Lifetime Fitness

anyone here a member? One is opening near me and they sent be a brochure. It's an 'elite' fitness center. Had a gym, spa, classes, cafe etc. of course all of that comes with a price tag. I use planet fitness now-- but really, really want someplace that has a pool. When my youngest turns 13 in July I want to move to a place that offers what we all want. Planet fitness is $10/month, new place would be $99/month just for me--$40 for each kid. 

My biggest issue is that this new place- while offering everything I want is too far. Planet fitness is about 10 minutes from me- this place would be 20. Ugh. 

I think I'm worth the investment and can afford it monthly.  I may sign the kids up at planet fitness and me at the swanky new place--- their dedication needs to be proven. 

Just curious if anyone is a member there and how they like it. 

My family and I were members there for a couple of year and hated it. We stuck it out as long as we did because their facilities are beautiful and my daughter loved the pool last.  Here we're our main issues:

 

1) No membership cap, so that place can get PACKED. The outdoor pool in the summer was literally shoulder to shoulder at times. There was no room for actual "swimming". Even just standing there in place often resulted in getting kicked by someone's kid. 

 

2) Rules. So many of them. Constantly changing and selectively enforced. You never knew what you were allowed to do. They would give out guest passes, then when you showed up with guests hey would deny you for some reason."oh, you can only use these during these certain hours" when last week you used one at that exact time. "Oh, these can only be used for guests over 18" when you've already used several of them on 10 year olds. The way they handled the "swimming tests" for kids. Sometimes they required kids to wear wristbands showing they passed the test, sometikes they didn't. Sometimes you needed them to go in the pool at all. Sometime you needed them only for the water slides. It was ridiculous. 

 

3) Hours. They are open 24hrs, but that's just the gym. We would regularly get to the pool during posted open swim only to find out it wasn't. Or the water slides would not be open during posted signs, and if you asked they couldn't tell you when they would be operating. We got to the point where we physically called them every time before heading up to use the pool. It was the only way to actually know if it would be open. 

Now this was just our club.  You may have a very different experience if that club has competent management  my advice would be to give it a shot, but don't commit to any long contract or any significant upfront fee.  Barring those two items, you have little to lose by giving it a shot  

But the facilities are awesome, and the onsite restaurant offers some decent, healthy options. It just became more than we could deal with. 

Thanks for the feedback. I'll be honest I wasn't fond of the fact they have kids programs and kids camps-- I was hoping for a more 'mature' facility. The inconsistency would drive me crazy too. 

This one won't be 24 hours- not a big deal to me though. 

I have found that no fitness club is really great.  So, stay with one until you hate it for what it lacks - distance, no-wi-fi, no pool, rude staff, ect. Then move to a new one.  Perrsonally, ease of getting there is a biggie for me.  I would stay at PL Fitness for a little while longer and the new pace may have a better special.  $99 a month is high.  LS Fitness is $35 a month for acess to all there facilities - nationwide.

Whatever you decide - keep up the good work and your health-o-meter will peg in the right direction 

The lack of a pool is what's I'm sorely missing. Living in the city we have public pools- but it's very limited in the summer and they are concrete jungles. We often pay for private pool membership but they are expensive. I'd rather invest a little more monthly to a gym that give me pool access year round. 

I decided to check out an LA Fitness near me too--it closer To me then my current and lifetime fitness and middle of the road price wise. And I think has a pool :-)

Do you have a YMCA by your home? YMCAs almost always have a pool.

I can only speak for me, but I do not like traveling more than 10 minutes to a gym. There is a lifetime fitness 20 minutes from me, but traveling so far just to work out would not work, but that is me.

I do like Gold's gym. Most Gold's gave pools and really really good fitness classes.

Scott

The YMCA is ridiculously expensive here. It would be more than lifetime fitness. 

When I lived in Colorado, I was a member. I absolutely loved it. The facilities were great, the trainer are wonderful and the pool is amazing. Mine was never overly crowded, even on the hottest summer days. I now live in Boston and one is finally being built near me. But it will not have a pool and the membership is a whopping $170 a month! I am so disappointed. 

We have only been Lifetime members since November so can't comment on overcrowding in the summer but so far we really like it. It is very professionally run, the caliber of the personal training staff is high and the facilities are always clean and well maintained. There is an adults only lap pool so i can always swim if I want to even when the main pool is crowded with kids' having swimming lessons or just splashing around. Yes it is expensive but I figure if it's a pleasant luxurious experience I will go more often. Have not experienced any judgy looks or sizeism either even though there are a lot of very intense and athletic users.  

Hi PeachPie,

My heart is still at the Lifetime Fitness in Naperville IL.  That is where I got below my goal and worked out like a body builder...Loved the pool and also the bar where you could get food and drinks.  My PT was always pushing me to eat more protein and they had this blueberry, banana protein shake to die for.  That being said this was years ago and it did cost a lot.  I think my membership was $69.00 a month but this was over 10 years ago.  My PT was so darn cute so it was not hard to show up for my work outs    Years later I enjoyed the local Y just as much and it was cheaper.  I go to Inshape now and it's so so...  All the gyms usually have a try out period for free. Use it and see if you think it's worth what you will be paying.  

Darrin my PT......  He could make me do extra sets all day long