Any Bally's spinners

[WindingRoad]

I'm starting at a new gym this evening, Bally's. I'd always been to LA Fitness before but their prices were too much for me at this point in life. Just curious is anyone had any good, bad whatever experiences with Bally?

[indysteel]

Don't know anything about Bally's; the one near my house went out of business sometime ago. If you don't like it, you mught try a YMCA if you have one nearby. They typically offer income-contingent pricing. Given you're in school, that might work for your wallet. Plus, the often offer some social activities and could provide a way to meet some people (and get you off Facebook ).

[WindingRoad]

Seriously Indy, ROFL I have been pretty good about avoiding FB as of recent. I figure the gym is a good place to interact with 'real' people. The Y wasn't cheap here at all???? I did get my membership at Bally for $22 a month and no initiation fees, so I was happy with that and wasn't horrible for my budget.

I must say, if every class is like tonight's I'm totally cool with Bally's. The room even has black lights. The music is good with a good system so it's nice and basey, gets me pumped up. Very fun, I hope the other instructors are as fun as her.

[indysteel]

Seriously Indy, ROFL I have been pretty good about avoiding FB as of recent. I figure the gym is a good place to interact with 'real' people. The Y wasn't cheap here at all???? I did get my membership at Bally for $22 a month and no initiation fees, so I was happy with that and wasn't horrible for my budget.

I must say, if every class is like tonight's I'm totally cool with Bally's. The room even has black lights. The music is good with a good system so it's nice and basey, gets me pumped up. Very fun, I hope the other instructors are as fun as her.

That's awesome. I wish it were still open here, as there's no Y nearby. I used to belong at the Y downtown, but then I moved to Franklin. I'm sorry tho hear their price was high, but your rate at Bally's sounds great!

[nscrbug]

I'm a member of Bally's, and sadly...I have to say that the location I go to is a DUMP! If it weren't for the fact that it's so close to my house and that I've made many close friends over the last 11 years there, I would go someplace else in a heartbeat. The equipment and cardio machines have only been updated ONCE in the past 11 years...and that was like 5 years ago. Stuff keeps breaking down and goes unfixed for weeks at a time. Things like medicine balls, stability balls, and dumbells disappear on an almost weekly basis. I have no idea if members or employees are stealing this stuff or what... I only take 2 spin classes per week there. We only have 2 spin instructors...I like one girl...the other, not so much. But sometimes, even the classes given by the one instructor that I do like...can be a little boring because of her music rotation. I just can't get "into" a class, if I'm hearing the same music I heard in last week's class....ughhh! In the summer months, I will often skip one class a week to ride to outside...but during the colder months, I'm usually forced back indoors. Oh, and to add insult to injury...I just received an increase in my membership dues. I was paying $216/year (after my initial "initiation fees" of $1,200)for the last 7 years or so. I just got a letter a few weeks ago, informing me that my dues will now be $240/year!!! How nice of them. Makes me feel so much better knowing that I'm now being charged the same amount (remember I've been there for 11 years) that ANY person who walked in off the street to join, would be charged. I guess loyalty doesn't count for much at Bally's.

[Dogmama]

The YMCA I teach at is a dump. More bikes are dead than alive. One of my spinners jokingly called the broken bikes the "DNR" pile - standing for "Do Not Ride." The Bally's, OTOH, is great although some of the instructors are pretty boring.

[tangentgirl]

I think it's just going to vary from location to location. I don't think Ballys requires the *official* Spinning certification for instructors - they might have their own type. While you probably don't need the corporate stamp to be a good teacher, it does mean that at least, you have had training in safe, effective indoor cycling methods. I like to see it when I take classes.

Last time I took a Ballys cycling class, it was taught by a guy who I swear was a retired junior high gym teacher. He wanted people to stand up the entire time, going full bore on the toughest cadence they could stand for 60 minutes. Dude yelled a bunch, had horrible (read: unsafe) form, but stopped short of calling the class a bunch of p*****s. I swear I thought that was coming. I did my own thing and never went back.

[WindingRoad]

so far I've been ok with Bally's spin classes. I've only had one instructor so far and she seems fine. she does at least ride a real bike to class which made me feel better. I was a bit annoyed that the schedule said Pilates started at 7 when the instructor was starting it at 6:45, ok what the heck on that one? Waiting on my prescription swim goggles to show up so i can swim in the pool. It sucks getting old, I really can't see well enough to swim w/o glasses anymore My script isn't horrid but it's enough I can't really see the wall and I'm paranoid I'm gonna whack my head.

[WindingRoad]

OK I'm a little annoyed at Bally's, I don't get this online schedule problem they have??? The schedule online is wrong, has been wrong for years apparently and no one bothers to fix it. It may sound trivial but having to go look at a physical schedule is difficult when you are always on the go. To top it off, my old gym, LA Fitness is in the process of opening a brand new gym less than 1 mile from where I live AND it is on my commute to school. Seriously. Maybe I should just pay the extra $8 per month and switch. It seems Bally's instructors have issues with being on time too which is irritating since I have so little time to workout anyways. I don't know what to do. I like the little cheaper price of Bally's but I'd also like to be able to hit the gym on the way to or from school, that would rock. Heck I could walk to this new location its so close. I'm not thrilled with the spin bikes at Bally's either, they are those Spinner brand bikes and they are just not comfortable at all, they lean you WAY over. Since its finals week I've been riding my own bike on the trainer in the living room but LA Fitness keeps crossing my mind. They keep sending me emails to come back too, no initiation fee just $29.99 per month. What would you do?

Ok, one other factor. This may seem goofy but I've noticed at Bally's that everyone has been there for years so they all know each other. Kinda clicky. My theory is that if I went to a new gym maybe it wouldn't be as much that way and people would be more friendly toward someone new?

[indysteel]

I've never even been inside an LA Fitness, but my understanding is that their rates are highly negotiable. You might do a little online research as to how best to negotiate with them. You just might get a rate that's closer to what you're paying at Bally's.

[Dogmama]

My Bally's on-line schedule is also antiquated. The print schedule shows instructors who haven't been there for years.

But, I would complain about the start times of the classes. And not to the manager, who is often a kid, but to the next higher up - some suit in corporate. It seems with the financial situation, they'd try their best to at least be competitive with other large gyms.

[WindingRoad]

Well I sent in my cancellation to Bally's today. I talked to LA Fitness and they had a special where you pay for a year in advance at $29.99 per month then after that it's only $15 per month for the remaining years. I liked that deal cuz I keep my membership for a long time if I like the place. I already know I like the place and I can use it wherever I end up on my clinical rotations that start in about a year.