Powerhouse Gym, Thursday, 28 August 2008
Review Written by Sarge1973 (moved from forum)
As an undergraduate senior majoring in accounting, I have spent the past 2 years racking up about 90 college credits. My GPA is 3.81, and I recently won a scholarship that is paying for my trip here to Dalian.
The downside? With so much studying and striving for good grades, I have let my health slide. I have put on about 50 pounds or so because I have not been working out and I have been eating mucho fast food in the USA while living the college lifestyle. Oh yeah, I also love to drink beer!
So, when I got to Dalian, I decided I would walk everyday and find a nice gym to workout in. I really only wanted somewhere that had a good free-weight room and nice showering facilities. I have found a gym that has not only met my expectations, but it has positively blown them out of the water. The gym is called Powerhouse Gym, and it is located in the Manhattan Building #2 on the 8th floor.
First, the location. The Manhattan Building is a set of twin tower high-rises a little northeast of Victory Plaza. It has a cursive letter "M" at the top of the building. It is about a block away from the "big colored ball" in the traffic circle of Youhao Square, in the direction away from Labor Park.
The "B" Building is near the night-market food area, it has a KFC in the base and also a very nice department store. Amici Coffee also has a location there, as does Subway.
Anyhow, you enter the building at the nice department store near KFC, in the optical section. You walk into the department store and into the jewelry section and you will find a set of elevators on the left.
Take the elevators to the 8th floor. Get off, and you are in Powerhouse Gym.
A few features of PG: Classes, classes and more classes! Yoga, Hip-Hop, Aerobics, Step-Aerobics, Spin room, Hot Yoga room; swimming pool; elliptical machines; treadmills with individual flatscreen tvs; heavy kicking bag; free weights; weight machines; have I left anything out? Oh yeah, a great, clean men's shower with individual stalls with curtains, HOT water, and big lockers.
I went there with my Chinese friend who did all the talking about the membership price. I got in on an "Olympic Special" for something like 700 RMB for 6 months, though I think they said the normal price is 1000 RMB.
I have worked out there now about 5 times, and absolutely love it. Though the hot yoga class got pretty full, for the most part the facility is surprisingly empty of people, which is a rarity even in nice gyms in America.
I have belonged to several gyms over the years, from dinky, dank YMCAs, to shiny 24Hour Fitnesses, and even some "premiere" workout places that cost a small fortune to join. By far, hands down, Powerhouse Gym is my favorite. Also, I am the only foreigner I have EVER seen there!
I highly recommend it, and if anyone is interested and they would like to join me for a workout some time (no, I don't get a commission if you join!) I would be happy to take you there and show you the place.
Oh yeah! I almost forgot, they have a golf driving range on the roof, but I haven't yet tried it.
The only drawback I can say is that they are only open from 7 am to 10pm, and I like to lift in the mornings at like 5:30 or 6am, and I won't be able to do that this fall. But, other than the hours, the place is a gem!
P.S. They also have a small store that sells EAS WHEY PROTEIN POWDER and other fitness supplements, in case you want to buy a clean source of good protein.
Busqueen
jim
