Michael Baah says the networking opportunities afforded by high-end gyms are priceless, while Amani Kaite values the community that joining brings

A typical monthly gym membership in the UK is between £40 and £50 per month, but some people opt to spend more than six times this.

For those with the cash to afford it, membership of top-of-the-range workout spaces can come to more than £3,500 per year.

Third Space, a chain of “luxury London health clubs” charges £325 for a monthly “group plus”’ membership, which gives access to all its venues, while KX, a club in Chelsea, charges north of £600.

But while many may see membership costs as excessive, some claim the value they give is more than meets the eye.

Michael Baah, a 38-year-old strength coach, paid about £350 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.

Mr Baah works with celebrity clients on a freelance basis, and his gym membership was for his own use – something he says was “for an escape… Nobody knows me and nobody asks me for tips or advice or anything like that”.

These high-end gyms offer a level above the normal workout environment, which makes them worthwhile financially despite the high charges, he adds.

“They 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,” he says.

Beyond the workout, there is another valuable aspect to being a member of an expensive health club: networking.

“There’s a network of CEOs, barristers, solicitors. These people go there because they value the luxury and the feel the area provides,” says Mr Baah.

“I absolutely see it as a networking opportunity. I’ve got clients that have followed me off social media as a result of meetings in the gym. A lot of influencers use it build a community.”

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.

His career focuses on health, but does he believe others can get value from joining such an expensive space?

“For me, I want somewhere I can get on training, but also be in a lovely space where I can talk to people,” he says. “It 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.

“If someone wants to just go and train, perhaps a cheaper gym could be worth it.”

Mr Baah is no longer a member of Equinox, as there is a gym available for residents where he lives. “It’s similarly good for networking. It’s very, very high end,” he says.

Amani Kaite, a nutritionist also working in London, pays around £230 to be a member of Third Space’s Canary Wharf club, and says it provides good value to her as she “basically lives there”.

The 41-year-old was formerly a member of a high street gym which cost her about £40 to £50 per month, but says that after four years as a member, she would never swap back

“I’m really into my fitness, so there’s the facilities and machines, which are top of the range,” she says.

“When I was a member of my old gym, I’d send up queuing for a very long time to use any of the equipment. The facilities and the equipment and classes weren’t great – I often thought I could run them myself even though I’m not an instructor.

“Overall I got to the point where I was sort of dreading going to the gym, which is horrible.”

Rani Swords, 54, who lives in London and works in finance, has multiple gym memberships, including Third Space, Virgin Active and Ultimate Performance, where customers buy sessions costing anything from £160 to £190 per hour.

She says she uses each membership for different reasons – Virgin Active because it is close to her work, Third Space for social reasons, and Ultimate Performance for structure.

“Fitness is just so important to me. I would far prefer to forgo an expensive dinner as opposed to gym membership because of the mental and health benefits it gives me,” she adds.

She says she has been a member of several high street gym chains before, but the top-end ones have an edge.

“With those chains, it’s get in and get out. Expensive ones are what make you want to stay longer. The luxuries are there. I think the fact that I spend on the more expensive ones shows how important it is to me,” she says.