Get active in East Greenwich at Arches Leisure Centre

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In the heart of East Greenwich is a gem of a leisure facility, offering a wealth of facilities as well as a spot of local history into the bargain.

Arches Leisure Centre, located on Trafalgar Road near Maze Hill over ground station, has everything you would expect to find in a leisure centre and more. This former pool hall building is almost one hundred years old and is listed as a site of special interest. When you walk in, make sure you notice the foundation stone at the door. If you keep your eyes open as you walk around inside the building you will notice plenty of features that date back to the late 1920’s, making it easy to imagine the splendid galas that undoubtedly must have taken place here once.

The facilities themselves, however, are as modern as you could wish for. The large gym is equipped with over 100 stations, including all the cardio and weight machines you could wish for. There are also two exercise studios where you can find dance cardio classes, pilates and pre natal yoga on offer. The larger of the studios, the ‘tone zone’, offers over 50 class options and can fit up to 60 people. Most of these group exercise classes are guaranteed to make you sweat; tums, bums and thighs, power pump and cardio blast will get your heart racing. The smaller of the two studios is where you’ll find ‘calm’ classes, the pilates and yoga sessions. Gymnastics classes are also held at the centre.

There are two pools, one for the ’serious’ swimmers who want to do some focused length swimming, and the other for toddlers and anyone else who might just fancy a splash about. For added fun factor there are flume slides (strong swimmers only) and also a spa pool for when you want to relax and enjoy the bubbles.

For the little ones, there is a soft play area – perfect for those wet afternoons when you need to let the toddlers run off some steam. For 3 and 4 year olds there are toddler football classes, a great way to improve hand eye coordination, improve balance and boost confidence.
The centre opens between 6.30 and 7am on weekdays so it’s perfect if you want to squeeze in a quick bit of exercise before work. There is also full disabled access, including a pool hoist.

Gym membership – the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

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You have treated yourself to a swanky new gym membership. But you realise you don’t know what you should wear. Are your stained, baggy joggers suitable or should there be more fashion to your fitness? Tanks or tees – does it really matter what you wear to the gym?

Working out the cost

Just because you have treated yourself to a gym membership, you don’t have to fork out on fancy, expensive clothing. A pair of shorts and t-shirt is perfectly adequate attire to get you fit.

However, some people believe splashing out on clothes is worthwhile for the benefits of better materials. Lycra feels great for freedom of movement, and breathable fabrics are much more comfortable than 100% cotton. Plus higher quality often means the clothing will last for longer. Swimming costumes with chlorine resistance are particularly worth spending more on if you swim regularly and you don’t want the baggy look in the pool!

Feeling good in what you wear and knowing you look good too also means you will feel happy going to the gym and being on show.
Shop around online and on price comparison sites, and take advantage of end of season sales. If you find the best prices you won’t have to trade fitness for fashion. You can also save some money on gym membership by choosing one of the new pay-as-you-go gym deals. Then you can spend your extra money on some swanky new clothes!

Safety first

Some gyms do have dress codes, but usually only enforce what is necessary for safety .

Good shoes are important and different supports are available depending on the activity, from yoga to weights. Fashion trainers or trainers with Velcro-fastening are sometimes discouraged due to lack of support. Some gyms do allow you to go barefoot, but if not, barefoot trainers are a great option for those who a more natural feel to their workout.

Excessively baggy clothing is also disallowed in some gyms to prevent it getting caught in machines or weights, or if you are taking part in certain activities such as dance or yoga. Aside from this, ensure your clothing is comfortable, supportive and non-restrictive.

Baring it all

Most activities work up a sweat and for this reason you don’t want to wear too much. It can also be a great motivator to see those muscles flexing , as well as giving you something to focus on. Sleeveless tops are a great idea so sweat isn’t trapped, although some gyms frown on tank tops which reveal too much. Go too far in the unveiling of your body (check out your shorts for holes in the crotch) and you could be breaking some gym membership rules on modesty!

Bring colour to your clobber

What colour you wear when you exercise can add extra motivation to your workouts. Colour therapists recommend wearing oranges and reds for extra power and an energy boost. Strong, bright colours will also get the attention of other gym users if you need an extra reason for working hard! Avoid pale greens and greys which may lower your mood and energy. Darker colours look more sophisticated and sexy, but they do absorb heat. Lighter colours may help keep you cool as they reflect heat.

Whether you’re dressed for success or seriously out to impress, check out the new gym membership options at www.payasugym.com and enjoy the savings in the your pockets – whatever they’re made of!

What does the future hold for our gyms? Manchester and London show it could be brighter than you might think.

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Could we be about to see a rise in attendance levels at the gyms? Manchester and London are leading the way in a new wave of budget and pay as you go gyms, proving they are no longer the preserve of the rich. Will this encourage us to don lycra and follow the trend set by the US?

Gym membership levels in the United States are looking good. They increased by a reasonable 2.4% in 2011 to a massive 51.4 million people – 18% of the population – and actual gym usage increased from 97.5 days in 2010 to 102.5 days in 2011. That means that almost a fifth of Americans now go to the gym almost twice a week. Impressive stuff. Now, traditionally the United States are global trend setters. Whatever you may think of this notion, it’s true that whatever they do, we tend to copy a little while later. So, are going to fall in line and follow our American cousins all the way to the changing room?

A couple of years ago, it would have looked doubtful. The UK gym industry actually contracted by 3.8% in 2009-10, which is really no surprise considering we were all busy being made redundant and going bust. However, that was then and this is now. Just a couple of years later the outlook is looking – well, if not rosy, then at least budding. And it’s all down to – what else – price.

Attitudes towards the gym are shifting as we are starting to see a new breed of gym emerge; the cheap, everyman gym. Like no-frills airlines they get the job done without any fancy touches or fancy price tags. These budget gyms are popping up everywhere with the result that some cities have actually seen a rise in their number of gyms. Manchester and London are two such cities enjoying this new wave. Presumably there’s a market for them. It would be a pretty unwise business decision otherwise.

Then there is the new way to visit the gym; the pay as you go way. At last the traditional membership model has been challenged and gyms are responding to consumer demand. Half-hearted gym users don’t want to fork out a fortune for a membership they rarely use, especially when cancelling the contract can be a seemingly impossible task. The ability to pay simply for a one-off gym session, no strings attached, is ideal for a large proportion of the population who perhaps only want to visit the gym three or four times a month. A quick arithmetical calculation to break down the cost of gym membership into the cost per gym visit is usually enough to put these potential users off entirely. Well, not anymore, because they can now pay per visit instead.

Just 12% of the population in the UK are gym users. That means, if the US is anything to go by, that there is another 6% just waiting to be brought into the fold. Now the cost barrier has been removed, why wouldn’t they join the flock?

To find the pay as you go gyms Manchester, London and other UK cities are boasting, go to www.payasugym.com

The fight against cellulite without a big spend; how cheap gyms and the right diet will give you the victory

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Don’t believe the hype, there’s only two ways of getting rid of cellulite: the right exercise and the right diet. Make the most of the cheap gyms near you and follow these simple exercises and you won’t need to fork out on expensive magical cures.

With a plethora of expensive creams and lotions claiming to firm and reduce our cellulite hot spots, it would be easy to think that splashing out will solve our woes, by trimming and smoothing our thighs and bum. But here’s the truth; nutrients and vitamins aren’t absorbed through the skin. Your skin is impervious. The only way of getting rid of cellulite is through diet and exercise.

With more and more accessible and cheap gyms popping up it has never been easier or more affordable to get out there and give your bum and thighs the attention they desire. Cellulite is basically visible fat cells, and when you do cardiovascular aerobic exercise you burn calories and get rid of fat. Secondly, by adding muscle tone to your legs and bottom, skin is supported from the inside making everything that little bit firmer. For best results you’ll need to do regular toning and strengthening work using resistance machines and your body weight, combined with aerobic exercises.

Running on the treadmill is ideal as it works the lower body muscles and you can vary the intensity and speed of your workout. Climbing stairs will also work wonders for your wobbly bits. Jump on the stair master or step machine and repeatedly climb a set number of steps, as often as you can. You’ll be amazed at the results. And don’t forget, most gyms will have TV screens so you can catch up on the latest entertainment whilst you fight the cellulite.

For toning and strengthening, make the most of the resistance machines and free weights area. The leg press is a good one for this, and simply stepping on and off a step whilst holding and pulling up some weights, will get your glutes working and the cellulite melting. Most gyms will have dedicated stretching areas. This is your chance to squat and lunge. Give yourself a set number of each exercise to do and a set number of repetitions. As you improve, you can increase this and add some weights. If you’re not sure whether you’re doing them correctly, most gyms will have qualified instructors on standby to help you. Just don’t be scared to ask. That’s what they’re there for, and they’re on your side.

Sticking to a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water will also help you on your quest, but exercise is your number one weapon. With cheap gyms offering flexible entry options, it has never been a better time to fight the cellulite.

If you would like to wage war on your cellulite without spending a fortune, check out the cheap gyms near you at www.payasugym.com.