Aside from the decor, which is 'orrible, just 'orrible, they're ok. Here are the plus sides:
It's a chain that does have a lot of equipment, which they ocassionally upgrade (I wish that they'd do this inside of effing paint the place). It's the first gym that I've ever gone to that has 5 concept 2 rowers, meaning that I never have to wait for them, unlike in NYC.
You can also go, more or less, to anyone of their branches, which is good for me when I'm in London for the DF, and I think that they're on the cheaper end. The obvious point of comaprison would be LA Fitness (I think they're called), but there's none in Cov where I live and FF is on the way to work for me, so there's convenience.
The down side is, well, two. It kinda of doesn't get gym culture. The aerobics classes, which I don't use, are dreadful, and I know this because it took them three years to figure out that they shouldn't have the aerobic section visible to outsiders. They have a lounge downstairs, and I don't understand why people work out, and then have a beer and chips. So it's not very fabulous (unlike a gym I used to go to that had a chandelabra and was painted like a disco with excellent house music playing). And the crowd isn't terrible hip. But that may just be Coventry in so many ways.
What sums it up for me (aside from the bordello deco) is this. I've shifted over to using free weights on a swiss/physio ball (love it - am converted - the ball rules). FF is on the trend enough to have gotten a number of balls. But they don't inflate them properly, which increases the stability, and that's not the point.
So basically - its decent value - not shoddy, but since I do partially go to the gym to get away from dreary same old, it'd be cool if they just could zshosh it up a little. Also, the hours. They close at 10 on weekdays and 8 on the weekends, and sometimes that's a little too early if my work-day has gone on, as it sometimes does.
