Best chain gym??

[marshmallow]

I recently moved into the chicago area and I've been looking for a gym. I've seriously been considering Planet Fatness because of the price and location but when I actually went into the gym I was greeted by an obese clerk and I actually saw the lunk alarm you guys were talking about. And the fact that no grunting is allowed is a huge negative.

I came from using my school's gym at UNF which was a pretty easy going gym, and a chain gym called SuperFitness that I had no issues with and was also very affordable.

So what are some chain gyms that you think are the best for the money?

 

[goodfella]

hey bro where are you at in the chicago area ...i live there and can give ya some good ideas depending on where you are cause even though theyre chains some locations are better than others...

 

[Jerkyboy]

Consumer Reports magazine just did an article on this. It was either this month or last months issue. They did customer survey on the top 10-15 chain gyms in the nation. There was no big blow out or anything, but at least in readers opinions a couple were a little better than the rest (I think).

I was amazed LA Fitness, and 24HR Fitness were rated about the same. I always thought LA Fit was nicer and cleaner but I guess I was wrong. LA Fit does have a lower monthly rate though

FYI- if u guys sign up as new members, and play hard ball during the sales process, u should be able to get the monthly rate @$30. This is with NO long term contracts, month to month, cancel any time and NO extra charges or fees for anything extra, everything is included.

 

[Krom]

Consumer Reports magazine just did an article on this. It was either this month or last months issue. They did customer survey on the top 10-15 chain gyms in the nation. There was no big blow out or anything, but at least in readers opinions a couple were a little better than the rest (I think).

I was amazed LA Fitness, and 24HR Fitness were rated about the same. I always thought LA Fit was nicer and cleaner but I guess I was wrong. LA Fit does have a lower monthly rate though

FYI- if u guys sign up as new members, and play hard ball during the sales process, u should be able to get the monthly rate @$30. This is with NO long term contracts, month to month, cancel any time and NO extra charges or fees for anything extra, everything is included.

LA Fitness is the best I've seen unless you consider Golds or Worlds a chain but one membership there does not get you to their other gyms.

 

[Wynn]

I got this month's Consumer Reports- it rates the chains. If you walk by a newsstand you might take a look.

Bally's and Town Sports (NYSC etc.) are at the bottom of the list. The ratings are not just about the equipment and service. They also take into account the value you get for your money and how easy (or not) it is to cancel.

I left it at work so I will bring it tomorrow. Right now I can remember that Life Time is near the top of the ratings list and some locations are in Illinois.

**broken link removed**

 

[marshmallow]

I ended going to Planet Fatness for $10 monthly. The staff their seem pretty laid back, my only gripe is that there aren't any bench presses or hip flexor machines.

 

[balla06]

i was a manager at 3 differnt LA Fit. depending on what state your in prices will very. but if ur looking for a good price with them then fuck with them. the first price they tell u is bullshit. everyone gets 29 dollars a month unless they fuck u. and here in texas the registration fee is 199. tell them to fuck off, tell them u want 0 registartion. TRUST ME, they will do it if they r hurting, they havea number to hit every day and if they are strugglin they will do anything to earn ur business! and if they are not strugglin ask for a single club membership, somtimes they go as low as 25 to register. better yet, jus tell them to go to web agreements on their comp and let u look at all the prices they have to offer u and then u will pick out the best one that fits u

 

[M21SL]

big fan of golds gyms or worlds gyms. Decently hardcore atmosphere, and there are a couple in most big cities, which is nice.

 

[JCAnderson]

LA Fitness...not sure if they have one in Chicago. You would think they would have one in LA, but don't so there is no telling....

...maybe the LA is for Lower Alabama.....hmmmm....

 

[Hiramabiff]

If you are in the Chi-town..Quads is the place to go. Calumet City or Downtown. Nothing but iron. I reside on the Southside.

http://www.quadsgym.com/

 

[massmaker56]

Fitworks is pretty nice a decentlly priced ata bout 30 a month

 

[deltaguy]

Does Chicago have an Equinox? That was my gym in NYC and they just built a new one in Boston. Love that place. Always the best equipment, great staff and you can lift as hard and obnoxious as you want.

 

[needforspeed]

Cardinal fitness isnt a bad gym for the money, The quads in calumet city has some bad boys there!!!! I saw a pic of big byrd there once. thats were ed coan trains.

 

[munsterpd]

If you are in the Chi-town..Quads is the place to go. Calumet Cityor Downtown. Nothing but iron. I reside on the Southside.

http://www.quadsgym.com/

"Land of the Giants" was what they use to call Quads. I trained there for years and a lot of my buddies still do (Cal. City). What is that new owner doing with the place? I stopped in around Christmas and he didn't have any shirts and seemed confused about what he was doing with the place. There was a time when there were more champs training at that gym than just about anywhere in the Midwest. Ahhhhh the good old days.

 

[blackhole2]

Bally's is bankrupt.

IN July they had 1 billion bill to pay and 45 millions in the bank.

Them they sold their Canadian clubs that where one of the 3 areas that where profitable.

These people have monthly sales quotas, go at the middle of the month and if they don't offer you what you want just walk away and call them back at the last day of the month if they have not sold what they need they will give you their best deal.

 

[bignick44]

I am a District Vice President for LA Fitness, so for that fool balla06 who thinks they can go in and say what there going to pay then dont go there that gym is not for you, and for you to say that means your a lier and most likely were never a manager in my company. We do have promotion discounts once a month, but otherwise you will pay what everyone else pays. We dont need to sell you the gym sells its self. We just opened our Chicago market, we have 8 gyms in the chicago area open as of now, with 14 total coming by the end of the year. Naperville, South loop are a few. Great gyms go in and check them out.

 

[SD1959]

Does Chicago have an Equinox? That was my gym in NYC and they just built a new one in Boston. Love that place. Always the best equipment, great staff and you can lift as hard and obnoxious as you want.

They've also got one in Playa Del Carmen Mexico. Not called Equinox (I think it's called "The Gym"). Small and wayyy too pretty, but man they had the Hammer machines with individual weight stacks, a step in power rack and some other nice pieces. Our resort had new but limited facilities. Made walking into town well worth it.

 

[dragonfire101]

For bodybuilders Worlds, and Powerhouse are good in my area. Golds's was good, but bought out by Planet Fitness.

 

[2fresh]

Where do you live in Chicago.
Go to X Sport fitness it's awsome over there! open 24/7 and it's only 299 for a year membership after your first year otherwise it will prolly be like 350-400 for 15 months

One's on the top of my head...Belmont/Central...Lawrence/Elston...Milwakuee and GOlF...THeres one downtown...Ummm a few others. There's one by the brickyard..TRUST ME U WONT REGRET GOING TO X SPORT

 

[james001]

I train at the golds gyms in vegas... good gym