New Jersey Suburbs of PhiladelphiaBurlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, Salem County in South Jersey
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
From a traditional weightlifter's point of view, this area is seriously lacking on good gyms. I think the move in general, is away from free weights and more into machines and personal-training oriented set ups. It really frustrates me because I don't need personal training, don't need a pool, fancy locker rooms, or TVs galore...I just want a nice selection of free weights for basic lifts and that is becoming hard to find.
The sweaty smell free weights gym are long gone or there are very little of them. They just can't surive. Gym are replace with health/fitness clubs. You have to set up your own weight room for what you are desribing.
Yes, I would steer you away from Bally's. I belong to Bally's and go to the one in Voorhees and like it overall, but once you join, it is just about impossible to cancel (google and you find all kinds of complaints about their tricky tactics). Another thing they did which really ticked me off...
Last year in the middle of summer, they instituted a policy that the thermostats in all their gyms be set at 74 degrees (apparently to save money). Well, as you can imagine, the end result was a gym that was about 90 degrees with all the exercising bodies in there and no matter how many complaints they got, they would not adjust it. I almost passed out from heat stroke and filed a complaint. They said they couldn't do anything about it because "corporate" made the decision. So I called "corporate" and they also would not address the problem other than to extend my membership 3 months (because I complained so many times and demanded they cancel my membership and issue me a refund, since I could no longer use their gym in these conditions). Of course, they wouldn't cancel my membership or issue the refund.
Their sales people are very pushy and the front desk staff are pretty much useless.
Can't recommend any other gyms as Bally's is the only one I have joined. I try to do most of my workouts at home our outdoors.
My friend Gavin just opened (last week) the NJ wing of his gym, Fusion (heart, mind, muscle) in the Future Fitness of Mt. Laurel. If group exercise is your thing than this is for you. Thats all it is in various formations. It is very successful in Philly.
From a traditional weightlifter's point of view, this area is seriously lacking on good gyms. I think the move in general, is away from free weights and more into machines and personal-training oriented set ups. It really frustrates me because I don't need personal training, don't need a pool, fancy locker rooms, or TVs galore...I just want a nice selection of free weights for basic lifts and that is becoming hard to find.
Absolutely right. The best gym like you are describing used to be Basic Fitness on the White Horse Pike in Lindenwold. In its hayday it was 24/7 with good prices and varied, but basic equipment. But they gradually started reducing their hours and raising their prices. I think the owners forgot to pay their taxes sometimes, as I think twice it was mysteriously closed for 2 weeks before magically reopening and everyone acting like nothing happened. I had a year membership while I was in college and after coming home for a break, it had changed to "USA Fitness." I went once and never went back.
Royal Fitness in Barrington NJ.. I think its on browning rd. Family owned gym. Its the best!!
That place has potential, but needs a serious makeover! The weight trees are a mess too... a 10 over a 45 over a 25...and so on.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.