health club in the area?

[jftb.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to Davis Square and I'm looking for a gym. Any recommendations? I'm looking for someplace with a good variety of classes (including spinning, if I can find it). I know there's a Healthworks in Porter; anyone here a member? Or is there anything right in Davis?

Looking forward to getting to know the neighborhood -- this LJ community seems like a great resource.

Comments

[androidqueen.livejournal.com]

the bally's in porter is decent and has spinning classes.

[jadelennox]

And if you sign up for a contract and negotiate a little, it's the cheapest gym around -- cheaper than the Y in Central, in fact. People get scared off by the contracts but honestly, a decent two year contract at Bally's is about 3 months at Healthworks, so signing the contract isn't gonna kill you.

It's a little skeezy, though. But there's a pool.

[androidqueen.livejournal.com]

agreed. i signed up with them because i could afford them while i was unemployed. i got a 3 year contract and haven't regretted it.

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

The other thing is that if you have a membership at Bally's, you can go to any Bally's in the country, which is convenient if you travel a lot.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I've been with that Bally's for 9 years now. It only costs me $17.50 a month.

[watercolorblue.livejournal.com]

Ah, excellent, I'm looking for a gym with a pool...is the pool decent? How are the hours of operation?

[danger-chick.livejournal.com]

The last time I used their pool, which was years ago, it was disgusting. I suggest trying it out before buying a membership. I don't know what chemicals they put in it, but it made my skin smell funky for several days and even more showers later. I think I went back to sneaking into the MIT alumni pool after that. There is also a gym on Boston Ave that used to have a pool, but I haven't been there in years. It was called planet fitness then, but think it is not now.

[jadelennox]

It's ... fine. Crowded at busy times, and over chlorinated, which is probably a good thing. It's totally fine. It has a bit of the whole gym's skeeze aura, but it's okay.

You can go once without signing up, though they'll give you a hard sell when you do.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Be very very careful to read their contract before you sign; many people have had a lot of trouble cancelling their contracts with Bally's (you have to move further than X miles away or various othe things). They have a well-deserved reputation for deceptive practices.

( I went to the Bally's when it was where WOW is now, so I'm not commenting on its quality as a gym, only as a business. )

[spwebdesign.livejournal.com]

The Work Out World at the corner of Boston Ave and Rt. 16 (right next to the U-Haul) is really good and affordable.

[guxx.livejournal.com]

I agree. I pay $35 a month for WOW. It seems that different people pay different amounts; depends how well you can barter with the management upon signing the contract.

[spwebdesign.livejournal.com]

I pay $19 a month, but I may have had to pay more up front. I don't remember.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Me too (I signed up way back when they were opening and got a good deal.)

[vicster76.livejournal.com]

I'm addicted to the spinning classes at Healthworks.

[jftb.livejournal.com]

Spinning is one of my favorites. Do the classes at HW fill up pretty quickly, or have you found it easy to get in?

[vicster76.livejournal.com]

The classes are ticketed, and I've never had any problems getting in. I go at off-peak hours though, so I don't know what it's like during prime hours.

[lidiya6.livejournal.com]

I am a member of healthworks and I LOVE it. It is expensive, but for me, a nice gym is important. I just won't go otherwise. The staff is super nice, the place is very clean, and they respond to member comments. Initially I didn't like the idea of an all women gym - it just didn't appeal to me, but after visiting BSC in central I just liked Healthworks more than any other gym I visited.

[ron_newman]

There's a gym on Mass. Ave. in Arlington just past Route 16, on the right, sorta behind the Hawthorne Suites hotel. I don't know anything about it, other than that it exists.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Hey, I am a member of Healthworks but am about to cancel my membership. I will be posting about it here, but in case you're interested, they have a policy whereby one person can take over another's membership and thus not have to pay any sort of joining fee or agree to any contract or the like, so you can then quit anytime. I get the benefit of getting to quit a month earlier than otherwise. Let me know if you're interested.

[jftb.livejournal.com]

whoops, I think I should have replied to your post directly, instead of doing a new post. I am interested; can you tell me more about the membership you have? (monthly fee, etc).
THanks!

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Hey :)

It's about $80/month(HW *is* expensive, but I admit you get a lot for your money), Cambridge membership, use anytime. There isn't really much else to say.

You can drop me an email at my LJname @livejournal.com if you want to chat more.

[jftb.livejournal.com]

I *am* interested; thanks for mentioning it. What's their monthly membership fee?

And thanks to all the others who replied!

[cold-cold-water.livejournal.com]

i can offer you my membership transfer certificate, too. i pay $54/mo for a student membership. i used an outdated student ID but they didn't question me about it or ask for any other proof. it comes with weird hours, though - which is part of why i'm quitting (my previous job's work hours were 12-9 so i could go more frequently, but now i work 9-5 and trying to get there sucks). you can only go from 7:45 am-3:30 PM and 7:45 PM-close Mon-Thurs; anytime Friday; 10:30-close Saturday; and anytime Sunday. i like healthworks a LOT but i just can't afford $80 a month to be able to go to the gym before work. also, they charge for extras..i.e. $10 a month for towel service, $10 a month to rent a locker..that adds up.

[cold-cold-water.livejournal.com]

oh, and this is about healthworks..sorry, i responded to the wrong thread! :)