My daughter has been attending TriStar Gymnastics since Term 3 of last year. Helpfully they offered…read morea "try before you buy" session for free which is exactly what you need for these kinds of post school activities - there's nothing worse than committing to a whole term of something that just isn't what you thought it would be. There's really only a choice of two big gymnastics clubs in the central Auckland area and TriStar is based out of a massive purpose-built gymnasium next to Cameron Pool in Mt Roskill. Strangely enough there's not a lot of signage so if you see the big building with the red windows, you are in the right place. Once we decided to go ahead and join, there was an Enrolment Form to fill out and obviously fees to pay. My daughter is in the Incentive class which costs $155 per term (or $140 with prompt payment discount) for a one hour class each week. There's a huge range of classes on offer for every age group and when we were in the investigation stages, the information on the website, while comprehensive, was a bit confusing. I suggest a phone call for clarification as to which class is most suitable and to let them know when you'll be visiting. Also you won't find the fees on the site until you open the Enrolment Form. Our experience here has been great with the teachers being immediately welcoming and putting my daughter at ease (particularly the exotically monikered Flaminio!). There have been a few hiccups with the accounting side of things but I suppose this is to be expected given the number of people who attend the club. There is a small waiting area for parents with a window so you can watch your kids if you want to. The only real beef I have is that communication is not great but again, this is a function of the fact that there is only an hour and therefore it makes sense not to waste time chit chatting to the parents. I don't think parents are actively discouraged from being inside the gym but I would suggest rather than bothering your child's instructor who has a class to teach, take any questions you might have to the front desk as there is usually someone there who can help you. We are at the point now where my daughter is ready for the next level but this has not been addressed by her teachers so we'll bring it up with them and see where we go from here.... overall I think choosing between this club and the YMCA gymnastics programme comes down to what is most convenient for you and your family. I actually took my children to the YMCA's pre-school programme when they were little and that was a very positive experience so go with what works for you.

I've been coming to the yoga classes here for over 10 years. There used to be Thursday and Tuesday…read morenight sessions but now there's a class on Monday morning at 10.45 and Tuesday evening at 7.35. Both are taught by Diana Radcliffe and have been for as long as I can remember. The style of yoga is simple Hatha yoga in the Satyananda style and what this means to you is that it's suitable for all levels. Diana provides alternatives for beginners and takes an individual approach when needed, keeping an eye on the newbies. Each class starts with a gentle warm-up followed by floor postures before moving into standing poses, usually incorporating a series of movements into a flow. There are variations each week so you don't get bored and every session finishes with 10 minutes of breathing and relaxation. Yoga doesn't have to be a weird thing you have to go to a hippy place to do; it's for everyone and I would highly recommend starting here with Diana.

I went to the gym at the YMCA in Mt Albert while I was in high-school and it was perfect. As a…read morestudent at Mt Albert Grammar the YMCA actually offered me a discount, so not only did I have access to all the equipment and classes, but at a cheap price! It is things like this - providing local students with cheaper rates - that always impresses me about the YMCA. It is a business that really looks after locals - it's very community oriented. An example of this community spirit is the YMCA used to rent out one of their rooms to my dance school at a cheap rate so we had enough room to have proper rehearsals and practices. Without their help we would have been at a loss! Offering great school holiday programmes, hosting kids birthday parties, before and after school care, special youth programmes that promote leadership and creativity - the Mt Albert YMCA is fantastic.

Some Monday's I need to take the children that I nanny to their tennis lesson which is held at…read moreRemuera Rackets. It's in a good central location which is both near their home and their school so it is super handy. They have a large carpark but it is almost always full and they have crammed quite a lot of parks into the area so they are quite tight, I have always managed to get a park however. The place is massive, it has a shop that sells tennis clothing and equipment, huge outdoor courts as well as small indoor ones that people were using to practice by themselves and a small gym where they give training. The kids lesson is 1 hr 30 mins long so I have quite a long time to wait but even though they are different ages their lesson is at the same time which is really convenient. Sometimes I wait and watch them as there is outdoor seating provided but if it is a bit cold I drive down to Newmarket which is less that 5 mins away and I can shop for and hour...perfect!

I have been a premium member of 'Next Gen' for the last 6-7 months. Predominantly, I go to Pilates,…read moreYoga & Barre classes. They offer a good selection of weekday and weekend classes (not Barre). Mostly, the instructors have been excellent. Sometimes I play tennis - there are about 3 indoor and 8 outdoor courts, I think. My only complaint is they get booked up weeks in advance, which is ridiculous. Onsite cafe sells cabinet & hot food, also Allpress coffee which definitely gets them some brownie points! Next Gen staff have improved over the last few weeks, a lot more friendly and helpful than when I first joined. Great sauna, spa & pool facilities. Change rooms are due to be upgraded. Members are generally professionals and high-end. I enjoy the club, however it has a hefty price tag, so you need to go often!

I have been coming to Next Generation for a few months now. My Dad has been a member since it…read moreopened and he always has exciting things to say about it. So, I finally took the plunge and joined...my first ever gym! I wanted to try all of the facilities before writing a review just to see whether Next Generation really lived up to the hype. So far, the gym has been great, the Zumba classes challenging (but fun) and I went swimming today - it was very refreshing! But the best thing is definitely being able to play tennis! There are about 11 courts to choose from, and all you have to do is book the court in advance and voila, you're set for the day! And if it's sunny, jump in one of their pools to cool down - either the indoor one or the outdoor pool on the roof! Another great thing about the gym is that they have a cafe/restaurant onsite plus a lounge which is a great place to relax and unwind after a work out or come down to one of their monthly quiz nights! Highly recommend Next Generation - all the facilities are spot on plus you will have loads of fun!!!

This pool is amazing!! Really!!! I certainly took the pool for granted when I lived in Auckland!…read more I am from New York, but lived in Auckland for two years while getting my Masters degree. In those two years I adopted swimming as my preferred fitness activity. I went to the pool whenever I was stressed or sad or bored, and within minutes of entering the pool, I was as happy as I could ever be. This pool has soooo many things you can't find in New York: - As a student, it only cost me $5 or so to pop by for a swim. Almost every pool (aside from the dingy pools) in New York require membership just to be able to walk into the facility. And even the dingy pools require membership outside of Summer. - It's a 50 meter pool. You would be surprised how rare that is. - It has a kiddie pool, hot tub, jacuzzi, steam room, TWO saunas, a cafe, a gym, fitness classes, SCUBA CLASSES (!!!) an incredible locker room with curtains AND hot water.... really just incredible facilities. Nothing in New York comes close to that. Not even remotely. - The price is absolutely insane. Again, I only paid $5 to swim, and they don't force you to get a membership or anything. The only establishment that I've been to that comes close to this pool is Chelsea Piers in Manhattan. But a day pass is $50 USD (So maybe $60 NZD.... just for the day). Yearly membership for the pool alone is over $600. I would do anything to be able to go back to this pool. Count your lucky stars, Aucklanders!!!! ;)

Sometimes if we have kid-free time at the weekend and are feeling righteous we use the gym here…read morebefore having a swim. I like it when gyms aren't painful about casual visitors and the ones run by Auckland City Council are really a bargain. We had a good time here as we usually work out without machines so each time we're in a new gym it's all new and exciting. Which is a really helpful feeling to have about exercise. Don't come here though if you're a complete novice; the staff are more interested in posing than assisting the clients. Which is fine with us. There's probably more cardio machines here than I've seen anywhere else along with everything else you might need; weights, kettle bells, Swiss balls, stretching mats... This place is the ideal set-up because it really has everything; there's a cafe, creche, sauna, group fitness and personal trainers, nutritionist and physio all on site. And what's left of the original building's character is beautiful. Aucklanders of my vintage will remember when the Newmarket Pool was the place to go in summer and hang out on the concrete terraces in the sunshine. It's now of course covered in but they did the best job they could retaining the building's Deco character. It's a pretty busy pool and there's no dedicated "frolicking" area so you need to avoid the serious swimmers if you're just in for a dip. The curved spa at the end gets crazy crowded which is less than relaxing but that's what you get in the populated areas. The changing rooms here have some interesting features, particularly the strips of clear glass at strategic height in the showers. So you can have a moderate level of privacy but not for the body parts where you really it. My husband has a hilarious story about one of our visits involving a clearly very body-confident man hoisting his leg up on a bench to blowdry his nether regions - yes with the hairdryer. Personal space being at a premium when it's busy it was apparently quite an eyeful. Not sure this is a selling point but it's certainly bloody funny.

Recently I decided it was about time I became a regular gym bunny, as its been about two years…read moresince I was. I was happily surprised that this gym was what i was looking for, I think the exterior can give you another story when inside you have a little bitt of everything, and fitness is the priority. This used to be a Northcote plant nursery about four years ago, as I remember it when I first moved to the area. On my first visit I chatted with the friendly trainer on a weekend afternoon as the gym was about to shut. I was welcomed in for a free one week trial where I could try out the three different classes available, and use any of the weights and machines in the gym. I tried out Box fit, which is high intensity boxing class combined with lots of cardio and strength exercises, and also my favourite class the StretchFit which is a combination of Yoga and Pilates. Have to say the seller on my membership was the Stretch fit class because I get such a massive return from it, gives me extra energy and keeps me flexible. The friendly and passionate staff, and top quality fitness gear make this a really great gym. They have competitive prices if you sign up as a couple. I am super happy with the close proximity to where I live as this keeps me regular too.

Always wanted to join a boxing gym but wasn't sure how it would be as someone with no experience…read more I'm very happy with Shane Cameron Fitness. The classes like BoxFit are a nice change of pace from the usual treadmill and weights (which they have there as well). The staff are all friendly and welcoming. The instructors do an excellent job of motivating you to work hard. Highly recommend this place!

Coming from the perspective of an avid climber, it's rare and great to find gyms like this one…read more There was a great variety of bouldering problems and rope climbs and an extensive kids area. I am deducting a star though for a definite lack of upkeep. Lots of places were losing paint etc. More importantly, I had to hire (rent) some shoes being on a vacation and we had to check 4 pairs before I found some that didn't have holes clean through and mine were pretty torn up. I've spent time at a number of gyms and you can tell which ones let things drop and which don't and signs of things being run down make it harder to trust the safety equipment you rely on. If this place took more pride in upkeep, it would be a gem.

What an awesome indoor climbing gym! Ample parking and suitable for all ages. There was an…read moreabundance of kids earlier in the evening with special courses and rooms dedicated solely to the little ones and even some of New Zealand's top climbers were spotted training here last night. There is also quite an array of routes with multiple routes per level and belay instructions are included for first-timers at no additional charge. There is no pretentiousness here. I am a complete novice and was climbing at their busiest time flanked on both sides by very experienced climbers. Everyone is really encouraging and content to wait their turn, even if it does take you a little longer than average to reach the top. For entrance and shoe and harness rental, the combo price for adults is $27.50. Entrance alone is $17.50 if you already have your own equipment. Package deals and monthly rates are also available. Best to go in even numbers as all routes require a belayer.

If you're a student at Auckland Uni and you enjoy hitting the gym, then I would recommend checking…read moreout and signing up to the Auckland Uni gym! It's cheap as chips! Only $295 for a 12 month membership (upfront payment for enrolled UoA students), that works out to be roughly $5.70 a week!! Bargain! This gym is fully equipped with machines and free weights, a climbing wall, cardio machines, a stretching room, classes and a female only section. Just recently they have also renovated the bathrooms and showers, so youre able to get fresh and clean before hitting class. They have great locker facilities, however make sure you bring your own lock. However the downside is, after leg day you have four flights of stairs to walk up to get out of the building...... Feel the BURN!! If you're a Uni student wanting to go casually it costs $15. If you're a non-Uni student it costs $20 to go casually. Being a Uni student who likes to stay fit this is a great investment. Although forking out $295 is a lot of money for most Uni students, it will be a cheap investment long term.

The gym which is responsible for the Greek God like body you see before you, well I guess I have…read morekind of let myself go, but let me tell you, back in the day I was looking ripped. Also the cheapest gym around, ends up costing you about $60 per month, and half that if you are a student. Patrons range from casual gym goers to super serious gym buffs, and they have an impressive range of machinery and free weights to comfortably cater to the diverse crowd. It can be a little crowded at times, especially the month leading up to summer, everyone trying to drop those winter pounds. It is a student gym, no plush extras like a sauna, but for $60 a month it's a great deal.