I've been along to roller derby before but it was along time ago in a land far far away. I enjoyed…read moreit then and I enjoyed it now. Manchester Roller Derby has the added interest of being a part of an active co-ed league. We went along to this their 5th anniversary bout. They were in a local leisure centre on this occasion (Carnall George H in Urmston) not the most convenient spot in Manchester but accessible by a combination of tram and bus. I don't believe this is their home track but I get the feeling the bouts tend to move around with the availability of track space. There was a pleasantly large crowd but there were still plenty of seats and loads if visibility onto the track. They had supporters stalls for all the teams playing on the day with surprisingly desirable merch (especially the supporter t-shirts with your fave competitors name and number on the back) and a cake stall for celebratory birthday cake. A double header between Manchester / Wirral and Manchester / Birmingham was on the cards for the day and we set up shop in the stands. The supporters are an enthusiastic bunch and I found myself clapping and cheering for all the teams (though I should have been supporting MRD primarily). One of the fun trademarks of roller derby are the fun antics and the payer names which were not lacking. With pseudonyms like Fish 'n' Whips, Jim Jams (who was a Jammer and was wearing pyjama bottoms), Veggie Kray, Smack Bauer, Knit One Hit One and Steph Leopard. They had a pass the parcel game in the stands, a raffle for merch and a 'Throw a Duck' comp in the half times. If you've never been along to roller derby it's a full contact, fun and active sport to watch and the basic rules are simple enough to pick up in a couple of minutes explanation. I do recommend heading along to a bout and throw some support behind a local sport team in an fresh and interesting non mainstream sport. No paid endorsements or hefty salaries here they do it because they love it and it's really good fun.

The Armitage Centre is fine. As Rob says, its got all you need for a little fitness centre, and…read morethere aren't any others in the area. Though it is open to the public, I think you'd feel a little out of place as a non-student, though there are a few gym buffs who have been knocking about in there every day since I first went four years ago. The gym itself is very small, but has everything you need, and has TechnoGym equipment, which seems almost everywhere these days, probably because it's the best. Its exactly the same equipment they have at Virgin Active, and though much more squashed together, its less than half the price to use. Another great thing about the Armitage is the little 5-a-side football pitches, which you can either rent out or play on in a league. Leagues run every night of the week so its convenient for everyone. If it rains heavily its probably worth cancelling though, as the concrete pitches are not level and huge puddles make playing a serious health issue. They're the only pitches nearby except Power League, which is incredibly expensive. Nothing special but nothing wrong with it.

Manchester University's all in one sports centre! It welcomes a student's interest to sports but at…read morethe same time is open to all; the costs vary due to the same. It houses sports some basketball courts to massive football fields to the 5-a-side as well at the back. Not only this, but it caters as a conference and exhibition centre. Thus, it functions as a conventional sports centre during the university semesters and then as the exhibition centre, giving people a chance to always be a part of it. It also has Netball, hockey and volleyball courts giving you the chance to explore whatever interests you! It also has a fully equipped gym which attracts quite a lot of students with their student deals et al! Its a great all in one place to come work-out, play around and catch up with friends! I've always loved the fresh atmosphere it cities!

I came, I saw, I conquered (to an extent) one of the most basic climbing walls they had, but hey ho…read more- you have to start somewhere! My very first time at the MCC and first time climbing generally and I have to say that I really hope I'll be going back soon! We went for a taster session between 5 of us which lasted an hour and cost £60 between us - not bad value I think! Liam the instructor was a really cool guy (in fact all the staff were pretty chilled and friendly) and was all about the safety first, followed by teaching us on the kiddy walls - then onto the "am I really going to have to climb up that mofo" walls! After we all had a chance to get up and down the big walls a few times we then went on to some bouldering which was really cool but I could definitely feel it in my shoulders the next day - intense but good fun and you really work up a sweat! Special mention should go to what a cool place is - just check out the snaps! An old church/cathedral converted into what is an amazing space and setting - just wow!

I have always wanted to try climbing in the past, but have always been put off by the initial cost…read moreof equipment and just the general worry that I may not like it. Well, I have put that behind me. I decided to throw the idea out to the people of yelp and managed to gather together a small group of rotund gentlemen (like myself), and one pretty lady, to have a go at our local climbing wall. It was in a converted church, which was pretty cool. The MCC offer a 1 or 2 hour taster session, with the idea being that the more people you get to come the cheaper it will be. We went for the 1 hour and have to say that that was more than enough. We were introduced to our instructor Liam, who managed to show us how to put on all the equipment so as it would cause the most amount of damage to our genitals during the hour. He then took us to a child wall for our initial go at climbing. The air was filled with hushed curse words as a room full of food bloggers were rapidly been overtaken by small children on the climbing wall. Then, to the large wall! Wait?! Already?! YES!!!! And so, two at a time we were sent up the large wall. And it wasn't easy. my forearms are still aching now as I type! But it was fun. Everyone was aching together. Everyone was helping each other and egging people on. After this, we had a go at bouldering. This basically like the wall, but without ropes and only up a wall that is about 10'. Liam put stickers at some of the highest places and we all had to try and get one. Well, the things we will do for a sticker. It was carnage. People were falling off walls onto the crash mats like we were in action movies. Then, an hour was done. fantastic. I want to go back again :-)

Wow no-one knows about DCC, but they need to!…read more Situated in East Didsbury, slightly beyond the famous Didsbury pub as you go south, Didsbury Cricket Club is set off from the main road, with a huge green space (for cricket) and a bar and club house behind. In cricket season it's a beautiful place to go and watch the cricket, or just sit outside in the sun. With 5 teams, there always some cricket on at the weekends, or if not its probably Lacrosse season, the other club sport. If you're interested in playing, they're very welcoming, and though the 1st team are very good, the 5th team is more a social side, so there's a chance for everyone to go along. If cricket isn't your thing, I still recommend this sports club absolutely, and you can get a social membership, which is very cheap indeed. The bar is run by lovely people, and shows all the cricket games, as well as all the football and other sports. They've got a large good quality screen making it a super place to watch sport, and drinks are subsidized so you make back what you've spent on membership in no time. The members are all lovely so it's a great place to sit and talk sport. They also have a pool table and a quiz machine, as well as a juke box. There's also a function room, which is large and available for hire for parties or gatherings. It also play host to weekly Jazz nights on a Thursday, which are well worth checking out.

I came to Didsbury Cricket Club with a group of friends to the comedy night so this review isn't of…read morethe sports facilities here. Taking place on the first Sunday of every month (doors open at 19:00; starts at 19:45), the room the comedy acts perform in isn't the largest, but can hold 100 people or so on rows of chairs facing the small stage. My advice is to get there in plenty of time as otherwise you'll find yourself on the front rows - ripe for being targeted by those behind the microphone :) There's a fully stocked bar in the room for you to grab a drink before it starts or during the interval - never, ever, get up whilst an act is on or you'll no doubt get pulled to pieces by them! Their resident compere is Andrew Ryan, a professional observational stand up comedian in his own right, who warmed the crowd up beforehand and kept the momentum going in-between the three acts. As the comedians change on a monthly basis, you never know who's going to be there. They've been known to sell out in advance, so booking tickets is strongly advised, either directly from the venue or online at £7 each, which is a bargain for nearly three hours of entertainment. Details can also be found on their Twitter account (@DidsburyComedy). Tip: there is ample free parking on-site.

At the end of platt fields are astro turf pitches after astro turf pitches all bathed in…read morefloodlight. This football mad complex is the Man city academy, delivering the stars of tomorrow. For locals you can play football many different ways here with indoor and outdoor pitches with stands that cater for the fans with every home game. For those who want the best deal around though, its 70 pounds for a year's membership in the gym. This moderately equipped space has plenty of cardio machines from bikes to rowers. There's a small weights section that can become cramped quite often. But you get what you pay for and at £70 this place is a steal. The gym also has a big car park, bike locks, showers and changing facilities and the staff are very helpful. This could be the tip of a new fitness regime!

I've been playing here for 5 years. Their facilities are magnificent and the staff are friendly…read moreand helpful. Remember to book in advance as they have regular slots. It's losing its mcfc branding soon due to mcfc's new facilities in East Manc. It's staying open though so don't worry too much. Losing the branding is no bad thing if you're a red like me

From the outside the Y Club looks an idyllic gym. Situated literally on the picturesque canal at…read morethe start of Castlefield, a 5 minute stroll from Deansgate, it looks like a posh gym for young professionals. The lovely little swimming pool is visible from the canal itself. So you can imagine my delight when I discovered it was relatively cheap, especially compared to gym groups such as Virgin Active or Fitness First. You can also avoid a contract and sign up for as little as 2 weeks, and it works out at around a pound per day. So alls well so far. Then i went inside. I think the point about the gym not really being for girls is valid, though I think lots of men should be added to that list too, as its only really suitable for bodybuilders who love dingy spaces as seen in American boxing films. Its small and dark, and pretty damp. Basically its no good. Its got all the equipment you need so if you want somewhere to go for just a couple of weeks then it serves a purpose, but its nowhere near as nice as it looks outside, and there are some better value gyms out there, so if it's a longer term membership you're after, give this place a miss.

Once again I have to question the effect that living in a big city has on the expectation levels of…read morethe people who populate it. EVERYONE had raved about this gym so I was really excited when the day of my prebooked free trial finally arrived. Now I don't go to the gym for a lie down, I will put the effort in but one of the reasons it's nice to go to is for the luxury- anyone who has spent a day in a David Lloyd's or Total Fitness will know what I mean. The first disappointment was the space, or lack of it. The Y Club is deceptively cramped- from the outside it looks as though it deserves its own postcode, inside you can see the pool, gym and fitness suite all from the reception. The layout of the gym is ridiculous, with the weights room being split in half by a narrow corridor of a fitness suite, making the planning of a routine unnecessarily difficult. The range of equipment is pretty thin on the ground and the surroundings are extremely dated- it feels like an 1980s swimming baths. The centre is very male centric and I imagine quite an intimidating place for a woman to go to. Not that the men does anything particularly masculine- all too often you are held up from getting on a piece of equipment not by a guy using it to work out but by several guys using it as a meeting place to hold a mothers meeting. Y Club? Y Bother Club more like.