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Gyms in Barking and Dagenham

Barking, Dagenham, Becontree and Chadwell Heath: a young, fast-growing borough with three-pool Becontree Heath, an athletics track on Lodge Avenue and lakes in its parks. Here's where to train and who to train with.

Gyms and venues
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Towns in Barking and Dagenham

From Barking Riverside on the Thames to Chadwell Heath on the Redbridge border.

Training in Barking and Dagenham

A young borough, two big leisure centres and a track built for athletes.

Barking and Dagenham grew by 17.7% between 2011 and 2021, to around 218,900 people, and its median age is 33, against 40 for England. It is also where the fewest adults get enough exercise: in Sport England's Active Lives survey for Nov 2024–25, 56.3% did 150 minutes or more a week, the lowest share of London's 33 local authorities, and 32.0% did less than 30 minutes.

The borough's centres are run by Everyone Active. Abbey Leisure Centre in Barking has a 25 m pool, a 140-station gym, a women-only gym, a reformer studio and a spa. Becontree Heath Leisure Centre in Dagenham has three pools, another 140-station gym and more than 75 classes a week. Jim Peters Stadium on Lodge Avenue has an eight-lane floodlit track, and TKO Boxing Club trains on the same site. Goals Dagenham runs five-, seven- and eight-a-side pitches, and there's judo at the May & Baker sports club.

Whether you swim at Becontree Heath or run laps at Mayesbrook Park, training is easier to keep up with the right company. Gymist is how you find them.

Where to train in Barking and Dagenham

The public centres first, then boxing, judo and team sport.

Public leisure centres (Everyone Active)

  • Becontree Heath Leisure CentreDagenham · Three pools, 140-station gym, two studios, sports hall, soft play
  • Abbey Leisure CentreBarking · 25 m pool, teaching pool, 140-station gym, women-only gym, reformer and cycling studios, spa
  • Jim Peters StadiumDagenham · Eight-lane floodlit athletics track, jumps pits, throwing cage

Boxing and judo

Football and team sport

Find a training buddy in Barking and Dagenham

A lane partner at Becontree Heath, someone for the women-only gym at Abbey, a sparring partner at TKO: find people nearby who train when you do.

Find a buddy

Start a Barking and Dagenham training group

A beginners' running group round Mayesbrook Park's lakes, a track session at Jim Peters Stadium, a weekend five-a-side at Goals: set it up in minutes and we'll help locals find it.

Start a group

Train outdoors

Free places to train in Barking and Dagenham.

  • Barking Park30 hectares with a 910 m boating lake, tennis and basketball courts, and Barking parkrun on Saturdays at 9am.
  • Mayesbrook Park43 hectares with two large lakes, an athletics track, tennis and basketball courts and football pitches.
  • Eastbrookend Country Park84 hectares of wildflower grassland and young woodland beside the River Rom, next to the Chase Nature Reserve.

Getting around

Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line, c2c, bus and bike routes to the borough's gyms.

Tube

  • District line at Barking, Upney, Becontree, Dagenham Heathway and Dagenham East
  • Hammersmith & City line to Barking

Overground and rail

  • Suffragette line at Barking and Barking Riverside
  • c2c at Barking and Dagenham Dock
  • Elizabeth line at Chadwell Heath

Bus

  • 27 daytime routes

Cycle

  • Cycle Superhighway 3 from Barking to Lancaster Gate

Who trains here

What the census and the activity survey say about the people you'll meet in the pool, on the gym floor and on the track.

  • 33Median ageUp from 32 in 2011, and well below England's 40. The number of people aged 35 to 49 rose by 25.2% in ten years.Census 2021
  • 56.3%Adults active 150+ min a weekThe lowest share of London's 33 local authorities, against 65.9% across London, so there's room to grow and people to grow with.Sport England Active Lives, Nov 2024–25
  • 17.7%Population growth, 2011 to 2021From just over 185,900 to around 218,900 people.Census 2021

Barking and Dagenham gym questions

What people ask before they train here.

How many gyms are there in Barking and Dagenham?

Gymist lists 11 gyms, sports centres and sports venues across Barking and Dagenham, from five-a-side at Goals Dagenham to boxing, judo and basketball clubs.

Which leisure centres are in Barking and Dagenham, and who runs them?

Everyone Active runs Abbey Leisure Centre on Bobby Moore Way in Barking, Becontree Heath Leisure Centre on Althorne Way in Dagenham, and Jim Peters Stadium on Lodge Avenue, Dagenham.

Where can I swim in Barking and Dagenham?

Becontree Heath Leisure Centre has three pools, including a teaching pool, and Abbey Leisure Centre in Barking has a 25 m main pool and a smaller teaching pool.

Where can I train outdoors for free in Barking and Dagenham?

Barking Park has a 910 m boating lake and hosts Barking parkrun on Saturday mornings. Mayesbrook Park covers 43 hectares with two lakes, an athletics track, tennis and basketball courts, and Eastbrookend Country Park has 84 hectares of grassland and woodland beside the River Rom.

How do I get to gyms in Barking and Dagenham without a car?

The District line stops at Barking, Upney, Becontree, Dagenham Heathway and Dagenham East, and the Hammersmith & City line ends at Barking. The Overground's Suffragette line serves Barking and Barking Riverside, c2c stops at Barking and Dagenham Dock, the Elizabeth line stops at Chadwell Heath, and 27 daytime bus routes serve the borough.

How do I find a gym buddy in Barking and Dagenham?

Join Gymist free, add your gym and when you train, and browse members nearby. If there isn't a group for your kind of training yet, start one.

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