Bristol Co-operative Gym

Fantastic experience: I LOVE the co-operative gym! I was super apprehensive about joining a gym as I’ve tried them before and felt really uncomfortable and judged. Not now! At the co-operative gym I feel safe and not judged it’s the friendliest atmosphere and I love all of the staff and how supportive, helpful and friendly they all are. I’ve been really surprised at all of my progress, I have been going for some weeks now and I realised I’m getting stronger — when I lifted a weight and told Barney it felt lighter than last week, Barney then replied with his wonderful smile and said ‘it’s because you’re getting stronger Daryl.’ You can make so much progress and not even realise. Love popping down not only for my physical health but my mental health. It’s great to be a part of a community! :) I love the variety of classes too, I LOVE going to Isadora’s stretch and strengthen class on Tuesdays it’s so dynamic and engaging and I always love the vibe! On Wednesdays I love going to Harry’s strong and steady - it’s a real workout and it’s a great challenge. On Thursdays Tim’s all round weight lifting class is awesome, he’s super helpful and it’s great to see my progress. All the trainers are soo kind and helpful! Everybody should give it a go!

Fantastic experience: The best gym I’ve ever joined, kind helpful and skilled coaches run friendly classes adjusted to everyone’s level. A super inclusive place where everyone is celebrated- I’ve never ever been excited to go to the gym until I started here!

Fantastic experience: Started going about a month ago, absolutely love it. Great inclusive atmosphere, kind and knowledgeable trainers

Fantastic experience: Bristol coop gym is definitely the gym for people who hate gyms. The whole ethos is brilliant - welcoming, inclusive and friendly. The classes are great and the coaches are always happy to help/adjust exercises as neccessary. I'm really glad I joined!

Fantastic experience: Full of kindness

Fantastic experience: I've never enjoyed going to the gym until now!

Fantastic experience: Bristol Co-op's classes are the first I've actually *looked forward* to attending. All the people who attend are so welcoming, and the coaches are endlessly encouraging, knowledgeable, and non-judgemental. Classes are mixed ability, and genuinely chilled out.

Fantastic experience: I have been to a variety of classes, all have been accessible, friendly and welcoming. It really is the best place to build up skills and confidence. I feel super lucky to have access to such a great place within the city. I would recommend to anyone

Fantastic experience: Friendly, inclusive gym which provides a great range of classes. The gym has recently had a refurb, with new equipment and gym flooring. I felt welcome when I arrived. The gym is part of a great community space in St Anne's. The coaches are knowledgable and professional, always helping you with alternative movements to suit your needs. It's a non-judgemental place to learn to lift weights. Classes are fairly priced on a sliding-scale model, so you can pay what you need to and allow others to come to the gym. The free weight equipment is great. It caters to people who are new to lifting weights (with lighter bars and bumper plates) to those who are more experienced. The people who come to the gym respect your space, and there are no macho vibes.

Fantastic experience: Work out in the clothes you like, with the music you like, in a friendly co-operative atmosphere.

Fantastic experience: This is so important. Great space and lovely people!

Fantastic experience: Couldn't recommend higher

Fantastic experience: Relaxed, low key and friendly weight lifting classes - fantastic.

Fantastic experience: Really knowledgeable, kind and empathetic trainers who still challenge you. Friendly people, great equipment and music. Very happy with this gym.

Positive experience: Had a decent class here on a trial week. Limited equipment. I think it's friendly and a good ethos, but I can't justify the monthly cost when it's just classes and no access outside of those times personally. If you need/want the sense of community and support getting into fitness for the first time or getting back to it, I can imagine this is great. If you like working out solo and/or want to use specific equipment and weights machines, and more flexible access, a more traditional gym would likely be better. Also if you're a solo female, walking this area doesn't feel super safe.

Fantastic experience: Super friendly gym with a lovely homely and supportive atmosphere and a very good variety of classes (check out the awesome Punk Aerobics!). You are free to go at your own pace and there is plenty of support to adjust the movements to meet your own abilities and requirements. I thoroughly recommend if you're looking to try something a bit different and want to make some friends at the same time.

Fantastic experience: The co-op gym is an amazing place, it makes strength training approachable and fun. The members so run it work hard to create a training space built around accessibility and liberation. If the culture of regular gyms leaves you cold then the co-op gym is the place for you.

Fantastic experience: Great HIIT class with a very knowledgeable instructor. All abilities welcome and thorough support for every level. Would highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Really wonderful environment based around the real acquisition of skills without the intimidating, toxic gym environment. I love this class and have never felt out of place despite never having lifted anything before.

Fantastic experience: Been to the strength conditioning class weekly for the last month or so. Great session. Excellent guidance and support. Nice atmosphere. Great tunes.

Fantastic experience: I love it here. It's a really inclusive, supportive environment. Isadora and Guy make sure you're doing everything right so to prevent any injuries, I feel like I've learnt more in the last few weeks going here than I have done for years going to weights classes in other gyms.

Fantastic experience: I never thought I'd lift weights and be a regular gym-goer... But Bristol Co-operative Gym is one of a kind (quite literally) and I love going. The value for money is unbeatable -highly knowledgeable trainers providing personal feedback and tonnes of information. Go learn stuff about your body and make it stronger at the same time!

Fantastic experience: Brilliantly inclusive, welcoming strength training in a non-judgemental environment.

Fantastic experience: Super friendly, welcoming, wonderful gym. I particularly love HIIT on a Thursday, and always feel so much better afterwards, even after the worst day at work ever. Life changer, it really is. Thanks gym!

Fantastic experience: Love this place. Great ethos and vibe and even has its own body positive and inclusive mission statement, ensuring all abilities are welcome. Fantastic technical support is given to make sure you’re lifting safely and progressing appropriately.

Fantastic experience: Excellent trainers for HIIT training in a quirky but adequate environment. The atmosphere is relaxed with everyone there for the same cause of improving their fitness . A great place for anyone that has no experience of gyms. I would recommend.

Fantastic experience: A friendly welcoming gym for all levels of fitness and ability. Excellent feedback from coaches and great encouragement from other gym members. Wear what you want, lift what you want, listen to what you want... you will be amazed what you can achieve there.

Fantastic experience: I have been going to functional HIIT for a while now, and it is awesome. It is really fun, people are easy going, Guy changes it every time so it never ever gets boring! And he gives advice and adjust everything to ensure things are done properly and safely. It is really inclusive so even I and all my roundness feel comfortable there. And fun. Really fun. Time flies!

Fantastic experience: By far the most welcoming, un-macho gym I've ever come across. I've learnt loads and it's been great for my physical and mental health. And I've made a lot of really good friends too. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Fantastic experience: A friendly gym which welcomes people of all levels of fitness. The price is very competitive. No need to buy special clothes or feel you have to 'look the part'! I'm not the fittest but I've been given loads of encouragement. I do strength training in a session with lots of different types of people. The trainers always adjust the routines to match my needs and abilities.

Fantastic experience: This is an amazing space to learn from a very skilled coach in an extremely supportive and laidback environment. I continued training throughout pregnancy and postnatally and have had a lot of fun as well as getting much stronger and improving my form.

Fantastic experience: Never considered going to a gym until this place opened. Train with a really great bunch of people!

Fantastic experience: This a super friendly, non competitive gym with professional advice on tap to ensure correct posture and to prevent injury. The strength sessions at the gym provide a balanced workout, and each person receives a tailored programme for every session, enabling you to work towards your own goals with your own body. There aren't any mirrors, so there isn't that sense of self-checking and being aware of what you look like when you're working out!

Fantastic experience: Friendly free-weight gym that welcomes everyone and aims to reach out to people who are often excluded by normal gyms. Qualified personal coaching and a lovely atmosphere. You can become a member and have an equal say in how the gym is run.

Fantastic experience: "We hate gyms too!" - That was the line that drew me in. Months down the line, I'm so incredibly grateful to have found Bristol Co-operative Gym and very proud to be a member! From my first time attending, I was made to feel very welcome and supported by the attendees. Guy's instruction is excellent, he is accredited and offers a wonderfully broad knowledge of training techniques. He develops bespoke routines and helps build confidence in your ability from the very start. Despite my initial limited fitness knowledge and skill, I've noticed a pronounced positive effect on my both physical and mental well being. Lifting weights and training in a calm friendly environment has become such an immensely rewarding activity that I actually look forward to each session. I encourage you to give Bristol Co-operative Gym a try at least once, the first session is free!