Real World Fitness FAQs

If you’re thinking about joining Real World Fitness, starting personal training with us, or simply coming in for a look around, these are the questions we get asked most often.

If there’s something we haven’t covered, just get in touch. We’d rather answer the question properly than have you guessing.

Joining Real World Fitness

How much is gym membership?

Full Real World Fitness gym membership is £45 per month.

There’s no joining fee, no admin fee and no long-term contract. Membership numbers are deliberately capped because we don’t want the gym becoming so busy that it gets in the way of people actually training.

How do I join Real World Fitness?

Get in touch with us and we’ll arrange a convenient time for you to come in.

We’ll show you around the gym, explain how everything works and answer any questions you have. There’s no hard sell and no need to make a decision there and then.

Your first visit does need to be arranged with us rather than simply turning up, even though existing members have 24-hour access.

Can I try the gym before joining?

Yes. We offer a free 7-day trial so you can actually use the gym before deciding whether it suits you.

We think that’s far more useful than trying to judge a gym from a ten-minute tour.

Do I need to sign a long-term contract?

No.

Membership runs monthly and we simply ask for one month’s notice if you decide to leave.

Do you charge a joining fee?

No. You pay £45 a month for your membership and that’s it.

Is membership really capped?

Yes.

This is quite an important part of how we run RWF. We could fit considerably more members onto the books, but we don’t want to.

If the gym becomes so busy that you’re regularly queueing for equipment, changing your programme because the equipment you need isn’t available, or choosing awkward training times simply to avoid the crowds, we’ve failed at one of the things we set the gym up to do.

Using the gym

Is Real World Fitness open 24 hours?

Full members have 24/7 access using our secure entry system.

The gym isn’t staffed 24 hours a day, so first visits, tours, free trials and day passes need to be arranged with us.

Do I need personal training to join the gym?

No.

Real World Fitness is a fully public gym and you’re very welcome to join purely as a gym member.

A lot of our members have personal training at some point, but plenty don’t. The two things are completely separate.

Do I need an induction before I can train?

There isn’t a compulsory formal induction.

We’ll show you around when you join and make sure you know how everything works. If you already know what you’re doing, we’re not going to make you sit through an unnecessary induction.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, that’s different. We can help with the basics or you can arrange some personal training and learn properly from the outset.

Do you offer day passes?

Yes. Day passes are £20 and need to be arranged with us in advance. Please use our contact form.

Because the gym isn’t staffed around the clock, day passes can only be used when someone from the RWF team is available.

Can I bring a friend?

Full members get one free guest visit each month.

Just message us before bringing someone in so we know who is using the gym. Further visits can be arranged at our normal day-pass rate.

What is the gym actually like?

Is Real World Fitness suitable for beginners?

Very much so.

A substantial proportion of the people who train here originally arrived with very little gym experience, and many of our personal training clients started from scratch.

You’ll also see some very experienced people training here. We’ve deliberately tried to create a gym where those two groups can train alongside each other perfectly normally.

You don’t have to already be good at the gym to join a gym.

I’m an experienced lifter. Is RWF suitable for me?

Yes.

We have a lot of strength-training equipment and the gym has always attracted experienced lifters alongside the more general membership.

If your training involves heavy squats, bench presses, deadlifts, rows, specialist bars or properly progressive strength work, you’ll have the equipment to do it.

You can see our full gym equipment list here.

I’m over 40, 50, 60 or 70. Am I going to feel out of place?

No. A large proportion of our membership is over 40 and we have both gym members and personal training clients well into their 60s and 70s.

Equally, plenty of them aren’t here because they have a particular age-related problem. They just want to train, get stronger and stay fit.

Age really isn’t much of a dividing line inside RWF.

Do you allow steroid or PED use?

No.

RWF has always had a very clear policy on steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

We don’t just discourage their use. Members known to be using PEDs are asked to leave the gym.

We want RWF to remain a genuinely drug-free strength and fitness environment.

What makes RWF different from a big commercial gym?

Probably the biggest difference is that our business model doesn’t depend on cramming as many memberships as possible into the building.

We cap the membership, we invest heavily in good strength-training equipment, and a large amount of personal training takes place here every week.

That combination means the gym needs to work properly as a training environment. People need access to the equipment they came in to use.

We’re not trying to be the cheapest gym in Nottingham. We’re trying to be a very good one.

Personal training

How do I start personal training at Real World Fitness?

Get in touch and tell us roughly what you’re looking for help with.

We’ll arrange a chat with you, find out more about your goals and training history, and work out which member of the team is likely to be the best fit.

You can also book a free personal training taster session before committing to anything.

How much does personal training cost?

Personal training at Real World Fitness starts from £50 per session.

The exact cost depends on the trainer, frequency and arrangement you choose.

Do I need to join the gym if I have personal training?

No.

You can have personal training at RWF while remaining a member of another gym, training elsewhere by yourself, or not having a separate gym membership at all.

Can beginners have personal training?

Yes, and a large part of our work is with people who have very little previous gym experience.

You don’t need to spend six months trying to teach yourself before contacting a personal trainer. Learning how to train properly is one of the main reasons personal training exists.

Do you have female personal trainers?

Yes.

If you would prefer to work with a female personal trainer, mention that when you contact us and we can arrange it.

Do you help with injuries or returning to exercise?

Yes, where it falls within the appropriate scope of personal training.

We regularly work with people returning after injuries, surgery and periods of rehabilitation, including people who have previously had hip, knee and shoulder problems.

We’ll also tell you when something needs to go back to a physiotherapist, doctor or another healthcare professional rather than pretending everything can be fixed in a gym.

Families and younger members

Can under-16s train at Real World Fitness?

Yes, with some restrictions.

Under-16 membership is £20 per month and the young person must train under the direct supervision of a full-paying adult member.

That means training together rather than the adult being somewhere else in the gym.

We have a separate page explaining our under-16 policy in more detail.

Is RWF family-friendly?

Yes.

Families have been part of RWF since the gym opened and we have plenty of parents who train with their children.

If you occasionally need to bring a child with you who isn’t training, talk to us. We have a separate area where children can sit while a parent trains.

Facilities

Is there free parking?

Yes.

We have free parking immediately around the gym as well as access to the large communal car park nearby. Parking is rarely something you need to think about when coming to RWF.

Is there somewhere to leave a bike?

Yes. There are secure points around our private parking area where bikes can be locked.

Do you have showers and changing rooms?

Yes.

We have four individual private changing and shower rooms with showers, sinks and mirrors.

Do you have Wi-Fi?

Yes. We have fast business broadband throughout the gym.

There are also areas where members can sit with a laptop and work if they need to before or after training.

Is the gym air-conditioned?

Yes.

The gym has automated heating and air conditioning, which makes a fairly significant difference once summer arrives.

Do you offer sports massage?

Yes. We have sports massage therapists working from RWF, and you don’t need to be a gym member or personal training client to book a treatment.

Where is Real World Fitness?

We’re based in Colwick, Nottingham, just off Colwick Loop Road near Sainsbury’s.

That makes us particularly easy to reach from Netherfield, Carlton, Gedling, Sneinton, Mapperley, Burton Joyce, West Bridgford and the eastern side of Nottingham city centre.

Free parking is available when you arrive.

Still got a question?

Just ask us.

You can contact Real World Fitness to arrange a gym visit, claim your free 7-day trial, talk to us about personal training or ask anything we haven’t covered above.

You’re also welcome to come and have a look around before deciding whether RWF is for you.