Wags Gym

I found some stuff on Wags Gym. It literally used to be round the corner from my old house. Obviously Wag Bennet passed away a few years ago and its been closed down, but its a nice trip down memory lane for anyone interested in having a read. I must admit, for actual weight training / atmosphere in this place compared to modern day gyms is uncomparable. You cant beat the old, cast iron, massive paintings and all the gaffa tap used to hold everything together. Wag used to sit at the door on entry and you would give him a couple of quid per session. Membership was £20 for life. Havent really been to any other real spit and saw dust gyms so cant really compare. But i do miss this place. Wish i had more structure to my training back then, could have really made the most of it.
 
http://www.seemydomain.com/wagbennett/

Seen the pics but not the video. Good stuff.

Yeah those sort of gyms are the best and the pics do make me want to go there an lift!!
Some of that old equipement is almost impossible to get a modern day equivilent now.
 
Fortunately for me there are a good few of these old (and not so old) spit n sawdust places within reasonable distance. I was a member of a commercial gym for a while, but as you say; the atmosphere does not compare.

Good link.
 
Reminds me of Esturary Gym in sunny Southend-on-Sea run by Roy Perrot.

BLADE_79


I found some stuff on Wags Gym. It literally used to be round the corner from my old house. Obviously Wag Bennet passed away a few years ago and its been closed down, but its a nice trip down memory lane for anyone interested in having a read. I must admit, for actual weight training / atmosphere in this place compared to modern day gyms is uncomparable. You cant beat the old, cast iron, massive paintings and all the gaffa tap used to hold everything together. Wag used to sit at the door on entry and you would give him a couple of quid per session. Membership was £20 for life. Havent really been to any other real spit and saw dust gyms so cant really compare. But i do miss this place. Wish i had more structure to my training back then, could have really made the most of it.

http://www.seemydomain.com/wagbennett/

Have they closed the gym down?! A damn shame if his sons decided against keeping it going after Wag passed. 
When I lived in Stratford back around the time that I joined MT I used to train at Wag's place. Was a 10 minute walk from my house, straight along the Romford Road. I can't believe it gone. Last time I was there must have been 2006. It was dead. I trained there for a few months and, often, I was the only customer in the place. Never understood why it wasn't over-subscribed.  IIRC it was £20.00 life membership plus £2.00 every session?
Like you, Blade, I wish my training and diet were more structured back then. I really could have made more of the place. Pleased to say I trained there though, just to be part of the gym's history.

I'm intrigued, is it left like that or are they old pics, what a shame - looks like an amazing place.  I enjoyed that, good find...

peagreen


I'm intrigued, is it left like that or are they old pics, what a shame - looks like an amazing place.  I enjoyed that, good find...

That's basically how it looked when I trained there back in 2005-2006, pea.
You can clealry note from the photos that it was a Chruch before Wag bought it. IIRC, Wag and his family lived in the flat above the gym. It was a labyrinth. I was still finding little rooms-off-rooms-off-rooms two weeks after joining! LOL.
Was only 6 years ago, but it seems like a life-time ago looking at those photos.