As I have previously mentioned, having the right gym to work
out in can mean the difference between meeting, exceeding, and failing to meet
your goals. I joined a local Gold’s gym in August of 2013 which means I have
been there for close to three years. This gym is located on 11 Currency Drive, Bloomington, IL 61704. So what
has made me stay here? In the following paragraphs I will be reviewing the
service and the overall quality of my experience at Gold’s Gym. I will review
it based on its cost, its members, its equipment, its offered extras, its hours
of operation, and its cleanliness/maintenance.
As with
most gyms, the price of Gold’s Gym was negotiable for me. I currently pay a
flat fee of $300 a year. However, they make every member pay a yearly upgrade
fee of $30. So in effect, I pay $330 a year to attend the gym and workout, which
ends up being less than $28 a month. I also had the option of paying $35 a
month plus the upgrade fee. I ended up deciding on my option because of the
cost savings. At first, I was upset with the upgrade fee. However, the owners
of the gym have been very transparent with where the money goes, and they even
have the members vote on which improvement they should spend the funds on. For
example, last year’s upgrade fee was used to purchase all new exercise bikes
for their spin class. Moreover, they give you a free juice bar coupon every
year as a thank you for paying the upgrade fee. Overall, I am very happy with
the price I pay for this gym, and it is one of the cheapest gyms I have been a
member of.
Gold’s
gym has a variety of different members. However, they have a lot of body
builders who work and work out there. In fact, they have a “man cave” which is
situated in its own area away from the main workout area. This “man cave” has
heavy dumbbells (150lbs) and other power lifting equipment. I am very pleased
with the member profile of Gold’s Gym because there are many very strong
individuals who I learn from and who keep me motivated to become stronger. I am
also happy with the amount of members that the gym has. I have never had to
wait for any machines or weights because it never gets insanely busy.
The best
part of this Gold’s Gym is its equipment. Some of the unique highlights include:
heavy dumbbells, heavy kettlebells, a 100 meter AstroTurf track, Jacobs Ladder,
differently weighted tires to flip, a sled to push on the AstroTurf, and chains
suspended from the roof that can be used for various exercises. The gym also
has four benches for bench pressing, one incline bench press, and one decline
bench press. The gym also has a variety of different cardio equipment such as row
machines, stair machines, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and various
treadmills. I am very happy with the equipment that the gym offers because it
is varied and it allows me to do my power lifting workout which needs heavy
weights. For example, I am able to do shrugs with 150 pound dumbbells in each
hand. If I was a member of the local LA Fitness I could not do this same
workout because their dumbbells only reach 100 pounds each.
Gold’s
Gym in Bloomington also has a lot of extras. It offers: a juice bar, towel
service, daycare, a sauna, a pool, a hot tub, a basketball court, group
classes, and physical therapy. Admittedly, I do not use most of these extras.
However, the ones that I do use help make my workout experience better. I
routinely use the juice bar, the towel service, the pool, and the hot tub. The
juice bar is great when I have to be somewhere after the gym and I do not have
my protein with me. The towel service is the extra I use the most. It is nice
to not have to bring my own towel to the gym. I also like to use the pool as an
alternative form of cardio exercise, and the hot tub as a way to soothe achy
muscles and relax.
This Gold’s
Gym has limited hours of operation but they are open when I typically need to
go. Monday through Thursday the gym is open from 4 am to 11pm. On Fridays, the
gym is open from 4am to 9pm. On Saturday and Sunday, the gym is only open from
7am to 7pm. I am not very pleased with their hours of operation, and I wish
they were open 24 hours a day like many large gyms are. However, for the most
part the gym is open when I need it to be.
Gold’s
Gym in Bloomington Illinois is well maintained and it is typically very clean.
During the day, they have a dedicated janitorial staff that wipes down machines,
does overall cleaning, and they also makes sure that the gym stays well stocked
with toiletries. The gym also does a good job of maintaining the equipment, and
I have not seen a piece of equipment stay out of order for longer than a week.
One of this gym’s best policies and procedures is their use of a large and
central white board that is used by members to communicate any issues with
equipment. Members will write the date, the equipment, and the issue on the
board. Then a member of the staff will write a comment such as “ordered parts”.
This shows that they gym cares about its members and the maintenance of its
equipment.
Overall,
I am very happy with my experience at Gold’s Gym, and with the service that the
gym provides. As I have previously mentioned, I have been a member of three
other commercial gyms, and they have not offered the same level of service.
Bally’s Total fitness had very few extras/amenities. Xsport was open 24 hours a
day, but the gym was perpetually unclean. Lifetime had great extras that I did
not use, and the gym was extremely expensive. Compared to these other gyms, I
am happier being a member of Gold’s Gym because of its low cost, its varied
equipment, its great members, its offered extras, and its level of cleanliness
and attention to maintenance needs. Moreover, it has helped me continually meet
my weight lifting goals which is the most important aspect for me.
To read more about Gold's Gym, please Visit: Gold's Gym
To read more about Gold's Gym, please Visit: Gold's Gym
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