Sorry, I'm sure this thread has been done many times, but...

Anyone want to give me advice on the best gym to join in Raleigh? I realize that online reviews on the internet aren't always the most reliable, but reading them make it seem that all gyms are scary places that do everything they can to rip you off and get your money.

6/16/2014 3:14:36 PM

My fiancee has a membership to planet fitness and I've gone with her a lot to several ones. I've always had good experiences and no real complaints.

Yeh, it gets busy sometimes and depending on which PF you're at, you may have to wait for a particular machine, but there's normally enough redundancy and enough to do you really don't have to wait. Other than that, just jackasses doing individual workouts on the circuit equipment.

I don't know how anyone can say that PF is a scam gym. $10 or $20/month, use it OR don't. Only thing that sucks is the sign-up fee, which is often waived or reduced to $1 for membership drives.

Or do you mean like a full service gym, with courts, etc.?

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 3:28 PM. Reason : .]

6/16/2014 3:21:23 PM

Thanks!

I'm not sure what I'm going for yet. Courts and pool would be nice... but I've looked at the YMCA and see that it's a $110 sign-up fee and $45 monthly fee, and that's way too much.

6/16/2014 3:27:27 PM

I go to PF at Atlantic and Millbrook . I like it but that is because I only pay $99/year. I don't know if they will offer that special again this year or not though. It' nothing special but I use it mostly to run and shower.

I go at lunch mostly so it is not crowded but after work it can get pretty busy.

6/16/2014 3:41:09 PM

PF early in the morning (6am-630) isn't crowded almost never have to wait for equipment and I go to the one off of western

6/16/2014 3:58:48 PM

do you live with anyone who is at State?

they have a household membership and you get to use all the things at the gym, pool, courts, etc

6/16/2014 4:00:21 PM

Fitness Connection if one's close.

$10/month and you get racquetball, classes, a pool etc

6/16/2014 4:01:50 PM

Thanks everyone, keep 'em coming!

^that was one of the first I looked at, but they had some pretty scary reviews (and then a few people saying "I don't know what yall people are talking about")
https://plus.google.com/116220151493421671477/about?hl=en&gl=us

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:05 PM. Reason : ^^^that'd be great, but i don't live with anyone who goes to state]

6/16/2014 4:04:24 PM

^ they'll let you work out there for free 5+ times. just do that and see if you like it. i know a bunch of people who are members and are happy.

i wouldn't really read too much into those reviews. that's a really busy gym so i can't imagine it's that bad

6/16/2014 4:08:13 PM

Most of the comments are about their billing policies....
but I may give it a shot.

6/16/2014 4:27:24 PM

02 Fitness

6/16/2014 8:04:21 PM

im at FC, it isn't so bad. Ya it could be better, but for $10/mo you really can't complain. Better than the $39/mo i was paying when it was golds and everythings the same pretty much (just older). was kinda annoyed they took away the santizing stations. That was pretty weak.

6/16/2014 9:12:56 PM

if you sign up for the cheapest class at State, do you get gym membership? and if so, does your ID still work after the semester?

6/16/2014 9:26:51 PM

what's the crowd like at the state gym in the mornings?

6/16/2014 9:29:47 PM

^^No, you have to be signed up for a class in a degree program and pay the student fees.

But alumni fees aren't bad, and there are lots of coeds so that's pretty sweet.

http://recreation.ncsu.edu/memberships/alumni-0

6/16/2014 9:49:00 PM

It'd probably be worth it for the coeds alone. Just creep-walk the track all day behind some honeys. Thanks Bridget!

6/17/2014 9:45:27 AM

Quote :

"im at FC, it isn't so bad. Ya it could be better, but for $10/mo you really can't complain. Better than the $39/mo i was paying when it was golds and everythings the same pretty much (just older). was kinda annoyed they took away the santizing stations. That was pretty weak."

Oh yea the one at Pleasant Valley went through a horrible transition, but I hear it has gotten better.

They started charging for the larger towels, replaced broken treadmills with older ones, replaced towels for sanitizing with paper towels, general cleaning (how hard is it to sweep the group fitness room once in a while), and wouldn't fix water fountains.

As you mentioned those are expected when you are at $10 per month, but there were a lot of the regulars that were still at the $35-$40 per month price.

6/17/2014 2:14:29 PM

They pocket a ton of dough for sure

6/17/2014 2:21:11 PM

Quote :

"a lot of the regulars that were still at the $35-$40 per month price"

Why were they still paying that much?

6/17/2014 2:46:31 PM

Gold's rapes me monthly

6/17/2014 4:08:48 PM

^^^^^You're welcome. But you're not supposed to creepwalk on the coeds. You should discreetly do it with as many of them as possible until you find one you can tolerate for more than a long weekend. That one is your soulmate.

6/17/2014 5:48:14 PM

I hate Planet Fitness and everything they stand for. Yes, it's cheap, but they have less equipment (no benches or squat racks - it's all smith machines) and don't even try to do deadlifts or oly lifts there. That place sucks ass and is not even worth the few dollars a month.

I love Fitness 19 - it's like a better Planet Fitness because it's actually a gym with real equipment. Plus I only pay $16/mo for both my bf and I.

[Edited on June 17, 2014 at 8:07 PM. Reason : I don't know what you're looking for though. Need more info.]

6/17/2014 8:05:12 PM

I'm not sure what I want, just don't want to spend too much. This is all very useful. Ideally I'd like a pool, I want to get into swimming more.

6/18/2014 1:37:33 PM

I would throw my gym, Capital Strength & Conditioning, out as a suggestion, but it seems you are looking for a budget conscious option. The most basic level of membership is $96/month.

We are a private gym. Offering premium service and specialize in strength training with free weights and athletic conditioning.

So if you are ready to invest in getting the best training and really transforming your body, give me a shout or learn more at http://www.capitalstrength.com



[Edited on June 18, 2014 at 2:01 PM. Reason : ;]

6/18/2014 1:59:03 PM

Quote :

"$45 monthly fee, and that's way too much."

so assuming you went 4x/week, you're saying $2.25 for an hour+ of using someone else's machines, freeweights, swimming pools, bathrooms, air conditioning, showers, toilets, TV's, sound system, and drinking fountains is too much?

or even at planet fitness (which I, too, think is a joke) - $0.50 per usage?


at my crossfit gym, I average $8.00/day (assuming I go 4x/week) - we don't have TVs, AC, pools, courts, anything - and I still think that is a steal (granted, I get personal or group training every day, but still)

[Edited on June 18, 2014 at 2:06 PM. Reason : ..]

6/18/2014 2:04:48 PM

^there's also the $110 sign up fee. And I won't be going 4 times most weeks. And I'm mainly thinking about a gym because it's too hot to do too much exercise outside in the summer. To me, spending $8.00/day is crazy.

6/18/2014 2:21:03 PM

well, I'm assuming it's a one-time thing, so let's say you stay with your gym for 3 years and go 2x/week - that ends up being around $5.36/use, including the enrollment fee (which most places will waive if you know how to negotiate). To me, with all the aforementioned amenities available to you, that is not a bad deal, at all.

And I forgot that a lot of gyms offer free childcare.

[Edited on June 18, 2014 at 2:37 PM. Reason : lll]

6/18/2014 2:36:45 PM

Well, I'm still thinking about it, and it's sounding more and more appealing, with the pools, courts, and mutlitude of classes that they even offer in the evening. Anyone else have experiences with the YWCA/YMCA?

6/18/2014 2:54:24 PM

yeah to me just the pool(s) alone it would be worth the membership (assuming you don't have one at home).

6/18/2014 3:15:36 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4i8SpNgzA4

6/18/2014 3:29:02 PM

I graduated from State in December, and have had a Carmichael membership the last 6 months or so. I just printed out an old tuition bill of mine, and my brother's current tuition bill - did the student household membership - and paid $60 for the spring semester and $40 for the summer. Crowded as hell at nights during the semester, but mornings aren't bad and the summer virtually at any point isn't bad either. Doing a few renovations this summer though so some rooms have been closed.

6/18/2014 8:01:46 PM

Your post is useless without coed lady booty pics

6/18/2014 11:11:53 PM

Quote :

"Quote : "a lot of the regulars that were still at the $35-$40 per month price" Why were they still paying that much?"

Synapse, we had joined at higher rates and it moved to month-to-month. We could have gotten the $9.99 as well, but would have had to pay an upfront fee to get the cheaper per month price.

6/25/2014 2:40:07 PM

You're still paying Gold's rates though; Fitness Connection members have never paid that much that I know of.

When they first started accepting members (when I signed up) it was $10/month with $200 down, or $20/month with $20-$40 down...and it seems like that was at least 2 years ago. I've heard they're doing $10/month now with not much down (think it was $0 for a while).

[Edited on June 25, 2014 at 3:26 PM. Reason : I mean are you under a contract or something?]

6/25/2014 3:26:09 PM

Hmm, yup I was still paying Gold's Gym rates. They never lowered my fees when it became Fitness Connection.


It does sound better now at any rate.

6/25/2014 3:55:42 PM