Fitness First sits on top of the HSBC bank and the Reebok showroom opposite Avirate Cafe. Located in Colombo 7, it’s a fitness spa with a gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi and sauna.
Fitness First is one of the few places where you can gain access to a swimming pool and a gym for a pretty decent price in Colombo. It’s good value for money and the location, just a hundred meters from Independence Square, is ideal.
The gym is spacious, maybe more so than most others in Colombo (i.e. Royal Gym, Body Bar, Lifestyle). It has a bit of an odd floor plan, the cardio section (with treadmills and exercise bikes) are all lined up along what looks like a long hallway, overlooking Maitland Crescent. The weight training area is much nicer – the machines are in good condition and there’s enough room to move about and stretch.
So the gym is essentially quite good. The personal trainers are friendly and an individual session will cost you Rs. 2000. What’s good about Fitness First is that it’s affordable. An annual membership comes to around Rs. 65,000 and that’s decent because it includes the swimming pool and sauna.
The fact that it is right next to independence square is brilliant; if you ever get bored of running on the treadmill you can always go for a jog outside. The only downside is that it’s sometimes hard to find a parking spot.
For those of you who are a bit skeptical about the place, ask the front desk for a day membership. They’ll charge you Rs. 1500 and that includes a free session with a personal trainer – I don't think this includes access to the swimming pool though.
