Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question and can not find the answer on the site please contact us

Q. What do I have to do to join the leisure centres?

A. Various types of membership are on offer including direct debit, annual payment and a centre membership which allows you a discount on a pay as you go basis. A membership form would need to be completed together with a direct debit form (if required). We would then issue you with a personalised membership card which would be swiped each visit. More information can be found on memberships by visiting www.north-dorset.gov.uk and clicking on the leisure centre link or by contacting your local leisure centre for an explanation of which membership would best suit your requirements.

Q. What facilities do you have at each leisure centre?

A: Sturminster Newton Leisure Centre = gym, sports hall, and aerobics studio.

Blandford Leisure Centre = gym, sports hall, aerobics studio, 2 swimming pools, sauna, squash courts and tennis courts.

Shaftesbury Leisure Centre = gym, aerobics studio, astro turf and tennis courts.

Q. What activities are on offer at the leisure centres?

A. A comprehensive list of activities can be found by visiting www.north-dorset.gov.uk and clicking on the leisure centre link.

Q. What times are the swimming pools available to the public.

A. Please see the pool timetable. Blandford Timetable  

Q. Is there any information that we can be sent other than that found on the internet site.

A. Yes we have copies of the pool timetables, aerobics programmes, and the Guide to Leisure Centres in you area.

Q. What times are the leisure centres opening times?

A. Please use the link  Blandford opening times

Q. What temperature is the swimming pool water?

A. The main pool is maintained between 28-30 degrees celsius and the learner pool at Blandford is maintained between 30-32 degrees celsius.

Q. Is it advisable to take my young baby swimming?

A. We would advise that they receive their course of jabs before coming swimming (mmr and polio)

Q. How do I know that a class will be suitable for me?

A. All our aerobics classes have a description of the ability level that the class is directed at. For swimming lessons children would be assessed before they  are booked into a group.

Q. Am I too old to learn to swim?

A. No you are never to old to learn to swim. The Blandford leisure centre offers adult swimming lessons for groups and one to one sessions can also be booked. Contact the centre for more information.

Q. Why do I need a gym induction, I’ve used other gyms before?

A. We require every new customer to undergo an induction to ensure you are familiar with our equipment and safety procedures. We also carry out a health questionnaire to ensure there are no reasons that would prevent you from exercising . We are also currently implementing group inductions at a lower cost for regular gym users who do not require a personalised programme.  

Q. From what age do you have to pay for children's' swimming?

A. Children must be paid for once they turn 4.

Q. When is the flume available to the public at the Blandford Leisure Centre?

A. Please follow the link to the Pool Timetable

Q. Do I need to book for activities?

A. You will need to book for court use, aerobics sessions, swimming lessons, gym induction, children’s holiday activities and children's parties.

Q. How much do the various activities and memberships cost.

A. Please follow the link to the leisure centres  Blandford    Shaftesbury    Sturminster Newton  . The prices for each activity can be found under the drop down information.

Q. Why do I need to book for aerobics classes and other sessions.

A. Leisure centre activities have a maximum number of attendance. Booking ensures that we do not have to turn people away. There may also be occasions where the class has to be cancelled at short notice, by taking a booking we are able to inform customers before they waste a trip.

Q. Is there any information available regarding the swimming scheme and how old my child has to be to attend, and when do we register onto the scheme etc ?

A. Please follow the link to the swimming scheme section of the web page   Blandford Leisure Centre    

Q. Can I use all leisure centres with my membership?

A. If you have a North Dorset Leisure Centres Card it entitles you to membership rates at all the centres. If you have a direct debit for the gym it only entitles you to use the facility where the direct debit was set up unless you have a leisure centre Platinum Card.

Q. How big are the swimming pools.

A. Blandford Main Pool is 25 metres by 8 metres

Blandford Learner Pool is 12.5 metres by 5 metres and the leisure pool (linked to learner pool) is 9 metres by 5.5 metres at its fullest point.

Q. Can we borrow armbands?

A. Arm bands are available to hire or buy.

Q. When are the prices going up?

A. Prices will be reviewed annually and any changes would occur from the 1^st April each year.

Q. Do you have to be a member to use the facilities?

A. You do not have to be a member to use the facilities. If you wish to use the gym you must have received an induction. Being a member will make your visit cheaper.

Q. How do the direct debits work?

A. If you take out a direct debit it will come out of the bank on the 15^th of each month.  We may need an interim payment when you set your direct debit up depending on when you join. Direct debits can be cancelled without having to serve a notice period by informing the leisure centre and your bank.

Q. How do I get to the leisure centres.

A. Directions and a map can be found by following the links:    Blandford          Shaftesbury        Sturminster Newton

Q. How do I apply for a job at the leisure centre?

A. Information can be found on the Councils employment pages   Blandford     Sturminster Newton    or contact your local leisure centre and ask to speak to the Centres Officer.

Q. What is the minimum age for people to go in the gym

A. You must be 16 or over to use the fitness suite.

Q. What is the minimum age for the aerobics classes?

A. You must be 16 to attend the aerobics classes unless the sessions is specifically designed for children.

Q. Do you take credit cards?

A. Yes we accept all major credit cards.

Q. Can I make a payment over the phone?

A. Yes

Q. What age can a child swim without adult supervision.

A. The child must be 8 years of age or over.

Q Do you have a crèche at any of the leisure centres.

A. There is currently no crèche available at the North Dorset Leisure Centres.

Q. What activities are available for children during the school holidays?

A. The holiday programme will be put onto the leisure centres web page, please follow the link    Blandford     Sturminster Newton

Fitness FAQ’s

Q.What should I wear in the fitness suite?

A. You should wear appropriate clothing and footwear. This should be trainers or soft soled shoes; sports style clothing that is not restrictive, but not too baggy. You should try and avoid wearing rings, bracelets and large earrings.

Q. What are the busiest times?

A. The busier times in the gym are obviously evenings, when the majority of people have finished work, from 5.00pm-8.30pm. However this does not mean if you attend the gym during these times that you will not be able to use the machines you want to.

Q.When are the quietest times?

A. The quieter times are first thing in the morning, during the day, the last thing at night or at weekends.

Q .How often should I train?

A. It really depends what your goals and objectives are. However, the Government recommends partaking in five sessions of physical activity a week.

Q .How long should I rest between workouts?

A. You should allow a minimum of 24 hours between visits depending on the type and intensity of your workout. You should rest long enough so that any muscle soreness has subsided. If you are in any doubt please ask one of the instructors.

Q.How often should I change my programme?

A. When enrolled on the Fit4Life scheme, you will be offered the chance of a programme update every two months.  This is to progress your programme in line with the increase in fitness and also to increase variety and maintain motivation.

Q. Will changing my programme cost me anything?

A. When enrolled on the Fit4Life scheme when taken at properly scheduled points programme updates are free of charge.

Q. Do you do personal training?

A. Yes. We offer customers the chance to be trained personally by an international Triathlete. For prices and availability please phone Andy Blow on 0123456789 or at andy@votwo.co.uk

Q. When are peak/off peak times?

A. For a Pay as You Go gym member off peak times are 9am–3.30pm Mon - Thu. 9am-9.30pm on Fri. 12pm-6pm on Sat & Sun. All other times are peak

For a Direct Debit Member these off peak times are extended 7am-3.30pm Mon-Thurs. All day Fri, Sat & Sun.

Q. What should I do when having trouble on any of the equipment?

A. Members of staff are always available to answer questions and queries, if they are not present in the gym please do not hesitate to ask for assistance at reception. Blandford and Gillingham Leisure Centres have internal phones in the gym expressly for this purpose.

Q. Can I bring in a personal CD/Walkman/MP3?

A. Yes. Music is played in the gym for the motivation and enjoyment of the customers. Although we try and play current music and avoid anything too extreme, unfortunately we won't be able to please everyone with the choice of tunes.

Q. How high should my heart rate be to maximise weight loss?

A. Your maximal heart rate is 220 minus your age in years. If your goal is to reduce body fat and you have been relatively inactive, you will need to train at a level of 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. This is still within your comfort zone and allows you to exercise at a steady pace for a long enough time to burn off a substantial number of calories.). Sustain this heart rate for between 20 and 45 minutes at least 3 times a week to begin to burn fat. The body does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat when involved in lower intensity cardio exercise.

Q. Will using the gym give me big muscles?

A. No, not unless you want it to! Let your instructor know what you do and don’t want to achieve from using the facility and they will give you a personalised programme at the time of your induction which is relevant to your goals and objectives.

Q. Where can I find information on the prices?

A. All activities that are on offer at the North Dorset Leisure Centres along with the price guide can be found in the Guide to Leisure which can be found at reception.

Q.I don’t feel as if I’m doing anything when warming up and cooling down, so why bother?

A. Warming up prepares the cardiovascular and muscular systems for the physical activity reducing the likelihood of excessive muscular soreness from strenuous activity. Warming up is essential to raise body temperature. This temperature elevation reduces the potential of muscle and tissue injuries. In addition, blood flow to the muscles aids in the delivery of fuels required for muscle performance. The main aim of the cool down is to promote recovery and return the body to a pre exercise, or pre work out level. The cool down will also help with "post exercise muscle soreness." This is the soreness that is usually experienced the day after a tough work out.

Q. Where can I find out what else is on offer at the centre?

A. All activities that are on offer at the North Dorset Leisure Centres along with the price guide can be found in the Guide to Leisure which can be found at reception.

Q.Can I borrow headphones?

A. No, Due to the sweaty nature of exercise which can lead to Health and Safety implications, we don’t allow the lending of headphones for those gyms with cardiac theatre. However, earphones can be purchased from reception at both Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton Leisure Centres.

Q. If I pay by direct debit do I have to sign any sort of contract?

A. No, at North Dorset Leisure Centres, we do not ask any of our Direct Debit members to sign a contract. You simply keep the direct debit going for as long as you want. Should you decide to cancel, you must fill in a cancellation form at the Leisure Centre as well as notifying your bank. Should you cancel a direct debit you will still be able to use the facility on a pay as you go basis.

Q. Should I be on a diet to lose weight?

A. You don’t need to be on diet to lose weight, as long as what you do eat is balanced. Crash diets do not work for the majority of the population because they do not address any long term issues they only offer a quick fix temporary cure. Try and do the things you really know you should be doing; avoid snacking on foods that are high in processed sugar, grilling food instead of frying, attempting to get your five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Q. When should I avoid exercise?

A. You should stop exercising immediately if you feel faint or dizzy. If you’re feeling exhausted, run down or as if you’re about to succumb to a cold or flu, take a break from your exercise routine. You can’t sweat a cold or the flu out of your system. When you are ill your immune system has to fight hard to fight off the infection. Vigorous exercise will deplete the body of the reserve energy it needs to do this.

Q. How do I exercise at the right intensity level?

A. To reach your goal -- whether it's to lose body fat or cardiovascular improvement -- it is important that you exercise at the correct level of intensity. Exercising too hard or not hard enough are both ineffective. Exercise too hard and your body won't be able to recover or adapt between sessions. You'll end up burning out and abandoning exercise. On the other hand, if you don't exercise hard enough, you won't get the results you want. For an effective workout, determine your target heart rate zone for fat burning or cardiovascular conditioning and remain within it while you exercise.

• To determine your Heart Rate Training Zone, first find your theoretical maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220:
• 220-(your age)=theoretical maximum heart rate (beats per minute)
• Next, take 60% and 85% of that number (multiply by 0.6 and 0.85). The results are the upper and lower limits of your heart rate training zone. While you are exercising, your heart beats per minute should fall within this range.

For example, if you are 35 years old:

220-35=185 (theoretical maximum heart rate, beats per minute)
185 x 0.60=111 beats per min. (lower limit of Fat burn zone)
185 x 0.85=157 beats per min. (upper limit of Cardiovascular zone)

So, when you exercise, you should work out at an intensity which keeps your heart rate between 111 and 157 beats per minute.

For optimal aerobic training benefits, you should stay within your target heart rate zone when exercising. To do this, you should check your pulse regularly during your workout. If you're a novice exerciser with a low level of fitness, you may have to start at a lower level. Never exceed an intensity of 85% of your theoretical maximum heart rate. There are no significant gains in cardiovascular fitness at such high intensities, but there is a significantly higher risk of injury.

As mentioned earlier, to optimize fat loss, the duration of your workout should be at least 20 minutes. In order to have the endurance to exercise for that length of time, a lower intensity of 60-70% is more appropriate so that you don't fatigue and quit early. Additionally, exercise at this lower intensity is fueled by a greater percentage of fat calories, compared to higher intensity exercise which feeds primarily on carbohydrates. As your fitness level improves, however, it is still important to increase intensity as long as you can maintain it for the duration of your workout. Remember, the key to fat loss is exercising at least three per week for between twenty and forty five minutes each workout and maintaining a sound and healthy diet.

Q. The display on the cardio machine I use says I burn a lot of calories during my workout. Is it accurate?

A. Most likely not. There are many factors that influence the number of calories that one expends during exercise, such as muscle mass, current physical condition and even genetic factors. The number displayed on the equipment tends to be optimistic.

Q.Which piece of cardio is the best for burning fat?

A. All are effective for increasing caloric expenditure and aiding in fat loss. The intensity at which you perform the exercise is a better aspect to focus on. Performing aerobic exercise at a higher intensity will allow you to burn more calories per unit of time than if the exercise were performed at a lower intensity.

If possible, change the mode of cardio you do every few weeks. This will help prevent the reduction in energy expenditure that accompanies an adaptation to a given mode. Keeping the exercise unaccustomed leads to higher energy expenditure during the activity.

Q. I have never exercised before. Where do I begin?

A. Start slow. Walking is the best way to begin a program.  The best type of program is the one you enjoy the most because that's the one that you'll do the most.