Whether you are a die-hard fitness fanatic, or have been promising yourself for the past (insert a number) years to become more active - Cape Town is a fantastic place for you. Nowhere else will you find such a huge choice of indoor and outdoor activities at such reasonable prices. Gym facilities are state-of-the -art, personal trainers absolutely vicious (in a good sense!), there is a myriad of independent classes and studios and on top of that the whole country is nuts about sports. This section focuses on gyms and indoor classes. Read more about South African favourite outdoor sports in the next section. 

Gym chains

VIRGIN ACTIVE  is largest and the best gym chain in Cape Town, offers a variety of classes, top of the range equipment, personal training and swimming pool. Standard membership with a full day access will cost you around R 200 a month – a great value compared to what most of us are used to pay for an equal facility overseas. In addition, if you are a member of Discovery Health, note that you can join Virgin for a once-off fee for 700 rand with no monthly payments – now isn’t that a great reason to finally get in shape?

Another good chain with numerous gyms in Cape Town is Planet Fitness.

If you are not a fan of large gyms (or if you are just using it as an excuse...) you will be happy (or, respectively, slightly annnoyed) to hear there are many smaller independent options scattered all over the city. These range from well equipped private gyms to yoga, pilates, powerplate, martial arts studios etc. Costs are normally very reasonable. Here are some that have been recommended by Cape Town Expat users:

Independent gyms 

• MBS Fitness Centre – Hout Bay The village, Beach Crescent, 021 790 7212. Small centre but good enough with a variety of classes and a room for children to play while Mommy takes care of her shape.
• Curves - all neighbourhoods. An international chain of gyms focusing on women, with 20 or so Cape Town locations and a few more around Western Cape. See locations here. Try their 30-min all-over workouts.

Pilatus

• Back to basics Pilates & Exercise Therapy - Northern Suburbs. Cutter Close, West Beach, 021 554 2630. Pilates instruction by physiotherapists. Classes, one-on-one personal training and home exercise programmes are available.

Yoga

• Satyananda Yoga Centre - Atlantic Seaboard. 11 Marine House, St. Johns Rd, Sea Point, 021 434 3694
• It’s Yoga Cape Town - Northern Suburbs
• Sundara Yoga - Southern Suburbs. 45 2nd Ave, Harfield Village 021 683 6065 

Martial Arts:

• Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre
• Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
• Aikido   

Last update: January 29, 2010