Numerous fitness centers for women have sprung up across the Kingdom. We checked out some of the gyms in Jeddah: Olympia, the exercise center at Dr. Sulaiman Faqih Hospital in Jeddah. Olympia has 20 treadmills and a number of stationary bicycles and stair masters. It also has spacious aerobics halls and a room for spinning. Spinning is a trendy and exhilarating workout on stationary bikes to invigorating music, with alternating use of speed and heaviness. This workout is only for the physically fit as it is very intense. Other classes offered include aerobics, yoga, step, kickboxing, tae bo, body sculpting, karate, Swiss ball, pilates, and aqua aerobics. You can swim in Olympia's big indoor pool. Members can also take advantage of the sauna, steam room, and spa. The coffee shop at Olympia has an outdoor terrace and other perks include a beauty salon and sportswear shop. Michelle, the manager of Olympia commented, “We like everything big and large. We have the largest facility for women in the Kingdom.” The gym is open to members Saturday through Thursday from 9 in the morning until 10 at night. Membership fees: n SR6,800 annually. Sign up this January to get the special offer of SR5,000 for a year n SR1,320 for 1 month n SR2, 900 for 3 months n SR4,235 for 6 months n Located on Palestine Street and is a branch of Dr. Sulaiman Faqih Hospital n Phone number: 02-665-5000 Gold's Gym, Jeddah If you are serious about getting into shape, losing weight and toning and firming your body, this is the place to be. Its tall red and yellow building is beside the Saudi German Hospital in Al-Zahra district. Let's start from the bottom and go upwards. On the lowest floor you will find a huge aerobics hall, squash court, and outdoor basketball and tennis courts. If you are a sports enthusiast you can enroll in a class to further improve your skills in these sports. One floor up is where the lockers for your belongings are found, and a state of the art gym. It is packed with weight lifting machines and a range of muscle building equipment for muscles you didn't even know you had! Trainers are available around the clock to assist you in using the equipment correctly. Climb up another floor and you can use one of the many treadmills, stair masters, rowing machines, or bicycles. Gold's Gym guarantees you will keep going on the treadmill without getting bored or even glancing at your watch because almost each treadmill has a TV screen installed right in front of you. Attach headphones to the screen and you can watch your favorite TV shows while working up a heavy sweat! Fitness buffs can head to the gym Saturday through Thursday any time from 7 A.M. to midnight and on Fridays from the afternoon until midnight. Moms with little kids who never find time for themselves can take advantage of the cheerful baby sitting area at Gold's Gym. A member can leave her child aged 1 to 5 years with the friendly baby sitter for up to 3 hours. The range of classes offered include: aerobics, step, body sculpting, spinning, cardiovascular workout, Asian dance, tae bo, pilates, or aqua aerobics. Another plus about this gym is that each member gets a free consultation with a fitness specialist. You undergo detailed physical tests to give you your exact flexibility, muscle strength, body fat percentage, and your body's physical age, rather than your real chronological age. And you probably guessed ladies, the more you work out and build lean tissue, the younger you are! The fourth and top floor has a pool on the roof, but the pool is shallow and its purpose is for aqua aerobics classes, and not really for swimming. Membership fees: n SR3,780 annually for school and university students only n SR5,500 annually. Sign up in January to get the special price of SR4,600 for a year. n Located right off of Prince Sultan Street beside the Saudi German Hospital n Phone number: 02-691-2077 E-spa This small fitness center is paired with a luxurious spa and beauty salon in the heart of the city on Tahlia Street. E-spa is not as extravagant or big as the other gyms but it is a comfortable and welcoming place to pamper yourself, socialize, relax, and also exercise your body. It has a small number of treadmills and rowing machines. The swimming pool is in the middle of the gym emanating a soft blue color and the sound of flowing water. You can enjoy a wide variety of exercise classes just like in the larger gyms: yoga, aerobics, step, body sculpting, spinning, and kickboxing. The membership fees are cheaper for women who want to come to the gym for only half the day, instead of being available to them all day long. This makes it suitable for those who do not want to pay a big lump sum, as long as they are willing to use the gym for limited hours only. Membership fees: n SR600 for 1 month for restricted hours: 9 A.M. until 2 P.M. n SR700 for 1 month for restricted hours: 3 P.M. until 9 P.M. n SR1,000 for flexible hours: 9 A.M. until 9 P.M. n SR2,800 for 3 months with flexible hours n SR3,800 or 6 months flexible hours n SR4,800 annually with flexible hours n Located off of Tahlia Street just before Al-Zawaq bakery n Phone number: 02-263-2094 Each of these fitness centers has professional fitness trainers to help you on your way to achieving the body you want, better health, and an interesting social life. You may want to pick the center closest to your house, or visit each to get a feel of which place you really fall in love with. The more you love your gym, the more likely you are to actually go there and exercise regularly. __
