StephenSa

Here's the thread where you can vent about whatever problems you have with the gym you attend or used to attend. I'm curious as to what sort of things bother people about various gyms. Not so much gym etiquitte but with the way a gym is run or set up. Big picture stuff. I'll start. I'm not a fan of the big corporate giant gyms like Bally's and 24 Hr. fitness. The main thing I don't like is the hard sell they do to get you to commit to a long contract. I don't mind the selling per se'. Its a business and businesses have to make money so selling just comes with the game. Some places though use hard-sell, high pressure tactics that I find really annoying. The big gyms also seem terribly impersonal and more like going to a mall. They tend to be oversold and quite crowded with people more interested in socializing than working out. I was a member of Balley's in Chicago and it really left me with a bad taste in my mouth for the corporate giants. I don't like being tied into a multi-year contract and the place just struck me as cold. My current locally owned gym is perfect. I pay monthly and quit when I like. No televisions all over the place or twelve different fad of the moment group classes. No high pressure sales. Just lots of iron and steel and people that like lifting more than talking. If I have a problem I can walk to the front desk and talk to the owner and get it resolved. Or so I assume. I've actually had no problems but the owner is always there very friendly. But thats me, my likes and dislikes. Not completely meant as a bash against the big boys, just my opinion. So whats your beef?

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floodhead

so are you paying more now in the local gym than in bally's?
the deciding factor for me in the end was price and i ended up going to one of these "corporate giants". i have the same gripes as you mentioned, except none were big enough to make me regret the choice i made.

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EleqTrizi'T

I belong to Bally's, but I don't have a lot of the problems you have. Maybe it's because I'm not in such a big market, maybe even more so cause I go during my lunch hour or morning instead of in the evening.

But my gripe with Bally's has nothing to do with any of that. I just wished they allowed outside personal trainers in, because they don't keep the same employees for prolonged periods of time. I don't want to pay some kid, who barely knows more than me, and understands less, to be my personal trainer just for him to leave 2 mo.s into my 6 mo.s contract.

I'd join another gym, but Bally's is uber-convenient for me. I have two within 5 minutes of walking from my house and workplace.

braisler

I belong to Gold's Gym in my town. It is usually pretty good as far as not being too busy or crowded. Of course, that depends on the time that you go. My biggest complaint would probably be about the maintenance of the equipment, or lack thereof. I like to finish off my weight workout with a 30 minute session on the treadmill for cardio. But probably 25% of the treadmills in the place have some kind of problem. Some won't turn on at all. Others have belts that stick in place (those are fun). Some will only work at lower speeds. Imagine the fun of wasting 5 minutes walking around the gym trying to find an available treadmill that actually works.

I think that it all comes back to the flawed business model of long-term contracts. They know they already have you. Why spend money on equipment, when they already have your monthly payment. New recruitment is unaffected because no one is ever going to inspect multiple treadmills at the gym when they are thinking about joining. Hell, most people just look at the equipment before they join.

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kwong_1978

Get to my office early in the morning-grab my gym bag-work clothes and walk 5 minutes to the gym. Following workout-hop into the steam room-shave-shower-iron clothes and head back to work. I am so used to this routine that I can't start my workday without it.

Major factors in my choice of gym are:
1) Location (5mins away-Can walk indoor if too cold outside)
2) Amenities (Good size pool, tanning bed, unlimited towel usage, shaving cream & razor provided)
3) Ambience (early morning is great-peps are serious about their workout & familiar faces)
4) Cost (got corporate rate-about half of regular cost.)
5) Equipment (Brand new equipments-love those cardio machines with TV screen right in front-plug headphones in and 30-60mins flies by)

I tried out another gym once and only went twice-lucky I had a 30 days out clause. Choosing the right gym is key.

Val_1

1. Long Term Contracts (they're ok, if you have a choice to sign up for a shorter period)
2. Automatic membership renewal. It's becoming more commonplace. BUt, if you forget your sign up date you can get charged for a whole other year to a place you wound up not enjoying.
3. Cleanliness. I appreciate a clean gym.

Luckily there's a nice independently owned gym in my town. I appreciate it more everyday.

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Rodney

World or Gold's Gyms can be good or otherwise; they're franchises, mainly, so to a great degree the quality depends on the owner. The World I attend was owned for many years by an old-time bodybuilding champ, and he cared a lot about keeping all the stations operating, all the upholstery on the benches in good shape, the locker rooms clean, the walls freshly painted, and a good workout-floor culture. Despite the fact that it's not a real hard-core gym. He told me he didn't make a lot of money, but he was running a good gym mainly because that's what he wanted to do.

He recently sold out to some of his employees, and they're carrying on. The payment options he offered are either month-to-month with automatic checking account withdrawal, five- or ten-visit punch-card passes, or a year-long membership at a discount.

I have honestly had no complaints.

rickscales

My gym is small and privately owned. My only complaint, I guess, is that it's not open 24 hours a day. I'm a pretty small guy, and I'm not terribly fond of having people notice that I don't bench that much. It would be nice if I could work out in the security of the night.

Other than that, the gym is very clean and cheap and I have no complaints.

EleqTrizi'T

^^ is that really a problem? Have you (or anyone else) ever had someone make fun of them at the gym?

It's something I was always scared of before I joined Bally's, but when I got there, everyone was real cool. The attitude was, being there was enough. It was the people that weren't there we poked at

mrsandman

In 1971 I bought a "lifetime" membership to "American Health Spas" in Detroit. It was around $600.00 back then. I was issued a card and used it off and on for years.
My original plastic card is still legible but is quite deterioated, however, I was issued a NEW "metal" lifetime membership card and it is as good as new!

I then moved to Houston. I later found out that it was honored here by "President and First Lady Health Spas". I began to use it again for a period of years.
Like these things go, periodically I would NOT use the facilities and then I would (like most of us?) get back on a health kick again.
During one of my "non" health kick modes, President and First Lady was bought out by "Bally's"...guess what? They don't honor my card now! If I had an expensive lawyer I would fight them, but alas I don't have that ability. However, I would love to start going back to the health spa (Ballly's), even if I had to pay a (nominal) annual memebership fee. I just feel like it is a shame for somebody to have the foresight to buy a "lifetime" membership and still be "alive" and not have their membership recognized. Any Bally higher up's who want to step up and address this lifetime mebership dilemma, would be greatly appreciated. I am now a senior citizen and the benefits of this "lifetime" membership would finally begin to pay dividends, as I need to get fit with aerobics and free weights in order to prolong the life of my, now old, body.

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steve987865

The only thing I was ever annoyed at was when at World they give you one or two free personal trainer sessions, and then they try to trick you into signing up for more. After my second free one they automatically signed me up for 4 more session. Problem is though they were gonna cost like 60 buks each, so i went and told them not to do that but they said that thats their policy and I have to be aware and make sure they dont make mistakes on me.

Konichiwaneko

I have no problems mentions by the original thread starter at my gym LA Fitness, on the contrary the people when I go are hard core into their routine. Everyone is nice though, and the equipment is very well managed. I'm in the medium size facility also, when I went to the giant facilities I was awed.

Sometimes it gets really packed, but the gym culture in Atlanta is very respectable to each other. If someone sees you waiting for a machine they do their set and give it to you quick. If you need help, guys and girls are willing to help and vice versa. I'm always on the lookout myself if I see someone who thinks they can do some weights but need a spot save or so on.

LA fitness has been great about letting outside trainers in, and their payment plan is first month last month for me.

Something people haven't mentioned yet is cost. The gym cost me $38 a month with $150 up front, so I personally don't think I'm paying to much but I would love to know what else everyone paid.

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StephenSa

Thread starter here. I think I paid $20.00 a month at Bally's many moons ago. I go to an independent gym now and pay $30.00 and its more than worth it.

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sillygirl

I use Pure Fitness. The only trouble I've had with them is that at one branch in particular (the one I've had most experience with) the trainers don't keep their appointments, and don't call to let you know they've been cancelled. I like that you can have a once monthly training session to keep you on track, but I can't stand that you can't really rely on the trainers they have.

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Church

I used to belong to Extreme Fitness. When I first joined the club, I was joining a new location which wasn't yet built at the time, so they put us in a smaller workout area until the new gym was complete. I saw that as being fine since they said the new gym would be ready within 2 months. Well, 6 months later and the gym is finally built. Nice looking gym and all, but even on top of all the customer complaints, they wouldn't give us a price break or even a few months free since we were paying full price for this rinky dink excuse for a temporary gym.

So after that issue was behind me, then I decided to get a personal trainer. I decided that three weeks into the time with the PT that he was being unsafe. I was very new to weights and free weights, and right from the start he had me doing reps until muscle failure which I found out and be very dangerous. So they assigned me someone else who did the exact same thing. I tried to get out of the personal trainer by saying I was not satisfied with their training and that I would pay for the sessions I had, but beyond that, I would like out of them. No can do! Had to pay for them all even though I wasn't going to use them.

Five and a half months and $320 later, it was the end of my one year membership. Thanks god! I go in to cancel my membership completely, but because I didn't go in one month in advance to do this, I had to pay for the next month. When I finally agree to pay one more and cancel for the month AFTER that, the person there informs me that they have no record of me paying off my PT balance! WTF are these people doing here? So I had to go home, get my receipt, and then the guy accuses me of forging the receipt. So basically I speak to the supervisor, tell him the story, and he clears my record and reprimands the guy.

I've thought about taking these people to court, but I don't think I have much of a case as it was all in the (seemed like) 30 page contract I got. But you know when you sign a contract and sometimes the people are like "The only parts you really need to read are this this and this." Well yeah, he didn't show me ANY of these things.

Anyways, that's my run-in with hell.

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gh0ti

I started looking around for a gym membership here in town ~ a year and a half ago. We have a couple of Gold's gyms here that get constant in your face marketing, so I went to check it out. I walk in and ask for a tour of the place, not to bad.. the maintenance could have been better, but it was right across the street from my office so I could over look that. Then the sales pitch started. I now classify a corporate gym sales man along the same lines as used car sales man.

I ended up going to the nicer gym down the road that’s run by the local hospital. Yeah, it was ~$5-$10 more a month, but the place is much cleaner, has a pool, and best of all I wasn’t told that "you got to be committed to your body and sign this 12 month contract with us or your self esteem is going to suck" (which is basically what I got out of the nice sales man at Gold’s).

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outdoor

I'm a local independant gym kinda guy. I just like that people seem more friendly and have better ettiquette (spelling?). It's also cheaper. It's just about feeling comfortable and having easy access (close to my house).

Rodney

In a good gym with a good culture, nobody should ever mention that. You should be able to walk in the door weighing 300 pounds and benching 50 with nobody saying a thing. Because if you're working hard and are serious about your workouts, you're one of the crowd, no matter what your abilities are right now.

The gym I work out at, my wife also worked out at for a while. She's a heavily-built woman, overweight but solid underneath. Nobody ever said a thing to her, except once a college-age guy next to her at the pulley cage gave her a little flack. Then he realized she was hauling more weight on the triceps pushdown than he was...

Grasshopper Green

I don't really have problems with my gym (24 hour fitness). I work early mornings to early afternoon, so I get to the gym before the mad after 5 pm rush. There is enough equipment and it's well maintained. I pay monthly, no contracts, and my sister in law worked there so I got a good deal ( I don't know what the average per month fee is, but I pay 20 dollars). I guess the only beef I have is that they don't provide towels, and I constantly see people in there without one. I tend to be forgetful, so I know that it happens, but it is gross to have someone sweating all over a machine and then not wipe it down.

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nofnway

What the heck are initiation fees and id card fees...etc It does not cost 29.00 to print an ID card...including labor. I'll pay the dues gladly but I am not willing to pay commision to some sales dork who did nothing to bring me in and I can fill out a form thanks....now give me my damned towel!

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jhkayakr

I joined Bally's about 15 yrs ago when it was Holiday, Paid my 300 bucks over 3 years and signed a lifetime contract with 1 dollar a month ( yes, one dollar ) for life renewal. Every october I stroke a check for 12 bucks and they renew it for a year. They did give me a hard time about it about 7 or 8 years ago, but all I did was fax them my contract and had no problems since. Cant beat a dollar a month for unlimited use...

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StephenSa

I'm with Nofnway on the extra fees issue. I don't mind paying the monthly fee and I can even get past having to sign a contract for a year or more but the extra fees I won't pay. $150 "sign up" fee, $20 "membership card" fee. Maybe if you don't sign a contract I could see it. Its a business and you've got to keep the lights on and pay the bills but if you know you have me for twelve months in a bank draft situation then you should drop the huge sign up fee. At my gym I paid the first months dues and was in. No crazy extra fees.

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Iliftrocks

You know, thie big guys in the gym pushing the heavy weights are usually good people and will help you out if you look like you want to do the work. The toner/pumper doods are usually the only ones I've ever seen snicker at 'smaller' guys, but then I snicker at the toner/pumpers....

After twenty something years of lifting I finally consider myself one of those bigger dudes, not world class but in the top 10 percent in most gyms.

Lift for yourself and the only guy you have to beat is the guy in the mirror.

My worst complaint about any gym is the crappy music they play. I want to hear something with energy, be it rock, pop, dance, rap, etc. Don't play that whiny crap that makes me want to drink, I'm here to LIFT. I know the employees want to hear music they like, but isn't the gym there for the exersizers?????

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bit_of_honey

I belong to curves.. I love it ,,the only thing I don't like is their hours. they close from 1:30 to 3:30 for lunch and clean up equip. then open again 3:30 till 8pm. I work second shift and its right by my work but now I have to make two 25 mile trips a day .. and that makes its hard... I am hoping to go to days soon but in the meantime it sucks...Wish they were open all day or had a key card to go when you wanted...

jhkayakr

Curves is a gold mine. They are everywhere around here. I want to open one, but there is nowhere to put one. They do have great hours from a business standpoint, and are always packed with people.

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fatbob

me and my partner are looking for a new gym at the moment and i can't believe that some of them have a joining fee! seriously i'm going to be paying about £50 a month, i want a joining bonus not a fee!
otherwise i like a mix of equipment, i'd like bigger free weight areas but i do wish that people would calm down on the 'spin' studios, it seems like everywhere here at the moment has a 'spin' studio and i cannae be doing with fads!

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Gilda

I have a memberhsip at a 24 hour fitness, and I like to stop by to work out after I drop my SO off at work in the afternoon. One of the selling points when I signed up was that they were friendly to the ladies by having well lit parking lots and escorts to take you to your car if you're there after dark.

1. The lots are indeed well lit when the lights are on, but they're on a timer, and in the winter tend not to come on until an hour after sunset unless I complain (which I do), but that does me no good after I've walked to the door in the dark or had to wait 20 minutes while they find someone to turn them on manually.

2. Escorts: I was promised an escort to my car after dark. If it's dark at 7:00, there better be someone available to escort me to my car at that time. I don't care how busy it is, and how many people are in the parking lot, there had better be someone to escort me, and he / she better be an employee in uniform, preferably a security guard not some random guy picked out of the weight room, and it shouldn't take 20 minutes to find someone. If you don't want people to use a service you advertise, stop advertising it.

lordpoopshank

I joined a Lifetime fitness one summer....the main problem I had with the place was that it was overcrowded, and for some reason there always seemed to be a number of adolescent or even very young kids running around everywhere. I have no problem with younger members or even people who bring their children to the gym; however, when the children begin to use equipment as a jungle gym or are running around unattended, there is a serious problem.

hambone

Only gripe I have about my new membership is that if you go during the peak hours it is mega crowded (Golds Gym). We went a couple nights ago right after work and it was crazy.

Other than that, I like it a lot.

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