Lab Gym – Review

The Lab Gym is a local gym to me in Hartlepool, North East of England and it was only right that I do a review on the independent gyms in the town. The Lab Gym is well renowned in Hartlepool for supporting people with mental health issues and furthermore raising awareness of these issues by being open and honest about their own challenges. They have been known to offer free personal and group training for people facing those difficulties – which is quite humbling and honourable to do.

The gym itself has a main weights room, a cardio room and a spin room. When I visited a personal trainer was pushing clients through their paces. The gym itself is compact but it has all the equipment you would expect to see in a regular commercial gym. It had a squat rack, cable machine, smith machine, bench, free weights chest machines, shoulder machines, pull downs and rows plus biceps and triceps machines. I was working legs so we will get into that equipment just now. They really did utilise their space well. The amount of equipment they had was impressive given restrictions but it did not feel tight. I like to visit gyms when they are quiet but I feel this gym comes to life at night.

It was time to hit legs. I have been able to up the weights week by week as I leave my injury behind me. I warmed up in the cardio room and went through my stretch routine influenced by the prehab guys which ensures I warm up specifically for squats and general leg workouts. The majority of the machines were life fitness equipment and had been painted yellow to match the colour theme of the gym. I started with some front squats in the squat rack. Just light to continue to warm up with and with a slow tempo. Once I had completed that I moved to the hack squat. The life fitness hack squat moved easily as I loaded it up with weight. I am looking at building strength in my legs so it was lower reps and heavier weights. The sweat started to piss out of me. It was good to be pushing heavy weights again.

After that set I went to the 45 degree leg press, there was a horizontal leg press that was pin loaded but it didn’t have the required weight load to push me. I plated loaded the leg press and was able to keep loading plates and I kept pushing. This was a super comfortable machine and it moved so easily so if you do go get it loaded up! Split squat on the smith machine was next. I was starting to feel fatigued but the gym was light and cool so I was able to gather myself and push on through.

Slow leg extensions were next and from here you could see the massive mural painted on the feature wall that also had a large mirror. The mirror really did create the feeling of extra space which, as said, they have managed really well. I finished with seated leg curls and seated calf raises. I had survived but I was weak now! But it showed that this gym has exactly what you need to complete a good solid leg day.

Additionally to what has been mentioned I did notice strongman equipment such as farmers, atlas stones and yokes. I know a member or two actively compete in this field. Lab Gym is well worth a visit if you fancy popping out a quick workout and are in the town you’ll have your training needs met.