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A little known fact about me is that I enjoy bodybuilding, not so much lately, but definitely in my University days while I lived in Toronto. Recently I have been on the look out for a gym to go to in the San Jose province of Costa Rica. There are a few to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. One thing is for sure, you have to get creative with the equipment at the gyms here as many of them do not have what you may be used too. This is totally fine and invokes a certain amount of creativity when I am diving into my fitness training. There is a certain amount of pride that goes into getting a great workout from rusty dumbbells and a gym with a dungeon like feel, though I know many of the people reading this will disagree and definitely prefer a clean sparkly feeling gym experience.
Below I will take a look at the most popular gyms in the San Jose province, offer some feedback on each one, and expose a few gyms that you may have not heard about yet. Near the bottom I will talk about the options you have for supplements. If you prefer to get outside and exercise there are tons of Surfing, Yoga, Running, and more groups in the country that get together regularly. Just ask around and post to the classifieds on Encuentra24.com and Craigslist.org. In the very near future we will have a weekly article on surfing here in Costa Rica, so check back soon for those articles.
Gyms in San Jose province of Costa Rica
MC Gym is by far the best gym for people looking to train seriously, either doing CrossFit, Olympic Lifting, or many other forms of exercise. The founder and owner of MC Gym is Costa Rica’s National Olympic Weightlifting Champion, and the front of the gym is full of trophies and medals to prove this. If you are ready to take your fitness to the next level, with professional athletes, and well qualified trainers, consider MC Gym close to Forum 1 in Santa Ana Costa Rica. Click the link above to get started.
Probably the most popular gym amongst professionals who live and work around Escazu. This gym has virtually everything you would expect from a gym in the US or Canada. The price point is quite high in comparison to the other gyms, but you do get some of the best equipment available in the country. There is plenty of parking for your car and the parking lot is attended by security guards so it is safe. If you are into meeting people at the gym for friends and/or dating, you would do well here with the right attitude and approach. Just saying.
At one point, from what I recall years ago visiting Costa Rica, Gold’s Gym used to be close to Multiplaza in Escazu in the strip mall just as your approach the mall across the street from Microsoft offices and the Intercontinental Hotel. Now it appears they have moved to the Radisson Hotel adjacent to the newspaper publication La República offices. I have yet to be to this new location so I cannot comment in detail, but before there move years ago they had some great hammer strength equipment and dumbbells that went up to 110lbs. So for the hardcore bodybuilding fan, it was a match made in heaven. They also previously had a separate cardio and women’s fitness room, so you could exercise privately away from prying eyes if you prefer that type of thing.
If you are a very busy professional who works in the office buildings close to the highway and the new Walmart in Escazu, this is the gym for you. Though it is quite small and lacks on some of the equipment that World Gym has, overall it isn’t bad. Upstairs there is a cardio area with some light weights and pilates equipment, and downstairs you have more cardio equipment, free weights, olympic benches and the like. If the word “yuppy” or Young Urban Professional ever came to mind here in Costa Rica, you would find them at this gym in droves.
Muscle Mania in Mall San Pedro is a boutique gym with just the basic equipment. Nothing special to report here, if you live or work close to this area you might want to check it out and see if it fits your needs.
Similar to Muscle Mania above, this is a boutique gym, but rather then focus on weights and bodybuilding, they have cycling and cardio classes and minimal weights. If you are into cardio dance classes and group exercise, this gym is for you. Might be a good way to meet some new people with similar interests.
Curves gym is a female only training facility that caters to the special needs of women. Training here is more focused on repetition and cardio. Getting toned and increasing flexibility is something that the people who train here look for. The environment is really comfortable for people who are new to going to gyms and from what I hear, they make you feel really welcome and comfortable.
Similar to Curves Gym above, but not only for women, this gym specializes in a boutique approach. Minimal equipment but lots of room for cardio and stretching. There are plenty of machines but the gym is definitely lacking free weight selection.
Having recently undergone some major upgrades, Pro Fitness Gym is somewhere between what you would see at World’s Gym and what you would find at a boutique gym.
Bodyline is located in the center of Santa Ana and offers a mix of hardcore bodybuilding and cardio fitness. There is only one squat rack, and the 45lb plates are hard to come by, but the selection of leg equipment is sound. I suggest that you wear gloves to this gym at the weights are rusty, though the dumbbells do go to 120lbs which is nice. The cardio equipment is at the front of the gym facing the street, the weights are at the back, and off to the side is a spinning class that is included in the monthly gym fees.
Fitness and bodybuilding supplements
In Multiplaza and other areas of San Jose province there are GNC nutrition centers, which are also very popular in North America. The prices here are quite high. You can expect to pay $150 or more for a 5kg container of premium whey protein powder. Look around your neighborhood and ask around, you may be able to find boutique supplement stores that are less expensive. Just ensure you look closely at the date of expiry on the products to ensure you do not buy vitamins or similar that are out of date. The heat can also play tricks on the supplements here, as well as the humidity, so make sure everything is sealed well. Most of the gyms outlined above while be able to direct you to some good supplements shops that are close by. Do your research on the supplements that you need for what you are trying to accomplish on Bodybuilding.com, they have the most comprehensive articles of any fitness focused website.
