Can't sleep? Why not go to the gym to work up that desire for a nap!…read more Found opposite Barkly Square - known for its concentration of deep fried foodery places - Doherty's Gym can often be found with a muscle-bound hulk-esque person moving through the doors. Because of this it took me quite a while to actually go in. a few laps past the windows to look in to see the equipment they have available and the membership prices. One night I couldn't sleep - one of the hot sticky nights that sleep just doesn't want to come - so I thought to myself that now is the best possible time to go and try it out. The gym layout is styled on those west coast US gyms you see in the movies. With more equipment than you can imagine - weight training, cardio fitness, boxing and more - I just wanted to run on the treadmill for a few hours. Afterwards the fully stocked Pro Shop for all your training supplement requirements,and what's better is the coffee shop found even closer than you'd expect. Now I guess I'll never sleep. The membership is not the cheapest if you're a "every now and then" kinda gym user but if it's a 4-6 day a week thing this is definitely for you.

Amazing gym. -it has all the equipment you need…read more -amazing staff and services. - it has a community/ family vibe to it. - direct debit is only $15 a week. -open 24 hours a day....every day. -has a room dedicated to boxing. Need more? Go in, check it out and say hello.

I have to have a trainer that can push me and I'm confident they know what they are doing. Chris is…read morea fantastic adaptable trainer that can train a team with variable fitness levels. He leads by example and makes your feel comfortable (whilst in pain lol).

From the owner: - Personal and or Group Training - Boxing Classes (Pads and…read moreBag work) - Fat loss training - Strength and Conditioning - Massage and Remedial Therapy - Cardio and Endurance Training - Sports Specific Training - High Performance Fitness Training - Strength, flexibility and resistance training - Swiss ball training - Core and lower back conditioning - Tailored fitness programs

I like working out here as it's cheap, not intimidatng and you can go any time of the day. It's…read morebasic, but that's all I nedd. Beacuse it's cheap, if you skip a week you don't feek so bad about losing lots of $

From the owner: It only takes 20 mins three times a week to look good and feel great.read more

The Brunswick pool is probably my overall least favourite of the clutch we have in the inner north,…read morebut that's not to say I don't like it. Pluses: It's in a prime location and is close to trains, trams, bike paths and there's plenty of parking; it is awesomely deep at the deep end, like five metres, so you get this crazy kind of claustrophobia when crossing the threshold from shallow to deep; it's pretty rustic and there are decidedly fewer poseurs and weirdos than the rest, though there can be a pretty annoying teen element that gets a bit wearisome. Minuses: Too may shit-brained teenagers; more expensive than Fitzroy and shitter resources; staff culture does not seem good, lots of blank expressions and general unhelpfulness. Overall it's a great asset for the area, but it could be a lot better.

Run by the YMCA, this community fitness facility is an affordable way for the whole family to keep…read morefit and healthy. The centre boasts a fully-equipped gymnasium with free weights, toning machines, stretching area with mats, exercise bikes, treadmills, steppers, rowers...the whole shebang. Friendly, professional trainers are always around to give you fitness advice and guidance. There is also workout room for group fitness classes like Zumba, yoga and pilates, and the well-known 'Body' range of classes (Pump, Balance, Attack). If jumping around isn't your thing, then perhaps you'll prefer a bit of splashing around in the indoor and outdoor pools. Afterwards, relax those tired (and perfectly toned) muscles in the sauna and spa area. Bliss. Take note though, the centre is undergoing major renovations at the moment and therefore pool and spa facilities are currently unavailable. It will be several more months before the new centre is revealed, but if the plans I've seen are anything to go by, it will be worth the wait. The centre's temporary address is 9 Phoenix Street, Brunswick, just behind the original building. Get updates on the progress of renovations on their Facebook page.

"I can't. I can't get up." - Me. Two days after my first F45 session in Brunswick East. "The pain…read moreis real". I like to think of myself as pretty fit but this class really kicked me on my butt. F45 Functional Fitness was born in Australia by a couple of footy players with a pretty good idea. At it's base, it is simple circuit training - you work really hard for a few minutes and then rest for a minute to catch your breath - for a round total of 45 minutes. I did a 'Romans' class, which focuses more on strength (think tricep dips, weighted squats and suspended pushups), while the 'Athletica' class is more cardio-based. On Saturdays they do 'Hollywood' which is a mixture of both PLUS a DJ! Party workout! What makes F45 different to other workouts is the team-focus and technology used. There are multiple plasma screens on the gym walls, showing a countdown timer and a video of someone doing the exercise you are to follow. There are groups of 4-5, with each group doing a different exercise and eventually you rotate. I was given a partner and placed in to a group and we genuinely all bonded by the end! The instructors seemed young and a little nervous (this particular F45 only just opened, so I suspect they are still finding their feet) however I felt fully supported and motivated throughout the class. They help you with your technique and throw out a helluva lot of high fives when you're on your one minute break. If you're looking to make a real difference to your bod AND your fitness, you really need to give F45 a go. Grab a pal and get along.

From the owner: Group Functional Personal Training High Intensity Interval…read moreTraining Weight Loss Athletic Performance

This gym rocks - totally slays Fitness First…read more Relaxed environment, clean equipment, super friendly PTs, inexpensive, good opening hours, no doof-doof or TVs and, most importantly, no fixed term contracts and an accommodating suspension policy. Need I say more? The PTs can write you up a program and are always on hand to help when you can't quite remember how to do that burpie. Excellent boxing equipment and classes. Attracts a wide community (because of its great vibe and staff!), covering the macho dudes to the distinguished and refined. PT sessions are also available, which sometimes look more like bootcamp (fancy to pull a tyre anyone?)

If you are looking for a cosy gym, with friendly staff, a great machine-to-sweaty-shorts ratio in a…read morenice location then healthy fit is the place to go to. The gym has practically everything you'll need, from free weights, to cardio machines to cables, to suspension straps, showers, lockers, a separate area for regular classes, and a room for their resident Osteo. I have been going to Healhy fit for a month regularly and never had to wait for a machine to be available once. The trainers are very welcoming and will make sure you will feel at home, plus the initial assessment I got was very beneficial and insightful. Whether you want to go to a place that has a large selection of classes, or, like me, want to have your headphones-in and hammer away like the lone wolf that you are, healthy fit is a great place to be.

This is honestly the worst gym I have ever been to. It on had group fitness classes but they have…read moresince been cancelled (with absolutely no notice for members and no refund offered for those who had taken out contracts). The equipment is old and minimal, no one puts things away properly, and because there is never any staff there, the result is messy. There is one television upstairs which doesn't work, and one downstairs which plays MTV and nothing else (with strict, and rather aggressive signs to patrons to never change the channel under and circumstance). There is air conditioning, but as it would seem, it is never on, making it far too hot and unpleasant to use the cardio equipment in summer. To top it off, the gym leaks in heavy rain. There customer service is non-existent, good luck trying to cancel a membership. Literally the only things they had going for them was the low price (9.95 PW) and the classes (all instructors were absolutely lovely) but unfortunately, now they only have their super low price going for them. There is a gym 2 doors down that is just as cheap and not disgustingly unkept and unstaffed.

I'll start by saying that I really like the concept of barre body & it's a great workout. The…read morereason for the lackluster score is twofold- 1. I think the price is utterly ridiculous & 2. There's no good 'beginner class' options which means people are more prone to injuring themselves due to lack of knowledge or technique. I did about 3 weeks of classes (and intro 2 week deal and a week afterwards) and went probably 9 times so I got a great overall view of the classes. The teachers were really lovely but a few moved far too quickly through the yoga components of the classes & I could see people struggling to keep up & rushing their poses to do so (which will lead to injury eventually). There was no explanation to newbies about the poses and no real extra attention paid to them. For those in the know the workout is excellent - it's quite lower limb heavy but different classes are varied and it is hard work- my butt & legs were killing me for days after each class!! The price. Woah. It's so expensive. Over $200 a month for unlimited classes! That's too much by anyone's standards. Their overheads are not that excessive. So what's my summary - eh, if you can afford it, do some yoga classes somewhere else first so you get to know the poses and then go nuts. You'll get a great workout with lovely teachers in a truly gorgeous space.

I admit I was pretty intimidated about the idea of doing a Barre class. I always thought it would…read morebe some kind of ballet show-off session with super toned chicks in impossibly skimpy outfits making me feel fat and frumpy. After some friends and my Pilates teacher filled me in on what REALLY goes on here, I thought I'd bite the bullet and give it a try with the two week $50 pass as a way to shake up my exercise regime. I'm really glad I did and can confirm a few things for anyone else wondering if they should take the plunge. 1) There's women of all shapes and sizes here. I once also saw a guy, but usually it's a women only affair. 2) Apart from the Barre that you use for some exercises and a couple of ballet terms, it's not very ballet/dancy at all. 3) The teachers are very kind and super lovely. There's none of that "look at me I'm so great" attitude you might get elsewhere. 4) The Barre Tone classes will make you sweat and work muscles in small but excruciating ways. 5) Your arms, legs and bum will look and feel better in just a month! I'm now attending two or three classes a week (mostly Barre Tone and Barre Body ones) and really love how it has improved my fitness, flexibility and strength in just a couple of months. The online booking system is very easy to use, though I wish you could book more than a week in advance as I like having my schedule organised a fortnight at a time. I also really like that I can use class credits in any of the Barre Body studios around Melbourne and Sydney as this gives me more flexibility when travelling.