Finding Facilities

Hi Everyone,

 

This may seem like  a strange topic but i'd like to know where  you all train. I'm lucky to have a lot of space at my place and i have the following:

 

   - dip station

   - high bar from chins dips front lever etc.

   - rings

   - parallel bars

   - and a rack which is really versatile

 

and other stuff like a completely flat wall that i used to take for granted but am now doing head stand against.

The problem i'm having is that i may be moving to London. The only thing that is worrying me is finding all the facilities i currently have to train exactly how I do over there. I work 9-6 usually so sometimes i'm in my backyard working out till like 11pm on weeknights.

 

Conventional gyms don't have the equipment i need to train... What do others do? Do you guys go to a gymnastics club, even then i don't really want the coaching just to use their equipment. There are some things that i could not do without like a high bar from pull ups and and rings... Are there gymnastics places that let you just go and use their equipment till late?

 

Any suggestions would be great.

 

Thanks

Many gymnastic gyms have "open" sessions where you'll be supervised but basically free to do anything you want, within reason. You'll find some in London, I'm sure. The adult sessions tend to be fairly late in the day, after they're finished with all the younger people. The ones round here are around 6.30-8.30 or 8.30-10.00, that sort of thing.

When I lived in London I went to the Talacre Community Sports Centre in Kentish Town West. They have a nice facility over there and host sessions in the late evening. The coach there was friendly and the people were moderately skillful (relative to NYC) - I trained with the University of London's club. The coach let me use the rings a bunch of times at night at the end of class. You're probably best off going over there one evening and speaking with them.

Talacre is good, but if you are looking for open sessions in the evening and cheaper as well then Beckton - East London Gymnastics Club, 8pm - 9:30pm, bit short, but £5 as well (plus yearly membership of something like £3) and no need to buy extra insurance. This is where I go.

Thanks for the tips, it also gives me a couple of new contacts in the search for a suitable facility to host a London GB Seminar.

Excellent! Thanks guy I guess it won't be as much of a problem as i initally thought!

 

LiveWyld did the coaches mind if you just do your own thing I.e. Strength training I'm not fussed about any of the skills side of it...

No the coach didn't mind me doing my own thing. He realized I was more interested in the strength training aspect as well. He would always give me time after the warmups to do my own thing. I haven't explored other gymnastics facilities in the area though so I'd recommend checking out Piotro's recommendation also. I'd venture to say Talacre has a more structured, traditional program overall.