30 Minute Hit Calgary SW

I went for the free trial of 30 Minute Hit, or «The Hit». The Hit is kind of like Curves meets UFC: a kickboxing-​esque circuit. Each section of the circuit lasts for a minute, and then you get fifteen seconds of rest before moving on to the next one. The stations include different punches and kicks, as well as some plank/​jump rope/​weighted crunch type exercises. Every station also has alternate moves so you can mix it up from workout to workout.
The owner was there when I was doing the trial, as well as a trainer who was kind of overseeing all the women who were working out all at once. So you kind of have that motivational/​trainer element to the workout as well.
The pros:
I definitely got a good workout a the Hit; I was feeling it days after. I don’t really have any weight to lose, but I can easily see how this would be a great place to try if you were looking to shed some pounds and gain some strength in a non-​judgmental, supportive, controlled environment. The trainer was professional and motivating, and the workout is empowering. This is a franchise operation, and you can tell the franchise owner pays a lot of attention to detail. The gym is clean. I think you can also bring your kids, which is a pro for some people. The way that the gym is laid out, I don’t think that you would be a negligent parent — you’d only ever be a few meters away from your kid (s). The changing area and the gym are both very clean, and there is plenty of parking (a lot in the front, covered parking in the back, and lots of street parking). This is a women’s only gym, which is a pro for me. Also, you can use your membership at any of the other 30 Minute Hit locations (Ontario, Seattle, BC, Nova Scotia…)
If you’re moving, you can cancel your membership without penalty.
The cons:
The trainer that was there during my trail was a male, which made me a bit uncomfortable. He was not inappropriate or anything, I just don’t feel comfortable working out around dudes, so it really affected the way I approached the circuit. Also, they aren’t open all the time. I mean, I don’t need them to be open ²⁴⁄₇ or anything, but they are closed on Tuesdays, Sundays, Saturday afternoons…
The facilities lack a shower, so going out after the gym isn’t an option unless you go home to shower first. Trust me, it’s a sweaty workout.
Guest/​Day passes are not available; it’s either the monthly membership or nothing at all.
The decision:
I decided against buying a membership. The option that would have best suited me would have been a reasonable $ 59 per month (I think it gets cheaper if you are brave enough to commit), but I am looking for a bit more variety in my workouts. If they had a 10-​visit pass, I would have bought that for sure. I also really like to workout on the weekends, so the fact that it is closed on Sundays/​only open Saturday mornings was kind of a deal breaker for me as well.
The recommendation:
Try it out, you have nothing to lose. It’s free to give it a shot, so why not? While this particular gym wasn’t for me, I would not refrain from recommending the Hit to others. I can see how it could be a great fit for some lifestyles!