£19.99 per month + £10 joining fee, or £15.99 per month if you buy a year’s contract.
Sam takes a visit to one of the most centrally located gyms in Cardiff, JD Gym.
Cardiff’s £2m JD Gym, which opened early 2018, combines the luxuries of more expensive options with the large floorspace and equipment selection of a national chain. Plus, the staff are very hands-off, with JD using a keycode access system rather than a reception desk.
Gym
JD have stocked their huge area with kit recognisable to anyone who has been in a Pure Gym. The resistance and cardio machines – of which there are over 250 according to the website – more than do the job. There are even a few extras such as heavy bags.
JD have really focused on aesthetics. A glance at their website shows a myriad of techy-looking rooms, all neon-lit. The lighting is more subtle in reality, and doesn’t make the place feel like a nightclub – even though their music can be a bit loud.
At 11am on a Tuesday I only found myself needing to wait once or twice, but it still felt a touch crowded in the free weights area. Doorways from the main area lead to a massive spin class room and ‘the studio’ (why do all gyms have a room called this?). The website claims JD put on all sorts of classes in these rooms.
The staff were around if you needed them, but far from intrusive. They mostly stuck to the far end of the gym, near the entrance, apart from one lady who awkwardly tried to vacuum the weights benches in between people using them – probably do this when it’s less busy, right?
All in all, despite having prety much the same kit, the vibe is just that bit classier than the bare basics and aggressive teal of Pure Gym.
Changing rooms
Decor-wise, the changing areas are even more suave than the rest of the place. The men’s is a large space with dark wood lockers that it was easy to fit my bulky bag into. Note: bring your own lock!
All the essentials are there – hair dryers, plenty of mirrors for the posers – and everything seemed in good nick.
The showers were warm but not adjustable and had a push button that you have to keep jabbing every four seconds. Good for the environment, but really annoying.
Also in the shower area is a sizeable sauna, a huge bonus for me, especially for this price. It seems to be brand new, and hits a solid 80C degrees. Also has a 15-minute timer. Only one other person used this in the 20 minutes I was in there.
Spoiled as I might be by hotels, I wanted somewhere to lie down and cool off after my sweat session. This wasn’t possible, so I went into the showers, which, as mentioned, only function at one temperature – warm. After this I knew I couldn’t get dressed just yet, or I’d drench my clothes in sweat, hot as I still was. I headed down to the locker area but there was a sign telling me I needed to be completely dry before I went any further.
With no other choice, I disobeyed and sat my sweaty self next to the lockers, dripping everywhere. Even after a second shower I hadn’t cooled sufficiently and was beet red as I left the building. Maybe I’ll take some iced water to douse myself with next time.
Score: 9/10
TL;DR: This is as good as gyms get for under £20 a month. Expect a superior product (with the huge added bonus of a sauna) for the same price as Pure Gym. The only thing missing is a swimming pool.
Unmanly Stanley 