A quick guide to the Armitage Centre

So, it’s the start of a new year at Manchester and from my experience, one of the first dreaded things that usually comes to mind after Freshers’ Week (and the inevitable trips to Kebab King) is “I should really join the gym again.” Some of us have been separated from our uni gyms for a while, whereas if you’re a new student you’re possibly looking for a gym to join. With the allure of low prices and the short walking distance from Owens Park, I found and stuck with the Armitage Centre. Located just off Moseley Road in Fallowfield, the Armitage is a great option for everyone, whether you’ve been a member of a gym before or not!

Classes: From Relaxing Yoga to Bootcamp, the Armitage has a wide selection of classes to try out. There’s a range of instructors who’ll either leave you feeling just a little sweaty, or as if your butt is about to fall off, which means that whether you’re a complete beginner or a long-time lover of fitness classes, you’ll definitely be pushed to the max. Classes are held in two spacious studios and fit around 30-40 people, so it’s easy to relax and not feel like everyone’s watching you at the front! I’m not going to lie, some of the classes are hard, like really hard (or that might just be me), but they are definitely worth it when you start to feel yourself getting fitter and more confident during them. The Armitage offers a pay-as-you-go option at £3.50 per session for students or £4.20 for staff, which is great if you just want to try out the classes before committing to a semester pass. For those who are already avid lovers of exercise classes, the dual semester pass (September—May) is priced at £80 for students and £90 for staff.

Fitness suite: As well as holding classes, the Armitage also has a fully equipped fitness suite for those who prefer to go to the gym and do their own thing. Over the summer the gym has been revamped to include new treadmills and bikes, and the free weights area has been enlarged to hold heavier dumbbells, squat racks and new kettlebells. While there are a lot of expensive gyms out there, the Armitage provides everything you need from a gym without the ridiculous prices! There are three membership options, including pay-as-you-go, so that you’re able to choose what would work best for you.

Team sport: As well as there being a standard gym, there is also a large sports hall available at the Armitage where you could play basketball, table-tennis or netball (just to name a few). It’s very simple to hire and reasonably priced, so you can get some mates together and try your hand at some different sports! If you’re a fan of playing 5-a-side football, then there are 3G pitches you can hire out, or if you’re more into tennis then there are courts for that too. Society home matches for sports such as hockey and lacrosse are played at the Armitage, so there are AstroTurf and grass pitches available outside of match or training times.