Health clubs in the area

[leftoverture.livejournal.com]

I just moved to the Davis Square area not too long ago, and I've been looking to join a gym. I checked out Boston Sports Club but their rates are a whole lot more than I want to pay. Can anyone recommend me something in the area that is cheaper, even if it's not as nice? I don't have a car so walking accessibility is a must. Thanks!

Comments

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

Bally's in Porter Square is much cheaper (I'm paying about $20 a month - but your rate will depend on how well you can negotiate with the sales guy). It's a little less than a mile away, which is a quick bike ride, a decent walk, or one stop on the T.

[ron_newman]

Clicking on that "gym" tag will get you a whole bunch of earlier posts on this subject. There's a gym on Mass. Ave in Arlington, just beyond Route 16, behind the CVS and Hollywood Video.

[ron_newman]

addendum: the Arlington place is called Arlington Health and Fitness. You can walk to it (for more exercise) or take the 77 bus.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

so how much *was* bsc? i keep early hours and they keep telling me their "membership coordinator" isn't in yet.

[leftoverture.livejournal.com]

I'll definitely have to check that out, thanks!

[leftoverture.livejournal.com]

There was a joining fee of something like $80, and around $70/month on top of that. And that was allegedly with a promotion. I also didn't like that you have to commit to staying with them for a year -- if you have to cancel your membership, there was a $200-something fee. It was just a little out of my budget.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

thanks for the info :) at least a few weeks ago there was a $20/2-week coupon on their website, if you want to get in a couple weeks on the cheap while you search :)

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

And if you want to be able to use other clubs in the network (except during "off-peak hours, which is like 2-4pm or something), you have to pay even more. I checked them out when I changed jobs. I used to be in the Porter Exchange, which houses the Porter Sq Bally's, and now work in Watertown across from a BSC. I figured having a gym three blocks from my home AND across from my work would lead me to work out more. But if I wanted to be able to use both of them at convenient times, it would have been 5x what I'm paying at Bally - PLUS an initiation fee (which yeah, I paid one at Ballys, but that was 9 years ago, so I'm over it).

From what I've seen the BSC facilities are a little nicer, but Bally's has a better selection of free weights, which is mostly what I use anyway.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

If you're willing to go out of your comfort zone a little bit to save some $$....
Planet Fitness in Assembly Square is $15.00/month. There may be a $20.00 joining fee, I'm not sure, but they are contract-free! So you can quit whenever you want, and I believe the rate is locked in. Check it out, it's a pretty good gym, and you can get there by at least one bus line (sorry, don't have the #, but it's the bus that goes to Sullivan, I believe).

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

That's their standard rip-off offer. A lot of people I know joined for free and got a rate of $50-55/mo., with no special offer being advertised. 2 of them had to do 2 year commitments, the other managed 1 year. Once you go in saying you know this, you can just keep giving them that "do you think I'm stupid" look every time they try and argue why it should cost more

Y! M! C! A! on Highland

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

It's definitely the cheapest in town. It's on 2 bus routes that run from Davis: the 88 and the 90 (it's also walking distance from the 87). There's no signing fee and no contract; you can quit when you want. There are no salesmen. It's NEVER crowded. The equipment, while not state of the art by any stretch, always works. It's small and it's no frills, but so far, I really enjoy it. There's a pool, a bball court, a few classes, all the standard machines, and a weight room. Membership rates are between $23 and $40 a month, depending on your package. The most expensive is $40.

I've been a member for about 2 months now and am pleased so far. I don't need things like a personal TV at my treadmill (I would love it, but it's not a requirement for me), and I like that my money goes to a YMCA rather than to some gym company

Re: Y! M! C! A! on Highland

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

Oh, and as they are an AWAY gym, your membership at this Y allows you to go to other Y's.

bally's

[cthulhia]

has significant start-up fees too.

the $20/month fee, if even accessible anymore, obliges several years' commitment.

the first n years end up being as expensive as the other gyms, unless you can find someone who is willing to transfer their membership. (which is an AWESOME deal *if* you can find one.)

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

Be careful not to get locked into a contract with them! It's worth it to pay a little extra to not be stuck at the same gym for three years. Also Bally's is very crowded especially if you work out during peak hours.

(BSC Davis Square is also quite crowded at peak hours, but it's a smaller gym... and might clear out later on in the spring.)

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Workout World is on Boston Ave, easy reach by the 94. Their rates are pretty reasonable, although I've heard complaints about their sales practices.

Re: Y! M! C! A! on Highland

[dylanesque29.livejournal.com]

I go to the Y on highland, and am a big fan. It doesn't have the absolute newest stuff, but they have a good variety of machines, they work 98% of the time, and it is clean.

Re: Y! M! C! A! on Highland

[ron_newman]

The gym is 'away'? What does that mean?

[ron_newman]

90 bus

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

I joined BSC during their charter period, they waived the sign-up fee, but I still had to pay a "processing fee" (I think it was around $80)... I now pay $54/month, and I only signed a one-year contract. I know it's expensive, but if you go to the gym a lot (I usually go at least 5x per week), it's really worth it to have newer machines and a nicer space.

Another rationale I had for joining were the yoga classes. Down the street at o2 yoga, the classes are $12 each for a student (!!!), while they are included at my membership at BSC-- so if I go to 5 classes I've already made up the cost. And the instructors are as good as any I've had at a "real" yoga studio.

As far as being "locked" into a contract, I asked this when I signed up... if you move away, you can always switch your "home" location, which is the place you go to regardless of hours, and if you move a certain distance away from any BSC (I think it was 20 miles), you can get out of your contract.

Good luck!

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

It's 25 miles from a Bally's, which is fine if you drive, but if your closest Bally's is 24.5 miles azway, it'd a hike by foot.

Also, there's a fee if you change your home gym. And your rates change to the rates of your new home gym.

Re: Y! M! C! A! on Highland

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

I agree! And me too!

Re: Y! M! C! A! on Highland

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

http://www.ymca.net/about_the_ymca/away_program_information.html

Health Insurance

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

I forgot to add this tidbit I recently discovered-- don't forget to check with your health insurance company to see if they reimburse you for going to a health club! Mine (Anthem) reimburses up to $200/year. I'll still be paying more than that, but that's still almost 1/3 of my yearly costs. It's a little bit of a pain to record (you have to basically record some of the days you go to the gym), but being a poor graduate student, I'll take any help I can get!

[starry83.livejournal.com]

I go to Work Out World. They can be a pain to deal with, but I talked them down to $29 a month and no fee to sign up. They just got all new ellipticals and treadmills with flatscreens. I'm generally content.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

I do too! I didn't have any trouble because I signed up when it turned over from Planet Fitness, but for fair disclosure, one friend of mine who I referred was annoyed by them.

Re: bally's

[cutieperson]

not always. it totally depends on who you talk to and if they've met their quota for the month. but unless you can manage no annual contract you have to make damn sure you cancel, as they neglect to mention the automatic contract renewal policy.

[ryanwanger.livejournal.com]

So basically, what the world needs is a gym that charges everyone the same rate without all the BS fees and contracts?

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

I run the track at Tufts for free when there is no snow.