Shopping for a New Gym
Aug. 27th, 2008 09:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hrjThe owner of the gym I go to mentioned the other day that he'll be closing in a month or so. Some sort of issue with the lease -- he's going to try to find another space, but nothing is certain. I've decided that whatever happens on that end, I'm going to take the cue to change my membership to a different gym. One that has hours and facilities that let me work out before work (hmm, I feel the urge to add semantic indexing: "let me work[1] out before work[2]"). I will then have the task of shifting my diurnal rhythms about an hour and a half earlier, but it will be worth it to not have that after-work block of time tied up. (And it will mean that evening socializing or weekend events won't require skipping a workout.) Some initial research indicates that two gyms fit my basic requirement: located roughly between home and work.
Maverick's is located in the shopping mall on the other side of the railroad tracks. It's about 4-5 blocks off my usual bike route to work but easily accessible. Lots of equipment, large space. No bike parking. Provides a corporate discount to Big B employees that brings the membership down to 60% of what I'm currently paying, but has an initial sign-up fee and the reviews on yelp.com suggest that they have a propensity to nickel-and-dime you on "incidentals" like the use of towels and so forth. The reviews also indicate a dissatisfaction with some maintenance and cleaning issues.
Berkeley Ironworks is located half a block off my usual bike route. It specializes as a rock climbing gym but also has extensive general-workout equipment. Extensive bike parking. Provides a corporate discount to Big B employees that brings the membership down to essentially what I'm currently paying. The discount also includes a waiver of the sign-up fee. Towels are free and no complaints at yelp about unexpected extra fees. (The yelp reviews tend to focus on the climbing aspect, so it's hard to compare experiences closely.)
Both have early morning hours; both have more than adequate shower facilities (and both have saunas!). I got more of a "corporate" feel from Mavericks -- a feeling of "we're in this for your money" and a sense that what you paid depended on how good a negotiator you were. I got more of a "we're fellow gym-rats running this for fun" vibe from Ironworks. In terms of "no extra effort to drop by" Ironworks wins hands down. On the one hand, at Ironworks I feel like I'm paying extra for the climbing equipment which I have no strong interest in using on a regular basis. On the other hand, I'd be paying essentially the same as currently but getting a lot more. And since Mavericks has the initiation fee and the towel fee (and what with the Big B rebating half the membership fee for either of them, on top of the discount), Mavericks actually ends up being more expensive in the long run. Hmm, I'd been wavering a little until I did that last calculation. Now my mind is made up. Ironworks it is. I'll stay with the current gym until it closes, simply for old time's sake, but now I know where I'm going afterwards.
Maverick's is located in the shopping mall on the other side of the railroad tracks. It's about 4-5 blocks off my usual bike route to work but easily accessible. Lots of equipment, large space. No bike parking. Provides a corporate discount to Big B employees that brings the membership down to 60% of what I'm currently paying, but has an initial sign-up fee and the reviews on yelp.com suggest that they have a propensity to nickel-and-dime you on "incidentals" like the use of towels and so forth. The reviews also indicate a dissatisfaction with some maintenance and cleaning issues.
Berkeley Ironworks is located half a block off my usual bike route. It specializes as a rock climbing gym but also has extensive general-workout equipment. Extensive bike parking. Provides a corporate discount to Big B employees that brings the membership down to essentially what I'm currently paying. The discount also includes a waiver of the sign-up fee. Towels are free and no complaints at yelp about unexpected extra fees. (The yelp reviews tend to focus on the climbing aspect, so it's hard to compare experiences closely.)
Both have early morning hours; both have more than adequate shower facilities (and both have saunas!). I got more of a "corporate" feel from Mavericks -- a feeling of "we're in this for your money" and a sense that what you paid depended on how good a negotiator you were. I got more of a "we're fellow gym-rats running this for fun" vibe from Ironworks. In terms of "no extra effort to drop by" Ironworks wins hands down. On the one hand, at Ironworks I feel like I'm paying extra for the climbing equipment which I have no strong interest in using on a regular basis. On the other hand, I'd be paying essentially the same as currently but getting a lot more. And since Mavericks has the initiation fee and the towel fee (and what with the Big B rebating half the membership fee for either of them, on top of the discount), Mavericks actually ends up being more expensive in the long run. Hmm, I'd been wavering a little until I did that last calculation. Now my mind is made up. Ironworks it is. I'll stay with the current gym until it closes, simply for old time's sake, but now I know where I'm going afterwards.
