Difference in cheap gym vs more expensive gym?

I belong to LA Fitness and pay $40 a month. I added my daughter on for $30 a month (or maybe it's the other way around). It's a great environment - so clean and open and calm. This is ridiculously picky, but I saw a commercial for Planet Fitness the other day and all that purple would give me a headache! And everything looked packed so closely together. I joined my gym mostly to run on the treadmill during the winter and take some of the yoga and pilates classes - all included. But I also started swimming this year, so having a pool is probably what I'm paying for mostly.

does LA Fitness have a nice locker room?  Do they by chance have lockers you can rent or at least use while you're there?  back in Illinois, I belonged to a really nice fitness center that had an indoor walking track, all the machines, etc. and you could rent lockers.  It was great-  I would go early in the morning, and just get ready for work there, after my workout.  I kept my hairdryer, etc. in the locker so I didn't have to cart it all back and forth every day. 

The LA Fitness in town where I live is changing into an *Esporta* Fitness which is still under the 'umbrella' of the LA Fitness brand, but with new graphics, a new layout, and a focus on "functional training" (whatever that is).  


(I think all the purple and yellow at Planet Fitness would give me a headache, too, actually.)  

I pay ... a lot more than that for a dedicated barre studio, because I am most motivated by going to class, having an instructor, and seeing other people. When I did belong to standard gyms, I mostly just belonged wherever was closest to home, regardless of how cheap or expensive the gym was; the main differences I experienced were crowd, availability of classes, and cleanliness, and really only class availability seemed to map onto higher prices.

Gyms are really very different from one location to the next. So you have to visit them and see what they offer, what the locker rooms are like, what their class schedule looks like, etc.

We have a family membership to a Gold's Gym for $60/month. That's quite a bargain for 6 people - but I'm the only one who goes consistently.

Regarding PF, at least at ours.. there are tons of machines.. according to DD, the worst time to go is the after work hours.. it is always busy BUT any other time.. very few people. She said she has never had to wait for a machine. I am sure all locations would be a little different but I would assume the after work hours would be the same for the majority of any fitness place.

I do want to take my DD with me. She is 11. I don't know if I have to pay the extra for her or not. She really needs to go and get some exercise. (I don't tell her that..) but she has indicated that she wants to go with me.

DH belongs to PF He didn't want classes so it's perfect for him. I went in to check it out, I am at risk for Sudden Cardiac Arrest SCA. I asked if there were attendants know CPR? No. Some do but they don't have that as a requirement. Nor do they have a defibrillator. So, I'm looking for a gym that will meet my needs

My hubby does Planet Fitness $10/mo because of traveling.

We also have a membership to our JCC where we have access to 2 pools, sauna, whirlpool, classes on floor, bike, water, basketball, weight machines, treadmills, ellipticals, recumbent bikes, volleyball, massage and summer outdoor pool. This family membership runs just shy of $100 a month.

It’s also connected to our healthcare provider, if we needed therapy for something we would slide easily right into it.

Yes, on the age thing, she is allowed.  I wondered about that.  My older DD who goes says she sees younger kids in there all the time. Way younger than 11.  (Personally I am kinda shocked that at least 10 years would be the limit.. )

Back in the day, 2000/2001, I belonged to Sports Club/LA in Boston (I just looked and now it's an Equinox) . I paid, I think, $110/mth. I was going there 2x a day a lot of days. At lunch for an awesome boxing class then after work for either another class or weights. The gym was SPOTLESS which I really like. The locker rooms were super clean, they provided towels, soap, shampoo, everything I needed so less for me to lug on the train every day.

I belong to Lifetime Fitness - we have one near me with all the bells and whistles - and it is $79 per month. It is actually less expensive than the yoga gyms around here and you can take as many classes as you want - yoga and otherwise.  

I use it to take yoga, aqua aerobics, and fitness classes meant for older people with weights, etc.  I do better and will work out for a whole hour if it is part of a class.  There are hardcore classes that the 20-something fit set go to, and that is great for them. They don’t come to the classes I go to, so there is none of that feeling inferior thing going on that PF likes to hype up. 

I love having towel service. I love having shampoo, soap and conditioner in the shower, so I don’t have to worry about bringing my own and having it leak all over my gym bag. I love having a pool, hot tub and sauna so that I can do a couple of laps and sit in the hot tub after class if I have time. I feel so refreshed and recharged after a yoga class followed by 5 minutes in the steam room and then a shower.  

My neighbor who I go fishing with is a budget-conscious kind of guy - and so is his wife.  After I brought her (we get 2 guest passes per month) to yoga and then our other neighbor brought him, they bought a family membership - which is $179 - but they all use it regularly now, including bringing their 6 year old to the kids club and the kid classes.  

It all comes down to what you want to get out of the gym. For me, the added things like towel service, pool, steam room, hot tub, and aqua aerobics make a difference. I had a membership to Gold’s Gym that I hardly ever used because it wasn’t a treat for me to be there - it was a basic gym with classes, but none of the extras and no pool.  I paid $50 per month for a membership that I wasn’t using. It is a MUCH better deal FOR ME to pay $79 per month and actually go. 

There is no point in skimping on a gym if it means you won’t actually use it. 

The gym is one of the few things I splurge on.
I pay $160 (yes, you read that correctly) for unlimited classes at a locally owned studio that I go to every day of the week.
To me, it's worth every penny.
This place introduced me to waterrowers, my absolute all time favorite piece of excercise equipment.
Just last month, my husband and I purchased our own waterrower .
It comes in handy when I feel like I need to burn some extra calories,LOL.
My husband uses it, because his 2nd shift work schedule makes it hard for him to find time to work out.
Anyway, this gym/studio is like a family to me.
I have made wonderful, lifelong friends (just like when I did Crossfit for slightly less money).
We tried Planet Fitness, but for me, group fitness is a great motivator!

I pay $33/month for 24 hour fitness. They have a location near my house and another one near my work, so it's the most convenient one for me. Both are clean and have a variety of machines and classes. I'd say my only peeve is that the dumbbells/barbells in sizes I would use tend to be missing from the rack and I have to go looking for them.

I'm looking forward to all the resolutioners fading away in February, TBH. Gym is too dang crowded right now. I've been going to at like 9 PM just to get a bench or to have any hope of using the regular machines without a long wait. I keep forgetting to bring my workout clothes to work lately - 4 PM at the one here isn't terrible if I remember to bring my clothes.

There is a small private gym very close to my house and I've considered looking into that.

I am a PF member, black level, and I do like it. I might like somewhere with a pool (I have RA and think the water would be great for me) but I am not sure about adding the extra expense.

We have a VASA about a mile away. It is $10 for basic machines and $20 a month for the pool, classes, etc. You can add more and get classes with a personal trainer or group classes.

It is free for me since I am over 50 and qualify for Silver Sneakers.