Gyms I’ve tried in Amsterdam

I think there are around 30 to 40 gyms in Amsterdam’s city center. In a nutshell, here are the different kinds of gyms you can find:

- Low-cost gyms: you can get a gym membership for about 16 euro per month in low-cost gyms. These gyms are usually not a good choice if you want to weight-train. There’re usually mainly machines and very few free weights. If you’re looking for cardio machines, these gyms are the best option since they usually feature many basic cardio machines that take up most of the gym’s space.

The concept of these low-cost gyms is basically to try to get people who won’t go to the gym frequently to sign up. Once these people are signed up and realize they actually don’t go that often, they usually hesitate to cancel their gym membership because it isn’t that expensive even if they don’t show up.

That’s the big business advantage these low-cost gyms have over ‘regular’ gyms with usual membership prices: people who don’t go to the gym hesitate a lot more before canceling their membership because it’s cheaper. They tell themselves “It’s only 16 euro and I might go next week”, whereas people who pay 40 to 60 euro per month won’t hesitate to cancel their membership if they don’t go often enough. The concept of these low-cost gyms is thus: lots of cardio machines, 80% of gym members that never shows up and is paying for the 20% who does go regularly play with the cardio machines like a hamster in a wheel.

- Big chain gyms: Big chain gyms are gyms that offer a bit more services than low-cost gyms but sales is clearly the #1 goal here too. The advantage of chain gyms is that you can train in different locations that belong to the chain. Some chain gyms like Health City have good equipment (free weights, kettelbells and the latest new fitness gadgets) whereas others like Sport City target a broader public and feature only equipment that’s ‘safe’: many machines but no equipment with which gym newbies could easily hurt themselves.

- ‘Neighborhood’ gyms: by ‘neighborhood gyms’ I mean gyms that don’t belong to a chain or a big business group. The atmosphere in these gyms is usually a bit less anonymous than in big chain gyms. The membership prices and services are relatively comparable to big chain gyms, but the equipment is usually a bit older.

- Personal training studios: following the development of low-cost gyms, many personal trainers have decided to open their own studios to avoid working in low-cost gyms or big chain gyms where they usually won’t find many clients that are wealthy enough to afford personal training on a regular basis. These personal trainer studios are gyms where you can’t workout on your own but need to have an appointment with a trainer each time you go. These gyms are best for wealthy busy people who wish to be assisted with their training.

- Martial arts gyms: kickboxing is a popular sport in the Netherlands, particularly among ‘new-Dutch’ people (Dutch people with an immigrant background). There are several martial art gyms in Amsterdam that offers various martial art disciplines. The gym goers are very fit and passionate about their sport. However, there aren’t many female members which makes it difficult to find a training partner with the same fitness level if you’re a woman.

- Cross Fit gym: there are 3 Cross Fit gyms I know of in Amsterdam. One is located far away from the city center (outside Amsterdam actually, not easily accessible if you don’t have a car) www.crossfitamsterdam.nl, and two are located in Amsterdam Zuid (South of Amsterdam): www.mobiliscrossfit.nl and www.reebokcrossfit020.nl. Cross Fit is relatively still very unknown in the Netherlands. Generally Dutch people don’t seem to be big fans of bootcamp classes or high intensity workouts. Many of them are a bit too sissy for very brutal workouts :)

- Yoga & pilates studios: yoga is extremely popular in the Netherlands. Most gyms offer yoga and pilates classes, but strict yogis and pilates aficionados usually prefer going to a studio because studio’s trainers tend to be a lot more experienced and knowledgeable than the average pilates-yoga trainers working at regular gyms.

If you’re a tourist or staying for a short stay in Amsterdam
If you’re looking for a gym offering weekly passes, there aren’t many gyms that offer ‘no-commitment’ options. They basically all want you to commit to some kind of monthly subscription. Health Club Jordaan (www.healthclubjordaan.nl, located in the city center in the Jordaan area) is the only gym I know of with short term memberships for people who are visiting the city.

Most of the time, the majority of gyms offer free day passes to try them out, except the ‘upscale’ gyms (Splash clubs, David Lloyd).

Here are some quick reviews of the few couples of gyms I’ve tried. There is no ‘perfect’ gym anyway: I think the perfect gym is the one which is simply the closest to where you live or to where you work.

Fit for free
There are 3 ‘Fit for free’ gyms in Amsterdam. ‘Fit for free’ offers the cheapest gym memberships, but customer service is kept to a minimum: for example, last time I looked for it they didn’t have any official Facebook or Twitter account. They don’t answer their emails and the only way to reach them is to call their call center that costs 40 cents per minute.

Positive points:
- cheap gym membership
- you can train in 3 different ‘fit for free’ gyms in Amsterdam

Disadvantages:
- no barbells and no smith machine, only dumbbells and weight training machines and a lot of huge cardio machines that take up all the space
- not much space for free weight/dumbbell area in regard to the number of people training
- minimum customer service
- no nice atmosphere, lots of red elements to make the gym look and feel “low cost”

I’d recommend this gym to:
- people who know they won’t be able to go to the gym regularly and who don’t want to pay the price of a normal gym membership in Amsterdam.
- people who want to exercise very occasionally.

Site: www.fitforfree.nl

Akademia
Akademia is a gym located on the Javaplein in East Amsterdam. The particularity of this gym is that it only offers group lessons: you cannot train by yourself, you have to take part in the group lessons offered.

Positive points:
- nice premises, clean, good hygiene
- broad group lesson schedule with many Lesmills lessons (Body Pump, Body Combat etc.)
- enthusiastic and experienced group lesson instructors
- latest model of spinning bikes in the spinning room
- coffee bar “Coffee company” next to the gym to drink a coffee with free wifi

Disadvantages:
- only group classes, you can’t exercise on your own
- no mirrors in the exercise rooms. This can also be seen as a positive point for people who are too self-conscious of the way they look.

I’d recommend this gym to:
- people living in East Amsterdam
- people who are fans of Lesmills group lessons
- people who don’t have enough willpower to exercise on their own, who need a push
- people who might feel intimidated to go to the gym on their own, who are looking for friendly trainers and friendly gym-goers

Site: www.akademiatraining.nl

Sports World
Another gym in East Amsterdam. Type of gym goers: working people, lots of women between 30 and 40 year old and seniors. There aren’t many expats or non-Dutch people in this gym.

Positive points:
- beautiful location in a renovated old factory
- there is a restaurant/café with free wifi
- good hygiene, clean toilets
- big windows (many gyms in Amsterdam don’t have that much day light)
- reception team is very friendly, especially by Amsterdam standards

Disadvantages:
- the atmosphere is a bit anonymous
- despite the many different group lessons, there is no ‘superstar’ group lesson instructor that really stands out and makes me want to come back to his/her class
- they often have sweets or cakes displayed in the restaurant which can be quite demotivating to see when you’re at the gym
- the supporting metallic beams of the ceiling of the old factory on the second floor are “cutting” the weight room a bit and taking space, but that’s also what makes the charm of the location:

I’d recommend this gym to:
- people living in East Amsterdam
- people who want to play squash (there aren’t many gym in Amsterdam with squash facilities)
- people who wants to have a large choice of group lessons

Site: www.sportsworldamsterdam.nl

Health City Amstelstraat
Health City Amstelstraat is medium sized gym located in the city center near the Rembrantplein. Because of its central location, you’re likely to find many expats in this gym.

Positive points:
- latest fitness equipment, gym stays up-to-date with the latest fitness trends
- multicultural team of trainers

Disadvantages:
- they have a male cleaning-person who cleans the ladies’ changing room everyday at 3 pm

I’d recommend this gym to:
- gym rats looking for good equipment
- gay guys
- people looking for personal training services
- expats looking English speaking classes and trainers
- people working or living in the city center / Rembrandtplein area

Site: www.healthcity.nl/all-inclusive/detail/healthcity_amsterdam_all_inclusive_amstelstraat

Sport City Waterlooplein
A big gym with many different group classes and interesting membership prices. Lots of gym newbies / beginners or people going less than 1-2 times per week.

Positive point:
- big gym with friendly customer service

Disadvantages:
- no barbells, only machines and dumbbells
- high numbers of gym members, lots of people on Monday/Tuesday evenings
- no sleeveless top allowed (apparently they don’t want people to show cleavage or shoulder muscles)
- bad spinning bikes in the spinning room

I’d recommend this gym to:
- people who are afraid of a gym filled with muscular guys (won’t find any here)
- people who can exercise outside the gym “rush-hours”

Site: www.sportcity.nl/page/Clubs/A-dam-Waterlooplein/Visuele-clubtour

Sport City Weteringstraat
The smallest gym in Amsterdam. Located in a small building in a small street. Type of gym goers: people living in the area and with jobs like psychologists, artists, freelancers, webdesigners.

Positive points: people working at the reception are friendly, gym is cosy.

Disadvantages: there is a nice atmosphere but not enough space to work-out if you want to do plyometrics and jump around. The gym is too ‘tiny’ for that. Group lesson rooster is limited.

I’d recommend this gym to: people living nearby.

Site: www.sportcity.nl

 

Health Club Jordaan
A gym located on a sidestreet from the rozengracht in the Jordaan neighborhood. The gym isn’t very big, but offers a wide range of fitness facilities and group classes.

This is the only gym I know of which offers short term memberships for people who are visiting the city. They also have a superfood and natural supplement shop in the gym, with a broad choice of products that can be hard to find in Amsterdam (vegan protein powder, different brands of raw chocolates etc.)

The type of people going to this gym consists of an interesting mix of people living in this area: huppies, hipsters, expats, and active seniors.

Positive points:
- many different pieces of equipment: for example, this is the only gym in Amsterdam where I’ve seen stair masters
- the memberships are reasonably priced: if you choose to go to the gym only in the morning, you pay 35 euro per month
- their group lesson schedule offers a bit more variety than most gyms this size: salsa, kickboxing, belly dancing, in addition to the regular zumba/step/body pump/spinning classes
- the pilates instructors (Margherita & Elize) are master pilates instructors (the kind of instructors you usually find in pilates studios)

Disadvantages:
- There are no windows in the gym except in the yoga room
- The changing rooms are small

I’d recommend this gym to:
- people living nearby
- people who like to try different group lessons on a regular basis
- tourists and people staying for a short stay in Amsterdam
- people looking for quality pilates classes
- people interested in the latest super foods and supplements

Site: www.healthclubjordaan.nl
I’ve also written a more detailed review of this gym here.

Splash Health Club Leidseplein
Type of gym goers in these gym: wealthy people living in the center of Amsterdam. Many expats. Many gay guys, ‘gayest’ gym in Amsterdam. When I visited the Splash club Leidseplein on a Saturday afternoon, I was the only woman in the weight room with about 25 gay guys. I almost thought it was a special hour “for guys only” until I saw another woman training.

Positive points:
- many different weight training machines
- broad group lesson schedule

Disadvantages:
- no free day pass to try the gym, they made me pay more than 10 euro to try it for an afternoon
- pricy gym membership
- very central position in the ‘party center’ of Amsterdam; this area is always crowded.

I’d recommend this gym to:
- gay guys, pretty boys
- fitness fanatics looking for a variety of weight training equipment and machines
- people who like to show off at the gym :)
- wealthy people living in the city center
- expats looking for group lessons in English
- women with children (there is a day care)

Site: www.splashamsterdam.nl

Club Sportive Zuidas
A spacious gym with enough space (rare in Amsterdam), but the location is definitely outside the city center. Gym members are people working in the Zuidas business district.

Positive points: enough space to do walking lunges and free weight exercises

Disadvantages: very crowded on Monday and Tuesday evenings, very quite on weekends

I’d recommend this gym to:
- people working in the Zuidas business district
- single women looking for straight guys working in Finance.

Site: www.clubsportive.nl/vestigingen/amsterdam-zuidas