Gym reviews that focus on cleanliness. WTH?
spartan_d
Posts: 727 Member
I keep coming across gym reviews online that start out with "It's so clean!" or somesuch rot. Very often, that's the primary focus of these reviews, with little commentary on the equipment or the environment.
Now, I'm not suggesting that cleanliness is unimportant. You certainly wouldn't want to work out somewhere that's a health hazard. Maybe it's just me though, but I find it odd that cleanliness is the main focus of so many of these reviews.
Frankly, I can deal with a gym that's less than pristine clean, as long as it has the right kind of equipment and allows me to perform effective exercises. Heck, if you're working hard outdoors, you're likely to get a bit dirty, so dealing with a little bit of dust inside a gym isn't a big deal as far as I'm concerned.
Now, I'm not suggesting that cleanliness is unimportant. You certainly wouldn't want to work out somewhere that's a health hazard. Maybe it's just me though, but I find it odd that cleanliness is the main focus of so many of these reviews.
Frankly, I can deal with a gym that's less than pristine clean, as long as it has the right kind of equipment and allows me to perform effective exercises. Heck, if you're working hard outdoors, you're likely to get a bit dirty, so dealing with a little bit of dust inside a gym isn't a big deal as far as I'm concerned.
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People are asked to write a review and they don't know what to say perhaps. From a marketing/new member perspective, cleanliness is important. Most people wouldn't go to a gym with reviews that say "its dusty and grimy and there's sweat all over the equipment and mud on the floor ". Lol6
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Not to sound rude, but I would guess that most people don't care quite as much about having particular equipment as you or I might, OP.
90% of people I see at the gym have no idea what they're doing when it comes to resistance training, pretty much just rotate throughsome machine for a few sets, then hop on the treadmill, or vice versa.. and even a lot of people who do lift regularly don't know most of the names for certain exercises or machines.
If I asked what kind of plates they had or what the knurling was like on their bars, most people wouldn't know. If it's a gym with equipment I think most people are happy.
On cleanliness - I went to a gym while traveling once that smelled so badly of BO I could hardly breathe. Minimal BO is always a plus.13 -
i've been in some pretty stinky gross dirty gyms , so i can appreciate cleanliness being an important part of a review. Iron is iron, but throwing it around in a clean gym is much nicer than a stinky sweaty dirty gym. What i look for in a gym is location, type of equip it has, and cleanliness.4
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Cleanliness in a gym is not referring to dust. It's more about germs and bacteria. I care how clean my gyms are. One is cleaner and newer than the other but each have their other pros and cons.
To me, a clean gym sets the tone and an example of care being taken in all other aspects of the gym environment. Generally, if the gym is clean, the weights will be re-racked and the equipment kept in order and other members will try to keep it that way. A sloppy, unkempt gym is more likely to be unorganized and lacking in other features.16 -
I care about equipment.
But, all things being equal, I am going to avoid a dirty gym. Maybe I am too fastidious. But I don't need a staph or molluscum infection, and when a place looks and smells clean, I have greater faith that it is clean and disinfected.
I hate it when there is dust and chalk all over the place and I can feel it going into my throat and lungs.
I hate it when I can see the bench is wet. Or there are smells. Or I have to get on the ground for a movement and I can see that the floor -- the sweaty floor -- has not been cleaned in more than a week.
Yeah, if it is like that, I can find another gym with the equipment I need.
I think clean is key.6 -
I think I would say I more care about air flow that cleanliness. I don't really like a funky smell but I live in the desert where the dust blows so I'm used to things being dusty. As long as there is some good air flow through the building to get rid of the funk (BO, chemical, or otherwise) then I'm fine. Beyond that it is all about the equipment, good equipment in good shape.1
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I think some of you are missing my point.
Like I said, I don't deny that cleanliness is important. If the place is a cesspool of bacteria, then that's certainly a problem. And obviously, there comes a point where the degree of filth becomes a problem.
When the cleanliness is the primarily focus of a review though, I'm like "WTH?" IMO, a little bit of dirt shouldn't be a dealbreaker. After all, it's not as though we live in an antiseptic world. Heck, I'd argue that a finely polished gym probably isn't seeing a lot of serious use.
Of all the things to focus on, it seems to me that the ability to get a good workout in should be paramount, unless the amount of dirt is at a truly intolerable level.
I think that @not_a_runner was spot on with her remarks:not_a_runner wrote: »Not to sound rude, but I would guess that most people don't care quite as much about having particular equipment as you or I might, OP.
90% of people I see at the gym have no idea what they're doing when it comes to resistance training, pretty much just rotate throughsome machine for a few sets, then hop on the treadmill, or vice versa.. and even a lot of people who do lift regularly don't know most of the names for certain exercises or machines.
If I asked what kind of plates they had or what the knurling was like on their bars, most people wouldn't know. If it's a gym with equipment I think most people are happy.
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not_a_runner wrote: »Not to sound rude, but I would guess that most people don't care quite as much about having particular equipment as you or I might, OP.
90% of people I see at the gym have no idea what they're doing when it comes to resistance training, pretty much just rotate throughsome machine for a few sets, then hop on the treadmill, or vice versa.. and even a lot of people who do lift regularly don't know most of the names for certain exercises or machines.
If I asked what kind of plates they had or what the knurling was like on their bars, most people wouldn't know. If it's a gym with equipment I think most people are happy.
On cleanliness - I went to a gym while traveling once that smelled so badly of BO I could hardly breathe. Minimal BO is always a plus.
I spend a lot of time working out in various forms & have for quite a while & I had to google knurling. I've never heard of that before your post. Guess I can go home, since I've learned something new today.5 -
I joined a brand new gym that had all the right stuff...power cages, battle ropes, etc. I was happy for two weeks until I had to pee. I went into the bathroom and it was trashed. I mean, literally *kitten* all over the place. Keep in mind, I go at 5 am when the gym first opens, so it had been like that all night. I left and got all my money back. So, yeah, obviously I will look at a gym for its equipment, but I'll read reviews regarding cleanliness. Why do I need a review to tell me about the equipment? I have eyes.13
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JBApplebee wrote: »not_a_runner wrote: »Not to sound rude, but I would guess that most people don't care quite as much about having particular equipment as you or I might, OP.
90% of people I see at the gym have no idea what they're doing when it comes to resistance training, pretty much just rotate throughsome machine for a few sets, then hop on the treadmill, or vice versa.. and even a lot of people who do lift regularly don't know most of the names for certain exercises or machines.
If I asked what kind of plates they had or what the knurling was like on their bars, most people wouldn't know. If it's a gym with equipment I think most people are happy.
On cleanliness - I went to a gym while traveling once that smelled so badly of BO I could hardly breathe. Minimal BO is always a plus.
I spend a lot of time working out in various forms & have for quite a while & I had to google knurling. I've never heard of that before your post. Guess I can go home, since I've learned something new today.
Ahahaha.
Well to certain people something as simple as that matters, while others never give it a thought. I have preferences about dumbbell handles too. Maybe I am just a gym snob lol2 -
Davidsdottir wrote: »I joined a brand new gym that had all the right stuff...power cages, battle ropes, etc. I was happy for two weeks until I had to pee. I went into the bathroom and it was trashed. I mean, literally *kitten* all over the place. Keep in mind, I go at 5 am when the gym first opens, so it had been like that all night. I left and got all my money back. So, yeah, obviously I will look at a gym for its equipment, but I'll read reviews regarding cleanliness. Why do I need a review to tell me about the equipment? I have eyes.
I think the answer is obvious. If you haven't been to the gym before, then you might not know what kind of equipment they have. And even after you join, you might not yet know how well-maintained it is, or whether the gym has any ridiculous rules about the equipment usage.
Personally, I know that I don't want to have to join a gym -- and preferably, not even visit -- just to find out that the equipment is inadequate.6 -
I guess people just have the things that are important for them. For me, cleanliness is important. My gym literally sparkles most of the time and they are always cleaning and I appreciate that.
Something I don't understand on those reviews is when people talk about being intimidated or judged by the other patrons. I honestly can't comprehend how anyone would care what other people thought of them in the gym, but maybe I just care less than the average person. I don't give a crap what anyone thinks of me.2 -
Davidsdottir wrote: »I joined a brand new gym that had all the right stuff...power cages, battle ropes, etc. I was happy for two weeks until I had to pee. I went into the bathroom and it was trashed. I mean, literally *kitten* all over the place. Keep in mind, I go at 5 am when the gym first opens, so it had been like that all night. I left and got all my money back. So, yeah, obviously I will look at a gym for its equipment, but I'll read reviews regarding cleanliness. Why do I need a review to tell me about the equipment? I have eyes.
I think the answer is obvious. If you haven't been to the gym before, then you might not know what kind of equipment they have. And even after you join, you might not yet know how well-maintained it is, or whether the gym has any ridiculous rules about the equipment usage.
Personally, I know that I don't want to have to join a gym -- and preferably, not even visit -- just to find out that the equipment is inadequate.
Why would you want to join a place you've never been to? That makes absolutely no sense to me.7 -
Well cleanliness is important but you’re right it’s not the top concern of mine. I just left a review of my gym last week actually. I didn’t mention how clean or unclean it was. Negative marks on my gym are that the weight room is small and too crowded. I also see a lot of reviews mentioning “unfriendly staff” sorry but who gives a hoot about that? Not me. And they seem friendly to me anyway.0
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We used to attend a really high-priced gym loaded with amenities. They had this one machine (that my wife loved) that was like this lateral trainer. I noticed one day how dusty it was and took my finger and wiped across it. Six months later, when we quit that gym, that finger streak was still there. I'm not a germaphobe, but I've had MRSA before and you can get some nasty stuff at gyms.2
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I dunno, it all just kinda seems like a 'd' measuring contest to see who's the most "hardcore" about their gym preferences.
I've worked out in some pretty dark, dingy, dungeon-y gyms over the years. I've also worked out in some clean, bright and shiny big box gyms. Sure, if they don't have the equipment I want for my workouts they're no good to me, but if I walk into a gym and see trash lying around on the floor, benches crusted with human grime, equipment strewn around everywhere and layers of dust all over everything, I'm gonna be out the door and checking my alternative choices.
I don't need a gym that passes the "white glove" inspection, but I'm not working out in some nasty slob pit either. Having the right equipment is requirement #1 (which is one of many reasons I'll never belong to a Planet Fitness), but at least some reasonable degree of cleanliness is right up there on my list too.10 -
Davidsdottir wrote: »Davidsdottir wrote: »I joined a brand new gym that had all the right stuff...power cages, battle ropes, etc. I was happy for two weeks until I had to pee. I went into the bathroom and it was trashed. I mean, literally *kitten* all over the place. Keep in mind, I go at 5 am when the gym first opens, so it had been like that all night. I left and got all my money back. So, yeah, obviously I will look at a gym for its equipment, but I'll read reviews regarding cleanliness. Why do I need a review to tell me about the equipment? I have eyes.
I think the answer is obvious. If you haven't been to the gym before, then you might not know what kind of equipment they have. And even after you join, you might not yet know how well-maintained it is, or whether the gym has any ridiculous rules about the equipment usage.
Personally, I know that I don't want to have to join a gym -- and preferably, not even visit -- just to find out that the equipment is inadequate.
Why would you want to join a place you've never been to? That makes absolutely no sense to me.
I'm completely puzzled by your question.
Here's how things work in the real world. You visit a gym, then you decide if it appears to be worth joining. If it is, you sign up and hope that you won't be disappointed later.
Reading the reviews can help with this decision-making process. One might decide that there's no point in visiting the place if it doesn't have squat racks, for example. Or if its equipment is frequently under repair. One can also learn about problems that might not be evident during the first few visits -- problems with the staff responsiveness, for example.
You say that you have eyes and can therefore determine what kind of equipment is available. Good for you. However, other people see the value in knowing as much as they can ahead of time, so that they don't have to waste time with a visit that would doubtlessly be futile. This really isn't a difficult concept to grasp.7 -
As I said, it is important. Making it the top priority to have a sparkling clean gym, though? I have to wonder how such people function in the real world, where most things aren't going to be sparking clean.midlomel1971 wrote: »I guess people just have the things that are important for them. For me, cleanliness is important.
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Cleanliness is definitely on my list of things to look at. Amenities/equipment first, then price , then cleanliness and culture. A dirty gym is a poorly maintained one, which is not only unpleasnt, it means that broken equipment will not be replaced or repaired quickly, the staff will probably be mediocre at best to deal with, and will likely not care about addressing issues. Plus I will be more likely to encounter ringworm, athletes foot, mrsa, staph, and various other communicable diseases, that don't happen as much in a clean environment.1
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That's completely reasonable. While I think it's silly to make it the top priority, it should definitely be on the list somewhere, and I'd say that your ranking is entirely well-reasoned.Cleanliness is definitely on my list of things to look at. Amenities/equipment first, then price , then cleanliness and culture. A dirty gym is a poorly maintained one, which is not only unpleasnt, it means that broken equipment will not be replaced or repaired quickly, the staff will probably be mediocre at best to deal with, and will likely not care about addressing issues. Plus I will be more likely to encounter ringworm, athletes foot, mrsa, staph, and various other communicable diseases, that don't happen as much in a clean environment.
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My gym is a cesspool, I bring my own cleaning wipes to clean the bathroom before I use it, but its my second favorite place (1st of course is home). As a powerlifter, equipment is more important, not to mention its only $200/year.2
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It's a factor that can not always be controlled. All it takes is a few lazy slob humans who can't seem to put back weights or do SIMPLE things like throw a used towel in a bin, wipe down a sweaty machine, put things back, etc....these are the type of people who think gym staff is there to wipe his/her *kitten* & do not understand the gym environment in general.
I personally think more gym owners should give these type of people warnings & just ban them at some point but you know, money and all turns them into cowards...
Equipment, maintenance, gym hours >> cleanliness mainly because of the 2nd law of thermodynamics and lazy members0 -
I keep coming across gym reviews online that start out with "It's so clean!" or somesuch rot. Very often, that's the primary focus of these reviews, with little commentary on the equipment or the environment.
Now, I'm not suggesting that cleanliness is unimportant. You certainly wouldn't want to work out somewhere that's a health hazard. Maybe it's just me though, but I find it odd that cleanliness is the main focus of so many of these reviews.
Frankly, I can deal with a gym that's less than pristine clean, as long as it has the right kind of equipment and allows me to perform effective exercises. Heck, if you're working hard outdoors, you're likely to get a bit dirty, so dealing with a little bit of dust inside a gym isn't a big deal as far as I'm concerned.
I disagree - clean is key in a gym for me. I have a lot of indoor allergies, so I can't imagine going to a gym with dust (totally different from working out outside which I wouldn't view as unclean). I also shower at the gym every day which I would 100% not do if the showers weren't pristine (I go to Equinox). I actually can't believe gym reviews would focus on the equipment - personally, I prefer group fitness classes and basic equipment (dumbells, bosu balls, kettlebells, yoga mats etc.).1 -
I think cleanliness is very desirable in a gym, mine at least is a busy place! One day there wasn’t a scrap of toilet paper in the ladies bathroom and there was only one female employee around. How well things like that are kept up on makes a difference and if it’s a reputable gym having decent equipment should be a given.0
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You'd be surprised. I've seen a lot of big name gyms, including some national franchises, that lack basic equipment such as squat racks and proper bench press stations. Many of them only have extremely light weights. The cheapest gym in my city has barbells that only go up to 80 lbs or so, which is pretty much an insult for any man in decent shape.... if it’s a reputable gym having decent equipment should be a given.
Heck, I once took advantage of a Groupon deal for some boot camp classes, only to find out that their heaviest kettlebell only weighed 20lbs.
Besides, if it's not a big-name gym, then how do you know that it's reputable apart from these reviews? And if the reviews focus mainly on how sparkling clean the place is, then that doesn't tell you much about the amenities, does it?
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You'd be surprised. I've seen a lot of big name gyms, including some national franchises, that lack basic equipment such as squat racks and proper bench press stations. Many of them only have extremely light weights. The cheapest gym in my city has barbells that only go up to 80 lbs or so, which is pretty much an insult for any man in decent shape.... if it’s a reputable gym having decent equipment should be a given.
Heck, I once took advantage of a Groupon deal for some boot camp classes, only to find out that their heaviest kettlebell only weighed 20lbs.
Besides, if it's not a big-name gym, then how do you know that it's reputable apart from these reviews? And if the reviews focus mainly on how sparkling clean the place is, then that doesn't tell you much about the amenities, does it?
You can also call the gym and ask. Not sure all the people who do online reviews are aware of your very specific needs and criteria.3 -
Davidsdottir wrote: »Davidsdottir wrote: »I joined a brand new gym that had all the right stuff...power cages, battle ropes, etc. I was happy for two weeks until I had to pee. I went into the bathroom and it was trashed. I mean, literally *kitten* all over the place. Keep in mind, I go at 5 am when the gym first opens, so it had been like that all night. I left and got all my money back. So, yeah, obviously I will look at a gym for its equipment, but I'll read reviews regarding cleanliness. Why do I need a review to tell me about the equipment? I have eyes.
I think the answer is obvious. If you haven't been to the gym before, then you might not know what kind of equipment they have. And even after you join, you might not yet know how well-maintained it is, or whether the gym has any ridiculous rules about the equipment usage.
Personally, I know that I don't want to have to join a gym -- and preferably, not even visit -- just to find out that the equipment is inadequate.
Why would you want to join a place you've never been to? That makes absolutely no sense to me.
I'm completely puzzled by your question.
Here's how things work in the real world. You visit a gym, then you decide if it appears to be worth joining. If it is, you sign up and hope that you won't be disappointed later.
Reading the reviews can help with this decision-making process. One might decide that there's no point in visiting the place if it doesn't have squat racks, for example. Or if its equipment is frequently under repair. One can also learn about problems that might not be evident during the first few visits -- problems with the staff responsiveness, for example.
You say that you have eyes and can therefore determine what kind of equipment is available. Good for you. However, other people see the value in knowing as much as they can ahead of time, so that they don't have to waste time with a visit that would doubtlessly be futile. This really isn't a difficult concept to grasp.
Sorry, I haz the dumbz, I guess.1 -
Davidsdottir wrote: »
You'd be surprised. I've seen a lot of big name gyms, including some national franchises, that lack basic equipment such as squat racks and proper bench press stations. Many of them only have extremely light weights. The cheapest gym in my city has barbells that only go up to 80 lbs or so, which is pretty much an insult for any man in decent shape.... if it’s a reputable gym having decent equipment should be a given.
Heck, I once took advantage of a Groupon deal for some boot camp classes, only to find out that their heaviest kettlebell only weighed 20lbs.
Besides, if it's not a big-name gym, then how do you know that it's reputable apart from these reviews? And if the reviews focus mainly on how sparkling clean the place is, then that doesn't tell you much about the amenities, does it?
You can also call the gym and ask. Not sure all the people who do online reviews are aware of your very specific needs and criteria.
You could, and they aren't. But so what? Nobody is suggesting that one should rely solely on the reviews to the exclusion of everything else.
Reviews can be undeniably helpful. Do you honestly think that the gym staff will say, "Oh, yeah. We seldom bother to repair our equipment, and our class instructors kinda suck"? The more information you can get from these reviews, the better.
Seriously, I think that the objections you're raising are kinda strange.3 -
Davidsdottir wrote: »
You'd be surprised. I've seen a lot of big name gyms, including some national franchises, that lack basic equipment such as squat racks and proper bench press stations. Many of them only have extremely light weights. The cheapest gym in my city has barbells that only go up to 80 lbs or so, which is pretty much an insult for any man in decent shape.... if it’s a reputable gym having decent equipment should be a given.
Heck, I once took advantage of a Groupon deal for some boot camp classes, only to find out that their heaviest kettlebell only weighed 20lbs.
Besides, if it's not a big-name gym, then how do you know that it's reputable apart from these reviews? And if the reviews focus mainly on how sparkling clean the place is, then that doesn't tell you much about the amenities, does it?
You can also call the gym and ask. Not sure all the people who do online reviews are aware of your very specific needs and criteria.
You could, and they aren't. But so what? Nobody is suggesting that one should rely solely on the reviews to the exclusion of everything else.
Reviews can be undeniably helpful. Do you honestly think that the gym staff will say, "Oh, yeah. We seldom bother to repair our equipment, and our class instructors kinda suck"? The more information you can get from these reviews, the better.
Seriously, I think that the objections you're raising are kinda strange.
Your responses and the original post itself read oddly aggressive, and I think the woos you're getting mean I'm not alone in thinking that. I mean, sure, I guess it's kind of funny that most gym reviews focus on cleanliness, but you seem *upset* about it for some reason. I thought @Davidsdottir had a perfectly reasonable point - if you want your gym to have x, y, z pieces of equipment, then why not just call and ask? Maybe only 10% of people who go to the gym care about those pieces of equipment at all, but almost everyone cares about cleanliness to some degree or another. Clearly people who care about cleanliness and write Yelp reviews outnumber the people who care about squat racks and write Yelp reviews. So what?9 -
I get where the OP is coming from; the lack of focus on things that really matter because just about any commercial gym is going to be considered not clean because it is subjective for the most part (someone's version of clean may be someone else's version of not clean). Also, there is bias in being negative in online reviews (people intentionally take their time out to bring others down).
These reviews suck for the most part and are written by hateful Whiney know nothings who expect have unrealistic expectations
Reviews with both positive and negative feedback are often more helpful (nothing is perfect)4
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