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| - Ok, I hesitated writing a review of this place because I like that it's not busy, but I want the place to survive because I enjoy it so much.
I hate gyms...I mean LOATHE them. From rude staff to unpleasant odors or creepy guys giving you longing looks while you're just trying to figure out which one of your friends with an advanced degree in engineering you can text to help you figure out how to get on a machine without having it rip your arm out of its socket because the staff is not going help you without paying for a personal trainer or because you don't look like you were already born on a nautilus machine.
This gym is everything but. I went in because of the great introductory special and a recommendation of a friend. We're both training to swim the SF Bay for the 2011 Sharkfest Alcatraz Swim, so we needed a pool.
As soon you walk in, the guy at the front desk treats you like you're an old buddy and cracks jokes like he is your best bar buddy. Awesome attitude. The place has never been overly crowded (even at peak hours right after work. I've never gone during the early morning or lunch hours).
No waits on the machines and they have plenty of them. No waiting in the pool and even when there is a water aerobics class, one lane is left open to due laps. Hot tub, sauna, and some inexplicable walk in dunking tub (see, I'm not a gym aficionado or else I would know what that thing is for).
Towel service, locks, and even gym shorts available. (no more using that excuse that you can't work out today because you left your work out clothes at home...they have some to check out there.)
Even the seemingly cranky old lady doing her water workout was nice and called me sweetie and asked if I was ok when I inadvertently let out a puppy like whimper as my shoulder blades decided they wanted to cede from the union of my body. Note to self....don't do a month of the P90X with a friend, think you're hot stuff and on your way to a gym bod and then jump in a pool to do a mile swim without stretching because you think you're all that now. Had it not been for Grandma Water Aerobics, I might still be at the far end of the pool trying to inch my way back to the stairs hoping that the water on my face hid the tears that were going start gushing any minute if I couldn't make it to the hot tub to get my back to stop seizing up. (Thank you, unknown Water Aerobics lady. You turned a moment of shame into motivation. Oh yeah, I will out swim grandma next time!)
The place is in the basement of an office building next to the seemingly abandoned Chateaux on Central development. Central and....Encanto (?)
You can park on the street (careful of the meters) or use the garage. The gym validates.
There is a downstairs weight room (I haven't check it out yet as I because there is a free gym at my job.) Yes, I like this place so much, I am paying for a gym membership even though I have access to work out facilities for free in my own building....including free personal trainer....but instead I get in my car come 5pm and drive to a gym I pay for because this athletic club is worth it.
I saw no young kids running around. The clientele seems to be early 30s and up, young urban professionals and some retirees who are just trying to stay healthy. No creepy people ogling you (which you may be looking for) and no rude gym bunnies laughing at you in your leotard on the treadmill....but really....you shouldn't have the leotard and hot pink leg warmers on anyway...it is 2010. But hey, to each his own.
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