The Royal College Gym is a part of the Royal College Sports Complex, home to ruggerites and sportsmen alike. The complex comprises of the famous rugby field (this is where the Bradby takes place), an indoor basketball court, badminton courts, volleyball court, squash courts, a netball court, a boxing ring and, of course, the Royal Gym.
Although the title may imply that the complex is only for school goers, it’s actually not. You’ll find that lots of people come here to use their indoor facilities (you can book courts in advance) and the gym is quite popular with the younger community.
The place is pretty much open to anyone – you could walk in and jog around the field and I don’t think anyone will say anything. I’d advise you to go when the rugger team isn’t practicing though, as it can get quite crowded and noisy when they begin running drills and tackling one another.
The gym is relatively small and is usually filled with school kids or former students, but you do get your fair share of fitness buffs that have absolutely no connection to the school. There are usually a couple of personal trainers there, probably not the most active of trainers, but I suppose you could befriend them for tips or pay for a personal session.
The gym is mostly frequented by men, however, so this is probably not the best place for girls – although I did happen to see an aunty on the cross trainer once. The place is small and just a bit loud – I was told that it can get quite crowded when all the schools athletes decide to come bulk up before a big sporting event. But if you like the intensity of being in a noisy, testosterone filled gym with other fitness buffs, this a good option. It’s not always crowded though, so if you pick a good time then you might have the entire gym to yourself.
In terms of equipment, they’ve got the standard essentials. They could do with a few more treadmills and cross trainers but it seems as though there’s no room for it. Apart from the small size and the odd chance that the gym is too crowded, it’s pretty decent.
The Royal College gym remains one of Colombo’s most affordable and most popular gyms. An annual membership for an outsider is worth it for Rs. 36,000. There are also special discounts for students and those part of the Royal College Union (see image for details). They also have a day membership for Rs. 600 so you can always try out the place before you decide to empty your wallet on a first impression.
