Hiscoes is probably the daggiest gym in Sydney. And this is why I love it…read more At Hiscoes it's highly unlikely that you will come across any young, beefed up, oiled and muscley men doing bicep curls in front of a mirror, throwing you side glances to see if you're watching. It's also highly unlikely that you will feel the need to update your work-out clothes every month in order to maintain the trendy look of the gym. And whilst Hiscoes does have a committed community of regulars, it's highly unlikely that you will be running beside rippling 'Biggest Loser' trainers or beautifully toned film stars that make you want to close your eyes whilst running on the treadmill (not advisable). The gym is small and family based with a distinctly local scene. The downside of this is that if you prefer to be anonymous when you're working out, it's hard to go by unnoticed here. The staff know you by face and name, which means that they also know when it's been a while since your last visit. Also, don't think that just because Hiscoes' team of regulars fall within the 45 - 60 bracket that they're not intimidating too - it's tough standing beside any person that can run for hours without breaking into a sweat or bench-press more than three times what I can, let alone if they're twice or three times my age. Hiscoes has everything you need to try to get fit, including Spin, Boxing, Pilates and Yoga classes. Plus added motivation comes in the form of that cheesy, crusty pizza aroma that wafts across the road from Crust. And trust me, there's nothing like the smell of pizza to make you work harder.

Hiscoes is a great gym except for some of the staff. The blonde male personal trainer has all of…read morethe arrogance you would expect of someone who trains their clients but doesn't notice how they interrupt other peoples training. Also,the Sunday closure between 1 and 4pm might save wages but is a big negative. Otherwise it is a good gym very overpriced compared to others for the facilities but that is what you pay to keep a family gym going.

I love this place! Im sad I moved away to another country and I can't find the same thing here in…read moreCalifornia. I refer all my friends in Sydney here, its really that awesome! Brand new location (410 Botany Rd.) and shiny new gym. Super nice staff and trainers. FANTASTIC deals on personal training. Small intimate location is great to go workout or train, and it has plenty of equipment. Its like having my own private gym! Highly recommended, my trainer Andrew is awesome and all of the trainers seem great. You really want to try this place, and they make it affordable! Ignore the wrong address on here. Yelp Australia is lagging a bit and it is really at 410 Botany in Alexandria.

From the owner: Bodyzone studios is a community based 24hour gym, we excel in indoor bootcamp groups and personal…read moretraining. Bodyzone trainers are highly qualified to delivering clients results and motivating our clients to achieving their goals. Check out our new branch at 8 norton street leichhardt, bodyzone introduces fit body bootcamp direct from the USA - check out our group sessions including boxing, check out our personal trainers and unbeatable fortnightly and yearly membership rates.

Flow Athletic have a great philosophy on fitness; a balanced routine through hybrid classes combing…read morecardio, strength and yoga. My favourite is BikeAsana which is 30 minutes of hectic bike work followed by 30 mins of stretchy, relaxy yoga. Perfectly balanced. The music (especially Shannon's iTunes) is actually stuff I enjoy working out to and the trainers are great. Also, I think these are the first spin bikes that haven't given me the post-spin bum bruise. They're actually comfortable! Like Ying says, there is a community vibe here. They throw Xmas parties, put on movies, have a progression sticker chart and also a lounge area where you can use Wi fi and sip coconuts. If you want to do your own training, you'll be disappointed because its classes only. This suits me fine 'cos that's all I do. The only drawbacks are that it's expensive and maybe not great if you get a bit bored of spin and yoga. All in all its 4 stars from me.

I came here for a BikeAsana class with Kate while staying in Paddo for a few days on holiday…read more Absolutely beautiful studio space overlooking Oxford Street in a charming area full of high end Australian shops. The class was just the challenge I was looking for and I hope to try another before leaving Sydney. Highly recommend!!

Love the Zetland location for the barre classes and the freestyle dance classes, as well as the…read morelong pool for swimming.

This is a review about my daughter's experience at the Moore Park Virgin Active gym. Below is a…read moreletter she wrote.The management refuses to offer their apology (or even talk to her). So far, the receptionist has been in touch with my daughter. My experience in the Air Barre class today was very disappointing, especially since this was my first time attending any type of aerial/anti-gravity class. Jess made me feel unwelcome, humiliated me, and spoke down to me. I walked into the class and instead of being greeted was told "Bag outside, and take your zipper jacket off" - even though I could see that other students had their bags inside and against the walls. Two other members arrived 2-3 minutes after me, and whilst Jess went to assist them with adjusting their hangings, I was ignored and left to fend for myself. I continued to struggle with the hangings and when I managed to finally lift myself into the hammock, Jess disdainfully told me that I was doing it wrong and said "Don't you remember what I said at the start of class?" When I said that this was my first time and I don't know how to use the hangings, she replied, "Well, 4 other people are also new in this class." I stood there embarrassed whilst everyone else seamlessly performed upside down splits. Following this I decided to leave the class, and was told by her in a tone, "Next time for beginner classes, you need to arrive five minutes early, because we already went through everything." I was indeed five minutes late to the class today and take responsibility for this. I usually always endeavour to arrive early and should have accounted for bad traffic on a weekend, so I apologise that I was late. However, this was in no way an acceptable reason for Jess to humiliate me in front of a whole class and make me felt inept. I was under the impression that I would be guided through the class on proper technique and didn't realise that it was more advanced than I thought. I have only been a member at Virgin Active for 2-3 weeks and up until today, my experience has been wonderful. In particular, Joyce and Rod have been fantastic in making me feel welcome and always greet me when I am at the gym. During my consultation last week with Rod, I made it clear that I still struggle with certain fitness movements and he was very understanding and patient. Jay, who teaches 6am boxing on Friday, has also taken time to help me with my technique and encouraged me throughout class, for which I am very grateful. I chose to join Virgin Active based on great feedback from friends who have been attending for years, but also because I have received some of the best customer service of any gym I have attended. There are gyms that are closer for me to commute to and also offer the fitness classes that I like to attend. However, it was simply because the staff were rude and pushy that I decided against those gyms and chose Virgin Active, despite the fact that I am paying double the fees. Today was the first time that I have had such an unpleasant experience and it has turned me off of wanting to attend any more aerial/air gravity classes at Virgin Active. I have been attending group fitness classes for the last 5 years at a variety of gyms, and it can be extremely nerve-wracking to attend a new class, especially when you are trying to keep up with others in the class who are advanced. Instructors such as Jess need to understand this and they especially need to remember that not everyone has the same fitness abilities, or learning curve. So far, I have raved about Virgin Active to my colleagues and friends, and have been encouraging others to join me. Employees such as Jess will damage the Virgin Active brand if they continue to treat members such as myself in such a poor manner. I hope you can understand how I have been left feeling following today's events.

I really enjoy the classes here, a wide range from weightlifting to Pilates and calisthenics. I…read morewish they had more classes on the weekends and more advanced yoga classes

Friendly staff, variety of equipment and training areas and good overall atmosphere…read more I've been going to this Gym since it opened and it has made me a healthier person Thanks guys!

I've been a member at Ruben's for over a year now & it's been one of the best experiences. It's the…read moreclasses & the people that keep you coming back. The classes were always full of sweat & laughter. Especially Ruben's stories & dance moves. LOL The time slots really worked for me, so you end up training With allot of the same people, so it becomes like having a PT w your bestys. I love SFX, POUND FOR POUND (boxing) & PILATES. Sandy has a special place in everyone's heart. Love these legends. TanTan x

At Rubens is friendly, professional and authentic. With…read moreknowledgeable and enthusiastic staff and instructors the classes are a must. High energy spin classes, challenging strength & boxing and yoga. Highly recommended this facility for all levels of fitness as it provides a supportive community which is motivating not only for the body but mind.

First class free!…read more After coming here, I don't think I'll like other studios where the lights stay on bright and there are mirrors. It's so relaxing with out them. They have beautiful images of Sydney waiting for you whenever you face forward and the mats are all set up for you at the start of class. At the end they rub your face and neck with lavender cream which was really relaxing. There's also tea which was delicious.

Gorgeous studio with the right vibe. They offer lockers and matts for use, as well as some…read morecomplimentary tea before or after class. The entire place is beautifully decorated to help you feel like you've really escaped the city. There's a screen in the class with some scenery videos playing, it's not distracting at all. And the instructors and staff were very helpful and welcoming! Class was both challenging but also suitable for first timers. I find that I get more out of yoga classes with more of a vinyasa flow. I can't wait for my next class at Urban Yoga!

Came here for a seminar and WOW what an awesome gym facility. Top trainers, great atmosphere, super…read moreclean, friendly staff, convenient little cafe inside and right across the street from the north Sydney train station. Tons of powerlifting equipment and free weights/cables for a small gym. Wish I lived closer, I would love to train here!

This is my gym, and I completely friggin' love it. I'm not university staff, or a student - I'm…read morejust a community member, but I wouldn't dream of switching to another gym no matter the incentives. The facilities here are terrific and (unless you happen along during a peak time, when like in any gym it gets kinda competitive gear-wise) you can't fail to have a good workout. I had personal training sessions here last year and it taught me a lot - I highly recommend those to anyone unsure of how to achieve their fitness goals, or who is maybe a bit intimidated by all the equipment and/or the gym atmosphere. If I'm unsure of anything or want some advice or even a critique of my form I always ask the trainers on duty, who are unfailingly friendly and helpful. But the thing that first hooked me are the classes. SUSF run the Les Mills program, and I am a big RPM devotee (who dabbles in Attack and sometimes Pump). The instructors here are top-notch; no kidding. (For comparison's sake I did a spin class in New York and it was nonsense. Absolute nonsense.) They are also super encouraging, and you'll probably find that your once-a-week RPM class explodes into you somehow being at the gym seven days a week just to take advantage of all the awesome instructors available to you. Plus there's a pool! Parking is kind of a drag, but there's a bike rack out front, a busy bus stop (370, 422, 423, 426, 428) up on City Road, and it's a short walk from Redfern train station (past some pretty great cafes).

The following feedback is specific to the Sydney University Swim School. Please read on as I hope…read morethis review will inform future students of the swim school to consider. I am a current student in their swim school. I go for evening lessons once a week after work. Unfortunately on Tuesday 21 March 2017, there was extreme thunderstorms that striked Sydney. Commuters heading home in the rush hour were all affected. Trees uprooted, road accidents, flash floods, train stations shut - the roads were chaos. Google it and you will see numerous articles and videos of taht evening. A journey to the school that would normally take me 30 min took me 1h 15 min. I made multiple calls to the school throughout my journey to tell them I was stuck on the road literally in gridlock and they told me to email to reschedule. I took their instruction and emailed the school. Unfortunately the reponses I have received from them is very upsetting. They wrote back saying that they can only reschedule if I gave 72 hours notice or provide a med certificate. Otherwise I have to pay to reschedule. I replied saying that there is absolutely no way to foresee or predict that the extreme weather is going to cause widespread havoc that evening. I can't anticipate the train stations shutting down, flooding on streets and numerous car accidents. What I asked for was decency in considering that the abovementioned was out of my control. I did everything possible to call the school and even got my friend who was already in the school to let them know. They further responded saying that i didn't give them "enough warning" and without the 72hr notice, they couldn't offer my place to someone else who needs a makeup lesson (aka they lose $19.50). 72hr notice for the effects of weather that I can't predict?! Seriously, if I can, I'll be rich. What baffles me is that the policy accepts medical certificates if someone fall sick that day, but not other unforeseen uncontrollable act's of God. Makes me wonder if we'll be treated similarly should a student met other unforeseen circumstances or last minute emergencies. I must emphasise, the issue here is not about the $5 rescheduling fee but the principle behind it. I am disappointed as this swim school is part of (and representative of) the prestigious and world renowned Education institution, University of Sydney, that endeavours to produce successful students and NOT intimidate them to succumb to the centre's "Profit&Loss" driven goals. Shame.

I'd been to Barre Body in Melbourne and Perth, so I knew what to expect at this Sydney studio…read more I used my ClassPass membership to take Megan's barre tone class. Though the website says otherwise, socks were not required (I prefer barre in bare feet when it's done on wood floor as it is here). Barre Body bills this class as "...strong and dynamic." I'd say I found that to be true. If you've done Dailey Method, Pure Barre or Bar Method, you'll feel right at home. And if you've never done barre before but have done yoga and/or pilates, you'll do fine too. This is a small studio with no lobby so you probably don't want to rock up more than 10 minutes prior to class.

I'm a fan of Barre Body in Melbourne and attend classes at least a couple of times a week. I was…read morereally happy to know that during a recent visit to Sydney I was able to use my membership to attend a class at the Surry Hills studio, and could book the exact same way as I do at home via my Barre Body app. This studio is clean and minimalist. It's a serene environment to work out and it's nicely located to public transport for easy access. The classes themselves are varied, with different styles and intensities available depending on your ability and mood. Like my experiences in Melbourne, the teacher at my Surry Hills class was absolutely delightful and had a terrific way of leading the class and encouraging everyone.