Newcastle is a fantastic city with plenty to do and see, as I’m sure you’ll find out over the next three years. Your time at university is a fantastic opportunity to explore new places and try new things. For the active ones amongst you or for those looking to kick-start a new gym or exercise routine, why not check out the best options in and around Newcastle for gyms and exercise classes?
I’m sure you will have all heard of, seen or been to a Pure Gym by now. Scattered around the country, Newcastle actually has two to its name: Pure Gym Eldon Square and Pure Gym St James. Both offer 24-hour gym access in the centre of Newcastle and both are walking distance from most first year halls. They offer a variety of memberships, with the cheapest starting out at £12.99 a month! Having had a Pure Gym membership in my first year, I can confirm the classes are great and the gym has an abundance of machines and facilities.
The Gym is very similar to Pure Gym. The comparable no-frills aesthetic means that it comes at a very low price and they also have great student deals. There is one in the city centre at the bottom of The Gate, and another slightly further out in Benton (this one has free parking on site). Both are currently offering a student deal of £109 for nine months, which works out at just over £12 a month! I had a The Gym (Benton) membership in second year and thought it was good for the price. The only catch is that you do need a car. In my opinion, the classes aren’t as good here as they are at Pure Gym but it depends what you want.
The Sports Centre
The university gym is located in the Sports Centre, opposite Park View. It is well equipped and has a good range of machines including a weights room. In terms of membership, there are two options: silver and gold.
With silver membership, you do not get access to the gym itself. This only gives you access to sports centre activities, exercise classes (£3 per class), intra mural sports and use with university sports teams. This is priced at £66.50 and must be purchased if you join a sports team.
With gold membership, you get everything you would with a silver membership, plus unlimited gym access and free exercise classes. I personally prefer Pure Gym and The Gym to the university gym (you bump into less people!) but some people prefer going to the gym on campus in between lectures.
Yoga Therapies at Stack
As you explore Newcastle, you will no doubt come across Stack. Stack is a creative social hub for entertainment, culture, work and play and boasts an array of the North East’s best up & coming local independent businesses, eateries and bars. Think Shoreditch meets Newcastle. Yoga Therapies is a yoga company with a number of studios based in and around Newcastle. The Den is their Stack studio and offers great membership options. It is a very small studio but I had a great yoga class here last year. When I visited, my first class was free which was a great way to try it out. They offer pay-as-you-go options as well as monthly payment options including a single class for £10 or unlimited access at £40 a month for students (usually £50). Check out their website to find out more: www.yogatherapies.co.uk.
If you want to try something completely new and exciting at a discounted price, Give It A Go is the perfect choice for you. This is a Students’ Union scheme which offers free and heavily discounted exercise classes, activities and sport taster sessions. It’s a great way to help you meet new people, blow off some steam and have a bit of fun while you’re at university. In my second year, I tried out women’s lacrosse for the first time and ended up playing on the second team at university level so I would urge anyone who fancies trying something new to not hesitate and give it a go! More information about Give It A Go can be found at: nusu.co.uk/getinvolved/giveitago/
This is another gym option with similarly great student deals such as £109 for eight months. Again in the heart of Newcastle, this gym offers personal training and classes as well as a Ladies Only Gym, supervised by female personal trainers. If you are a total gym beginner, they offer a free 45-minute personalised induction session with one of their Personal Trainers in the Ladies Gym.
If fitness classes are more your thing, why not try ODFC Fitness? Slightly more expensive than other gym options mentioned here, they offer outdoor and indoor exercise classes for all abilities, including a running club. For students, the first month is £25 and every month after that is £35. What a great way to get fit and explore different parts of Newcastle at the same time!
Jesmond Swimming Pool
For the swimmers out there, Jesmond Pool is the nearest swimming pool to the city and offers lane swimming, adult swimming lessons and late evening chill out sessions. They also have a gym, which offers spinning classes, yoga, pilates and much more. Students pay £3.40 to swim and between £2 and £6 for individual classes. There are also plenty of membership options including gym only, swim only or all-inclusive. West Jesmond metro station is only a few minutes walk away, making it easily accessible for first years!
For all-round body conditioning, why not try Barre? While being one of the more pricey options, it offers a great way to work every muscle in your body with low impact, repetitive moves. You don’t have to be a ballerina to do it! They offer a range of classes including Re-Ab, Beautcamp and Barrdio and pricing options include: 2 for 1 intro offer for £14, £7 for a single session or a range of packages ranging from £55 to £200.
Park Run Newcastle
Whether you’re already a serial park-runner or you’re thinking “what on Earth is that?”, Park Run gives people of all abilities all over the country the chance to run, jog or walk 5km every Saturday at 9am. Newcastle Park Run is in Exhibition Park, and as with all Park Runs, it’s run by volunteers and is completely free. All you have to do is register online before your first run. Some of you may find this a great way to shake off a hangover and kick-start your weekend!
