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| - I've been a member at this YMCA for about 6 months. Before that I've tried many big box gyms like LA Fitness and Ballys. This place is definitely different than those other gyms.
First the good stuff:
For everything they offer, it's pretty affordable.
I love that I have never have a problem finding a treadmill (even at peak hours), there are no time limits on the cardio machines, and each treadmill has an individual TV screen with all the basic cable channels. If you are a techie like me, you can also download tv shows and movies to your iPod or iPhone watch them on the treadmill's TV via an Apple specific adapter.
Personally, I have not tried any of the classes, but there are TONS (there are 2 studios) and they aren't all offered in the middle of the work day like a lot of the gyms I had previously belonged to.
I've been doing weight training with Teri, a personal trainer there for the last several months and have really enjoyed the experience. She's extremely knowledgeable and encouraging. The personal training is also very affordable.
The not so great stuff:
If you have kids, you're probably going to think this gym is awesome. However, I do not have kids and I usually find myself wading through big crowds of children just to get to the locker room and then again on the way to the exercise room. Many times there unsupervised children running around, screaming and playing in the small locker room, which I find slightly (ok, REALLY) annoying.
The weight area of the gym is can be crowded during the hours of 5:30 - 7 pm when I am there. This was more apparent in the summer, now that it is winter time it seems to be less of a problem. Finding parking can be a problem, though there is another lot near by, you just have to walk a little farther. The locker room is usually a mess with puddles and clutter. I think my usual workout time must coincide with the youth swim team. Those kids must not be too concerned about their stuff being stolen because they leave their bags and and backpacks out all over the benches. There are only 3 toilets in there and it seems like half the lockers don't have a working latch that can be locked.
Finally, they are usually closed on holiday weekends. In the winter I don't mind this (since I can get in an workout outside), but in the summer months it kills me.
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