Mahalo Chicos,

Well I gone and did it, I joined the meat farm (gym). Personally, I love the feel of training hard with free weights, despite the yawn of indoor cardio and utterly despise some of the attitudes of fellow gym goers. But hey, as my other half would say “cutting up for competition?”

That is exactly what I am trying to do so is the reason for my detailed and rather lengthy blab about gyms. It was a bit tough deciding what gym to join in Montevideo, Uruguay. I inspected plenty of gyms in and out of my barrio. What I found; most required a sign up fee, had children playing with the free weights and some just plain out did not offer what I was looking for.

Surprisingly, Montevideo, Uruguay has a great selection of gyms from all family type gyms to small hole and the wall places, there is something for everyone. Just not for me, but I had to choose as my training at home and outside were getting rather stagnant.

Gyms like Club Bro located in the barrio of Pocitos is pretty big, indoor basket ball areas, two Olympic sized swimming pools, plenty of cardio machines (yuck) and old school weights (hey I am totally for it). Of course an entrance fee and a monthly membership the price of an upscale gym like Crunch Fitness in the US.

Turn off. I do not like paying for pricey memberships for not so great of a place. So off to another review. Club Bigua (I believe that is how one spells it). Just about the same as Club Bro but with a few out door tennis areas and a larger out side swimming area. They were not only asking for about $300.00 American dollars just to sign up and about $100.00 a month they also wanted me to have some sort of medical insurance. Shesh. What did I think about this gym? I love kids don’t get me wrong, but way way way too many playing in the weight rooms, cardio and peeing in the pool. Nah. Skip that.

Then there is the ever so elegant Golf Club located a few blocks from our place in the barrio of Punta Caretas. It’s got just about golf going for it and the place is okay. The membership fee, well not so okay it comes in at $12,000.00 American dollars for two people, $6,000.00 for the slow thinkers. Plus about $200.00 American dollars a month per person. Um, Yeah. Next.

Makko, I joined this gym right when their fresh coat of paint just started to dry. Since it was a new gym they did not have any membership fees, just pay about $35.00 American dollars a month (of course they only accept pesos). Located right across the street from Punta Caretas shopping. Their thing is a spinning class and beauty Solon, a small universal weight machine, two treadmills, tanning bed and three people locker room with shower. The concept of was nice for about a month, but then it started to get old. A serious training gal needs a challenge.

Then there’s Defensor, kinda like the first two I mentioned but a bit more ghetto! Enough said.

Then there was another gym that I can not figure out the name but its located on Luis Del Dorrey. Small, no pool, a bunch of old weights and a area to practice some martial arts (area is a bit of a stretch). They wanted a membership fee plus about $40.00 American dollars a month.

At this point I felt like I was shopping for a new house or something. I mean, I take my training a bit on the straight and serious yet have fun with it side and I don’t like wasting my time at a place that will just satisfy me for a few weeks.

Then there was this Pilate’s studio I tried for a week. A bit on the pricey side for even Montevideo, Uruguay. I had to pay $50.00 for two days about an hour each. Though the instructor I had spoke perfect English and understood a bit of my goals, it was not enough to stay. They moved closer to the mall I mentioned earlier and decided they wanted to charge me about $80.00 American dollars a month to use their newly purchased treadmill. Yikes! I mean come on, do I look like I am made out of money?

Last but not least, a gym on one of the main streets 21 de Septembre name Perfill. With a membership fee of around $200.00 American dollars and a monthly fee of around $50.00 American dollars. No pool, basket ball courts, tennis courts, steam room, and tanning beds. A gee, what’s in door number two? Well, no kids just a bunch of baby boomers, botox babies, and chatter bugs clogging up the weights you want to use. The women’s locker room can compare to my Junior high locker room, but way smaller. Shesh, for a $200.00 membership fee they could at least have regular won’t chafe your butt toilet paper. But nah, of course have to cut corners some where right? I was told by an Uruguayan the first time my other half and I arrived here that this gym was a bunch of snotty people. Close.

I stand out like a sore thumb but who cares. I joined the gym cause the weight room had most of the things I was looking for. Aside from the bored house wives its alright. A few of the trainers are really nice and spot me every time I ask.

I’ve met a few of the bored house wives and of the ones I met they seemed nice. But when I go to the gym I have my plan in place and I give my self a certain time limit to be there. A serious game face on, music on my pod pumping loud enough so the dude next to me can hear and a don’t chat or talk to me attitude dude cause I could probably do weighted squats and perfect clean Arnold’s better than you can.

Well, of course this is just my personal opinion. You check it out your self. See what suits you and go out there and get your fitness on!

Ciao,

Odeliza Jacoba

Odeliza