How This Started
My fitness journey began unremarkably in 2019 at a small women's gym near my apartment in the Malaz district. It was converted from a residential space, the equipment was dated, and the air conditioning struggled against Riyadh summers. But it was walking distance and affordable, so I stayed for two years.
When that gym closed during the pandemic, I found myself genuinely lost. The fitness landscape in Saudi Arabia had changed dramatically. Suddenly there were options, real options, for women. International chains had opened dedicated ladies sections. Local brands had expanded. But information about these places was almost entirely marketing-driven.
I spent months trial-hopping. One-week passes at Leejam. Guest visits at Fitness Time. A friend's referral to Body Masters. Each experience taught me something, and I started keeping notes because my memory for details was unreliable.
Those notes became this website. The first version launched in 2023 as a basic blog. The current version you are reading represents substantial revision based on continued experiences and reader feedback.
My Approach to Reviews
Every review on this site comes from paid membership. I do not accept complimentary access or sponsored content. This is not a business for me since my marketing job pays my bills. It is a project that serves a purpose I believe in.
When I review a fitness center, I typically:
- Maintain membership for at least three months before writing
- Visit during different times and days to understand crowd patterns
- Try multiple class types and instructors
- Use the locker rooms, showers, and amenities regularly
- Talk to other members about their experiences
- Take detailed notes after each visit
I update reviews when circumstances change significantly: major renovations, management changes, pricing adjustments, or new facilities. Each article shows its last update date so you know how current the information is.
What I Look For
My priorities might differ from yours, so here is what matters most to me when evaluating a fitness center:
Privacy and Security: Does the ladies section feel genuinely separate? Are windows properly screened? Is staff exclusively female during operating hours? These are not negotiable for me.
Equipment Quality: Are machines well-maintained? Is there sufficient variety? Do things get fixed promptly when they break?
Crowd Management: Can I actually use equipment during my preferred times, or am I waiting constantly?
Clean Facilities: Locker rooms, showers, floors, equipment surfaces. Cleanliness tells you how seriously management takes the member experience.
Honest Membership Practices: No hidden fees, no impossible cancellation processes, no bait-and-switch on advertised services.
Beyond the Gym
When I am not visiting fitness centers or writing about them, I work as a senior marketing specialist at a technology firm in Riyadh. I hold a degree in Business Administration from King Saud University and completed additional certification in digital marketing from a Dubai-based program.
I live in the Al Olaya district with an unreasonable number of houseplants and a reading habit that my bookshelves cannot sustain. I travel for work occasionally, which has given me the chance to visit gyms in Jeddah, Dammam, and during international trips.
Fitness was not always part of my life. I was sedentary through university and most of my twenties. Starting at 28 felt intimidating, which is partly why I care about making fitness spaces accessible and welcoming for women at any stage of their journey.
Get in Touch
I receive many messages from women considering gym memberships, relocating to Saudi Arabia, or just starting their fitness journeys. I try to respond to everyone, though it sometimes takes a few days during busy work periods.
The best way to reach me is through the contact form. I do not maintain active social media accounts for this project since managing those platforms became more work than I wanted to commit to.
If you have specific questions about a gym I have reviewed, I am happy to provide additional details that did not make it into the published articles. If you have suggestions for facilities I should visit next, I welcome those as well.
Thank you for reading. I hope something here proves useful in your own fitness decisions.