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| - Alright gym rats, in the spirit of full disclosure let me open by saying I occasionally teach a range of group-ex classes here. I think I pay more in taxes than I actually net on the small amount of additional income it gets me, so I'd hope any bias I have is well-tempered.
As someone whose been to almost all the county's Ys, I'm a big fan of the C-K. Tucked into the Wachovia (now Wells Fargo???) One building, and adjacent to the Hilton, this beacon of sweat calls to the uptown corporate crowd and those in town for just a few nights. Hint: almost all the traveling shows for the performing arts center give their crew and cast passes to come and use this Y. I've met dancers, singers, and performers of most of the bigger shows here. Humorist David Sedaris (and his sister), for example, were in town recently for a one night performance- they both came to swim and had a great time (he even mentioned the visit during the show!).
So why this Y? 3 main reasons. First, this place is not so gargantuan that you would get lost making your way from the lockers to the gym floor. This also means the crowds are manageable and people tend to know the other people around. I don't find this so much at the Dowd, for example. The friendly aires here are just a little more appealing both for motivational and enjoyment of the visit purposes.
Second, the cardio and weight equipment is well-maintained and logically laid out. They just put in new free weights and redesigned that part of the gym with some new machines to boot- which was a nice upgrade. People here generally care enough to wipe down the machines after they are done and don't mind letting you work in for sets. When you are on a schedule, this helps.
Third, everything you want is here in one place. Group Ex classes, a pool, an indoor track, personal training and basketball half court. If you get hungry, check out the food bar at the entrance- it's get a nice selection of food options that aren't fried or wrapped in cheese and bread. I also find at least the men's locker room to be amply sized, with plenty of shower stalls, a steam room, a sauna, and plenty of lockers for day use.
Lunchtime tends to be busiest, but the early morning crowd gets decently sized too. The after work rush is much more subdued lately, no real idea why. If you want the place almost to yourself, come in between 8:30 am - 11:00 am or 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm. Amazing how things empty out then.
One note of clarification- parking is free for up to 2.5 hours in the Wachovia/Hilton deck so long as your are out before 8:30 am or enter after 4:30 pm. The times do not apply on the weekends, though I am sure the gym here is closed completely on Sundays. Whatever you do, just make sure you stamp your parking ticket with the Y stamp at the entrance. The parking deck attendants have little mercy for those who do not follow the restrictions. Comprende?
I'm a morning person and the best part of this gym, for me, is the community of regulars who also make the daily pilgrimage to burn some calories before the sun rises. There are some serious athletes who train like crazy and some desk jockeys who live for their exercise highs outside of the office (that's my hand raised in the back of the room). In all, it is a great mix of people who will open up if you take the time to talk to them. Join one of the early morning running groups or become one of the die-hards looking for some self-inflicted punishment in one of the boot-camp style fitness classes- whatever your flavor of exercise, you can find it here and all in one nice, compact easy to access place.
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