Fitness in Sydney

My fitness obsession during my semester in Europe was Supercycle Vienna (I miss it dearly). In Sydney, I have been working my way through different intro offers at the pilates studios nearby. Below is a list of three studios I have tried and a short recap of my experience at each.

AP Pilates

Offer: 3/$30

Distance from UNSW: 18 minute walk

Of all the reformer studios I’ve been to, this is my favorite by far. The studio itself is air conditioned, surrounded by windows to let in tons of natural light, and the machines are in excellent condition. The instructors were beyond friendly and helpful in correcting technique. The lobby was also very spacious and overall a lovely space. There are cubbies for personal belongings and they also sell cute grippy socks, coconut water, and some other things. The location is beyond ideal, as it is a short, straightforward walk from the UNSW Village. The environment felt very low-key and chill. It is a great place to go in the morning to destress and start my day right. If I could afford it, I would definitely come here regularly LOL. Unfortunately, I am a broke college student, currently without income, and can only justify spending the money for the intro offer. 

KX Pilates

Offer: 5/$60

Distance from UNSW: 25 minute walk

There are many KX Pilates studios located all over Australia. The instructors were all friendly and provided a killer workout. While AP Pilates was still a good burn, it felt a lot less intense than the KX workouts. The machines were clean and functional, though I liked the reformers at AP a little better. The lobby at KX is relatively small with a couple benches in the waiting room, and not too many windows. There is a shelf in the studio to store personal belongings and a sink to fill your water bottle. The bathroom is exceptionally clean. Although I enjoyed my experiences here, I probably wouldn’t sign up for a membership. 

Studio Pilates Zetland

Offer: 6/$60

Distance from UNSW: 35 minute walk 

I had a very interesting experience with this studio. The first day, I couldn’t even find the studio because it was placed in the completely wrong location on maps. The staff were friendly, but it felt somewhat superficial. An orientation prerequisite had to be completed before signing up for any of the “normal” classes. This was fine, but didn’t feel super necessary. The studio itself is really nice, very spacious, and surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The workouts were intense and felt like they made the biggest difference. It was a little strange, because the instructions for each exercise were broadcasted from the multiple TVs in the room. The instructors were there mainly to help with technique. I really enjoyed the workouts, but would definitely not return to this studio because it is way too far and the bus is always full, so the options are either to walk 35 minutes there and 35 minutes back, or wait with 55+ people to eventually get a bus that isn’t full. 

UNSW Fitness 

Offer: 2 weeks free + no signup fee 

Distance from UNSW: 5 minute walk

I decided to finally settle down and just buy a membership at the UNSW gym. So far, I have done a couple group fitness spin classes, but mainly prefer to do my own choreo on a spin bike in the cardio section of the main gym. The equipment isn’t extraordinary, but does the job. I especially love the convenience of the location and the freedom to choose to go whenever I want without being committed to a registered time slot. I have definitely spent a good two hours on multiple occasions at the gym to work off the frustration of living in a city and the stress of being swamped with readings and homework. In this regard, the UNSW gym is perfect. The hours work well with my schedule and the encounters I’ve had with the staff have all been friendly. There is also a cafe which has good coffee!