Tell me about your gym membership

[dakels]

I am looking into a few gym memberships in the NYC area and would like your opinions. A big draw for me is sports. This one place has me really curious with a rock climbing wall, organized volleyball and basketball, swimming pool, etc. It's just terribly expensive and close to my work, not home. The rates are way too high for me $900 initiation, $180/month basic, $300ish/month premium with laundry service (I could really use the laundry service so I don't have to carry sweaty clothes home and gives a big locker I can put dress/work clothes in). Only reason I am considering it is I get a huge employee discount (people from my work get 50% off). Still, very expensive.

There is a nice new gym close to where I live for about $200/70month but it has nothing I want other then simple workout equipment. No sports or pool.

So what are your draws to a gym. What do you look for.

What do you have and what do you pay for it?

How is the crowd or lack thereof? The staff?

How's the equipment, any preferences or recommendations?

Any tips on reducing rates? I heard membership costs are flexible and they can make deals.

 

[FleshLight]

$70/qtr

Has indoor basketball, track soccer, racquetball, rock wall, badminton, vball, ping pong, fooseball, fencing, full weight room, towel service,

Outdoor soccer, softball, baseball, roller hockey, tennis, rope course

Equipment is in very good condition and the weight room is air conditioned.

 

[dakels]

Originally posted by: FleshLight
$70/qtr

Has indoor basketball, track soccer, racquetball, rock wall, badminton, vball, ping pong, fooseball, fencing, full weight room, towel service,

Outdoor soccer, softball, baseball, roller hockey, tennis, rope course

Equipment is in very good condition and the weight room is air conditioned.

ugh thats what I want. That sounds amazing. I have never heard of a place with so much sports available but I am used to seeing NYC stuff. Where is this?

 

[Brainonska511]

I just use the gym on my school's campus. What draws me in: good weight room and large swimming pool if I ever decided to start swimming again.

 

[krunchykrome]

Free through my work.

Prior to this job, I had a membership to another gym which was $60 per month.

I'd prefer to pay more and go to a "cleaner" gym.

 

[irishScott]

Free via internship (when the internship is in session). Indoor pools, basketball courts, elevated track, cardio room with treadmills/elipticals/rowers, extensive weight room. Nothing too special, but it's clean and sleek. I like it.

When the internship is over I use the University gym(s), but I can only use them at night due to crowding.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

hot chicks at the front desk and working out are a must, which my gym does have.

 

[GenHoth]

Gold's Gym in Coralville, Iowa. $41 a month

didn't really pay attention to all of the extras, it has a good weight set, is spacious and is convenient.

 

[brikis98]

I go to a small local gym 5 mins from my house near Boston, MA. It's $26/month with a 1 year contract. They have an ok selection of free weight equipment (squat racks, barbells, dumbbells, benches), lots of worthless machines, and some cardio equipment (bikes, treadmills, ellipticals) and nothing else. It's dirt cheap and the location is fantastic, but it's tiny, sometimes crowded and there is SO much missing that I wish I had.

My ideal gym would be a mix of a Crossfit gym and a sports complex:

* Olympic weight lifting platforms
* Squat racks
* Benches
* Pull-up bars
* Rings
* GHD
* Barbells and plenty of bumper plates
* Plenty of dumbbells and kettlebells
* Swimming pool
* Gymnasium for basketball, badminton, volleyball, etc
* Tennis courts
* Climbing wall
* Crossfit staff
* Crossfit members

 

[MegaVovaN]

$24/mo (and like $30 set up fee)

Small weight room with one power rack with unadjustable safety bars, large outdoor pool (open only in summers), small indoor pool.

 

[wheresmybacon]

My gym(s).

Initiation fee dropped with a 2 year contract. $63/month for premium membership which provides me access to all services and facilities in all the locations. Gym, pool, courts, etc etc. Really the only thing I wanted was quality free weights and cardio equipment. These are nice new gyms and probably the best bang-for-the-buck memberships I've had in any city I've ever lived in.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Free. I utilize the UC Davis ARC (comes with tuition), which has free weights up to 150 pounds, 3 squat racks, enormous amounts of treadmills, bikes, and a couple of rowing machines. They've got a track, 3 full size basketball courts, an indoor soccer field, martial arts room, 8 racquetball courts, etc. It's a pretty nice facility. There are also pools I can get into if I want to swim, but they're not located at the ARC.

 

[gramboh]

I go to the Talisman Centre in Calgary currently. Decent size weight room, only 2 power racks, one squat rack and one oly platform (extra 2 power racks in an area that is closed to public for trainers during prime hours aka when I am there). Also olympic size pool, olympic diving towers, 2 other pools, hot tubs, 4 full size gyms, lots of cardio stuff, physiotherapy/sports med clinic, 200m track etc. I think its $600 a year, work pays 50%. Ideally I'd like a place that is just an endless line of olympic platforms and power racks with a sprint track, rings, pull-up bars etc and no mirrors.

 

[spacejamz]

$750 for 3 years at 24 Hour (included 5 one hour personal trainer sessions which is worth $250) and $29 a year after that (at least for the first year after the contract is up - will see how that goes)...ends up being $21/month...i have been pleased so far...got the membership in June 07 and still go about 3 times/wk...

So far body fat has gone down from 23% to 18% (using the calipers) and I have dropped 3 inches off my waist...weight hasn't changed much (weigh about 5 lbs less)...

 

[coldmeat]

I go to the rec center gym while I am at home for the summer. It is $15/month but I know the guy who works the desk when I do in so I don't really need to renew my membership. It's really small. If there is 6/7 people there, it is too busy to work out. While at school I use the school gym.

 

[hiromizu]

I go to equinox in midtown.

 

[RagingBITCH]

24 Hour Fitness - $18 a month. Bare bones essentials - weights and cardio equipment. I don't need a swimming pool, racquetball court, towel service, etc. I lift 3x a week, run 3x a week (2x outside, one normally inside)

Only cons are the equipment is slightly older and no super hot women, but it's great for getting in a good workout without distractions.

 

[Deeko]

I'm in the process of switching gyms. The old one was $80/month, the new one is $48. They both offer free weights, machines, cardio, a pool, the usual stuff. The old one had a basketball court and indoor track, the new one has a rock climbing wall and a less visibly inviting free weight room (which I consider a plus, say what you will, I prefer my weight room be filled with more hardcore lifters and less middle aged women).

I'm changing because I don't think I'm really getting $80 worth from the old gym, I think I will like the new gym more while paying less, and the clientelle at the old gym weren't really my style. It's kinda a "expensive to be exclusive" type place, so it's mostly older people with money to toss around who aren't all that serious about lifting.

Old Gym
New Gym

 

[Soul Reputation]

>24hr Fitness in San Diego

>about 30 bucks a month with no initiation fee

>unlimited access/no restrictions on time or day

>much too crowded in the morning, afternoon and evening

>disappointed in that they don't have any heavy bags to hit

>i just checked out the Wave House in Mission Bay, a health club near the ocean in San Diego

>they have a great pool for swimming laps and that I did during my one week free trial

>i was there on a Saturday at 7pm/not a peak time

>locker room was ridiculously small, too small for me, which is why I decided not to join because during rush hour traffic their locker room would be a gay mans dream come true

>only one free weight bench press

>i did like the fact that they had some free standing heavy bags to hit

>no matter where you go ask for a free one week trial to give the club a test run. My local YMCA does not offer a free trial which is very disappointing since the Y charges as much as anybody for a gym membership and in some cases they charge more than other gyms

 

[RESmonkey]

Anyone go to a gym where yelling/dropping weights/olympic lifts/chalk is allowed?

 

[Atty]

Gold's Gym South side Lakeland, Florida.

$35 a month with a $60 dollar start up fee. Plenty of Cardio equipment so that there is never a shortage, even when we've got a full out rush (60 people at any given time using the gym), great weight lifting sets, more then enough of everything so if you want to do a work out, you can find a way to do it. Great people work there, highly attractive and extremely attentive front desk staff and normal operations staff (trainers, etc), full time janitor who takes care of anything you need, two full service locker rooms, with showers, and sauna. Shake bar and plenty of after work out, before work out, and whatever else you need supplies (water, protein stuff, energy drinks, even some light snacks.) Huge complex. The only complaint I have is that there is no Pool or sport stuff, but I live in Florida, everyone and their neighboor (except me but every neighbor I have does) has a pool and I can play sports wherever whenever, so its all good. Gym is kept in great condition, people are always good about cleaning up after themselves (heavy sweaters, that is) and no shortage of impossibly hot women working out, which I am a firm believer are just hired as being eye candy for us guys.

All in all, I love my gym. Great hours too, 5am-Midnight M-Thurs, 5-10pm Friday, and 8-8 Sat/Sun.

Originally posted by: RESmonkey
Anyone go to a gym where yelling/dropping weights/olympic lifts/chalk is allowed?

While I'm not sure on yelling, becuase no one ever has (although some heavy grunting while doing sets is common place) I know my gym allows Olympic lifts and chalk, dropping weights isn't prohibited, at least that I know of, but I don't know what they'll do if you are endangering someone at the gym because of your dropping.

 

[gramboh]

Originally posted by: RESmonkey
Anyone go to a gym where yelling/dropping weights/olympic lifts/chalk is allowed?

All of the above at my gym, as long as you are on the olympic platform. Not many people yell obnoxiously, lots of people grunt during heavy sets. My gym is a mix of bodybuilder types (lots of curling going on at any given time), power lifters (only a few), olympic lifters/track athletes, and middle aged women wearing gloves while pedaling a bike at 50rpm and reading a magazine.

 

[Riverhound777]

I go to 24hour fitness in Santa Barbara. Think I pay $39/month with no initiation fee. It has weight room, useless machines, cardio, pool, sauna, and classes that I never go to. I just use the weights and pool. Oh and hot chicks, it is SB after all

 

[StageLeft]

$52/month for solid weights, cardio, pool (only 20 yards, but useable for training), towels, and raquet ball courts, but this is Rochester, not NYC. YMCA has similar rates. There is a pretty healthy supply of talent at my gym, fwiw, although in the pool it's invariably old geisers, since it's a hotter pool intended mainly for arthritic exercise, but there are a couple of lanes and then the only eye candy is me

 

[dakels]

So the place I am interested in will be around $300/month with a locker big enough to fit dress clothes. They will do daily laundry too. I don't think I am that committed to a gym to spend $300... If this place had tennis courts then I'd easily drop $300/m. I'm more into a sports center with a weight room then a studio type gym. hmm...