Is anyone a member of this place in Cary, on Regency Pkwy? It looks ultra pimp, Im wondering if the monthly fees, which I bet are super high, are worth the amenities.

3/13/2009 6:44:52 PM

i was able to go to one for a few days over break as a guest of a member

it was pretty pimp, had all the machines carmichael has but in 1 giant room rather than 5 diff weight rooms....pool w/ slide, sauna, hot tub....rock wall etc....basically was like carmichael in a more compact space with everything brand new, as if carmichael was shoved into the rec center

the stair steppers were a bit scary, for whatever reason they had them right on the edge of the 2nd floor balcony, you're one slip away from death on those things, good incentive to not fuck up i suppose

i'd def go there if i had the money or if i didn't have carmichael....i gotta say, it grows on ya

3/13/2009 6:50:52 PM

my wife has been going there for over a year (until the end of this month.... it's one of the luxuries we're giving up with unemployment).

I haven't been there, but from what she says, yes - it is "ultra pimp". Everything is very nice and clean, lots of equipment, nice pool, nice locker room with all the perks like free towels.

Her individual membership was $60/mo, which is pricey, but not outlandish, especially if you go multiple times a week. The start-up fee was retarded, though. something like $260.

3/13/2009 6:51:30 PM

damn $60 a month seems expensive for a gym. especially here.

3/13/2009 6:56:04 PM

meh, not when you put it in perspective, really.

that's $15/wk. if you go 3 times/week, that's just $5 each, or less if you go more often. And considering what you get access to (the pools, all the workout equipment, recreation equipment, socialization, etc) that's not bad.

You're really not going to find any gym that's any less than $40-50/mo, including the YMCA, so if LifeTime is convenient to you and you make good use of it, it could be worth it. I was actually surprised when I found out it was only $60. They could probably get away with charging a lot more.

It's less than you'll spend on cable TV, getting coffee every day for a month, your cell phone, etc. If you value or enjoy working out, easily worth it.

[Edited on March 13, 2009 at 7:07 PM. Reason : .]

3/13/2009 7:06:23 PM

only less than the pimp cable package, an expensive phone plan with data, or brand coffee. lets not sugar coat it and say 60 bux a month is cheap by any means.

3/13/2009 7:33:02 PM

thats a steep price, aint worth it i think

3/14/2009 1:17:45 AM

holy crap people pay 60$ a month to go to a gym?

3/14/2009 9:33:59 AM

My wife and I go there, and we love it. We are under the "Young Professional" plan, which is $40 dollars a month-- however I'm not sure if they still offer it or not. It is good until you turn 26.

We've found that we go to the gym more often than we normally would since we like the place so much. That along with the added plus that it has a pool so I can train for triathlons makes it worth it to us. But yeah, if money gets tight it would be the first thing to go.

3/14/2009 9:41:11 AM

by going on a calorie deficit diet with godlike willpower & quitting WoW...I easily save over $60/month

you could also do all your shitting/showering/shaving there to saving you even more at home! strategery

3/14/2009 9:47:54 AM

Quote :

"thats a steep price, aint worth it i think"

well you can try it for free for a week and see - http://www.lifetimefitness.com/guest_passes/


what are the prevailing rates at the other gyms in the area?

from talking informally to co-workers, I got the impression gyms like O2 and Beyond Fitness were around 50-60 too. And the YMCA is about 60.

Are there any decent gyms that are significantly cheaper?
I've seen signs on the Planet Fitness at Buck Jones/Jones Franklin that claim $15/mo, but I haven't gone inside to see what the catch it.


[Edited on March 14, 2009 at 10:04 AM. Reason : .]

3/14/2009 10:03:38 AM

i thought the YMCA was like $30 a month.

3/14/2009 11:21:02 AM

^^i go to the planet fitness....10 bucks a month.
very, very basic though.
it just depends on what you want really...like i don't need tanning, a pool ( i have one of those), or even classes really (if i want to take classes ill just buy them at a time from somewhere else).

i'm fine with some weights and an elliptical


i have heard only good things about lifetime though!

[Edited on March 14, 2009 at 11:30 AM. Reason : gjh]

3/14/2009 11:30:13 AM

i go to LTF. It's nice

3/14/2009 7:27:57 PM

overrated

do you want to actually workout or lounge?

3/14/2009 10:34:13 PM

LTF is great if you have kids. My son begs to go, which is a great motivator for me. It's $6 extra a month for up to 2 hours of kids' club a day for him, plus the climbing wall and pools are a hit with him too. The food is really good.

I don't think I'd pay the fees if it weren't for the kids club. Yes, I do enjoy not having to bring towels and having nice steam rooms, etc., but don't really care about the other stuff. They're always running specials to waive the initiation fee, especially toward the end of the month; plus there seems to be an open house or similar deal on most weekends.

3/14/2009 11:23:34 PM

Quote :

"We've found that we go to the gym more often than we normally would since we like the place so much."

this is the key. if you enjoy being there, you're more likely to go and keep going on a consistent basis.

the SAS gym is great and all but it's not open 24/7, and i like to work out eaaaarly in the morning. well worth the money just for that, in my opinion.

keep checking around, they have promotions every now and then where they waive the enrollment fee.

3/14/2009 11:54:37 PM

all i want is a place to work out, with a pool, sauna, hot tubs, steam room, massage center

but i dont want to pay 60 bucks/month

i'll just settle for doing situps and push ups in my place

3/15/2009 1:58:27 AM

carmichael needs a hot tub...start filling out those request forms!

also could use a military press rack & hack squat machine for the rec center

3/15/2009 7:13:12 AM

^^ well if you're looking for all those amenities (massage center?), then you're going to have to pay for them. You won't find all that in a Planet Fitness or a Golds. You'll have to dish out the money for a "higher class" gym like LifeTime.

3/15/2009 10:16:00 AM

I'm a member of LifeTime but have been thinking about switching because I'd rather not drive ~15 minutes to the gym. There's a Peak Fitness and a LifeStyle Fitness within just a mile or two from my place. I believe Peak requires a contract so that rules them out. Anyone know anything about LifeStyle? Their website looks decent but I haven't visited the actual gym yet.

3/15/2009 5:25:28 PM

Quote :

"carmichael needs a hot tub...start filling out those request forms! "

ew. i can't imagine how dirty that would be!!

3/15/2009 5:32:23 PM

^^ i go to LifeStyle in cary. i think it's a pretty good gym, i pay $30/month with my employer discount. they give you a 1 month trial period and waive the enrollment fee and you go month-to-month, so if you dont like it you can get all your money back. it doesn't have higher end stuff like a pool, steam room, or massage center, but they have saunas and tanning booths. and you also get 3 free personal trainer sessions (even with the basic membership). i really wish it had a pool but for around 35/month you cant go wrong.

I would highly recommend AGAINST peak. i signed a 1-yr contract with them.. BIG MISTAKE. They closed down the gym that I went to and because there was some bullshit clause in the contract I couldn't break the contract and had to drive 25minutes to the other peak in cary for about 6 months. Also, about 5 months in they will charge you an extra $25 "maintenance fee". Never doing a contract again. month-to-month rocks

[Edited on March 15, 2009 at 7:00 PM. Reason : ]

3/15/2009 6:58:31 PM

^

3/15/2009 8:54:12 PM

no other gym compares to this place, its like a community, lol

almost all the classes are free

the dumbest thing about it is the start up fee

3/15/2009 9:05:18 PM

^^^ Great info. I think I'm gonna check out LifeStyle Fitness this week. I never use the pool, steam room, and other amenities at LifeTime so that's no big deal. I just need cardio machines and weights and somewhere a little closer to my house. $35/month is a great deal too.

3/15/2009 9:32:49 PM

Fitness 19 is worth looking at as well - http://www.fitness19.com

I have free week passes if anyone is interested.

3/15/2009 10:38:43 PM

Compared to State, Duke's gyms, especially West Campus, are pretty damn nice. I pay about $20/month for access 6 am to 12 am, have a pool and sauna available in each gym, which is useful for triathlon training, and more fitness classes than I know what to do with.

I have to share it with Duke undergrads, but I see many staff, cheap faculty, and employees at the gym as well that I know. East Campus is also half a mile from my house, so it's pretty darn convenient (run to gym, work out, run home).

3/15/2009 10:48:50 PM

i go to LTF in houston and love it. the monthly fee is steep though, i've been meaning to go in and negotiate that. its 1/2 mile from my house so its super convenient and as everyone else said, pimp.

3/16/2009 12:25:56 AM

i'd be more apt to go if the gyms near me were as nice as lifetime.

3/16/2009 1:29:26 AM

OK, I don't feel so bad about what I'm paying for Carmichael anymore ($20/month for NCSU staff access). Sure, the hours are dumb sometimes (Hate it that I can't work out at all for 2 solid weeks during Winter Break) and it can be crowded, but for access to everything there, the price isn't bad.

3/16/2009 9:56:23 AM

NCSU gym closes down during winter break?

I think Duke goes to very limited hours for their breaks- barely can make them.

I always have a weird feeling when I run by the people on the treadmills at the local Y- I feel
like I'm watching fish swim, or mice run.

How do you people run on treadmills? Can't stand it, even with music....

3/16/2009 10:06:01 AM

its equally as stimulating as running in a circle, except at most places now you can at least watch TV.

3/16/2009 6:08:38 PM

Quote :

"holy crap people pay 60$ a month to go to a gym?"

I pay $62. Granted I live in one of the highest cost of living counties in the country...

In a typical week I'll be at the gym 6 days a week though. 3-4 actually working out, 1 for my league basketball game (though I wouldn't have to pay anyway to get in this day) and 2 days for pickup basketball/running/swimming.

I think I use it enough to justify the cost. That said, I don't expect to pay as much in Raleigh for the same amenities.

3/16/2009 6:21:20 PM

I am for paying up to that amount every month, b/c of the returns. Your body is worth it.

[Edited on March 16, 2009 at 6:45 PM. Reason : typically under a certain age, my son is free and that's cool too.]

3/16/2009 6:44:38 PM

anyone who's interested in joining Lifestyle Family Fitness can PM me for more specific questions or if you're interested in setting up an appointment with one of our sales staff.

3/16/2009 8:21:21 PM

Working that commission eh?

3/17/2009 12:02:31 PM

I'll give yall a great deal on situps and pushups

$59/month, sign up now i'm having a special

3/19/2009 11:31:10 PM

lifetime fitness reminds me of

3/20/2009 12:15:13 AM

just got back from my first day/night there, gotta say its pretty awsome
its pretty much carmicheal X 1.001

not worth $60 a month unless you go there 3 or more times per week

also watch out for the homo's

[Edited on April 3, 2009 at 1:57 AM. Reason : .]

4/3/2009 1:57:00 AM

OMG I WAS THERE TOO!

4/3/2009 2:33:31 AM

damn, i was there today during the day, the parking lot was packed, it looked like a mall parking lot during christmas

4/6/2009 8:59:11 PM

Quote :

"holy crap people pay 60$ a month to go to a gym?"

My gym is $160 a month and has a $2k signup fee. Fortunately it's a free benefit of being an employee

But when I went to get my roommate to join last year, I thought they were just bullshitting when they told us the regular membership costs. It is baller as shit though, 550 thousand square feet, 5 pools, tennis courts, racquetball, basketball, two restaurants, spa, auto salon, florist, pro shop, dermatology clinic, and ungodly amounts of classes, weights and cardio equipment.

4/6/2009 10:43:59 PM

I think that's a bit unfair to say "my gym", but never mention that "your gym" is probably the gym at Microsoft's corporate headquarters, no? Like, probably the same gym Bill Gates would work out in, if he were so inclined (I mean, of course.... if he didn't use one at his home)

4/6/2009 10:55:30 PM

^nah, it's http://www.proclub.com

It actually has zero affiliation with Microsoft. Apparently a *lot* of people actually pay the absurd amounts to be a member there. And that's just the basic membership. Most classes run ~100 bucks per season, which is like 16 classes I think? It's all just stupid expensive to me.

My roomie ended up joining Gold's for 99 bucks a year up here.

4/7/2009 12:39:01 AM