Joining the YMCA

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HurricaneElaine
HurricaneElaine Posts: 984 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I saw one local YMCA having a special rate, waiving their 'joining fee' ($25 on top of the usual $50 monthly membership) so I decided to have a look-see. Unfortunately I drove by it and had to double back and try again - found it 10 minutes late for my tour. Luckily the young fellow who showed me around was so nice.. This place is jam-packed with the best equipment, all high-tech Nautilus, screens in front of most of them showing various terrain to imagine yourself on, or you can just watch TV. The place was PACKED with people. The pool is huge, but most of it is cordoned off for laps in the deep end - which is kept at 82 degrees - and the shallow end is kept at 87 degrees! Hot tub, anyone? This place is awesome but I don't know.. I bet it's always crowded and it's more expensive than the YMCA's in two other nearby towns (they only charge $43.75 a month for an adult membership). I'm going to check out the other two tomorrow and on Thursday. Does anyone think this is extravagant pricing? Would I do any better just joining a regular gym (most of which don't have pools)? I just have to do SOMETHING other than sitting on my duff in front of the TV or computer at night. My floor exercises just aren't enough, and I can't easily walk in my neighborhood (small sidewalks with lots of roots to watch out for, hard to do at night). Any suggestion? Comments? Thanks!

Replies

  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I think it sounds like a good deal. The swimming pool is worth it if you like to swim. It will also probably be a lot less crowded by February. Our local YMCA is $90 for a family and $50 for a single person, so it sounds reasonable.
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
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    I LOVE my Y. We paid a little more and have access to all the Ys around the country. It's great. I highly recommend it. If you have kids, it's also a great place for them.
  • Alyssa__Lauren
    Alyssa__Lauren Posts: 148 Member
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    I wish I could afford the Y! I work at my local one in the summers..I teach art camp there so I get a free membership in the summer! But I can't work there during the other seasons because of school. I loved running on the arc trainer and watching Friends :(
  • paledi
    paledi Posts: 56 Member
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    We pay $60 a month for our membership. Your Y sounds fantastic!
  • rcolours7
    rcolours7 Posts: 69
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    the y is great if you have a family to use it with.

    it can be crowded in the a.m. for certain classes b/f work or after work hours.

    i live in PA & most the y's here by me are "grouped" together w/in the membership. double check that with the ones by you.

    most people who use the pool swim laps for their exercise - so having lots of lanes is good. keep in mind, most y's have a kids and/or adult swim teams, so they need lots of lanes.

    as for pricing - seems okay. for my to get access to 5 ys in my area, family is $89, single adult is $60. w/the y-u will need to pay a little extra for some classes & some classes are free, so check that out as well.

    have fun finding a local gym to workout in.
  • stacey522004
    stacey522004 Posts: 7 Member
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    Hello! Congrats on considering the Y. I am a Regional Aquatics Director with the YMCAs in Cleveland, and (at least here) Ys are a lot more supportive than just being a number at another gym. Check in and ask about nutrition programs, weight loss programs, wellness coaching and don't be afraid to try a class! Let me know if you have any questions and feel free to add me!
  • Ready2Serve
    Ready2Serve Posts: 113 Member
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    I loved being at the YMCA I was with. I would still be there if it wasn't an hour away. I would go back in a heart beat.
  • Crazy4Healthy
    Crazy4Healthy Posts: 626 Member
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    I would also consider convenience. You mentioned the Ys in neighboring towns, but how likely are to go that far out of your way. I found having a gym on my way home from work the best decision I could make for me. Convenience isn't important to everyone, but for me it was a huge deciding factor. I needed some place that was easy to get to so I wouldn't use that as an excuse.
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
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    as for pricing - seems okay. for my to get access to 5 ys in my area, family is $89, single adult is $60. w/the y-u will need to pay a little extra for some classes & some classes are free, so check that out as well.


    This depends on your Y. I don't have to pay for any classes (and I've never had to pay for any classes at any other Y I've visited).
  • nashsheri33
    nashsheri33 Posts: 225 Member
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    hi, i work at a YMCA. it is always crowded in january, due to the new years' resolutions. don't worry, it will slack off. i like the Y for a lot of reasons - there is 'something for everybody', it's family-oriented, the staff is HIGHLY certified (even the membership staff has to have yearly CPR/first aid/oxygen/AED training), and you can cancel your membership at any time - no contract. they will probably have other perks like a weight-loss support group, senior activities, diabetes prevention classes, health seminars, etc.

    if you find the monthly fee to be prohibitive, they will probably work with you on that. depends on your income, but that's not the only consideration. for example, there was a fellow at my Y who made more than $50,000 a year, but he had no medical insurance. so he was paying a ridiculous amount for health care (he was diabetic) and he explained this in a letter, and they let him have a seriously reduced rate.

    cheers!
    sheri

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