www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Did a search and found nothing....popped up "no longer available". Where are a few good gyms? Daily rates? Weekly? Looking more or less for free weights rather than machines....any advice or addresses are greatly appreciated!

The San Pedro Mall has a decent one. Also, ust lok for them in the Yelllow Pages too. Hope this helps.

There are gyms all over the place in SJ. Ones with websites may tend to be a bit nicer, but also may be more expensive. Try searching using gimnasio rather than gym you might get more hits. They'll probably be in spanish but you should get the gist of it.

Velm posted about one place in another thread that is near Parque Central just a few blocks from the Gulch http://www.costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=34000 which cost about $25/wk.

I also recall reading somewhere that you can use the Holiday Inn gym for a fee (free if you're a guest) but I don't know how much it costs or what they have for equipment (in my experience hotel gyms usually suck).

Its not as close to the Gulch but I joined the Fitness Centre at the Mall San Pedro (4th floor on the back left hand side)(506) 281-0163 because it was just a short walk from where I was going to school (if coming from the gulch its about 5 minutes and 120c by bus). Even the regular rates were a bit less expensive than the place Velm talked about 4500c/day, 9000c/wk & 15200c/mo (or 13000c/mo if you go only during non-peak hours) and the equipment was in good condition. There were no palm trees outside the window like Velm described at his place but the view of the chicas at the Mall I think made up for it.

Just to show you what else you can find if you look around. I found another place near UCR for about half that rate, but didn't like the condition of the place as much. I know there are similar inexpensive places downtown.

At the other extreme check out:

http://www.fitsimons.com/inicio.html (506) 296-0264 - In Sabana Sur about 1.5 blks east of the colegio medico. Rates there are 5500c/day, 13000c/wk & 27500c/mo.

http://www.worldgymcr.com/english.htm (506)201-8510 - In Escazu a few blocks south of the multiplaza. Rates run on a reducing scale $20/day $35/wk $50/2wks $60/3wks etc.

And if you want to work out while visiting Quepos/MA try:
http://travelblogs.com/gimnasiofitness/ (506) 777-3400 with rates as low as $2.40/day and $7.20/wk.

The gym near Parque Central that Prolijo alluded to in his post is terrific. Bill Alexander at Sportsmen's Lodge is a member, and he was kind enough to take me over there several times during my stay last trip. Excellent equipment - including both free weights and machines - and friendly staff, on par with just about any gym here in the States.

The Radisson just north of the Amon barrio also had a great gym where I worked out on my first trip, but I believe it's now closed.

The Radisson gym is being remodeled.

That might be a way to get a chica to your room there, come to think of it. Buy her a pass to the gym. Hmm.

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SlickWings


Seems like I spend half my life drinking, gambling, and mongering. The other half... I waste.

Well, I wonder what gyms might be the best for meeting some of the local talent???

I would almost be more interested in using a gym to meet some girls that are in shape than I would finding the cheapest one for me to workout in.

Maybe it's just me, but I found that with the gym chicas - not being working girls - the same sort of standoffish attitude prevailed that you would find here in your local U.S. gym. And for the most part, they didn't look like they were in any better shape than the working girls either. Sex, after all, offers a pretty good way to burn calories - among other benefits.

GetRhythm,

I agree 100% with your post & have seen the exact same thing. The Ticas that can afford the Gym are not in great need of things & many have boy friends. I see much better bodies at DR than the gyms. Usually the best body in the gym is the instructor! Many of the Ticas maybe going to the gyms to try to look like some of the talent they see downtown or burn fat which is not what I am looking for.

I've talked to several girls at the Del Rey that say they go to the gym...alot of them don't but it might be interesting.

If your into a american type gym with plenty of free weights and a squat rack, then fitsimons is the gym. I usually buy a two week membership when I'm in CR on vacation. Just my 2 colones.

I checked with the Raddison this week. The gym should re-open next month, Tico Time.

Fitsimons sounds like my kinda place. As long as I have a bench, squat rack and some free weights I am fine. I am staying at SL on the first part of the trip so I will ask Bill for a little advice as well. Thanks for the help guys!

Fitsimons was the priciest of the downtown gyms I mentioned. I'm sure its very nice. But I wouldn't go there on the basis that it is the only "american style" gym around. The gym at the San Pedro Mall was perfectly fine and quite similar to most gyms I've been to in the states (in fact better than some I've been to here). It is not large but has all the equipment you mentioned and doesn't get that crowded (particularly if you go earlier in the day when most ticos work and most mongers are relaxing or getting ready for their evening fun). So how big does it have to be? It is also much easier to get to by cab or bus from the Gulch than Sabana Sur. I haven't been there myself but the gym at Parque Central is even closer to you (you could even walk it). If you ask Bill, thats the one he'll probably recommend anyway since he is a member there.

For those of you that have frequented some of these gyms...how is the latina talent been in there, and has it been very approachable?

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"Jizz Long and Prosper!"

Hola amigos,
I spent january and part of feb in SJ and found a great cheap gym on the reccomendation of my profesora de espanol from the Forrester Institute which is only about 4 blocks from Mall San Pedro. This place is across the street from the mall at the back. I only paid 5500 colones for three weeks use . Its easy to find if you know where the mall is. Beside the mall is a Chevolet dealer, behind the dealership is a large auto repair shop and behind the shop is the Arte Plaza which includes a really decent mexican restuarant , a pool hall, and the gym at the back of the pool hall. I cant say that its equal to a great american gym but its 75%. It has plenty of bikes and steppers to use and a good selection of weight equipment. It does not have a pool or sauna which may be why its so cheap but construction of some type was being done. Its not a place geared to tourist as I never saw another gringo in there but never felt uneasy or unwelcome. No one spoke english exept a chiropracter who has a office in the gym. And its one of the few places that has free parking for those who drive.
Now the downside, I must agree with the others about the babes. I got no where with them, but most of the girls in the gym had novios there with them and there were some real knockouts there.I never saw any that I recognized from the BM They do offer 1 hour arobics classes at 12 and 6 which bring em out but I noticed that they left as soon as it was over. As hindsight is 100%, I should have tried to be more freindly with the local ticos in the gym and got them to set me up with their novias amigas,, well just a thought.
Anyway, if you are looking for a decent clean low priced gym where you will be the only gringo, try it out. Junkyard Dog,,,, grande barko, no grande biteo!!!