Anyone have a membership to Lifetime Fitness???

[ScreamingMeemie]

I've been hemming and hawing on where I would like to hand over tons of money in order to continue the elliptical work I've been doing in physical therapy. Any Powerhouse members? Fitness USA?? Bally's (even though they're running a deal I can't get the 80's Vic Tanny meat market image out of my head on that one). Tell me about them. The good the bad the ugly.

Please don't tell me to buy a piece of equipment, for it would just get dusty in my basement and I'm looking for more of a circuit type of training while also using the elliptical machine. I do better when I actually have to "go someplace" to work out.


Lifetime just seems really nice, cool and clean. But, I don't want to pay for nice, cool, and clean... I want to pay for the best workout I can get.


Thanks!

Hugs,
Me

[billyskank]

1. I'm more into the lifetime laziness

;)

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. Me too!

but I'm feeling rather old and creaky of late.

billy!!!! :loveya: You don't know how good it is to see you.

[billyskank]

7. Then I say go for it

You certainly don't look old or creaky, but only you know how you feel. :hug:

:loveya: you too.

[ScreamingMeemie]

14. I feel I might get some more energy and I miss doing aerobics and

yoga and such. :hug: Thanks

[KitchenWitch]

4. billy!!!!!!

:*

:loveya:

:hug:

:pals:

[billyskank]

8. Hallo!

:hug:

:*

[Strawman]

2. I don't, but I've heard better things about Lifetime than the others

And all the one's I've seen look really nice.

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. this is the one in Shelby...

It's a bit of a drive (over 10 minutes) but it's open 24 hours, which means I could pop in early. And it's abso-freaking-lutely gorgeous on the inside. I've "heard" it's a $99 sign up fee through Feb. 28 and a month to month $50 a month fee...which is a bit more than the norm but it's huge!

Thanks for your input.

[Strawman]

12. Is that a new one?

I know there is one on Hayes between Hall and 21.

Personally, I would feel totally out of place at somewhere like a Powerhouse. There's one of those on Schoenherr that I drive by sometimes. It just looks like more of a rougher, hardass weight-lifter place. Lifetime is more of a "fitness center."

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. yeah, that's the one...

I'm in SCS, but I'm right off the freeway and it wouldn't be too bad of a drive that early in the day. Decisions...decisions...

***have you seen how long Magglio's hair is??? :wow: I bet he cuts a bit off now that Leyland has said he doesn't care much for it. :D

[Strawman]

15. Wow.

Doesn't his wife like it long or something though? I bet she'll win out over Leyland :)

I got tickets behind home plate on the third base side for the Tigers/Cards game in May. Taking my dad for his 60th birthday. Can't wait! :hi:

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. My daughter is loving it too. I guess Magglio knows what he's doing.

:D

I hope you guys have the best time ever and that the sun shines on you all day long.

[terrya]

6. Avoid Bally's like the plague.

All they care about is $$$$$$$.

Every Bally's I've gone to have had personnel that just don't give a damn about their members. It wasn't, at least my experience, like those swell commercials with the Bally's employees grinning as they help you with your workouts. I always felt like I was on my own when I was a Bally's member.

This may be only my experience. Others may have more positive experiences with Bally's. I sure as hell didn't.

[KitchenWitch]

9. Bally's also oversells their memberships

so one can never get on the machines.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. That's exactly what I've been hearing about them...

and that's how they were when they were Vic Tanny's and I was a member back in the day of big hair and shoulder pads in your spandex wear.

Thank you for the input...the $19 a month was almost becoming a siren song...and I would have hated to sign up and have the same old disappointment.

[terrya]

11. Good deal.

Do NOT sign anything with Bally's. Trust me. :scared:

[fudge stripe cookays]

19. Bally's SUCKS

It's like a freaking credit card company. They take the money out of your account automatically every month whether it's there or not. And you pretty much have to die for them to stop the withdrawals. There are all kinds of conditions on canceling (i.e...you CAN'T).

You get the high pressure sales technique. If you tell them you just want the basic price they advertise on TV (the $19 one that you want), they let you know right away that it does not include the water sports, swimming, this that, or the other (essentially, all the stuff you joined up for). You get weights and machines. Other than that, bupkus.

So you get suckered into spending an exorbitant amount of money. Once you become a client, the folks who were SO friendly signing you up don't know you, don't care to know you, and don't give a shit about you. They got their money.

I went through some serious hard times a few years ago, and could NOT dump that damned membership. I finally had to move in with my mom for a few months to catch up. Fortunately, she lived several hundred miles away, so I was able to cancel because my membership had a clause in it that applied to moving too far out of their coverage area.

This was between 1996-1997 for me. I don't know if they've changed at all.

reprehensor and I have L.A. Fitness right now, and we like it fine. Especially since we can cancel anytime we want. AND it's not costing us an arm and a leg.

[davsand]

17. LOVE the gym!

Well, I'm lying here--I like how I feel because I"m exercising and going to the gym. I freaking HATE having to work out but I know I need to because I am so sedentary otherwise. (No, I am not addicted to the gym--I'm pretty damn sure I can quit ANY time I want.)

My gym membership is with a local chain that is peculiar to Illinois an Northern Indiana. I like them ok, but it is low to no-frills. TINY little lockers, you take your own towels and a rather small locker room. No pool, no hot tub, no juice bar--but they do have the equipment I want and usually I can walk in and climb on whatever machine I want to start out on.

I spend about 15-20 minutes on the elliptical trainer then about 10 minutes on the treadmill and work out my upper arms with free weights and the other weight machines in between. (I can't STAND those flappy upper arms I have!)

Have you talked to the local consumer affairs people about the gyms? The Better Business Bureau? Maybe they would offer some info if there was anybody that had horrible contracts or deceptive practices...


Hang in there!



The other Laura

[ScreamingMeemie]

18. Good ideas! I hadn't thought of that.

What I liked about Lifetime is that they have a ton (TON) of equipment and the membership is month to month. No contracts.

MrG's uncle works for the BBB. I'll give him a call and see what he can dig up.

thanks!

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. Kick...anyone have a Lifetime membership???

I'm about to dive in. :hi:

[xmas74]

21. I know nothing about them

but good luck. You deserve it just for thinking about it.

And I know what you mean-I can't get a piece of equipment either. I have to leave the house or I won't do it at all.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Thank you xmas...

I think I'm going to run up there tomorrow and sign up. :hi:

[xmas74]

24. Good luck!

I've thought about signing up w/ a local gym myself-much better than the only other option in town, Curves!

I really need some weight training to tone my arms.

[Fleshdancer]

23. I had a Lifetime membership when I lived in MN

and I LOVED it. The place is huge so you never have to wait for a cardio machine. The staff was helpful, the classes were great and it was the only gym I actually looked foward to going to on a regular basis. It's great if you have kids too.

[ScreamingMeemie]

25. Thanks for the info.

Were the classes included in the monthly fee?

[flvegan]

26. Judge for yourself.

Seems like there's a little bit of competition in your area. Powerhouse, Bally's, F USA and Lifetime all jockeying for your dollars. Make them work for it. Hardline them. Demand a 7 or 10 day free pass. You want to test drive the place and you'll take nothing less.

Same thing with Bally's and Powerhouse. Get your deals in writing, and be ready with them in hand to make your deal.

BTW, "nice, cool and clean" go a long way. If you enjoy WHERE you workout, you'll go more often. I love a good dungeon where the words "Nautilus machine" gets a cocked head and a laugh, but that's not for everyone. I also love where I go now, which is nice, cool and clean.

[alarimer]

27. I joined Planet fitness

Mostly because it is $10 a month and no contract, so yo can cancel anytime you want. I am not sure how many locations they have though.

[ScreamingMeemie]

28. I would love it if they had one here, but they don't.

:( I saw the website for it and it looks exactly perfect.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

29. I go to Powerhouse

The deal seemed decent, the location was close to home.

Equipment seems to be well-maintained. "Circuit" training depends on the time of day, it is crowded sometimes, and it seems like some people stay glued to certain machines. My "circuit" just takes me to the closest available machine.

The one I go to has a child-care facility, but no organized classes as far as I can tell, no aerobics, pilates, yoga, Brazillion Ju-Jitsu.

It's pretty basic, and (at least in my store) there's all ages and body types, and nobody hassles anyone. Of course, I'm pretty oblivious socially, so there could be orgies happening all around me and I might not notice :rofl:.

I also looked into YMCA, but the prices were way high.

[ScreamingMeemie]

30. I was stunned by the price of the Y...

Plus, the one by us is not so very nice.

I will check out Powerhouse because MrG is not so hep on the place being as far away as Lifetime is. Thanks!