CityFitness Willis St — Local services in North Island

I’m new to CityFitty, a casual gym goer, used to other cities, been at both cheaper and pricier gyms. First shout out for the place is to Quentin Brake, a trainer there. Thought about the gym at end.

Q was reccied to me by a friend and I’d also absolutely reccie him for a range of stuff. I’d first hit him up for the gym’s “orientation” sesh if you want to get to know his vibe first, but he’s a really solid guy. He really suits as a regular PT - incl if you’re a competitive lifter (I’m not, but mates are) - thoughtful, methodical, goal-oriented.

Biggie for me is the supportive. Always found that with Q. I find he’s calm but encourages you to rise to the challenge, trusts/respects your gut (no one is the same everyday), and does well as a team player so you can focus on what you need to focus on.

If you’re more or less into the info side of stuff, I’d say Q gives you the tools you need and at the depth of understanding you want to achieve. I personally like someone who helps bring me on the technical journey and gives me a deeper understanding. Q is good at that, but also can keep it high level if you want to just let him do the thinking for you. I like his thorough low-down on the various free weights and machines, modifications (for injury) and variations (for targeting), niggly areas when using them (damn, the forearms on the rower) and the work arounds (straps, etc). Great spotter and teacher of the safety backups. Super responsive if you have questions and you can keep up with him on insta for form etc.

He’s clued up on the industry standards if that’s an area you want to build to. Extensive knowledge after all his years training and then in PT.

In terms of CityFitty itself: a decent gym decent range of what you need. machine, free weights people are generally nice the staff are cool and the staffed hours are handy/reasonable you do get a wide range of people; a range of customers maybe because it’s got some of the best deals in the city. that could be a con for some people. along same line: often busy. watch out for student ebbs and flows around semester changes. high school and uni. a lot of crossover in some circles. not hard to find a friend who already has a membership and go together. class options are good. not flash if that matters to you tidiness: relative to the volume and range of people, i’d say surprisingly good. again can vary with the seasons and especially if far out of staffed hours. idk about the women’s wharepaku but the men’s one can get messy. but that gets sorted in a few hours. locker areas fine. I like having different site options several lockers have broken levers at any given time. just check the one you’re using if you care. again, probs a thing of being the best deal in town so priorities probs aren’t every locker working. gym goers are generally chill about that, many lockers don’t get locked, and respect when stuff isn’t theirs as far as I’ve experienced

So yeah, would reccie the gym too but I personally think it’s often too much for me to “lock in” mindset-wise in terms of how often it gets very busy and some of the big groups that use it very socially. Impacts how soon you can use something, distractions around you, etc. Join if you thrive in...

Split across 3 levels navigable only by a single flight of stairs, the layout is sub-optimal. The air-conditioning operates, as is most common with "office" buildings, using pressure difference, so opening even one window prevents it from working. MOST of the windows are secured shut but on the entry for there are at least a couple which I've observed repeatedly being opened... The area NEAR to those windows may become cooler but everywhere else heats up with all the burned calories, so the huge fans are switched on to maximum, which are NOT a pleasant "solution" for those attempting to exercise near them! This has been a problem for YEARS and STILL hasn't been adequately addressed.

The resistance machines are generally good though many models, due to space limitations, only have a single machine, so the popular ones become unavailable for unpredictably long periods. Mid-afternoons they seem to be thronged by schoolboys.

The changing facilities are clean and spacious enough though I've not visited at peak times. There are hairdryers and straightening tongs in the...

It's ok. You get what you pay for. Cheap gym attracts the masses so be prepared to wait for a machine or squat rack etc in peak times - and good luck getting a locker because the ones that are available are broken and not fixed too often. With respect to the equipment, I often see something out of order when I'm there but it's usually fixed pretty quickly which is good. Layout is good for an office space gym and there is a good variety of equipment and machines. However I do think that they should be more mindful of cleanliness. The showers are all covered in orange/pink slime and some of the toilets are vile. The changing rooms could stand to be cleaned more often and ventilated. The cardio area can often be dusty Also needs reminders or guides for basic gym etiquette. I know COVID is over and all but I've gotten sick twice after working out here with students coughing their guts out while running on the treadmill or lifting. Wouldn't be very enticing for the prospective customer! All in all it has its flaws but is still good...