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Gyms in Southampton

A port city of two universities, with a 148-hectare Common, a dry ski slope and a river you can paddle. Here's where to train in Southampton and who to train with.

Gyms and venues
39
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Showing 1–24 of 39 gyms

Neighbourhoods in Southampton

From the sports fields of Bassett and Shirley to the boxing gyms off Northam Road.

Training in Southampton

A young, university city on two rivers, with more activity than the England average.

Southampton is home to around 248,900 people (Census 2021), up 5.1% since 2011, with a median age of 34. Its two universities, the University of Southampton and Solent University, keep it young: 10.5% of residents are aged 20 to 24. In Sport England's Active Lives survey for Nov 2024–25, 66.8% of adults in the city did at least 150 minutes of activity a week, against 64.6% for England.

The charity Active Nation runs the city's public sites: The Quays Swimming and Diving Complex on Harbour Parade, Bitterne Leisure Centre, Chamberlayne Leisure Centre in Weston, St Mary's Leisure Centre and the 56-acre Outdoor Sports Centre at Bassett, beside its dry ski slope. The universities open their own gyms to the public too: Jubilee Sport and Recreation Centre in Highfield has a 25 m pool, and Solent Sports Complex in the city centre has a 90-station gym. Around them sit CrossFit, boxing gyms, judo and a full-time martial arts centre.

Wherever you train in the city, it's easier to keep going with the right company. Gymist is how you find them.

Where to train in Southampton

Active Nation's public centres first, then the university sports centres, the strength gyms, the fight gyms and the outdoor sites.

Public leisure centres (Active Nation)

University sports centres

Strength gyms, CrossFit and chains

Combat and martial arts

Snowsports and paddling

  • Alpine Snowsports SouthamptonBassett · Dry ski slope: skiing and snowboarding lessons
  • WoodmillSwaythling · Canoe, kayak and SUP hire on the Itchen, high ropes

Find a training buddy in Southampton

A lane partner at The Quays, someone to share the WOD at CrossFit Solent, a sparring partner off Northam Road: find people nearby who train when you do.

Find a buddy

Start a Southampton training group

A Saturday crew for parkrun on the Common, a paddling group from Woodmill on the Itchen, an evening run along the Itchen Way: set it up in minutes and we'll help locals find it.

Start a group

Train outdoors

Free places to train in Southampton.

  • Southampton Common148 hectares of woodland, grassland, ponds and lakes, home to one of the UK's most attended parkruns every Saturday morning.
  • Riverside Park32 hectares along the Itchen with six football pitches, a tennis court and a skate park, on the Itchen Way.
  • Itchen Waya 31.8-mile footpath from near the river's source at Hinton Ampner to its mouth at Woolston.
  • Outdoor Sports Centre, Bassett56 acres that are free to walk around, with an outdoor obstacle training area beside The Powerhouse.
  • Royal Victoria Country Park200 acres of woodland and parkland on Southampton Water at Netley, just over the city boundary, where the 4.5-mile Hamble Rail Trail starts.

Getting around

Rail, bus, ferry and bike routes to Southampton's gyms.

Rail

  • Southampton Central: 6.173 million passengers in 2024/25, served by South Western Railway, Great Western Railway, CrossCountry and Southern
  • Southampton Airport Parkway, just over the boundary in Eastleigh, had 1.444 million passengers in 2024/25

Bus

  • Go South Coast runs most local services, as Bluestar and Unilink
  • First Solent runs services to Portsmouth via Fareham

Ferry

  • the Hythe Ferry crosses Southampton Water from Town Quay
  • Red Funnel sails to Cowes and East Cowes on the Isle of Wight

Cycle

  • Southampton Cycle Network routes 1, 3, 4 and 5 are substantially complete

Who trains here

What the census says about the people you'll meet in the pool, on the mats and on the Common.

  • 10.5%Aged 20 to 24With two universities in the city, a big share of Southampton is students and young adults building a routine.Census 2021
  • 34Median ageUp from 32 in 2011, and well below the South East's median of 41.Census 2021
  • 15.9%Aged 50 to 64Up from 14.6% in 2011. Plenty of people at the age when a regular swim or class partner makes the difference.Census 2021

Southampton gym questions

What people ask before they train here.

How many gyms are there in Southampton?

Gymist lists 39 gyms, leisure centres, studios, fight gyms and sports venues across the City of Southampton, from the university sports centres and the Outdoor Sports Centre to chain gyms, CrossFit and boxing gyms.

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

Active Nation, a health and wellbeing charity, runs The Quays Swimming and Diving Complex on Harbour Parade, Bitterne Leisure Centre on Dean Road, Chamberlayne Leisure Centre on Weston Lane, St Mary's Leisure Centre and the Outdoor Sports Centre on Thornhill Road in Bassett. The University of Southampton's Jubilee Sport and Recreation Centre and Solent University's Solent Sports Complex both offer memberships to the public.

Where can I swim in Southampton?

The Quays Swimming and Diving Complex in the city centre and Bitterne Leisure Centre both have pools, run by Active Nation. Jubilee Sport and Recreation Centre at the University of Southampton has a 25 m pool.

Where can I train outdoors for free in Southampton?

Southampton Common covers 148 hectares and hosts a free 5k parkrun every Saturday morning, one of the most attended in the UK. Riverside Park runs along the Itchen with football pitches, a tennis court and a skate park, and the Itchen Way footpath follows the river through the city to Woolston. The Outdoor Sports Centre at Bassett is free to walk around and has an outdoor obstacle training area beside The Powerhouse.

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

Southampton Central is the main station, served by South Western Railway, Great Western Railway, CrossCountry and Southern, with 6.173 million passengers in 2024/25. Go South Coast runs most local buses, including Bluestar and Unilink, and First Solent runs services towards Fareham and Portsmouth. The city is building a network of cycle routes, with routes 1, 3, 4 and 5 substantially complete.

How do I find a gym buddy in Southampton?

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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