A gym membership usually includes far more than access to treadmills and weights. Depending on the club, members can receive group fitness classes, an induction and starter programme, recovery facilities such as a sauna and steam room, member-only discounts on spa treatments or personal training, and guest or trial benefits. The value of a membership depends less on what it costs and more on how much you actually use it.
Most people join a gym, learn three machines and a treadmill, and never open the rest of the package. What follows is a plain account of what a membership typically includes, the ten benefits that matter most, and how to use them properly. Prices and packages vary between clubs and cities; if you want the numbers behind that, read what affects gym membership prices in London. This article is about the contents, not the bill.
What does a gym membership usually include?
Most gym memberships include access to exercise equipment and training areas. Full-service memberships may also include group classes, an induction, recovery facilities and member-only benefits.
How much is included in the monthly fee depends on the structure. A gym-only membership covers the floor and nothing else. A standard or full membership adds classes and usually an induction. A health club membership includes access to the sauna, steam room, and spa, as well as member perks. An off-peak membership offers the same inclusions as its full-price equivalent, restricted to quieter hours. The monthly gym membership options in London at most clubs sit somewhere on that ladder, and the inclusions below are what move a plan up it.
Gym equipment and training areas
The core of any membership is the floor: cardio equipment, resistance machines, free weights and a functional training area with rigs, kettlebells and open space. The benefit is not any single machine but the range under one roof. In a given week, you can row, lift, work on a cable stack and finish with a sledge push without going anywhere else.
Group fitness classes
Some memberships include classes within the monthly fee; others charge per class or restrict access by tier. Typical timetables cover yoga, Pilates, spinning, HIIT, circuit training, Zumba, barre and strength classes. A full class programme, such as the 40+ weekly classes across mind and body, cardio, and strength and conditioning that Meridian runs, is one of the largest single inclusions a membership can carry, and one of the easiest to leave unused.
Inductions and workout guidance
A good membership starts with an induction: a walk-through of the equipment, an explanation of the different training areas, the safe way to set up the machines, and a starter programme so you know what to do on your first few visits rather than wandering around. It is not personal training, and it is not meant to be. It is the map.
Recovery and wellness facilities
Health-club-style memberships include or provide access to a sauna, a steam room, relaxation areas, spa services, and recovery zones. Whether these are bundled or bolted on is one of the clearest differences between a gym and a health club. For how the sauna and steam side of a membership works in practice, see the guide to a gym membership with sauna and steam room access.
Member discounts and additional perks
The perks layer varies most between clubs. Common examples are discounted spa treatments, personal training offers, priority class booking, guest passes, member events, retail discounts and reduced rates on wellness services. At Meridian, the concrete perk is discounted access to the on-site ELEMIS spa. Some members also arrive through an employer scheme; the corporate gym membership benefits guide covers how those packages differ.
10 benefits of having a gym membership
These are membership benefits, not exercise benefits. The point is what the membership itself unlocks.
1. You can use more training options for one membership fee
Paid separately, a weights gym, a yoga studio and a spin studio are three memberships and three sets of booking systems. A full gym membership puts them under one fee. Someone might strength train on Monday and Thursday, take a yoga class on Wednesday and join a cycling class on Saturday morning, all on the same card, without adding up three invoices at the end of the month.
2. Fitness classes can add structure to your week
A class at 6.30pm on Tuesday is an appointment. A vague intention to “go to the gym this week” is not. Scheduled classes give the week fixed points, which is why people who ask whether gym classes are included, or search for a gym membership with yoga, are usually asking a routine question in disguise. A timetable you can book into is the difference between a membership you use and one you pay for.
3. You can switch workouts when your goals or motivation change
A member is not tied to one workout. Strength training one day, yoga the next, then cardio, HIIT or Pilates later in the week, all without changing venue. When motivation for one format dips, the timetable has another, and the membership continues to be used rather than lapsing.
4. Yoga and mobility work can complement gym training
Mixing strength and cardio with mobility-based classes is one of the most useful combinations a membership makes possible. A heavy lower-body session on Monday pairs well with a Flow yoga class on Wednesday; a week of cardio benefits from Pilates at the weekend. Meridian’s yoga classes in Greenwich include Vinyasa, Flow, and Aerial Yoga on the same timetable as the strength and HIIT sessions, so the pairing doesn’t require a second membership.
5. Recovery facilities can become part of your routine
Training and recovery in the same building is a convenience that changes behaviour. Finishing a session with fifteen minutes in the sauna or steam room is easy when it is thirty metres from the squat rack, and unlikely when it means a second journey. For most members, the value is relaxation and a proper end to the workout; it becomes part of the routine because it is already there.
6. An induction can make the gym less intimidating
For beginners, the induction is often the most valuable inclusion in the whole membership. Knowing which machines do what, where the free-weights area is and which parts of the floor are for what removes most of the anxiety of the first month. Leaving with an initial plan means the second visit has a purpose. Confidence in a gym is mostly familiarity, and an induction front-loads it.
7. Membership can make regular training more convenient
When equipment, classes and recovery facilities are in one place, there are fewer separate bookings, fewer venues and fewer reasons not to go. One app, one timetable, one bag. The practical friction of training drops, and attendance rises with it.
8. Member-only discounts can stretch the value further
A membership can unlock reduced prices for services that are not fully included. Spa treatments, personal training blocks, and selected wellness services are common examples. At Meridian, members get discounted access to the ELEMIS spa, turning an occasional treatment into something a regular member can afford to build into their routine.
9. Group classes can add a social element
People return more reliably to places where they are recognised. Regular classes mean the same instructor, the same faces on nearby mats or bikes, and a room that feels familiar within a few weeks. None of that shows on a membership brochure, but it is a large part of why some members are still attending in their third year.
10. One membership can support different stages of your fitness routine
Needs change. The beginner who needed an induction becomes a regular who wants strength training, then classes, and eventually recovery facilities as much as the gym floor. A membership with several facilities lets someone move through those stages without changing gyms or buying a second service each time their routine shifts.
How can you get more value from your gym membership?
The cheapest membership is the one you use fully. A few habits make that happen.
Use more than just the gym floor
Read what your membership includes and then use it. Someone paying for a gym, classes, and recovery facilities but only ever using a treadmill is using only a fraction of the package. The rest is already paid for.
Build classes into your weekly routine
A simple week that uses several inclusions together:
| Day | Session | Inclusion used |
| Monday | Strength workout | Gym floor, free weights |
| Wednesday | Yoga | Class timetable |
| Friday | Cardio or gym workout | Cardio equipment, functional area |
| Weekend | Pilates, cycling or recovery | Classes, sauna and steam |
Four visits, four different inclusions, one membership.
Use your induction or programme support
Included support is worth nothing until it is used. Book the induction, ask for the programme card, and ask the floor team when a movement feels wrong. Members who skip this step usually spend their first three months guessing.
Check your member benefits before paying separately elsewhere
Before booking a separate yoga studio, recovery service, or spa treatment, check whether something equivalent is already included or discounted in the membership. The overlap is often larger than people assume. The same logic applies to commitment: if you are unsure how much you will use, the pay-as-you-go vs annual gym memberships guide sets out how the two models reward different patterns of use.
Review how you use your membership every few months
Four questions, once a quarter: Are you using the classes? Are you training at the times your plan allows? Are there facilities you have never tried? Would a different included class better support your current goal? Ten minutes with the timetable usually finds an inclusion that has been sitting unused.
Which gym membership benefits matter most for you?
Not every inclusion matters equally. Weight them by how you train.
If you are new to the gym
Prioritise the induction, approachable staff, beginner-friendly classes and programme guidance. The size of the free-weights area matters far less than having someone show you how to use it.
If you enjoy classes
Prioritise the number of classes included, the variety across yoga, Pilates, spinning, Zumba, and HIIT, the times they run, and how easy booking is. A large timetable you cannot get into is smaller than it looks.
If you mainly strength train
Prioritise equipment range, free weights, resistance machines and availability during the hours you actually train. A rack that is free at 2pm and queued at 6pm is a 2pm rack.
If your routine includes recovery
Prioritise sauna, steam, and other wellness facilities, and check whether they are included or charged separately. If you plan to use them after every session, a health-club membership almost always works out better than a gym membership plus paid recovery elsewhere.
If you have a busy schedule
Prioritise opening hours, class times and whether your plan restricts when you can visit. The best-equipped gym in the area is no use when you’re only free for one hour a day. If you are weighing up local options on these terms, you can compare gym memberships and facilities in Greenwich side by side.
What should you check is included before joining?
Nine questions to ask any club before signing:
- Are fitness classes included, or charged separately?
- Are yoga and Pilates included in the timetable?
- Is sauna or steam-room access included?
- Does the membership include an induction?
- Is personal training included, or a separate purchase?
- Are there member discounts, and on what?
- Are there booking limits on classes?
- Does access change between peak and off-peak hours?
- Can you try the facilities before committing?
On the last question, a day pass answers it better than a tour. Meridian offers a one-day pass at £19.99 and a three-day pass, both covering the gym floor, classes on the day, and the sauna and steam rooms, for anyone who wants to test the full package before joining. Details are on the gym day pass page.
Frequently asked questions about gym membership
What is normally included in a gym membership?
A standard gym membership includes access to cardio and resistance equipment, free weights and training areas. Full and health club memberships add group fitness classes, an induction with a starter programme, sauna and steam facilities, and member discounts on services such as spa treatments or personal training. Inclusions vary by club and by plan.
Are fitness classes included in a gym membership?
It depends on the gym and the tier. Budget and gym-only memberships often charge per class or exclude them; full memberships usually include them. At Meridian, classes are included in the applicable membership packages, with a timetable of more than 40 sessions a week.
Can gym membership include yoga classes?
Yes. Many full-service gyms offer yoga as part of their included class timetable rather than charging for it separately. Meridian’s timetable includes Flow, Vinyasa and Aerial Yoga alongside its Pilates, cardio and strength classes.
Does a gym membership include personal training?
Not usually. An induction and a programme card are included at most full-service clubs and give you a starting plan; one-to-one personal training is a separate, paid service. Some memberships include a discount on personal training blocks rather than the sessions themselves.
Do gym memberships include access to a sauna and a steam room?
Some health club memberships do; gym-only memberships generally do not. If recovery facilities matter to you, confirm they are included in the plan rather than available as an add-on.
Is it better to get a membership or pay for individual visits?
A membership is better value once you train more than once or twice a week; pay-as-you-go suits occasional or trial use. The full comparison, including how to judge your own usage, is in the UK gym membership guide.
Can I try a gym before buying a membership?
Yes. Most clubs offer a tour, a trial session or a day pass. Meridian’s gym day pass gives full access to the floor, the classes running that day and the sauna and steam rooms for a single day, with a three-day pass for anyone who wants longer.
What does a Meridian Fitness membership include?
Meridian Fitness memberships are built as health club memberships rather than gym-only plans. Depending on the plan, members get unlimited access to the gym floor, the full programme of fitness classes across mind and body, cardio, and strength and conditioning, and the sauna and steam facilities. Every membership starts with a free induction and a personalised programme card, so the first few weeks have a plan behind them. Members also receive discounted access to the ELEMIS spa on site.
Exactly which inclusions apply depends on the plan chosen, and current terms and prices are set out on the Gym membership page rather than repeated here. The club is at 38 Creek Road in Greenwich, a short walk from Cutty Sark DLR and Greenwich station and easy to reach from Deptford, Lewisham and the rest of south-east London, with on-site parking.
