BEST AND WORST GYMS OF NYC

GYM CHAINS PRO AND CONS

This blog is a list of gyms I feel in my opinion are the best to the worst chains in NYC. Let me start out by getting this out the way: GYM MEMBERSHIP SHOULD BE FREE if a member pays for training. Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors should get paid for what they're worth and its NOT $20-30 a session (when the session cost $120). You're gym experience all depends on the manager that's running it; therefore gyms need to stop hiring 21 year olds who don't know their head from their asses, as managers. It's just a Job to do them-they just want to get paid and have no knowledge of life I don't care how book smart they can be. Plus these head managers don't do a damn thing. Ok I'm going off a bit here lol. This list is based on the years I've experienced as a employer and a member. My opinion. You can disagree, just don't be an ass about it.

1. GOLDS GYM
2. 24FITNESS
3.REEBOK
4.NYSC
5. EQUINOX
6. David Barton Gym
7. Parks and Recreational Gyms
8. Health and Racquet club
9. Crunch
10.Ballys Total Fitness Center
11. Soul Cycle
12. Planet BITCHness
13. Lucille Roberts
14.Curves

GOLDS GYM: THE MECCA OF GYMS and FITNESS
PRO:Golds Gym is in a class by itself, that's how great it is; however it's closing numerous chains in NYC and Miami converting them to the gym that's listed on number 8 (I have no idea why). This is the MECCA of fitness, the place where the Gods of Bodybuilding like Schwartzenegger and Ferrigno started and made famous. Of course from the outside looking in you may think its a steroid gym filled with muscle heads; it is not and its in fact the biggest stereotype among the gym chains. This is not a gym to have a martini or fat free liquor and socialize. It's not a "sex and the city" posh gym, as soon as you hit the door, you're inspired to WORK because everyone who works there is in shape. No one is there to pussyfoot around because they're getting it in through their workouts and tough training with their personal trainers who were very good. The gym's apparel is top notch within their clothing store and their nutrition shop hits the spot. Pretty affordable as well. If you haven't done so, you must visit the Venice Beach location in California. I was there for 3 hours. I didn't want to leave. THAT'S a gym experience.

CON: some locations can be a bit dirty or the equipment is a little outdated-only a few. Trainers can be a little standoffish

24 FITNESS: 2nd BEST
Pro: very clean, affordable, great equipment, great Personal trainers. The Spa, classes and health bar caters to your fitness needs the right way, especially the bar by having food you actually KNOW of. The electronic lockers are amazing.
CON: none

REEBOK-you got mad paper if you workout here.
PRO: read above.
CON: way too expensive. Caters mostly to celebs plus no one is hardly there. It's always empty.

NYSC-The Starbucks of Gyms
PRO: Pretty affordable. $89 a year for a passport membership is not bad. It could be a little cheaper but not bad.
CON: depending on your location, a few are dirty, old, missing or broken equipment. Staff needs training on customer service 101- trainers are not that great because they're train to sell as a key factor than to actually train for fitness which is why the next gym has an up over them.

EQUINOX FITNESS: "Sex and the city" of Gyms
PRO: clean, great personal training and spa. Classes are effective, good equipment. Out of all the gyms, Equinox are number one when it comes to training trainers by constant fitness and health education, along with customer services. As soon as you hit the door you're greeted with a smile.
CON: way overpriced. Entitled members and socialites who could be annoying. No locations catered to urban areas (NO I don't count BLINK). Being that they're the top in the education field they carry this arrogant, cocky attitude that they're the best and that's it. That attitude reflects across the board through Managment on down. Wine parties after a workout for socializing like its a club in Chelsea.

DAVID BARTON GYM: The Disco of Gyms
PRO: Flashy. Decent membership price. Good equipment. Fun atmosphere, music decent. If you want to work out in studio 54 this is the spot.
CON: TOO DAMN DARK, it's like working out in the batcave. Training is inconsistent because you're free to pick anyone at any day if they're available or waiting in the lobby sitting around like whores in a whorehouse.

PARKS & Recreation: Workout at your own risk
PRO: $100 a year. Yes a year and a few are clean. Nuff said
CON: you're on your own when it comes to training. There's little to no Persoanl training and depending on the location, you gonna walk the floor with weights from lazy ass people who don't put them back. They have kept up with the maintenance of the pools but something about going to a city gym disgust me.

HEALTH & RACQUET: Jail gym
PRO: by far the best Group Fitness Classes within the NYC gyms. Basketball and tennis courts.
CON: crappy building structure, almost feels claustrophobic. Trainer uniforms are bad along with their skills. Rooms are too small. Rates are overpriced

CRUNCH: Crunch what?
PRO: boxing ring. That's it
CON: no identity. Nothing really stands out for me with Crunch. It's not good nor is it bad. It's a spawn of Equinox and NYSC mixed as one. Membership prices mirrors NYSC.

BALLYS: the McDonald's of Gyms
PRO: EYE CANDY
CON: EYE CANDY. This gym used to be equivalent to Golds but it has been so tampered and watered down throughout the years that even the training doesn't stand out. Based on former and current employers that I'm friends with, Ballys is big on the BIG SALE instead  of trainers knowing how to train and become effective with the program. Sale Commission is a high priority to them...this is why they get the most complaints and law suits from members complaining about their fees, memberships etc. YES the eye candy of attractive men and women can be a distraction...to some.

SOUL CYCLE: the OH MY GAWD GYM
PRO: If you're a spinning nut-this is the place. Great music, high class Cycle equipment, oh my Gawd
CON: OH MY GAWD its a socialite spot. Friends of friends, celebs of celebs occupy the spot OH MY GAWD. Im not a fan of doing dumbell curls and Overhead Presses while riding a bike cause you don't do this out in the street so why do it in the gym? but whatever, you're friends are sweating and they're playing GANMAN STYLE OH MY GAWWD

PLANT FITNESS-the Soul Food of Gyms
PRO: really?
CON: oh where should I begin with the cons of Planet BITCHness. The color design of yellow and purple, the fisher price workout machines, the stereotypical stupid commercials making fit people seem ignorant, pompous and vainglorious, NO SQUAT RACKS, NO DEADLIFTS, NO WEIGHTS HIGHER THAN 65lbs. The wack ass "Spa" which is some cheap tanning booth and a crappy massage chair. They don't even know what a Kettlebell is-I'm serious. I've asked and they looked at me as if I was from another planet. WORKING OUT HARDCORE IS PROHIBITED. You must do the Walking Dead Cardio (walk on the treadmill for an hour with your hands on top of the machine at high incline looking like a zombie), the HOBBIT size pull up bar that has a line of dudes to use it and attempt to do tricks when they fall flat cause it's too short. No grunting, breathing hard (seriously), no tank tops from GOLDS, SPEECIES or any bodybuilding tank that shows your physique but its ok to wear those stupid ass heavty bag looking crap over your body so "you could sweat". OH I forgot, after your "hard" workout, YOU GET FREE PIZZA along with tootsie rolls. So go ahead and spend $10 a month to lift small weights then eat a pizza afterwards so you won't gain not one result but it will keep you coming back for more. This is the SOUL FOOD OF GYMS and doesn't promote an ounce of what real fitness is about. Judgement free zone they say yet in the "hood" areas that's out the window. You can't even look like you're from the hood going inside cause they'll kick you out. No trainers and if it is one its a kid on his blackberry text while showing you the machines or a jail bird. $10. You get what you pay for.

LUCIELLE ROBERTS: All female.
PRO:............if you don't want to deal with men, this is your spot. $20 a month I believe.
CON: their equipment makes Planet BITCHness look like Equinox. It's THAT bad. Almost every location I went and worked for, all of them had a an odor...I'll leave it at that. Trainers? Well no one trains them so they'll get anyone from the street who has arms. The dudes are only there to get laid and the women trainers are just there for the experience in training so they can leave to another spot. This is not the gym to feel inspired by others. DON'T BE MISLED BY THE COMMERICALS WITH ALL THE HOT WOMEN DANCING AROUND, you may find one like that in 6 months.

CURVES: the .75 store of gyms. Ever heard of a .75 store? Exactly, they hardly around.
PRO: caters to the obese, affordable
CON: the worst training system by having them do the same circuit machine training. Windows are dark and tinted-what the hell are they really doing in there? The size is a living room, not a gym.