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Gyms in Bogota

Today I went gym shopping. Options are interesting all over the board.

The great upside is the seeming lack of any ongoing commitment, at least at the places I visited. You pay for the term you want and that's it, no perpetual billing of your credit card or bank acount.

I visited a no-name place near 85&15, a BodyTech at 7 & 85 and two Spinning Centers, one on Calle 85 another on Calle 94. Contrary to it's name, Spinning Center is actually a gym. Tomorrow I will see more.

They all have countless promotions that appear to change as often as Bogota weather.

I see older posts about pricing and promos and options . . . have you any recent experience to pass along?

Between Body Tech and the other place, I liked BodyTech. Any suggestions on ways to bargain or lower the price? I'd like to sign up for only three or six months, but I'd go for a year if the price is right.

I'm looking for a place that offers all the trimmings of a gym along with a laid back atmosphere - perhaps even social events.

Any suggestions appreciated . . .

Thanks!

By twmcm on Nov 27, 2008, 18:52 in Friendly Talkzone.

aussiesam says on Nov 27, 2008, 19:23:

hardbody is half the price of bodytech mas o menos..the one on the 147 is big

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twmcm says on Nov 28, 2008, 04:57:

Hard Body . . . hmmm.

Do they have any locations closer to Zona Rosa? I live near 87 & 9, I doubt I would often make it to 147.

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goin_south says on Nov 28, 2008, 05:06:

Does that Body Tech place have just about everything ?
Indoor swimming pool?

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

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twmcm says on Nov 28, 2008, 05:12:

For future gym searchers, here are the websites of a few:

Hard Body
http://www.hardbodycs.com/

BodyTech
http://www.bodytech.com.co/

Spinning Center (a full gym despite the name)
http://www.spinningcentergym.com/

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twmcm says on Nov 28, 2008, 05:33:

And here appears to be a more complete list of gym's names (found on goldsgym.com).

Academia Colombiana de Tenis, Bogotá
Café Spa de Salud, Bogotá
Centro Deportivo Choquenza, Bogotá
Club El Nogal, Bogotá
Country Club de Bogotá, Bogotá
Deporte y Salud Colsanitas S.A., Bogotá
Marathon Spa, Bogotá
Nirvana Spa, Medellín
The Best, Bogotá
Centro de Alto Rendimiento, Cali
Gimnasio Para Ejecutivos del Banco de Bogotá, Bogotá.
Marathon Spa, Bogotá.
Sport Gym, Bogotá. Gimnasio Banco Bancolombia.
Caja de Compensación Familiar “Compensar”, Bogotá.
Cime Spa, Barranquilla.
Body & Soul, Barranquilla.
A.P. Athletic People Sports Club, Bogotá.
Bodytech Gym, Bogotá.
Family Fitness Gym, Bogotá.
Elena del Mar Gym, Bogotá.
Forma Gym, Medellín.
Spinning Center, Bogotá.
Body Town, Bogotá.
Bodytech Av. 68, Bogotá.
Athletic Gym Portal 80, Bogotá

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Frank Rizzo says on Nov 28, 2008, 09:07:

isn't that the gym...that the chick in the 350Z got gunned down in front of??

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twmcm says on Nov 28, 2008, 11:44:

Which gym?

And more importantly, which chick?

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gringoloid (Trustee board) says on Nov 28, 2008, 12:27:

FR.....that murder was at the Body Tech on CL 138.

twmcm......i used to use that Body Tech at 7 and 85...........real good gym and near where i lived.

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twmcm says on Nov 28, 2008, 13:17:

The BodyTech at 7 & 85 is my first choice at the moment.

Points to ponder:

They offer a 30% discount for online signup.
The membership is transferable at no extra charge.
They also have a per-visit option that ranges from 20k to 30k per day.
You can go to any BodyTech - they have locations throughout Colombia and in Peru, Chile & Argentina.

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twmcm says on Nov 28, 2008, 15:20:

In conclusion, I joined BodyTech La Cabrerra about twenty minutes ago.

I did the 30% discounted online membership. Shockingly, their web store/cart/checkout/payment system actually worked well - even with my foreign-issued Visa debit card.

It cost 1,512,000 pesos for one year of their top membership - which allows unlimited use of any BodyTech location. This number is a gross cost, inclusive of the initiation & physician/GP checkup fee.

If you are joining for two people, like I did, you must order & pay separately for each membership. Their online credit card processor can only handle payments up to 2 Million pesos.

You do the order and then the card processor calls (in ten minutes or so) to verify your info.

Good luck.

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webmanco says on Nov 28, 2008, 17:37:

Bodytech is buying out most other gyms, like the SPA near Niza Boulevar, and the gym in
Ciudad Montes, plus the gym in Pablo IV. The BodyTech with pool is on Av 19 and 120 something. And yes in order to be able to use any BodyTech in Bogotá you need a premium account.

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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Frank Rizzo says on Nov 28, 2008, 18:06:

thanks gringoloid....didn't remember the location.....ex wife of a N...si?

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twmcm says on Nov 29, 2008, 06:45:

What's an N... ?

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Frank Rizzo says on Nov 29, 2008, 07:44:

hi twmcm......sorry..its common to hear them called just N's ...aka.. narco

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twmcm says on Nov 29, 2008, 09:41:

Muchas gracias.

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twmcm says on Dec 11, 2008, 06:56:

Followup BodyTech thoughts . . .

I've been going to BodyTech (Cabrera) almost daily since signing up on 28 November.

Pro's
- Eye candy is great (and talkative) during the day, say from Ten AM to Two PM
- At Eleven AM on a weekday, for example, there are maybe thirty people in the place (twenty of whom are females) - instant access to almost any machine you want.
- Camera in the locker room (see below)
- Lots of friendly people milling about.
- Staff seems friendly and willing to help (which I find rare in Bogota)

Con's
- They do not provide towels
- Lockers are emptied nightly - they can't be rented or kept long-term so you'll have to lug along every item on every visit
- They require a physical (from their "doctor") before you begin. Their in-house "doctor" is a scorned woman, mad at the world & eager to make you miserable.
- No water fountains on the gym floor
- Camera in the locker room (see below)
- Men's showers are regularly cold as the hot water supply is unreliable
- Sometimes there is a wait for cardio machines between roughly Five PM and Eight PM. I am told there is almost always a cardio wait in the early morning, pre-Eight AM

--------------------

Camera in the locker room . . . On my second visit, I had an issue in the locker room. Someone stole my wallet. The club director and I reviewed the camera stream and my issue was very quickly resolved.

At first I didn't like the idea of a camera in the locker room - pointed right at my grotesquely overdeveloped doo dads. Now I don't really care. If a voyeur is staring at my naked butt, who really cares? If someone steals my wallet and gets nabbed within minutes . . . I really like that!

I'm told there are cameras in the lady's locker room as well.

--------------------

Health insurance . . . I have none. They require it.

Make up something and write it on your form for the "doctor" when you get your physical. They don't ask for proof or anything else.

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bickerss says on Dec 11, 2008, 07:12:

Out of interest who stole your wallet and where from? Great they got them.

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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