The best gyms in and around Manchester

Are you looking to get super fit this year?

Whether you want to lose a few pounds, kickstart a healthy routine, or just get those endorphins going for a feel-good buzz, here are some of the gyms in and around Manchester where you can get your sweat on – and there’s something to suit all budgets and goals.

From state of the art equipment, to motivation classes with great atmospheres – these top gyms are a great place to get your summer body started.

Break a sweat and crush your goals at these great gyms in Manchester.

The best gyms in Manchester

Ultimate Performance

Katie McGlynn, Gemma Atkinson, Catherine Tyldesley and Ryan Thomas are just a few of the stars who’ve headed to Ultimate Performance in Spinningfields.

Billed as ‘the number one body composition experts’, the focus at this private gym is personal training, whether one-to-one, group or online. It’s not the sort of gym where you can quietly wing it at the back of a cardio class, but that means you’re going to be pushed to your limit and the clients’ transformations speak for themselves.

If you’re looking for a personal trainer in Manchester, this is the place for you

Packages include the 12-week Female Fat Loss, 6-week Male Fat Loss, 12-week Muscle Building and 12-week Bridal Bootcamp. Prices on enquiry.

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Barry’s Bootcamp 

Simultaneously glamorous and gruelling, Barry’s Bootcamp on Lower Byrom Street has proved a huge success since it launched in December 2018.

Known for its Red Room, which features a nightclub-specified sound system and high-tech treadmills, it involves high-intensity group circuits where glossy fitness instructors shout encouragement through mouthpieces.

It’s all very LA, where the brand was born, but Mancunians have taken to it, including the likes of Ryan Giggs and the Neville brothers. There’s a range of offers in January, including the MCR Hellweek package which is seven classes in seven days for £80. And, if it’s your first time, you can purchase a special-priced three-pack of classes for £40.

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Ultimate Fitness

Ultimate Fitness in Phoenix House, Stalybridge is owned by Scott Gledhill, a former bodybuilding champion.

They might take fitness seriously, but they also pride themselves on providing a friendly welcome and there’s something to suit all levels of fitness. Facilities include a fully equipped gym, cardio room, boxing gymnasium and sauna.

There are personal trainers on hand, group classes including circuit and Boxing Blast, and women’s only kickboxing, as well as the chance to learn Mixed Martial Arts. Membership is £35 a month with no contract and as an added incentive, there’s no joining fee in January.

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Village Gyms

There are four Village Gyms in the area – Ashton Moss, Bury, Cheadle and Hyde. Each of them has an indoor swimming pool, Technogym equipment, studios and spin room, a range of classes including Les Mills sessions, such as Body Pump, Body Attack and Body Step, and the Sir Mo Farah endorsed Motion class.

If you fancy a bit of downtime, they all have a sauna, steam room and whirlpool to ease aching muscles.

There are a range of memberships, dependant on the times you’re looking to visit and how long you want the contract to run and deals available through-out the year. To kick 2020 off, they’re offering January free on a 12-month membership. 

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JD Gyms

There’s a vast timetable of over 250 classes every month at JD Gym on Whitworth Street in the city centre, including Spin, Burn, Body Pump, Zumba, Abs and Yoga (there are also gyms in Wythenshawe, Salford, Bolton and Rochdale).

There are also induction sessions each week, if you need to learn the ropes, men’s and women’s saunas, sprint/sled tracks and a large free weights zone.

Membership is £29.99 for the first month and then £19.99 thereafter, and £19.99 per month with no joining fee for students. There’s also no contract, so you can cancel any time.

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Olympic Sports Gym

Mick Clegg, the former Strength and Conditioning coach at Manchester United, has owned the huge Olympic Sports Gym in Portland Mill, Ashton-Under-Lyne for over 30 years.

Although it’s the biggest weights gym in Tameside and has gained a reputation in this field, the family-run business also runs group classes and one-to-one sessions, or you can simply get on with your own workout.

Open 6am to 10pm during the week and 9am to 5pm at the weekends, you can pay as you go, with prices starting from £3.50, or become a member, and there’s no contract to sign.

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Livingwell Health Club

There are worse places to workout than the Hilton Manchester on Deansgate, where you’ll find the Livingwell Health Club. Open from 6am to 10pm through the week and 7am to 8pm on weekends, there’s a high-tech gym, 20m swimming pool, sauna and steam room, and even some complimentary toiletries and fruit thrown in.

In January, there is no joining fee on all memberships (priced from £43), as well as a free personalised Fitness For Life programme to help you achieve your fitness goals.

There’s also a range of membership perks including a 20% Discount on treatments at the on-site Urban Oasis Treatment centre, 20% off at Cloud 23 (Sunday-Thursday only) and 25% off the Podium Restaurant and Bar.

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PureGym

PureGym has 17 gyms to choose from in Manchester, including Spinningfields, Northern Quarter, Bury, Denton and Salford. Lots of people are drawn to the cheap membership, priced from £9.99 per month, but aside from the budget-friendly price, its success lies in the fact it gets back to basics.

Each gym has everything you need, there are flexible, contract-free memberships and 24-hour opening. There are also 50 fitness classes each week at no extra cost divided into Cardio, Sculpt and Tone, Mind and Body and Functional.

There will be offers on monthly memberships launching in January so keep an eye on the website and app.

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Have you got any suggestions for the best gyms in Manchester? Let us know! [email protected]