Our gym was bought out by another gym a few months ago, and eventually raised our rates. We were (ok, Mike was) ok if a small rate hike meant we got an new perk, ie: a pool, a track, or even if the classes were included in the membership and not extra like we (he) were paying now. But the only upgrades we got were new lockers* in the locker room and towel service. Oh, they also removed the tanning booths, (which is actually a good thing, but the point here is that something was removed but the rates went up)
In short: the raise hike wasn't really worth it, so we started looking for a new place. (it kinda felt like cheating on our gym though) All I really need is a treadmill and some classes, though my dream gym has an indoor track. (oh, UK Johnson Center, how I love and miss thee terribly) We checked out 2 places, the YMCA and a place really close to us.
We looked at the Y closest to us first and it has everything we both want. It's almost the same price as what we're (ok, once again Mike's) paying now, but, the classes are included (one's taught by a former Panther!) has an indoor and outdoor pool, (polliwog here I come!) includes childcare (one day we'll need this), and, the clincher for me, an outdoor and indoor track (my runner's heart just skipped a beat!). All in all, a nice place, at a price slightly lower that what we're paying now, with more stuff than we're getting now.
The 2nd place we looked at was close to our house, and the reason we checked it out is because it's super cheap. It's fine, pretty much the exact same thing we already have (minus the fancy pants lockers and towel service of course), at 3/4th the price. But. The place had a sign posted that the parking lot has has a lot of break ins recently. There are tanning beds** (also extra even on top of the classes) and the recycle bins are adorned with a Pepsi logo.*** Not to mention the sales guy was pushy since they work on commission. And even if he didn't need to work on his sale tactics,**** (which he did) he he rubbed me wrong way regardless by pointing out what women's problem areas are one too many times (my ass is fine, thankyouverymuch) and then generalizing how women act and feel about those problem areas.* I wouldn't have felt comfortable working out there if my husband wasn't there with me to keep an eye on me. Which, no. (and that's exactly what I said as soon as we walked out of there)
So we're going with the Y for seemingly obvious reasons. Mike and I are even thinking of taking some swimming classes to lean how to be better swimmers. After all, we don't want to be stuck in the polliwog level for all times!
*These new lockers have a built in set your own combination lock, and there's no way to use your own lock anymore. Which is not confusing at all. No one has to go to the front desk since they were locked out of their locker and have someone bring the one master key for the entire place for an entirely new lock system that no one knows really knows how to use yet. Oh, and there's no other way to open the lockers since the hinges are on the inside. No, not confusing at ALL.
**Overall I don't get tanning booths at gyms in general. It seems odd that a place promoting healthy living provides skin cancer in a box.
***We are solidly Coke people. Not to mention, soft drink + workout = fail.
****Once he figured out he wasn't going to get a sale from us that very moment, and were not going to bring him any new business either, we were not worth his time. I was all too happy to have him push us out the door.
*once again, keep my tush out of it. Pointing out that my "problem area" (which is fine) is going to get checked out by the clientele which makes women very self conscious; did exactly that. Made me very self conscious right there and uneasy about the possibility of getting checked out as we were getting the tour.
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