\n\t\t\t\t\tMichael Baah says the networking opportunities afforded by high-end gyms are priceless, while Amani Kaite values the community that joining brings\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n
A typical monthly gym membership<\/a> in the UK is between \u00a340 and \u00a350 per month, but some people opt to spend more than six times this.<\/p>\n For those with the cash to afford it, membership of top-of-the-range workout spaces can come to more than \u00a33,500 per year.<\/p>\n Third Space, a chain of \u201cluxury London health clubs\u201d charges \u00a3325 for a monthly \u201cgroup plus\u201d\u2019 membership, which gives access to all its venues, while KX, a club in Chelsea, charges north of \u00a3600.<\/p>\n But while many may see membership costs as excessive, some claim the value they give is more than meets the eye.<\/p>\n Michael Baah, a 38-year-old strength coach, paid about \u00a3350 a month to be a member of Equinox, a multi-site set of gyms in London, between 2023 and last year. He believes it was worth every penny.<\/p>\n Mr Baah works with celebrity clients on a freelance basis, and his gym membership was for his own use \u2013 something he says was \u201cfor an escape\u2026 Nobody knows me and nobody asks me for tips or advice or anything like that\u201d.<\/p>\n These high-end gyms offer a level above the normal workout environment, which makes them worthwhile financially despite the high charges, he adds.<\/p>\n \u201cThey hold themselves to a completely different standard. They know their clientele, they are super-clean, and they are well staffed with staff members who are serious about training and want the atmosphere to be motivating. They are less likely to be packed and they offer beautiful views and environments,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Beyond the workout, there is another valuable aspect to being a member of an expensive health club: networking.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a network of CEOs, barristers, solicitors. These people go there because they value the luxury and the feel the area provides,\u201d says Mr Baah.<\/p>\n \u201cI absolutely see it as a networking opportunity. I\u2019ve got clients that have followed me off social media as a result of meetings in the gym. A lot of influencers <\/a>use it build a community.\u201d<\/p>\n He first qualified to work as a strength coach at the age of 16, but began to take his career more seriously from his twenties onwards, after roles as a lifeguard and in the police.<\/p>\n His career focuses on health, but does he believe others can get value from joining such an expensive space?<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, I want somewhere I can get on training, but also be in a lovely space where I can talk to people,\u201d he says. \u201cIt depends what you want from your space. Luxury is different from everyone so it depends what you want and what you want to achieve from it.<\/p>\n \u201cIf someone wants to just go and train, perhaps a cheaper gym could be worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Baah is no longer a member of Equinox, as there is a gym available for residents where he lives. \u201cIt\u2019s similarly good for networking. It\u2019s very, very high end,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Amani Kaite, a nutritionist also working in London, pays around \u00a3230 to be a member of Third Space\u2019s Canary Wharf club, and says it provides good value to her as she \u201cbasically lives there\u201d.<\/p>\n The 41-year-old was formerly a member of a high street gym which cost her about \u00a340 to \u00a350 per month, but says that after four years as a member, she would never swap back<\/p>\n