Which Gym Do You Go To?

Posted by : foongpc | Thursday, February 5, 2009 | Published in

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After one whole week eating non stop during the Chinese New Year holidays, I believe I have gained some substantial weight.

So this week, I made it a point to go to the Fitness First gym to lose all those unwanted pounds! My brother who have never joined any gym before asked if he could sign up as member. I said why not, but when I told him it costs RM175 a month, he thought it was way too expensive!




Seeing that the economy is not that good, I think most gyms are not doing that well either. Perhaps they don't mind slashing the normal price to something more affordable? So when I went to Fitness First at The Curve yesterday, I decided to stop by the front counter to enquire about their latest fee structure.

I was hoping that I could reduce my own monthly fee and even negotiate a good price for my brother.

Well, fat hopes! Not only did I not get a reduced fee, the front counter staff told me that the price is now increased to RM185 for passport members, and RM175 for non passport members. Previously, it was RM175 and RM145 for passport and non passport members respectively. By the way, passport members are allowed to use any Fitness First gyms, whereas non passport members are limited to use only their Fitness First home gym and one other Fitness First gym of their choice.

I was surprised and asked why were they increasing the fees. Guess what the counter staff told me? He said times are bad so they need to increase the price.

Now what kind of logic is that? Don't they know anything about marketing? When times are bad, people do not sign up for gym memberships. They have other more important priorities to take care of financially. So what do you do to entice people to sign up? You lower the fee, right? You don't raise the fee further!

Don't they understand that when they lower the fee, more people will sign up and that will more than make up for the revenues lost from lowering the fees?

Well, will I still stick with Fitness First? Yes, because they have not increased my fee so far. And they better not try! The last time I heard, True Fitness was offering new members a fee as low as RM97 per month! I don't know how true is that, so any True Fitness members out there care to confirm?


True Fitness at Jaya 33 photo courtesy of MunFitnessBlog

I brought my brother to a gym called EITP in Damansara Jaya (near Atria) to see if this cheaper looking gym would be able to offer cheaper monthly fees. As it turned out, their fees were indeed cheaper. You can choose to pay RM470 for 3 months, RM720 for 6 months or RM1,350 for 12 months. Paying for 12 months in one shot will save you as much as RM530 compared to paying by 3 monthly intervals. And if you break that down to one month, you are paying only RM112.50 per month compared to RM175 at Fitness First, but still more expensive than RM97 at True Fitness!

The advantage with EITP as claimed by the person in charge, is the fee includes the services of a personal trainer as well. In Fitness First, you would need to fork out an additional RM120 (if not mistaken) an hour for a personal trainer!

It may look really worth your money signing up with EITP, but I kept wondering if the personal trainer will always be there for you as he also have other clients to take care of. You see, they only have a limited number of personal trainers. In fact, the more people sign up, the less time he will have for you! Furthermore, looking at the facilities at EITP, I still prefer the facilities provided by Fitness First anytime! Well, I guess you pay more for quality!

I do not know if my brother will join EITP or not, perhaps he would end up joining True Fitness.

Now I wonder how much do other gyms charge? Famous gyms like Clark Hatch, Celebrity Fitness and California Fitness? If you are a member of any of these gyms, please share with us the monthly fees that you are paying.


California Fitness at Sunway Pyramid photo courtesy of MunFitnessBlog

Here's a comprehensive review of four famous gyms in Malaysia by blogger Mun. If you are interested, check out his reviews of California Fitness, Celebrity Fitness, Clark Hatch and True Fitness. I wonder why he did not review Fitness First.

Oh, by the way, if you don't plan to lift weight, or do yoga, don't bother to join a gym. If you are just thinking of doing aerobic exercises, no point in wasting money joining a gym. You can easily go jogging at the public parks for free! Unless of course, you like to join those group classes provided by the gyms.

So if you do go to the gym, which gym do you go to and how often?

(63) Comments

  1. Medie007 said...

    and i thought so many ah bengs are going into the gyms nowadays? saw lotsa them carrying gym bags watsoever.

    February 5, 2009 at 3:45 PM
  2. Anonymous

    Don't pay too much upfront, because that's how GYMS make money. Though you think you can stick to the regime, your chances of start/stopping is higher. Fitness First sounds bloody expensive though.

    February 5, 2009 at 4:06 PM
  3. TZ said...

    Dude, it's depends on what your needs ... if you like attending classes ... of coz Fitness First is good, otherwise u could choose others...

    I like FF is that they have branches around Klang Valley... I could drop by any branch whenever they is a traffic jam... kakaka :p

    February 5, 2009 at 4:29 PM
  4. Nick Phillips (15/03/1967 - 04/11/2022) said...

    I think the best form (and cheap too) is to just go running but unfortunately I haven't been doing that for ages ... LOL!

    February 5, 2009 at 4:31 PM
  5. khengsiong said...

    Smokers don't quit even when the government raises cigarette tax. In economics, we say the demand for cigarette is inelastic.

    Maybe this is true for gyms too.

    I haven't joined any gym yet...

    February 5, 2009 at 5:30 PM
  6. LifeRamblings said...

    fat days hit all of us, you just have to know why and how to handle them.

    February 5, 2009 at 5:30 PM
  7. JL said...

    I did think of joining gyms but then my brisk-walking around the neighbourhood did wonders so now I don't anymore. But when you want to build that muscle then I admit you should join gyms, the equipment helps immensely lol.

    February 5, 2009 at 5:32 PM
  8. LifeRamblings said...

    money is an issue to many average earners who simply can't afford to spend an extreme amt of cash on gym.

    February 5, 2009 at 5:33 PM
  9. Faisal Admar said...

    hehe i'd say the same, expensive!
    actually if you want to keep fit then you can do cardio, but if you really want a nice body then you must do it using the free lifting... not the one with machine. that means you need a partner... to support and you do the same when he lift weight too. so it won't be dangerous and you can be flexible. to focus parts based on the timetable you and your partner make.

    i used to go to gym when i was actively doing show. but now no more. so you know why i hate my job now eh? lol.

    February 5, 2009 at 7:28 PM
  10. Anonymous

    my uni got gym room
    free access for student :D
    it feels good to be student, sometimes

    February 5, 2009 at 7:34 PM
  11. lina said...

    pay RM1,998 for an infinity membership at California Fitness with yearly fee of RM99. Monthly membership: RM138. Not that I go to one myself. To much a lazy bum. :(

    February 5, 2009 at 8:31 PM
  12. Anonymous

    None..in answer to your post question..hehe. I dislike gyms coz I prefer to exercise outdoors..and I find those treadmills boring. I prefer swimming as a form of exercise coz there's literally no sweat since you are in the water and in one workout..you exercise every part of your body :)

    In any case, I walk alot due to my love for photography...and that's already exercise.

    February 5, 2009 at 9:43 PM
  13. foongpc said...

    medie007, really? I don't know about that! Some of my friends who used to go gym have quit! : )

    gallivanter, yeah, I think it's wiser not to pay upfront, because you'll never know if the gym will still be there in one year's time! Fitness First IS expensive! : )

    tz, I don't attend the classes cos don't have that much time - only go to gym twice a week for weightlifting. Do jogging in the public parks cos prefer outdoors and nature. But I also like FF cos they have lots of branches everywhere : )

    February 5, 2009 at 10:50 PM
  14. foongpc said...

    nick phillips, running is a good from of aerobic exercise, but you also need some weightlifting to tome yourself up. Well, it's good to start running again : )

    khengsiong, I think people will quit gym if fees too high because many do not know the purpose they go gym. And when financial survival is at stake, gym membership will have to go! Maybe it's time you join one... : )

    life ramblings, well I don't go to gym just to lose fat, cos if that's the case, I can jog in the park for free. No, I also need to tone up with some weightlifting and I find the gym has all the tools and the environment I need.

    February 5, 2009 at 10:56 PM
  15. foongpc said...

    JL, you are right. The gym equipments do help a lot : )

    faisal, what shows you did last time before your current job?

    annant, uni students are lucky alrite : )

    February 5, 2009 at 11:02 PM
  16. foongpc said...

    lina, do you mean you got to pay RM1,998 for lifetime membership, then on top of that, you got to pay RM138 every month? That's terribly expensive!

    my bug life, I also prefer outdoors. In the gym I spend only about 10 mins on the treadmill, cos most of the time, do weightlifting. Haha! I do my jogging outdoors in the park. Some people however like to watch TV while on the treadmill in the gym - I don't. Sadly I don't know how to swim! : (

    February 5, 2009 at 11:07 PM
  17. Anonymous

    I haven't tried any gym yet... and guess I will never join any also. For exercise, I play badminton every week.

    Any lenglui in FF? :)

    February 6, 2009 at 12:02 AM
  18. Anonymous

    Many years ago, I went to a gym exclusively for women. I prefer it than a unisex gym. Since the members were all women, I didn't feel the pressure of looking good while exercising. LOL

    February 6, 2009 at 1:38 AM
  19. Anonymous

    Hey! I agree with Babette..
    I do think it's kind of pressurising to look good with all the guys walking around and sharing the same space as u.. lol!

    Unfortunately, I don't go to gyms.. I just have no time for it and not to mention, no discipline for it too.. lol! I'm thinking of starting off with jogging.. ;P

    February 6, 2009 at 2:22 AM
  20. lina said...

    no, RM1,998 lifetime then pay RM99 for an annual fee. Once a year payment, that's all.
    The RM138 is for those who opt for Platinum membership

    February 6, 2009 at 8:54 AM
  21. levian said...

    i've didn't have a gym membership as well, i usually jog at a park or play badminton. the cool air especially, is very welcoming for me! :D

    February 6, 2009 at 9:39 AM
  22. Anonymous

    Hi Foongpc, Thank you so much for your kindly comment on my MianZhu post. I never think you are a tiny person as you say. I can always feel the passion from your blog, and I can always learn from you!

    February 6, 2009 at 11:43 AM
  23. Anonymous

    me not a gym person. i know i can never stick to it. lol. the 3-min passion i have. but anyway, my fren who goes to true fitness, told me that all the members are so pissed off coz they cut the free water supply or something to cut cost. wat the crap right?

    February 6, 2009 at 11:45 AM
  24. foongpc said...

    neo, you should join FF cos lots of leng lui there! : )

    babette, I think there's a gym in Malaysia that caters for women only. Yes, I have a few female friends who prefer these gyms. But I wonder, do you females want to look nice just for the men? Why not look nice for women too? (Just kidding) : )

    cashmere, actually when I go gym I don't care how I look. I'm there to do my exercise : ) Start jogging? Good for you - any exercise is better than none! : )

    February 6, 2009 at 12:57 PM
  25. foongpc said...

    lina, oh I see! Then that's quite OK. But sometimes I get a bit nervous paying a 4 figure sum for lifetime memberships. I don't know if the gym will still be around. I'm sure you have heard about the Yoga Zone case : )

    levian, jogging and playing badminton are good exercise already. The reason I go gym is to tone up with their weights. Otherwise, I prefer outdoors : )

    February 6, 2009 at 1:02 PM
  26. foongpc said...

    iWalk, thanks! I'm sure we can learn from each other : )

    xin, really? True Fitness did that? Yes, what the crap! So your friend have to go back home to shower after exercising there? If me, I'll make lots of noise and write a complaint letter to them!

    February 6, 2009 at 1:06 PM
  27. Unknown said...

    find the gyms a lil high, esp if you dont go every other day. i now only go for pay per entry. these are the community gyms - only bout rm5 (malacca) or sgd2.5 (singapore) :)

    February 6, 2009 at 3:29 PM
  28. eastcoastlife said...

    I don't go to gyms because firstly I have no time and secondly they are quite expensive.

    I live near the beach, so leisurely strolls along the beach would be some form of exercise? hehe...

    February 6, 2009 at 3:45 PM
  29. eiling lim said...

    Since I'm wasting a lot of money to Celebrity Fitness by not going there twice a week as I planned to, I will reveal how much I paid for it. For the 1st Year, I paid RM149 monthly for the usage of CF at Subang Parade. 2nd year, they offered me a package where I pay for 2 years and get 2 years free. So I paid RM298 for 12 months and I don't need to pay for the rest of the other 3 years. Quite a good deal I think.

    February 6, 2009 at 3:47 PM
  30. Anonymous

    Join YMCA cheaper... LOL!!!

    February 6, 2009 at 6:49 PM
  31. foongpc said...

    quachee, community gyms are definitely much cheaper, but I like the expensive gym - maybe because I find them comfortable and clean. Not very smart of me right? : )

    eastcoastlife, I guess strolling by the beach would make a pretty good exercise : )

    eiling, yes that's a good deal! But since you don't go there often, it's like wasting the good deal! : )

    suituapui, I know YMCA is much cheaper, but lack the facilities and environment of high class gyms. Well, if my gym continues to raise the fees, I may consider it! : )

    February 7, 2009 at 1:44 AM
  32. Unknown said...

    foongpc, i think if one can afford, why not :)

    for me, because of the constant travels, i hardly use the gym locally (be it even in spore or malacca) - so, not very good on my part. also, the community gyms have enough equipments for me so far :)

    February 7, 2009 at 3:15 AM
  33. Monica said...

    I don't go to gyms because I'm too lazy to do exercise :-D

    February 7, 2009 at 4:57 AM
  34. Faisal Admar said...

    foong... its something related to an animal and walking. nothing much...

    February 7, 2009 at 8:57 AM
  35. Bengbeng said...

    most ppl quit gym within three months. after a few sessions, a personal trainer is not really necessary. ultimately we need to be self motivated

    February 7, 2009 at 9:51 AM
  36. HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said...

    I go to a very basic gym called Planet Fitness and it is only $10 per month! All the other gyms are about at least $29 or more a month. I usually do the weight machines.

    February 7, 2009 at 10:20 AM
  37. synical said...

    I don't do the gym scene cos I'm too cheap and too lazy to do so.

    February 7, 2009 at 11:20 AM
  38. HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said...

    Stop by sometime-I have an award for you.

    February 7, 2009 at 1:39 PM
  39. Anonymous

    Hi foongpc, I know how you work hard on your blog. So I have a Passionate Blogger Award for you, PLS check it here: Are You A Passionate Blogger?

    February 7, 2009 at 1:43 PM
  40. foongpc said...

    quachee, yes I also agree if one can afford, why not! : )

    monica, haha! Really you should do some exercise - it's all part of being healthy : )

    faisal, animal shows? For a moment, I thought you did modelling or dancing or singing or something like that. LOL!

    February 7, 2009 at 8:46 PM
  41. foongpc said...

    bengbeng, you are right. To last, one must be self motivated. I also don't think a personal trainer is necessary other than providing you some motivation, which you can do yourself.

    health nut wannabee mom, only USD10 a month? That's so cheap! If only the gyms here are that cheap!

    synical, haha! I hope you do some exercise outside the gym, though cos exercise is good for health : )

    February 7, 2009 at 8:53 PM
  42. foongpc said...

    health nut wannabee mom & iWalk, thanks for the awards! Will check them out! : )

    February 7, 2009 at 9:22 PM
  43. levian said...

    won't mind trying out gym when there is a chance. i heard people even when for dance lesson or yoga there. :D

    February 7, 2009 at 10:17 PM
  44. Pete said...

    Take up jogging, much cheaper! Keep your sports equipment receipt. Heard this year can deduct!

    February 7, 2009 at 10:49 PM
  45. day-dreamer said...

    I go to the gym in my campus! :P

    February 7, 2009 at 11:05 PM
  46. Mariuca said...

    YAY Foong, ur my FC at MPG la, thanks and congrats ha ha! :):):)

    February 7, 2009 at 11:53 PM
  47. Mariuca said...

    I'd love to say that my gym is FF and I go 4 times a week without fail...but then I'd be totally lying lolz! ;)

    February 7, 2009 at 11:54 PM
  48. Mariuca said...

    Following ur blog now! :)

    February 7, 2009 at 11:56 PM
  49. foongpc said...

    levian, you should give it a try. Yes, lots of people go there for dancing and yoga lessons. But I've never tried those classes before : )

    pete, really? Can get tax deduction for sports equipments? OK, time to go for badminton and buy a racket and those shuttlecocks! Btw, do sports shoes qualify? : )

    day-dreamer, you are so lucky to have free gym in campus!

    February 8, 2009 at 12:46 AM
  50. foongpc said...

    mariuca, wow! Me first commenter? Break record lah! : )

    So you don't go to any gym? I thought you go FF, then can see you there. LOL!

    Thanks for following my blog! : )

    February 8, 2009 at 12:49 AM
  51. day-dreamer said...

    Campus gym not free leh! RM2/2-hours session...

    February 8, 2009 at 1:40 AM
  52. foongpc said...

    day-dreamer, aiyo RM2 per 2 hours session is like free lah compared to my RM175 per month!! : )

    February 8, 2009 at 2:02 AM
  53. Tekkaus said...

    I don't go to gym! In fact never. I trained at home. =)

    February 10, 2009 at 3:37 AM
  54. Anonymous

    Wow, big post here! :)
    I hope your gym experience will be beneficial!:)

    Foong, I'm stopping by to let you know that I'm back "soon" on my blog ... Stay tuned ;)
    Keep up the good work with your blog, thanks for your comments on mine. :)

    February 10, 2009 at 8:45 AM
  55. foongpc said...

    tekkaus, training at home will save you lots of $$$ - so way to go! : )

    leo, finally, you're back! Good to hear that and will visit your blog soon! : )

    February 10, 2009 at 1:42 PM
  56. Anonymous

    I used to go to FF but stopped when 'times become bad'...lol...Never mind, now I just go to FREE gym, the public park, our apartment hiking and jogging trail and the staircase of my apartment. Cheap and just as good exercise. Now, only need to get my lazy butt to actually do some exercise.....
    ~the fat female Foong who's not seen the inside of a gym for years....~

    February 11, 2009 at 2:19 PM
  57. foongpc said...

    zewt, there are a lot in FF too, but I have no problem with them - some are my friends too : )

    foong speaks her mind, any exercise is better than no exercise, so get your butt moving! LOL!

    February 11, 2009 at 11:01 PM
  58. zewt said...

    did they make a move on you? hahahahhaa...

    February 11, 2009 at 11:55 PM
  59. foongpc said...

    one or two did. Haha!

    February 13, 2009 at 2:25 AM
  60. Anonymous

    Get Your Lean Muscle Mass Program For as low as RM 35.Get your lean body now!!
    http://leanmuscle88.blogspot.com/

    June 21, 2011 at 9:08 PM
  61. Lauren C said...

    Why pay for a gym when you can have one at home. I love using
    home gyms for my workouts!

    January 20, 2012 at 12:57 AM
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