Hi lads and ladies,
For a short while this year, I wasn’t a member of a gym, so I took advantage of this and decided to put my efforts into trying new classes at different locations around London. To save on the pennies, I looked for free classes, trial memberships and special offers. Here’s my ultimate guide so you can get fit without working out your wallet.
Look for brand new gyms
Spotted a new gym on your high street? Now is the perfect time to register your interest. They will be keen to sign up as many new people as possible so they may be offering trial sessions or reduced rate classes. And if you don’t ask, you don’t get, so don’t be afraid to pop your head in and see what they have to offer you.
Sign up to marketing emails
I’m one of those people that signs up to everythingggg. I’m happy receiving bundles of emails because otherwise I get serious FOMO. Brands often give special discounts and exclusive offers to their email subscribers – so sign up to all of those fancy gyms you have spied on Instagram and hope for the best.
Follow them on Instagram
Talking of Instagram, this is another sphere in which marketing takes place A LOT. Your favourite gyms and studios may promote special deals here and often I see Instagram competitions taking place where you can win free classes or PT sessions. Sometimes I do fitness reviews on my Instagram, so do check it out.
WHY A RUNNING COMMUTE COULD SUIT YOU
Sign up to trial sessions
Why not utilise a free trial session? I know that FitnessFirst run a three-day taster for you to check out their facilities. And I’m sure lots of other gyms and leisure centres do similar sorts of trials. There is usually no obligation to sign up afterwards, so you can just try it out.
Parkrun
If you haven’t heard of Parkrun, it’s a 5K course with lots of other runners for company – and the best thing is that it’s completely free! If I’m honest, the only downside for me is that it takes place early on a Saturday morning and dragging myself out of bed for a run then is rather difficult. However, I understand that they have to do it at this hour, before the parks are used for other dog-walkers, picnic-goers and children. If you haven’t tried one yet, I would definitely say give it a go.
Try MoveGB
MoveGB are always advertising for £1 trials where you can sign up for a week. MoveGB is essentially a marketplace for gyms and studios. You can filter your criteria according to time, location or class type – and from my experience, there are some amazing classes on there. You can even take part in fun things like indoor rock climbing and circus skills for a small supplement.
Try ClassPass
ClassPass is something that has popped up in a few UK cities including London, Bristol and Manchester. I would 100% recommend taking part in the free trial. It’s very similar to MoveGB and it includes some amazing studios like 1Rebel where spin classes would usually set you back £20 a pop. Just be warned, it is easy to be hooked and you may end up being a ClassPass convert – which is amazing, but a financial commitment.
THE BEST FITNESS CLASSES IN WEST LONDON
Search EventBrite
EventBrite is a great place to search for events generally but there are sometimes fitness classes on there. The handy filter means you can set your search for only free events, as well as setting a date to suit you.
Sign up to the CHEAPSKATE London email
If you’re in London Town and love a freebie, then you’ll love this weekly Cheapskate London email. They provide a handy round-up of free (or super cheap) things going on in London. It can be anything from a foodie freebie to a yoga session in the park.
Get a friend to refer you
With studios like Hot Pod Yoga and Frame, they rely on referral schemes to up their members. It’s a great incentive as you’ll both save on your next class. In fact, if you want to try Hot Pod Yoga, here’s a code for a free class: S2BKBM
Happy sweating!
R x
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