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Gyms in Leicester

A young city of two universities, with seven council leisure centres, a lead climbing wall at Leicester Leys and 168 acres of Braunstone Park to run in. Here's where to train in Leicester and who to train with.

Gyms and venues
91
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Showing 1–24 of 91 gyms

Neighbourhoods in Leicester

From the canal-side units of Frog Island to the terraces of Clarendon Park.

Training in Leicester

A young city with seven public centres, a lead wall and a lot of park.

Leicester is home to around 368,600 people (Census 2021), up 11.7% since 2011, with a median age of 33. It is a young city: 9.8% of residents are aged 20 to 24 and another 6.4% are 16 to 19, with the University of Leicester and De Montfort University both here. In 2024–25, 30.5% of adults in the city did less than 30 minutes of activity a week (Sport England Active Lives).

The council runs seven leisure centres as Active Leicester, plus Saffron Lane Athletics Stadium. Braunstone Leisure Centre has an eight-lane 25 m competition pool with a movable floor, Evington and Aylestone each pair a 25 m pool with an 18 m teaching pool, and Leicester Leys has a wave pool and The Tower, the city's lead climbing wall. Around them sit big independent gyms, fight gyms at Frog Island, and DMU's leisure centre with its own pool and climbing wall.

Whether you've just arrived for university or have trained here for years, it's easier to keep going with the right company. Gymist is how you find them.

Where to train in Leicester

Active Leicester's centres first, then the university and community sites, strength gyms and fight gyms.

Public leisure centres (Active Leicester)

  • Braunstone Leisure CentreBraunstone · Eight-lane 25 m competition pool, 25 m training pool, 80-station gym
  • Evington Leisure CentreEvington · 70-station gym, 25 m and 18 m pools, four-court sports hall
  • Aylestone Leisure CentreAylestone · 25 m and 18 m pools, 75-plus station gym, six-court hall, 3G pitch
  • Leicester Leys Leisure CentreBeaumont Leys · Wave pool, gym, and The Tower climbing centre
  • Spence Street Sports CentreSpence Street · 25 m by 10 m pool, 18 m pool, 56-station gym
  • Cossington Street Sports CentreBelgrave · 30 m pool, gym, sauna, floodlit ball court
  • New Parks Leisure CentreNew Parks · Swimming pools and squash courts
  • Saffron Lane Athletics StadiumKnighton Fields · Council-run athletics stadium

University and community sports sites

Strength gyms and independents

Combat and martial arts

Find a training buddy in Leicester

A lane partner at Braunstone, someone to belay you on The Tower, a sparring partner at Frog Island: find people nearby who train when you do.

Find a buddy

Start a Leicester training group

A Saturday crew for parkrun in Braunstone Park, an evening run along the Soar through Abbey Park, an outdoor gym circuit in your local park: set it up in minutes and we'll help locals find it.

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Train outdoors

Free places to train in Leicester.

  • Braunstone Park168 acres of lakes, woodland and meadow with outdoor exercise equipment and a free parkrun every Saturday at 9am since 2010.
  • Victoria Park69 acres of mostly level grass south-east of the centre, with tennis, basketball, a skate park and pitches.
  • Abbey Park89 acres between the River Soar and the Grand Union Canal, with tennis courts and a boating lake.
  • Watermead Country Parka chain of lakes along the Soar on the city's northern edge, with a Saturday parkrun and open-water swim training on King Lear's Lake.
  • Leicester's outdoor gymsmore than 30 free outdoor gyms across the city, run by the council.

Getting around

Rail, bus and bike routes to Leicester's gyms.

Rail

  • Leicester station: about 5.53 million entries and exits in 2024/25, on the Midland Main Line
  • East Midlands Railway to London St Pancras, Nottingham and Sheffield; CrossCountry across the Midlands

Bus

  • Haymarket and St Margaret's bus stations, with First Leicester, Arriva and Centrebus among the operators
  • the Orbital, a 30-mile route round the city in both directions
  • Park and Ride from Meynells Gorse, Birstall and Enderby

Cycle

  • the staffed Bike Park on Town Hall Square holds up to 200 bikes
  • St Margaret's Cycle Hub on Gravel Street holds up to 50
  • Active Leicester members can borrow an e-bike free for four weeks

Who trains here

What the census and Active Lives say about the people you'll meet in the pool, on the mats and on the wall.

  • 33Median ageUp from 31 in 2011, and the joint second-lowest in the East Midlands.Census 2021
  • 9.8%Aged 20 to 24With another 6.4% aged 16 to 19, a lot of the city is students and young adults building a routine.Census 2021
  • 30.5%Adults active under 30 minutes a weekStarting with someone else is one of the easiest ways to change that.Sport England Active Lives, Nov 2024–25

Leicester gym questions

What people ask before they train here.

How many gyms are there in Leicester?

Gymist lists 91 gyms, leisure centres, studios, fight gyms and sports venues across the city of Leicester, from the Active Leicester centres to independent strength gyms, yoga studios and community sports grounds.

Which leisure centres are in Leicester, and who runs them?

Leicester City Council runs seven leisure centres as Active Leicester: Aylestone on Knighton Lane East, Braunstone on Hamelin Road, Cossington Street, Evington on Downing Drive, Leicester Leys on Beaumont Way, New Parks on St Oswalds Road and Spence Street. It also runs Saffron Lane Athletics Stadium. De Montfort University's leisure centre on The Gateway is open to the public as well as students and staff.

Where can I swim in Leicester?

Braunstone Leisure Centre has an eight-lane 25 m competition pool with a movable floor and a four-lane 25 m training pool. Evington and Aylestone each have a 25 m pool and an 18 m teaching pool, Spence Street has a 25 m by 10 m pool, Cossington Street has a 30 m pool and Leicester Leys has a leisure pool with a wave machine. DMU's leisure centre also has a 25 m pool.

Where can I climb in Leicester?

The Tower at Leicester Leys Leisure Centre is mostly a lead wall, with lines 11 to 13 metres high and overhanging routes 15 metres long. Alongside it, The Bloc is fully top-roped at 4 to 5 metres and there is a bouldering wall. Climbers with experience take a competency test on their first visit. DMU's leisure centre has a climbing wall too.

Where can I train outdoors for free in Leicester?

The council lists more than 30 free outdoor gyms across the city. Braunstone Park covers 168 acres, with outdoor exercise equipment and a free parkrun every Saturday at 9am since 2010. Victoria Park has tennis, basketball and a skate park, Abbey Park runs along the River Soar, and Watermead Country Park to the north has its own Saturday parkrun.

How do I get to gyms in Leicester without a car?

Leicester station is on the Midland Main Line, served by East Midlands Railway and CrossCountry, and recorded about 5.53 million entries and exits in 2024/25. Buses run from Haymarket and St Margaret's bus stations, and the Orbital circles the city. Cyclists can leave bikes at the staffed Bike Park on Town Hall Square, which holds up to 200.

How do I find a gym buddy in Leicester?

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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