Doing sports in Barcelona: DIR gyms

I still remember my first spinning class experience in Spain like yesterday. The room was small but equipped with such an effective air conditioning that I had to wear sweater on during the first songs. Some kind of techno-trance mix, spiced with Latin rhythm, was playing so loud that it was impossible to hear one's own thoughts. Co-cyclists were all packed in the front row as close to the instructor as possible. New participants kept on coming in until the last minute of the class. Their hair was open and they started to scream in ecstasy every time the song hit the climax. The instructor was yelling without a pause, spitting without restraint, apparently he had a lot to say - shame that I couldn't hear one word. And no, this was not a rock concert, just a normal SpinDIR class at DIR gym!

To clarify, if some of you have not been going to spinning classes in Scandinavia: participants go into the room 10 mins before and the door is locked precisely when the class starts. They stay quiet, start sweating, start making faces, sweat more, stay quiet. The instructor works as hard as every participant. Once in a while, s/he might say something. Like, "harder". When the class is over, everyone cleans their bikes, mutters hardly notable "thanks" and goes home. End of story.

The spinning class experience is actually just a small, amusing example of the strangeness (at least from an expat point of view) in the gym business in Barcelona. If you are going to join any gym, be prepared: there are as many prices and deals as there are potential clients. Never agree with the first offer. Never forget to mention your "friend" who got better price. And never, ever get pissed off, no matter how much you would like to punch the person behind the desk: then the game is over and you will never get a reasonable offer.

DIR Diagonal, fab pool area

When I joined DIR the first time, I managed to negotiate a fair deal where I had unlimited access to all classes whenever I wanted. I paid 44 euros a month. When my boyfriend joined, he wasn't as lucky: he ended up paying 59 euros a month, with exactly the same deal. Afterwards, when we asked for a reason for such a big difference, we were told that I had gotten a "special offer" which was only valid the day I joined. As he had been told exactly the same, we did not give up. We asked for an official price list. The response was an A4 size book of 70 pages, all written full of different prices. We gave up.

DIR Claris, our center

Now, when we returned to DIR, I had to pay 6 months in advance but the price was 40 euros a month. Although, I have to enter the gym always between 17.30 and 19.30 during weekdays. I can stay as long as I want. Poor boyfriend was not lucky this time either: he is paying 45 euros a month so again more than I do. Why? Because he is a guy. Yes, believe it or not, this was the reason given. Maybe they run out of imagination as we were joining together, at the same time. So boys out there, sorry, but in this country should you only not pay drinks for girls and high entrance fees to clubs, but you are also tyrannized by gyms.

Check out more information about DIRs at www.dir.es. According to my experience, they still offer quite a nice cost-quality ratio (if you can negotiate even a little bit). Last, one more example about the joining fee conversation few weeks ago:

DIR: So the joining fee is 80 euros.

ME: No, that can't be. 

DIR: Well, maybe I can make a special offer. Today, for you, it's only 65.

ME: It's too much. It's more than I pay per month!

DIR: Oops, silly me; today it's actually 25 euros, I forgot!

ME: Really? Last time I paid 10 euros.

DIR: Oh no, look: the computer says that it actually is 10 euros, only today, only for you! Lucky you!