UQ Sport Fitness Centre

Price is cheap but the cost of parking more than offsets this. Majority of the gym is not air-conditioned and gets extremely hot during the summer. Dumbbells on 2/3 levels only go up to 35Kg which is alright for beginners but is limiting for experienced gym-goers. Also, there is always at least one machine broken in the gym at all times.

A good friend of mine owns and operates a Brisbane based capoeira school. We used these facilities for a sizeable event. Onsite, the UQ staff were friendly and accommodating even when we were loitering at the end of the night. The facilities are modern and able to accommodate for large groups easily. The gym area was very clean, given we all train barefoot, the bottom of my feet were still reasonably clean! The massive helicopter style ceiling fan helped keep us cool during training. The toilets and changing rooms are all modern and clean too. Would highly recommended US Sports Fitness Centre.

Well priced, my plan includes a 6 weekly check in to go over my workout plan or to work on technique. There is a wide range of equipment and machines, with enough duplicates of the more popular things so you don't really need to wait too long. In late 2022 they upgraded a bulk of their equipment which had been getting a bit tired. The new machines are a welcome and long overdue upgrade.

Positive: The gym offers many squat and deadlift racks, which is awesome. Instead of having a grand floor, it is divided into multiple small rooms, which gives the impression that it is more crowded than it really is, especially during peak hours. Negative: The gym should include some hanging punching bags in the open area for members who wish to do some cardio like boxing. It is silly that, in a well-equipped university like UQ, even with a Gold membership, you still have to join a boxing club and pay their fee (roughly $300 per semester) to access some punching bags. Of course, I totally get that if you pay more, you will get priority access to a particular piece of equipment or facility. But really? Some old hanging bags? C'mon, men, you're better than this! Moreover, although the boxing club is closed most of the time (they are only open a few hours a week), nobody can still access their "punching bags." It does certainly represent a waste of resources and is not in the best interests of UQ students in general.

Gym itself is alright, price is fair, but the aircon (only on one floor) feels like it hasn’t been on in months. Windows stay shut so the (little) cold air doesn’t escape, so it gets pretty stuffy. Many of the treadmills work to different standards, some constantly have ‘out of order’ signs, others don’t but are still dysfunctional. Just get functioning aircon at the very least.