Review of Viva Leisure Fitness
Founded in 2004, Viva Leisure is a Canberra-based health and leisure company that owns 11 fitness brands currently operating across Australia. The company’s focus is to bring health and fitness to as many people as possible, in a supporting and non-intimidating environment. With over 40 facilities across Australia, Viva Leisure has proved themselves a serious player in the fitness industry. For more information on each club, check out the full range of Viva Leisure fitness facilities outlined in this Canstar Blue overview.
What brands does Viva Leisure own?
The Viva Leisure Limited company currently owns 11 gym and fitness brands around Australia, including:
- Club Lime
- Plus Fitness
- Fit n Fast
- HIIT Republic
- Pinnacle Health Club
- Club Lime Ladies Only
- Club Lime Aquatics
- Club Lime Swim School
- Gymmy PT
- Psycle Life
- Studio by CL
We’ve provided a run down of the major brands under the Viva Leisure umbrella to help you see if there’s a gym franchise for you.
Club Lime
Club Lime is considered the premier brand of Viva Leisure, with more than 40 locations across Australia. Club Lime offers memberships across a fortnightly, 3-month, annual, student and corporate contract term. Memberships include 24/7 access where eligible, a $0 joining fee and a $39 access fee.
You can freeze a membership if needed, with a fee attached of $10 for the first week and $5 for every week after that. There is also an option to suspend your membership for up to three months for extenuating circumstances. Members can cancel at any time, however they must give 28 days’ notice. Basic facilities include cardio machines, functional training, cycle studio, strength and conditioning equipment and group classes, with Club Lime specific services including customised personal training programs and virtual workouts. Select locations also include a sauna and childcare facilities.
Club Lime Memberships include:
- Multi-club membership: Gains you access into Club Lime and Fit n Fast gym facilities.
- State Multi-club membership: Gains you access into any Club Lime gym in the state.
- Club specific membership: Gains you access into a specific Club Lime facility, with 24/7 access if available.
The pricing of each membership tier changes depending on your selected term contract, and your location. Contact your local Club Lime for a full range of details and pricing.
Club Lime also has a number of brand extensions, each focusing on select areas, ideal for when you’re looking for something specific when it comes to your workouts. Club Lime brand extensions include:
- Club Lime Ladies Only: Also known as Club Pink, this is a group of women-only gym facilities.
- Club Lime Aquatics: Located at the Canberra International Sports and Aquatic Centre (CISAC), Club Lime offers two aquatic membership options: Club Blue for those looking to use the pool facilities and Club Swim for those looking to learn to swim.
- Gymmy PT: Viva Leisure’s personal training division which operates throughout the assorted Club Lime facilities.
- Psycle Life: A gym facility featuring a cycle studio available to Club Lime Platinum members only.
- Studio by CL: A studio located outside of Club Lime fitness facilities designed to accommodate specific group fitness classes. With over 100 classes a week, Studio by CL is a popular option for those who wish to exercise but don’t live near a Club Lime gym, or for people whose regular Club Lime gym doesn’t offer adequate group classes.
Plus Fitness
Plus Fitness is an Australian-owned gym chain that has been operating for more than 19 years. It aims to provide members with friendly, non-intimidating gyms and high levels of support. A standard Plus Fitness membership starts from around $15.95 a week and there is a no lock in contract option available. A GYM – Access Card membership costs around $31.90 per fortnight, has no joining fee and includes two weeks for free, but you pay a $29 access card fee. However, as Plus Fitness is a franchise, membership prices may vary by location.
Plus Fitness offers no lock in contracts, and you can put your membership on hold for between two weeks and up to three months without any fees. If you’re unsure if you can commit to Plus Fitness, it offers a three-day free trial to try out the club before making a longer commitment, with a seven-day cooling off period when you sign up, in case you change your mind about a membership.
Basic facilities include cardio and strength training equipment, group training and personal training, while Plus Fitness specific services include Functional Training Zone (30 minute classes), complimentary tailored fitness programs, and Plus on Demand classes (virtual classes accessible 24/7). There’s also a number of group classes available, including Functional 30 classes, Virtual classes, Master classes, HIIT, boxing and yoga.
Fit n Fast
Fit n Fast gym facilities were previously available in multiple states across Australia, until their acquisition by Viva Leisure Limited in 2020. Since then, former Fit n Fast clubs in ACT and Victoria have been rebranded as Club Lime, while only clubs in NSW have retained the name Fit n Fast.
Starting at around $12, contract terms are available in 3-, 6- or 12-month packages depending on the membership type and the specific Fit n Fast club, with membership costs also varying between locations. When going away or unwell, you’re able to put the membership on hold for between one to six fortnights, but a fee applies. A minimum of two weeks written notice is required to cancel a Fit n Fast membership, and it must be done either via email or delivered to the club. This notice is taken from the next available direct debit date.
Basic facilities include cardio and strength training equipment, group training and personal training, while Fit n Fast specific services include Qmax Instructor led classes (high intensity training), virtual classes and the YogaBar. Some clubs also offer 24/7 access, with group classes including HIIT, yoga and other traditional gym classes and training.
HIIT Republic
HIIT Republic brands itself as a “boutique functional fitness, class-based environment.” Predominantly a fitness space for High Intensity Interval Training classes with an option to upgrade to a full membership, allowing you to access the full range of Club Lime facilities.
Memberships operate on a weekly basis, with members able to cancel at any time, however they must give 28 days’ notice. No membership fees will be refunded on cancellation, and a cancellation fee of $199 may apply. Additionally, you can freeze a membership if needed, with a fee attached of $10 for the first week and $5 for every week after that. There is also an option to suspend your membership for up to three months for extenuating circumstances.
Basic facilities include training space, HIIT equipment, free weights, kettle bells and squat racks, with HIIT-specific services including HIIT classes and coaches. Group classes include Peak, Throwdown AMRAP, Strength, Shred, Yoga, Tech and Republic, each of which include a different combination of HIIT workouts.
A HIIT Republic membership is included in a Club Lime membership. There are three available options:
- Multi-Club: Priced at $36.90 per week, the Multi-Club option grants you access to multiple HIIT Republic locations as well as unlimited access to classes, 24/7 access, no joining fee and a $69 access card fee.
- Multi Club and Club Lime: Priced at $41.90 per week, the Multi-Club and Club Lime option grants you access to The Ultimate, as well as any HIIT Republic and Club Lime studios, unlimited access to classes, 24/7 access, no joining fee and a $69 access card fee.
- Multi-Club and Club Lime Ladies Only: Priced at $42.90 per week, the Multi-Club and Club Lime Ladies Only option grants you access to The Ultimate as well as any HIIT Republic, Club Lime and Club Lime Ladies Only studios, unlimited access to classes, 24/7 access, no joining fee and a $69 access card fee.
Pinnacle Health Clubs
Pinnacle Health Clubs are a collection of six gyms operating exclusively throughout Melbourne, Victoria. Pinnacle advertises themselves as a holistic health club thanks to its array of wellness options, and an important member of the community in part for its programs for local sports clubs and businesses. Membership contracts range from a 1-, 6-, 12- or 18-month term, with the contract automatically ending at the end of the elected time frame. Members can set up automatic renewal if needed. To cancel a membership, 30 days-notice must be given and a termination fee of $150 applies. Members can freeze their membership at any time, but will pay a fee of $2.50 per day.
Basic facilities include cardio and strength training equipment, group training and personal training, with Pinnacle Health Clubs specific services include Locker Room HIIT group training, Pinnacle Wellness and women only training areas. 24/7 access is also available, with group classes including the likes of Body Pump, Body Attack, Zumba, Pilates, Yoga and HIIT.
Pinnacle Health Clubs offer three tiers of membership:
- 24/7: Priced from $13.50 a week, a 24/7 membership grants you unlimited access to the 24/7 facilities throughout all Pinnacle locations, unlimited group fitness classes and a tailored fitness program on request.
- Lite: Priced from $29 a week, a Lite membership grants you unlimited access to the 24/7 facilities throughout all Pinnacle locations, unlimited group fitness classes, a tailored fitness program on request and class credits for classes such as Reformer Pilates and Locker Room HIIT training.
- Unlimited: Priced from $39 a week, an Unlimited membership grants you access to the 24/7 facilities throughout all Pinnacle locations, unlimited group fitness classes, a tailored fitness program on request and unlimited classes including Reformer Pilates and HIIT group sessions.
Should I choose a Viva Leisure club?
With no shortage of gyms and fitness clubs available in Australia, finding one that fits your schedule, budget and work out preferences can be tough. But with Viva Leisure offering a number of subsidiary brands under its umbrella of operations, you may be able to find something that fits the bill, provided you live in the select states it operates in! However, it’s always best to look into all of your options before signing up to a contract, as you don’t want to be left counting dollars rather than counting your reps.
Photo Credit: Syda Productions/shutterstock.com
About the author of this page
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Site Editor, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.