If I am going to go to the gym, it had better be a really nice one.
August 20, 2008 by Haidee
I used to go to the gym four to five times a week for at least an hour at a time. I had fun working out, looked good, and felt great. It was easy to keep up the routine when I belonged to the luxurious Sports Club/LA in Washington, DC. Going to the gym was like visiting to a luxury hotel. Come to think of it, it was located in the Ritz-Carlton. It was clean, spacious, smelled nice, and it had a fantastic cafe with gourmet salads and healthy shakes.
So you can imagine my frustration upon moving to Charlottesville when I had to settle for North Grounds, a sad little gym with a vending machine, two mildewy shower stalls, and droves of grad students.
Since moving here, my interest in the gym has waned. I joined the ACAC a year ago and have maybe been five times. It is a decent gym; gets the job done (unless you drink the premixed smoothies). The facilities are o.k. I would prefer a more designated stretching area with mirrors and machines that aren’t cramped right up next to the spinning class. Yes, the rooftop pool is nice, but I don’t go to the gym to lounge.
Of course, I am comparing it to the health spa-like atmosphere of the Sports Club/LA where each machine had at least three feet of space on all sides, and there was rarely a wait for the treadmill. The air smelled of fresh laundry and the dressing rooms were nicely carpeted, spacious, well decorated, and with enough counter space and hair dryers for everyone.
The showers, oh, the showers. Pristine and beautiful. They were so good, I would actually go to the gym in the morning because the facilities were more enjoyable than my own home. The large gym floor surrounded the basketball court where you could watch George Clooney shoot hoops, or you could zone out to the television. The class times were convenient for all work schedules, and the studios were enjoyable with colored lights and state of the art audio. Unlike the flourescents and staticky headsets I’ve experienced elsewhere (note to all gyms…no one looks good in flourescents). To boot, the trainers were hot.
I don’t need hot trainers, but I do need a clean, serene, and spacious place in which to work out. One with modern amenities and enough machines to handle the rush hour. I need high energy classes and an evening schedule (I can rarely leave my desk before 6pm, and all that is left afterwards is bellydancing or karate). I need not only a clean dressing room, but one that is actually enjoyable to get naked in. In other words, it needs to look and feel like a luxury hotel room or five star spa. I’m sorry, but anything less feels dirty, even if it isn’t.
This is what I personally look for and, in fact, need in a gym. Sadly, I have yet to find it in Charlottesville. I checked out the Boars Head Sports Club, but I was not impressed with their somewhat outdated and small gym floor (but it is a great place for tennis enthusiasts). I am considering some personal trainers with private gyms, but doubt that the dressing room will meet my needs. I might enjoy a Pilates or private Yoga studio. The quest continues…until I find the right place, I’ll just have to cut back on the gelato.
Do you have any suggestions, thoughts, raves or rants to share about local area gyms? I’d love to hear your opinions and ideas on the best and worst places to work out in Cville.
If you can afford the gym that you have described then you can certainly afford to own furniture from my shop! Come by and I’ll tell you about my awesome yoga teacher. She came here from CA and was taught by the absolute best. Her classes are in a gorgeous setting with the most amazing views. (that’s Jefferson’s Green Ocean, not the bodies!) Also, True Pilates is moving into the Downtown Design Center which is across from ACAC and, BTW, is home to my shop, Andrea Wynne Fine Furnishings. We can do some deep knee bends while picking out your new dining room set!
Haidee, I hear you!
My biggest complaint is about the gym classes & times here — I was a member at the AFC for a bit but my interest waned when i couldn’t get across town in time to make the 5:30pm classes; or when i did and everyone in the classes was doing a 50% (at best) jab cross… the intensity was completely lacking.
I tried Gold’s Gym (hoping to spot the Rock?!) where attendence was incredible low at Body Attack, and the same routines over and over set perfectly to the music were not my thing. Body Jam was a fun dance workout but not enough to keep me coming.
I haven’t tried ACAC due to the high cost, but i’m also not sure i can handle being let down by my gym again!
I’d be very curious if anyone can recommend a great kicking boxing class. Or even better, I used to take a class at New York Sports Club called “Pre-Season Sports Conditioning” — with sprints and everything — if anyone knows of a class like that, please inform!
If it’s still there, I recommend “J’s Gym” (www.jsgym.com) –it’s in the building across the side street from Bodo’s on 29. It’s a dive, but last time I was there, there was a guy training to climb Mt. Everest in there. They kill you, bring you back, and kill you again. It’s a hard knock gym with no flatscreens, and I don’t recall seeing an ipod or smoothie station. It’s the real deal, unconventional, and you’ll get a helluva work out. 923-0947
Happy sweating!
tryin to register
Haidee,
As a personal trainer with over 23 years in fitness (disclosure: working at acac), I grinned as I read your article. Ahhhhhhhhhh, yes… the “I’m here for the social scene first and whatever exercise by-product I might get” member. And that’s fine, but the longer you stay OUT of a gym and the older you get….well, you figure it out. Your choice, of course.
However, I’d recommend that you look at what IS offered. I’ve worked in every type of gym over the last 23 years and I will say that, as a trainer, I have never had a more varied array of tools at my disposal nor have I ever worked with such a exceptional group of trainers - top notch all of them (I had to go through 4 interviews with ACAC before I was hired - talk about quality control. But they simply won’t hire just anyone.)
If there aren’t classes that suit your schedule, then try something new - you’re body will LOVE you for it (well, maybe after it gets over the shock of having been twisted in a new and improved fashion - don’t worry, if you can’t sit on the toilet after a few lunges and kickbacks, it just means you haven’t been working your glutes afterall!)
But do, please, get moving again (Your body will love you for it!)!!
Andrea - I’d love to hear about your yoga instructor. I’ve tried Bikram, but can’t take the heat. Maybe I’m just a work out wimp! I’m also in the market for a kitchen table! Shopping is so much more fun than exercising…and sometimes those bags are heavy!
Jenny - thanks so much for chiming in as an expert on the subject. You are right. I do need to get back into a good work out routine. Make it a habit again and actually enjoy it. Something I’ve not tried at ACAC are the Kenesis and the Pilates programs…before I cancel my membership, I will give it a try. But I will still miss the Sports Club/LA and their fancy showers.
I too have experienced the wonderful Sports Club LA / Washington, DC and I could’t agree with you more. The atmosphere of that club is so relaxing. I actually worked with an Advantage Trainer who was very knowledgable, helpful, and overall a great person to know. He kept me motivated, he provided reading resources for me and never did he just put me on maching and told me to work it out. He always took the time to explain to me why I was working on a certain maching and how it was helping to improve my health.
The Club is very clean, the employees offer 5 star customer service and the cafe has the best health foods you ever want to eat. The general manager of that club is very helpful and she always returned phone calls in a prompt manner. Overall I have never seen a better looking club with state of the art equipment as The Sports Club LA. I really agree with Haidee when it comes to the clean spacious showers you feel like you are in a beautiful 5 star hotel. I experience that every time I vist that club.
Haidee, you’ll have to come to the shop to find out about my yoga instructor. Her location is top secret!
Andrea - I’ve been in and bought the most adorable mangle cloth which I turned into a very cute table runner & pillow. I will be in again soon!
Wow. . .I am totally feeling a little weepy eyed nostalgia for the RIDICULOUS gyms back in NYC! Well. . .sort of. I desperately miss watching Anderson Cooper on the eliptical machine and I definitely miss my fellow, somewhat masochistic, 5 AM spin class buddies at Equinox and NYSC Oh. . .and THE BEST brow wax tech I have EVER seen is at the Equinox at 63rd and Lex BUT. . .I moved to Virginia for a reason, and I can assure you it wasn’t to join a chi-chi gym. There is something a bit comforting about the more rudimentary feel of the gyms around here. As for ACAC in particular, I think it is actually substantially nicer than most smaller town gyms I have seen. In most towns this size, you are limited to a YMCA or two with a smelly lukewarm 6 lane lap pool that hasn’t seen fresh chlorine in months and some decade old treadmills. ACAC at least has some wicked good trainers, modern training technology. . .AND. . .for the love of God. . . it has a NICE outdoor pool where you can just chill and tan in peace.
I really like ACAC! I’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing a luxurious gym like the ones you guys have described, but after hanging at AFC and North Grounds during my undergraduate days, then having a short stint at Gold’s- ACAC is like pure heaven. I love the diversity of classes they offer and I’ve always found it to be a pleasant place to work out. Their trainers are generally very helpful and I LOVE that the pools downtown are salt water- MUCH better for your skin and hair!
I’ve put my ACAC membership on hold for a few months and I must say I miss it… BUT I’ve spent my summer working out with the ladies of Bikram Yoga and THAT has been an awesome experience! 90 minutes in a 105-degree room! It’s the best work out, you can feel super cute in the adorable Lulumon hot shorts they sell AND they treat you to cool washcloths soaked in lavender water at the end of your class! Just walking by the studio, the air is scented with lavender and that always makes me smile.
Are you sure the pools downtown are saltwater? I used to a lot of swimming a year or so ago and I swore they were chlorine.
they do use chlorine, but because the pool is partly salt they are able to use a LOT less chlorine than typical indoor pools.
I thoroughly enjoy my workout place, Bill Burnett’s Success Studio. If you haven’t heard of it, you should check it out! The prices are very reasonable and the trainers are fabulous!!!!! It is located in the Foods of All Nations shopping center. As a person who never thoroughly enjoyed working out, they have gotten me to a point where I love going to the gym. Y’all should check it out!
If I were to have just one complaint about ACAC it would be that they do close a little early on the weekends. I think it’s 5pm on Saturday and 6 on Sunday.
Been a member for about 2 years and love it!
so thanks for all the excellent gym info (i just moved back to town & have been weighing the options….), but what about for AFTER the gym? i had this AMAZING massage therapist who used to tie me in knots and then untie them expertly–is there anyone doing massage in cville who is strong enough to work such magic??
CWB - sounds like you are talking about thai massage which is performed on a mat and the therapist contorts you in different positions (much like yoga positions) and therapeutically massages you at the same time. It is divine and Sarah at Boars Head Spa is the best. She is also great at deep tissue, and I also like Jeff. I’ve heard good things about Oasis as well.
thanks haidee, but i’m really just looking for a super deep tissue massage–i’ve had thai massage and tho it can be lovely, my most recent therapist was really just strong and insistent about digging out the deep down knots in my back. i’m looking for someone who won’t quit until i am a limp noodle of endorphins!
CWB - then you want Jeff at the Boars Head Spa. Excellent therapy and a very relaxing couple of hours. I rather enjoy the steam room and reading a magazine on their porch before or after the massage. Enjoy!