, by the workout and the effort that everyone's put in.

Good luck to all trying it out, and perhaps see you around!

I'll back this up as well. There's a sense of camaraderie, respect, and support in CrossFit that I've never experienced in traditional gyms -- and that's regardless of strengths and weaknesses, size, skill, sports of interest, etc. The huge variety in the workouts crushes any egos and leaves behind a humble group working hard to improve themselves and having fun along the way.