Regency Fitness

This gym has lots to be desired. It opened a few years ago after Premier Fitness on Islington closed and clients were transferred to this location. The set up is like a sardine can with machines very tight and there is no privacy when working out. The whole gym can be seen from any place in the gym; unlike Premier Fitness that used mirrored dividers for different sections. Much of the equipment needs repair and is not being maintained.
Classes are held in a fishbowl — that is a glassed in area that people working out in other parts of the gym can watch. There are few good instructors… the good ones are Ken, Gina, and Tina — in order from best on down. Ken is the ultimate instructor as he partakes in the class and ensures his participants are doing the exercises correctly. He also allows breathing time after a heavy set! I have not tried all the classes but at least half of them or more. The other instructors whose class I participated in don’t seem to care if you are there or not and watch the clock. I have been in some of these classes and know the movements are not proper movements for the human body… but me being curious and willing to give a chance tried them not once but twice and ended up with a slight sprain. A lot of the classes are cancelled on a very frequent regular basis as the instructors don’t come in. The club does not call for back up. They don’t appear to care whether or not club members have a class or not. No apologies… just «class cancelled». Some club members come from far away and vent their frustrations in the women’s change room.
The change rooms… another sad excuse for a change room. The lockers are crammed into three tiny spaces so it is difficult to put stuff into a locker if there is anyone using a section. There are only three very small benches in the locker room for the whole club so most of the time when changing, you don’t have any room to put your stuff or sit to put on your shoes. The showers are tiny and dirty with broken doors. The whole layout could have used better design techniques.
Not impressed but buying time until something better opens up in the area.
PRIORITIES:
CLEAN Spacious change rooms and showers with plenty of mirrors and a place to put on makeup, brush your hair, etc. (this gym does not have it!)
CLASSES in a private area with REAL instructors who know their stuff, are dedicated, and SHOW UP for class.
BETTER DESIGN for a coed club… some privacy between weights, cardio, and other areas.
COURTEOUS STAFF AND OWNER WHO are happy to see you (as you do pay their salaries).
EQUIPMENT in top shape… isn’t that why we pay fees?
That’s it for now!