Ballys or YMCA — which one? |
Loading ...Ok, so we’re trying to decide which of these two fitness places to join — or maybe to buy some exercise equipment and skip a club membership. Ballys seems to come with a fitness trainer and actual focus and training plans/purpose whereas the YMCA is more open-ended and flexible with lots of events. The price and amenities for the two services are about the same (YMCA a bit newer) for a family of five (Ballys is a little bit more expensive). Also, YMCA is a month-to-month committment whereas Ballys is a yearly committment.
If you already belong to either of these two then please share what your experience(s) have been like in the comments. If you’ve thought about joining then share why/why not.
Finally, which of these two would you recommend and why?
Two points:
a) Do you travel - especially for business? If so, pick Bally’s for the better chance you can work out on the road.
b) Definitely don’t buy the equipment and work out at home. As hard as it may be to pack up a gym bag and go work out, it’s harder to concentrate with all of life’s distractions around you.
(Disclaimer: I don’t go to either - I just joined Gold’s and was very fond of Planet Fitness before I moved from CT)
Comment by Eric Sohn — August 4, 2005 @ 9:39 pm PST
TD,
I had a YMCA family membership. It was great. The pricing was right, they had all the ammenities I needed. They had a rotating schedule of extra programs for all age levels (this is where I think the YMCA blows away all the other fitness clubs). I truly felt a sense of community when I was there. I never once felt like ‘just another customer’. Just to round things out, I have had several past memberships to clubs like Ballys and Gold’s and the like. Didn’t like them on bit and always cancelled the membership at the first available opportunity.
I really do not think you can go wrong with a YMCA membership.
Joe
Comment by Joe — August 5, 2005 @ 8:02 am PST
Thanks Eric and Joe for the feedback. Yes, I travel for business, but this health club thing isn’t really for me so much. It is for one member of our family who wants to lose weight and/or tone things up.
Comment by TDavid — August 5, 2005 @ 9:15 am PST
[…] TDavid @ 1:52 pm
Today was the first morning since we signed up for a family health club membership at the YMCA. Total cost $212.50 USD for the first month and it runs $100 […]
Pingback by Make You Go Hmm: » First morning of fitness program — August 6, 2005 @ 2:04 pm PST