Gyms in Santo Domingo

First go to www.livio.com

Under the heading Phone Directories, click on Paginas Amarillas... Type in Gimnasio for Nombre del Negocio and Danto Domingo for Ciudad. There are about 60, many of which will suit your parameters for being around 27 de Febrero.

The Master Blaster

err, SANTO Domingo!

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AC

I've belonged to two, on opposite ends of the spectrum.

A whole in the wall with just the basics that was fine, and cheap, but it was heavily laden with steroid freaks and really short on some basics.

The other was Golds. One of the big differences was that it was air conditioned and that makes a huge difference, especially in the summer. There can be no underestimating this.

Golds was expensive to join, and ruthless with their billing on late charges. They ran the prices up to 900 pesos and that's when I called it a wrap.

I should say I'm referring to the one on Los Locutores (sp?). There is another in the new Malecon project and I'm sure that is really nice.

They have been doing construction on the Locutores one forever. When it rains, it pours down into the gym making it stink and also very dangerous. They have a huge amount of people in the gym to help lift the weights for you. If they just thinned out the gold jersey helpers by half it would be much better. They are literally in the way more often than anything else. If they aren't dancing with clients or talking on their cell phones, they are either staring at themselves in the mirror or clipping their nails - I've seen that on a few occasions and found it borderline appalling.

It's a very social place, the music is deafening and the loudspeaker announcing phone calls for people and other commands is so loud - so as to be able to be heard over the blaring music - it can be earshattering if you're near a loud speaker (a really really loud speaker). So make some portable music with good headphones a priority.

They are building up to the new opening and continue to wedge equipment into some tight spots. You're literally on top of each other, sometimes that can be good though!

That being said, the 6 and 7 pm. aerobics classes on Monday and Tuesdays are a "can't miss", not to participate, but to witness.

All in all, I'd recommend it if you can afford the $7,000 initiation fee (last time I checked anyway) and the 900 a month. They also have parking (validated?) available.

you guys are high rollers

I use a little place called "Nueva Creacion" in the Colonial Zone. It's on Arzobispo Nouel near the corner of Jose Reyes. The cost is quite low. I don't know exactly what it is for new members now, but it is far below what I've seen quoted elsewhere.

It is not the very best equipped place in the country but it has what anyone would need for the basics. Full disclosure: it is a Christian gym, affiliated with a church group. You wouldn't know that except for the preponderance of Christian pop (Sixpence none the richer etc.) on their music playlist.

It is a relatively small membership and people behave respectfully. The costs are very low.

Cleef

So what would you say is the ratio of serious bodybuilders/weightligfters to people that are just there to socialize and have a good time at Gold's gym. I'm just asking because I like to get a good workout but at the same time I like meet new people and Gold's seems to be a good place to do so.
Thanks

Ramon

Ratio? Tough to say, time of day has a lot to do with it.

If you go between 4 - 8'sh M-T, it's 75% social and the acronym "GOLDS" stands for "Gym of Leaning Dominicans". The machines become bar stools and park benches.

I'd say that 25% of the people just had a needle in their vein before they got there and they only will do arm or chest exercises. Schedule yourself appropriately and it's not a bother.

If you go outside of those hours, or Friday/Sat./Sun. you will have a good social group that is there to break a sweat.

Some of the socialites are so infatuated with themselves and their reflections that they get into these serious and deep grinning/staring/flexing matches with their reflection that seem to go on forever. I often wonder if I may have to jump in and split them up. Like it's about to get violent. I wish I knew how to say something like "hey, that dude is looking at you funny" or "did you hear that, he just called you a praguayo", but I don't, so I just say it to myself and die laughing.

There are also some women there - oh boy are there women there - that will never wear the same outfit twice. When they arrive you can see it in their eyes that they feel like they are on a runway in Paris (they stare straight ahead and don't make eye contact with anyone) and there are fireworks exploding in the sky behind them.

If I'm making it sound bad I don't mean to. I really like the people there, but the other element honestly made me laugh out loud sometimes.

You'll have no trouble getting a serious workout if you want one.

However, be careful of the M & T, 6 & 7pm aerobics class. You'll either hurt yourself lifting on the machines that face the room, or you'll get caught staring like you're watching the sun drop down into the ocean, taking in all the shapes and colors.

Hope this helps, I gotta go do some pushups.