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I go to a Freedom Fitness which is a regional chain in Texas. Memberships are either $10.99/month, no contract, or $21.99 month with a 12-month contract. I have the cheap membership and it's fine for me. The gym has plenty of equipment available when I go early in the morning. They have a Women Only area I usually use because there's a little more space there. But I also go into the general area to use equipment not available in the WO area.
I went from paying $50/month at a gym that caters to the Junior League crowd, to $30/month at a small gym that moved across town to $10.99/month at FF. It's very clean and has a friendly atmosphere.
Absolutely nothing special or out of the ordinary.
If I had to do it over again, I'd join a smaller Snap Fitness or mom&pop's gym.
The 24 Hour Fitnesses here in the Bay Area are overcrowded and overpriced.
They are ok though if you can go during off hours.
The only gym chain I would never even consider again is Planet Fitness. It is not even a real gym. It's more like a Holiday Inn hotel gym, only with more space.
I've been with 24 Hr. for 17 years or so. I travel to San Francisco regularly for work and use a couple different ones downtown that are probably the crappiest 24 Hrs I've ever been in. The one I use here in Denver is large, clean and has tons of equipment. Although I always avoid the after work rush hour here. Always a crowded mess.
Embarcadero YMCA in San Francisco. Lap and activity pools, basketball, yoga, Pilates and spin plus Zumba and a variety of other classes. The treadmills and ellipticals over look the ferry terminal and the Bay Bridge. Lots of machines and weights. A wide variety of people of all ages, everyone is helpful. Also it's only 3 blocks from work, no excuse not to work out.
Does this YMCA have similar equipment to a 24 Hr.? I always stay at the Vitale when I'm there for work and they'll give me a free pass to this YMCA. I always just walk to a 24 Hr. that's about a 15 minute walk from the hotel, but maybe I should try the Y since it's closer.
I go to Planet Fitness. It's two perks for me are the price ($10.71/month, plus I think it is a $39 yearly fee) and it's proximity to me. As my home equipment (weights, kettlebells and DVDs) expands, I look less forward to going to the gym. It just saves so much time to workout at home. I still go to the gym two days a week, though, to use the cardio and machines/weights I don't have at home.
denverain - here's their facilities link - It's so much better than the 24 hr fitness. Lots of equipment, like all gyms its busiest between 5:30 and 6:30 Facilities | YMCA SF
I used to have LA Fitness in Miami and liked it. Then here in Denver I was using 24hr but stopped. I'm going to my apartment gym currently as it's fine.
I train at a smaller local gym here, mostly caters to powerlifters, bodybuilders and various elite athletes. Costs $35 a month, comes with 24x7 access and every piece of vital equipment you could hope for.
Avoid Crossfit unless you're fond of rhabdomyolysis. My friend is a nurse and she said that she has seen numerous people going into kidney failure as a result of crossfit.
I would have to strongly disagree with that statement. Been doing Crossfit for a few years now and as long as you are smart about hydrating, level of intensity, weight, etc. you can handle, you are just getting a great workout. While rabdo does 'get' SOME athletes, it is by no means a daily, weekly, monthly, etc. occurrence at a Crossfit box. There are plenty of injuries in regular gyms, to include various tears, sprains, etc.
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