Gym

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking of joining Bally's Total Fitness until bike season/BSC opening, but I'd like to know how other people feel about the place. The walkthrough they provide really doesn't tell me much about the people who go there or the demands on the facilities. Tell me what you think, Davisites.

I guess I'm mostly interested in their Spinning/Reaction Cycling classes and weight training, so if you have special examples please bring them forward.

Comments

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Posted three times by the look of it!

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

Yeah. My browser got all blinky and this is the result. Sorry about that.

[ron_newman]

Please delete the other two.

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

Already done

[ad-lib.livejournal.com]

i don't know anything about the gym, but i work in the same building and there's lots of hot guys that go there. ^_^

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Scroll a couple of posts back the Pool question, and you'll see comments about Bally's. Be very careful and read any contract before you sign it - getting out of their contracts can be a royal pain in the ass.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

Don't leave valuables in your locker, women can expect to be gawked at, everyone can expect it to be very crowded at peak times... but it's cheaper than anywhere else.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

(Actually, the Y in Central is supposed to be cheaper.)

[cemeterygates.livejournal.com]

I have never been made to feel uncomfortable by the male patrons or staff at all, but I suppose I'm not a hot Tufts co-ed, either. It's a mixed crowd of college kids and professionals mostly (as could be expected in that area). The cardio equipment is in rather frequent disrepair, but the weight machines and selection are pretty solid and not as busy. Peak times are a pain, especially around 6-7pm. I've never tried the spinning class, but they seem popular.

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

Thankfully, I'm not especially gawkable.

What's the crowd like?

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

Actually, that post led me to Bally's as a gym option. I'd totally forgotten it was there and getting a lap pool as part of the membership sounded great.

I was cautious about their contract policies before, but now I'm doubly aware.

[agreeleyo.livejournal.com]

Check out ATA Cycle on Mass Ave for spin classes. I'm not sure what they are offering at the moment but they have a nice space for trainers and a projection screen for movies.

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

I think my cardio will be restricted to spinning, but my girl wanted to use the elipticals, so I'll pass along the warning. Good to know that the weight machines aren't covered in meatheads at all hours.

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

Cool. I'll swing by tonight.

Channeling Gozer

[komos.livejournal.com]

Are you a mod?

Re: Channeling Gozer

[ron_newman]

No, usually I'm a Democrat.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

how cheap? Work out world (or WOW, on boston ave in medford) can get as low as $29.99 per month with no money down. I made it through my two year contract and I'm now month to month for $19.99. They don't have spinning classes, though, so if that's the primary objective, they're not a good solution.

Re: Channeling Gozer

[komos.livejournal.com]

Man, and I thought it was conservatives who tended to get all up in people's bidness.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

That is good to know - I'll keep in mind next fall when I'm ready to go back to spinning!

[magpie-leah.livejournal.com]

I realize that I'm mostly just venting here but...

I also want to second the suggestion that if you sign up you act very carefully with regards to the contract. The people who sign you up use major high-pressure sales techniques to sell you contract that lasts for *years*. And the fewer years you agree to sign up for, the more expensive it is and vice versa. So it's tempting to sign up for a long term contract. You can get out of your contract if you move somewhere where there's not Bally's "nearby." But their definition of "nearby" was pretty ridiculous.

I totally fell for this whole thing once... didn't read the contract closely... etc etc. I got home and took a good look at noticed that the way it was worded, I had agreed to pay them a sum of a several thousand thousand dollars broken out over a certain number of years. Luckily I immediately found out that by law there's a small window of time where certain kind of contracts can be canceled right after you sign them.

The gym I belong to now just requires that you pay monthly and then if you want to cancel, you give 30 days notice.

I think it's pretty despicable that Bally's doesn't do this and instead probably makes a crapload of $$ from people who get suckered into their contracts.

[magpie-leah.livejournal.com]

I also found this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bally_Total_Fitness

It might lead to some information about how you can ask them for a different arrangement than their usual contract.

[azores.livejournal.com]

I agree, it was like buying a used car, tortuous for those like me who hate the high-pressure tactics and the slimy snake-oil salesperson feel. BUT, if you hold your ground you'll get a good deal.