The newer the gym...

... the smaller the weight section. Seems that way with VA anyway. Bruma and Benoni are older gyms with big free weight sections, 2 squat racks, 3 triceps machines, 2 cable cross stations and at least 15 benches.

The VA in Sunninghill is relatively new (think its about 5/6 years old) and its got maybe 8 benches, one squat rack, one cable cross and if I recall correctly 2 triceps machines.

VA in the West Rand close to Clearwater mall opened up in the last couple of years. It has 5 or so benches, 2 bench press racks, one squat rack and a lot of plastic equipment made by "Technogym" all in an area smaller than my flat. Lots of plastic and rubber free weights as well. Two fucken floors of steppers, twisters, crunchers, ellipticals and whatever else the mommies use for 10 minutes every night though.

It's true what some are saying. In a few years time commercial gyms won't cater for serious weightlifters at all. Certainly seems that way what with how they squeeze in the bare minimum of equipment in ever decreasing space.

There was a thread on bb.com while back where american posters agreed that any gym with less than 4 squat racks is a palooka gym that shouldn't be used. I don't think VA has 4 squat racks in all of JHB let alone in one gym somewhere.

Probably the same in the other franchise as well.

Oh well - I'm off to peel and eat a boiled egg.

if you have a look @ your gym you will notice that it would only have about 20-30 really dedicated members that are weightlifters, well at least in my gym. no wonder they are not too concerned about getting in better weightlifting equipment. a gym is run like a business and will not be too concerned about the minority...

im thinking of building an extra huge ass room in my yard and construct it in a home gym!

i agree with u dryden. can see the same thing at centurion gate planet fitness. to many personal trainers and isolation exercise machines. sigh

I can tell you something those isolation maches at Planet Fitness Platinum are wonderful, every movement misses all my injuries, I can do decline / flat and incline powerpress machines also by (Technogym) and boy it works nicely.

But you right there are only 8/10 benches, a decent dumbbell set but the nice thing is we have only a handful of members and their is a limit to 2000 active members allowed to be signed up. It's wonderful, quite and a nice place to train.

Also no young juice heads or drop weights and act like retards, they have guys waiting on you to pack your weights away for you and spotters all over the show.

If you can afford it I would seriously recommend signing up there

Where is the Planet Fitness Platinum Pump? Is there one in JHB North?

Stuartf it's onto of the Radisson Blu in Sandton, next to Aston Martin.

www.planetplatinum.co.za/

Cool thanks pump, that's quite close to me.

I even bumped into Shakira there, and I mean bumped I was walking up the stairs looking down and walked into her, looked up and was like aaaa, looked left / looked right, two massive body guards with her, I was like, excuse me.. lol...

It's quite a celeb gym, even the Swedish football team trained there..

They iron your clothes while you go train, they give you towels, they provide you goggles for the pool and the pool has underwater music, lol. Go for a day pass at peak time and see what you think.

Lemme guess pump... 5 grand a month?

Nice gym that Oom Pump.

My gym aint so bad with the free weights. Considering its a fairly small gym, there are 3 bench press, +-10 small benches, incline, decline, 2 squat racks and 3 smith machines. As well as two free weight sections, one on either end of the gym

How big do you rekon those 2 bodyguards are 00pump?

Not giants but tall and im pretty sure lethal. It was when the soccer world cup was here.

VA (10 to 1 planet fitness aswell?) are what they call "wellness centres." they don't like guys using heavy weights. try to clean and jerk or snatch and see how fast they come and ask you to stop! it's like etwa said, it's a business so they don't care about the minority, ie US.

Yeah man,

That VA at Retail crossing close to Clearwater is a real pussy gym!
But the Planet Fitness just up the road in Ruimsig has some of the best Hammer strenght equipment i've ever seen in a gym.

Planet Fitness Rivonia promotes bodybuilders, I was chatting to a manager today, he said they the dedicated members and he welcomes guys who use juice. He was some scrawny guy but ye. Virgin active came in with a very different mindset, right back when they took over Health and Racquet. I have

I remember about 2 years back already, our VA in Midrand (Vodaworld) closed one weekend for "renovations". On Monday I couldn't believe what they had done. The weight section was half the size it had been on the Friday. One squat rack had been taken out, and the decline bench had been removed,but more than half the original weight section had been replaced by these fancy machines. The ones that cater for fat housewives.

I complained bitterly to the manager,and even head office. I demanded they cancel my contract, because that wasn't the same gym I had signed up for. They didn't give a shit. They said they are moving towards "holistic health' and "wellness centers". I thought that was ludicrous, and told them so.

But I really pissed myself when this idiot at head office told me they are removing all the decline benches across the country "because they are dangerous"! They are such a bunch of chops.

Don't worry bro my gym also has the same problems.They don't have dumbells heavier than 50kg's and some oakes wamt dumbells that go all the way up to 90's.The gym owner says no that this is a family gym and when i hear him say that i thought that he was just makiing up a bullshit excuse for not buying some more dumbells.Does anyone here know of the price for a set of 60kg dumbells.

My gym has some 60's. cant say i ever use them

But you normally looking at around R10 a kg of iron

So glad my gym caters for bodybuilders, they even got in some 50kg plates a while back to make it easier to rack up the leg press or squat rack

where do you gym then spike?

and maybe we should compile a list of gyms that are weight lifting friendly?

I train at Muscle & Fitness in Pinetown. As far as I know there is only one other Muscle & Fitness, in Waterfall, but apparently a new one for the Musgrave area is planned

spike what are the gym fees like... I'm looking at moving to Durbs again soon.. Tired of Joburg

Im still paying the same as when i started there 5 years ago, R210 a month, and can train at either of the 2 gyms. Tho i think that is a student rate still

Not bad.