Local Gyms

[LandBaron]

Okay muscleheads!!
I need some advice.

Now that school's over, my "free" membership at the U of T Athletic Centre has expired and I'm lookin' for a gym.
Recommendations?

I can continue using U of T's facilities as an alumni for about $60/month (alas I'm not eligible for the "recently-graduated" special rate until June). But I'm interested in finding out what else is available for that price.

Important considerations:
Location: should be close to either work (downtown west)
or home (High Park/Junction).
More interested in adequate weight machines, racks, and free weights than cardio.
Frills unnecessary. As long as the facility is reasonably clean I'm happy.
Budget is important. If the rate climbs much higher than $60/month I may as well stick with U of T (i.e. Diesel is not an option).

Would be really interested to hear some reviews from you all!

 

[Midtownman]

HA! I wish I knew. I go to Bally's and it's ok, but for the price it's not worth it. I wish I could just find a non-chain gym. I also joined GoodLife through work (very cheap!) but their complete shit. I sometimes go to the one at Manulife and it's terrible. But I heard they're opening a new one at Union Station this year. Maybe that might be closer to you and they have reasonable rates.

 

[LandBaron]

The Trouble With Bally's

Hey Midtown,
Is that the Bally's at Bay & Bloor?
I used to go there several years ago; back then though I didn't like it very much. At that time, it was a highly-commercial gym with aggressive sales staff (I understand through friends that in October '99 they fired a lot of those abrasive old employees). And they played the most dreary, melancholy music. One thing I appreciated though was the vigorous air-conditioning. I'm astonished at the number of gyms around here with feeble ventilation!

Never tried a GoodLife. The rates I see online are very competitive, but customer reviews are all over the map. Some people say "it's great," others hate it. Perhaps there's a lot of variability in the chain.

You mentioned non-chain gyms. My buddies in Riverdale and Thorncliffe Park say Alfie's is pretty good. A serious gym. Alas, Pape & Danforth is nowhere near me. It would be foolish to think I'd be motivated enough to make the trek out to the east side 5X a week.

 

[shawnmicallef]

Re: The Trouble With Bally's

I goto the downtown Y...my member ship is around $65 a month - but that's including an extra $11 for towel service that you can decline.

Lots of machines - lots of weights - and tonnes of cardio stuff you don't care about. And a HUGE pool that's almost always available to do lengths in. Plus tonnes of Y programs.

And you can goto other Y's - sometimes i goto the West Y College/Dovercourt.

Best thing about the Y is it's a non-profit, and a super positive, inclusive vibe. Very few muscle heads or gym assholes. People of all shapes and colours.

 

[asher11]

Re: The Trouble With Bally's

I go to Mayfair. Costs a bit more than most (I pay about a grand a year for basic membership), but it's clean, never crowded and has a good mix of members from young tennis pros to seniors. Good equipment, pool and best of all - lots of oxygen (not so many people breathing the same air over & over). There are only 4 of them in the city. The closest one to downtown would be on Lakeshore (east of downtown).

I got really fed up with Curzons when I realized that I was paying to be a member for a whole year only to be pushed aside by a bunch of newbies every January when they sign up way more people than they can handle.

If you're anything like me then you've got about an hour and a half a few times a week to work out. Where I am now, I get the equipment I want, when I want it and I get to complete my circuit in that time. I really believe it's the difference between a gym that's @ 80% capacity and one that's @ 120% capacity.

Logan Asher :\

 

[LandBaron]

Big Gyms

Thanks shawn & asher for the tips!

I have heard from quite a few people now that the Y is a great facility. But what about the crowds? The monthly rate is definitely very competitive. I will check it out.

I just "discovered" the Mayfair on Lakeshore yesterday as I was driving out toward the Beaches from downtown. I saw the big "M" and at first thought it was some kind of big-box or maybe a film studio--it looks massive!

 

[asher11]

Re: Big Gyms

One of the things I like about Mayfair is the fact that the parking lots can be full, but after U get inside U might have the entire gym to yourself (well, maybe a couple of other people are there) -- everyone else is playing tennis or racquetball.

Logan Asher :\

 

[shawnmicallef]

Re: Big Gyms

At 5pm, it can be crowded - but when i go at that time, i can still function fine. By 7-8-9pm, it get progressively more open (obviously). I often go around 8-9 - sometimes it's dead. And being open untill 11pm gives you lots of time to go. They give nice tours when you're thinking of joining - and they'll give you a free pass to try it out i think. Also, it's 2 blocks from either Wellesly or College subways. Lots of times i just walk up to Bloor and get on the BD rather than go down and get the Yonge line.

Going to the Y is one of the things that makes me happy about living in the city.

 

[Jarrek]

Re: Big Gyms

Anywhere/Anything BUT Premier/Curzons ... stay away from this club. They try to rip you off and sign you up for services you don't need from every angle.

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

Re: Big Gyms

Give Hart House a try. I just graduated and I'm going to pay the $60 per month anyway. I love the place.

 

[shawnmicallef]

I didn't know Hart House had facilities...but they even have a pool! I learnt that today in Eye's theatre section, where there is a picture of the play they're putting on about Kafka in the pool.

 

[miesvanderjoe]

The basement of Hart House used to have a vomity smell. I hope that's gone.

 

[LandBaron]

Gym Decision

Just to follow up, I decided to join System Fitness (formerly Super Fitness) on Bloor W, at High Park. The deciding factor was the location; it's only 3 blocks from my house.

No pool, not a great place for aerobics, and they're in the midst of renovations, but when it comes to freeweights and machines they have like 10 of *everything* and space galore. I even splurged and got a personal trainer to help draw up a new routine. It worked; after a long and frustrating plateau I'm seeing gains and feelin' the pain again heh heh.

I usually go first thing in the morning and there are very few people there. I suspect it gets quite busy with muscleheads in the afternoons and evenings though, because the plates and dumbbells are often scattered around.

I also considered the High Park Village Rec Centre,
the Y downtown, and the AC at U of T. But none were so convenient to home and competitively priced.