Gym - Chiang Mai

[richard10365]

I have been looking at gyms to go to for a while now. The cheapest one I found with weights and a pool is at the swimming pool in the 700 year stadium.

Membership is 500 baht/year. After that, each visit is 10 baht for the gym and 30 baht for the olympic sized pool w/high dive.

The gym has machines that are in good shape. I think they have free weights as well.

I don't know of anything cheaper.

Does anyone else have any information on this gym?

Edited May 25, 2007 by richard10365

[Warrioroo]

I have to say, this seems like a good deal price-wise. I cant think of anywhere that would be cheaper than that... never been there myself but it might be pretty busy with prices that low?

Dont know about you, but i cant stand waiting for a machine at the gym especially when someone is waiting 5 mins between sets on weights or walking 1km/hour on the treadmill and talking on the phone!

[richard10365]

I have to say, this seems like a good deal price-wise. I cant think of anywhere that would be cheaper than that... never been there myself but it might be pretty busy with prices that low?

Dont know about you, but i cant stand waiting for a machine at the gym especially when someone is waiting 5 mins between sets on weights or walking 1km/hour on the treadmill and talking on the phone!

I went about 1pm and didn't see many people in the gym. Maybe they were all working or they just don't know about it.

It's not really a fancy gym and that might be a factor as well since some Thai's are more materialistic than most farangs I know. At least the ones who would go to a gym. They might think the gym experience is more of a social event than an exercise event so they would rather pay 8,000 to 15,000 baht on the complete gym experience.

But if you just want to work out then this might be the place to go.

[cm das]

I think you found the best deal in town. I use the pool often & know people who used the weight room in the past. The only thing I recommend is staying away from the pool on weekends or during school breaks - it's full of loud & rowdy kids then & nearly impossible to swim laps.

You could check the old municipal stadium as well. They have a room with free weights underneath the stadium. I think the equipment is older & consists only of free weights. On the plus side, it's likely even cheaper than 700 stadium.

[JuniorExPat]

I have been looking at gyms to go to for a while now. The cheapest one I found with weights and a pool is at the swimming pool in the 700 year stadium.

Membership is 500 baht/year. After that, each visit is 10 baht for the gym and 30 baht for the olympic sized pool w/high dive.

The gym has machines that are in good shape. I think they have free weights as well.

I don't know of anything cheaper.

Does anyone else have any information on this gym?

No more information as such but I know a few people who have used the old stadium (Chang Puek area off Chotana at the roundabout before coming back up to the moat) and I looked into it when I lived round there. The guys I know who went there a few years ago went specifically for the free weights.

It's a fantastic no-frills deal - not for the lycra-poseur-socialite brigade. If I remember correctly and they have not upgraded there is no air-con in the gym and the kit is old but solid and practical.

Not a farang place really but certainly not Thais only, I had the distinct impression that it was frequented mostly by police and/or army and students.

You've inspired me to check it out again!

JxP

[Bananaman]

I have been looking at gyms to go to for a while now. The cheapest one I found with weights and a pool is at the swimming pool in the 700 year stadium.

Membership is 500 baht/year. After that, each visit is 10 baht for the gym and 30 baht for the olympic sized pool w/high dive.

The gym has machines that are in good shape. I think they have free weights as well.

I don't know of anything cheaper.

Does anyone else have any information on this gym?

Gym at 700 yrs is usable but that's the best you could say of it; the free weight range is seriously lacking and you gotta spend ages screwing and unscrewing the plates onto the bars if you want to vary the weights you are lifting. It depends on how cheap you want to go but I reckon paying an extra B30 per session (B40 per time for non-members) to go to City Gym off the Canal/Mae Rim road is a better bet. Solid machines and great free weight range, nice bunch of guys there as well with zero attitude.

Alternatively you could go about as spit and sawdust as it gets and use the ancient place near to CM gate (head for the CM Gate hotel but take the right fork as you pass it, keep going and look for the red framed shutters, right side of the road). It's B20 a pop, filthy as it gets and the machines look like something that Steve Reeves might've trained with, they are however highly functional and cover all muscle groups. Great atmosphere in there too, plenty of serious Thai muscle guys getting down to hard training. Farang faces aren't altogether uncommon in there either.