It’s common knowledge that Richmond youth, as a whole, are an active bunch. From working out at the local facilities to the home-gym, the city’s teen population is gripped with a fitness fever.
While both of these fitness scenarios offer the opportunity to succeed in one’s personal goals, I wanted to know which would prove to be the best. And thus, I set on my quest to find the top gym in Richmond.
For my first stop, I decided to check out the well-known Richmond Olympic Oval, home of the famous elevator-selfie and “Oval-trained” athletes.
Being the inexperienced couch potato that I am, I was astonished to see how truly extravagant the gym was. I felt like an ant (never mind my 5’2” stature). Immediately after my arrival, I was warmly welcomed by Victor Ngo, 26, a personal trainer at the Oval. On top of the vast amount of heavy-duty lifting and cardio equipment, Ngo informed me that the rest of the facility was also included in the gym membership.
“The Oval offers almost everything in terms of sports — rock climbing, ice skating, badminton, volleyball…most community centre gyms don’t offer that,” Ngo explained. “It also includes classes like yoga taught by some of the best trainers.”
Hugh Boyd students Christine Li and Ada Fung (both 15) would agree with the personal trainer.
“It’s definitely more open,” Christine said. “I like the lighting and watching other people play sports, it’s a good distraction when I workout.”
The Oval was impressive to say the least. But before I made my decision, I reminded myself that I still had a couple of other pit-stops to make.
Next stop: Steveston Gym.
Though this community centre was visually a downgrade from my previous destination, I was instantly taken in by the chilled atmosphere.
While the Oval had a population of mostly people in their 20s, the Steveston Gym had a diverse demographic, ranging from teens to seniors. As soon as I stepped foot in the fitness centre, I was greeted by dozens of familiar faces such as Seth Wonghen, 16, and Jeremy Jersic, 17, students at the local high school that I used to attend.
“It’s a lot closer than other gyms and I like it,” Brandon Lum, 15, put simply. “You get to be with your friends.”
There sure was no denying it. The swarm of boys near Brandon was evidence of that. But before I made my final decision, I still had one gym left to visit — the garage of current McMath student, Connor Wilkinson, 15.
Though there were few pieces of equipment — and a questionable odour — Connor’s home gym, located in his garage, proved to have the most character. From the hanging hockey equipment and the loud music to the close proximity of the fridge, the homemade facility was something straight out of the movies.
Unlike the other gyms I’ve visited, the home-gym requires no money, and is very convenient. Connor’s friend, Lucas Mesiano, 16, a frequent member of the facility, vouches for that.
“You could be waiting for something to boil, or something in the microwave,” Lucas said. “By the time it’s finished, you could get a couple sets in.”
“You have the freedom to run outside, throw around a rugby ball, play basketball,” Connor added. “Get some cardio in there when you’re bored of lifting.”
The boys made some excellent points and this decision would prove to be harder than I thought.
After weighing the various pros and cons of the three fitness centres, I rendered my results to be inconclusive. They were all great in their own way; it simply would not be fair to judge them in the same category. Besides, I had not established a criteria to judge.
Even though my expedition may not have technically worked out, there was one important lesson to be learned. While each of these devoted young men have given very different reasons, none of them were wrong. Collectively, their input has given me the answer to the big picture.
It seems the best gym in Richmond is the one you think is the best fit for you.
