TurboD
03-08-2009, 11:39 PM
so the Golds Gym in Eau Claire officially opens im told tomorrow (monday march 8)
this weekend it was unofficially open sat and sunday.
here is some background, because i have a problem relating to this new gym.
-lately ive been real sick of Golds Northgate, the state of the gym is sloppy, little things that add up, like pools of water all over the change room, no soap in bathroom dispensers, no scale and a 2 month wait everytime a scale is broken with no backup scales. since the new year is has just been too busy, too stuffy, machines and benches are always full, even late hours up until 8-9pm.
so what i did is try to transfer to northland, so i called northgate and spoke to a guy and asked about transferring and he said i can go to ANY golds gym in calgary, no transfer needed.
so i go to northland and swipe my card and the hot girl behind the counter tells me my northgate card doesnt work at this golds and i have to sign my name, phone number etc on a guest list every time i enter the gym unless i choose to officially transfer gyms which she told me was as simple as filling out a sheet.
so i head to eau claire today (sunday) for a sneek peek at my the new golds that i was hoping to make my weekend gym. because of parking ($2 on weekends) its not worth going all the time.
so that is the background, this is what i find when i enter the gym. (before going to the gym i called to make sure it was ok to work out there, i was told this is fine and no issues)
--------
i get to the gym and the guy tells me this new info:
rules:
(even though i was told by 3 golds gym employees including the salesman that issued my contract that it was free for me to use any golds gym in calgary i wanted)
1. regular members with contracts are limited to 15 visits to eau claire PER YEAR.
2. if you want unlimited access you must allow a monthly increase to your contract to the tune of +$10 per month
also, parking is not included in this jacked up contract which you must pay each time you go to the gym..
so to go to the gym say 15 times a month you will end up spending an additional $40 each month to go to a gym you already belong to.
i don't really care that much about this....my main issue was that i was lied to
secondly, i will likely use my 15 visits per year on weekends and just accept the rules.
info about the gym:
-the locker rooms have odd keypad locks on all of the lockers, you are unable to use your own lock, there is no way to put it on the locker, so im assuming they either give you a code or some sort of special key.
so just a heads up, before this is sorted out or keys are issued, your stuff is unprotected in thoes lockers.
-i didn't notice any chinup/pullup bar at all for free hanging chinups etc.
-the dumbbells are new and are very greasy and slippery (turns your hands black), and they are perfectly round and no slop so if you put them down they quickly make a run for it.
-they have a lot of machines, not a lot of benches - northgate has twice as many benches.
-the power rack is in the corner close to the wall and would be difficult to modify being in this location
-lighting is better than nothgate and northland golds'
the good lighting showed me myself almost too good, which is my own fault for having such an unrefined body.
-all the machines have cool displays attached to them with smart card slots, and the displays give cool LED light shows showing how full your reps are and it also counts reps for you as you do them.
-the seated bench press machine is the best ive ever used, it takes away a lot of stress that most machines put on your shoulders, the movement is really natural and i can do a lot heavier weight and no worry about shoulder pain.
-also there was a hot tub in a room, not finished or set up totally, but some people might be interested in that, personally i would never get into a hot tub with a bunch of strangers that had just worked out/filled their bodies with mass amounts of suppliments.
-they have a couple cool machines, one is a torso twist where you sit and put a brace over your shoulders like a roller coaster and twist your upper body with weight resistance.
the other is a stretching machine that seemed useful but i felt like an idiot messing around with it so i didnt completely figure it out.
the last is an American gladiators style hand bicycle type machine that is exactly the same as a normal bicycle at the gym only with hand pedals, and with good resistance it gives a really nice full arm pump that works every muscle in your arm really intensely.
so in conclusion, check the gym out, and if anyone finds away around this 15 visit rule, or a trick for free parking, let me know.
and as a second conclusion, i have only 3 months left on my 2 year contract from june 1 07 so when my contract concludes i will have a lot of thinking and planning to do.
right now im torn between northland and northgate, they both have their pros and cons.
great thing about where i live, its equal distance to all three gyms, northland northgate and eau claire, so i am in a good position to be picky about my gym.
i will likely re sign a contract with golds this summer once my contract expires, and im gonna try to push to get au claire added for free.
but once my contract is up i will be touring all gyms near me and if i find one i like better that either doesn't have a contract or has a cheap rate i may switch companies altogether.
this weekend it was unofficially open sat and sunday.
here is some background, because i have a problem relating to this new gym.
-lately ive been real sick of Golds Northgate, the state of the gym is sloppy, little things that add up, like pools of water all over the change room, no soap in bathroom dispensers, no scale and a 2 month wait everytime a scale is broken with no backup scales. since the new year is has just been too busy, too stuffy, machines and benches are always full, even late hours up until 8-9pm.
so what i did is try to transfer to northland, so i called northgate and spoke to a guy and asked about transferring and he said i can go to ANY golds gym in calgary, no transfer needed.
so i go to northland and swipe my card and the hot girl behind the counter tells me my northgate card doesnt work at this golds and i have to sign my name, phone number etc on a guest list every time i enter the gym unless i choose to officially transfer gyms which she told me was as simple as filling out a sheet.
so i head to eau claire today (sunday) for a sneek peek at my the new golds that i was hoping to make my weekend gym. because of parking ($2 on weekends) its not worth going all the time.
so that is the background, this is what i find when i enter the gym. (before going to the gym i called to make sure it was ok to work out there, i was told this is fine and no issues)
--------
i get to the gym and the guy tells me this new info:
rules:
(even though i was told by 3 golds gym employees including the salesman that issued my contract that it was free for me to use any golds gym in calgary i wanted)
1. regular members with contracts are limited to 15 visits to eau claire PER YEAR.
2. if you want unlimited access you must allow a monthly increase to your contract to the tune of +$10 per month
also, parking is not included in this jacked up contract which you must pay each time you go to the gym..
so to go to the gym say 15 times a month you will end up spending an additional $40 each month to go to a gym you already belong to.
i don't really care that much about this....my main issue was that i was lied to
secondly, i will likely use my 15 visits per year on weekends and just accept the rules.
info about the gym:
-the locker rooms have odd keypad locks on all of the lockers, you are unable to use your own lock, there is no way to put it on the locker, so im assuming they either give you a code or some sort of special key.
so just a heads up, before this is sorted out or keys are issued, your stuff is unprotected in thoes lockers.
-i didn't notice any chinup/pullup bar at all for free hanging chinups etc.
-the dumbbells are new and are very greasy and slippery (turns your hands black), and they are perfectly round and no slop so if you put them down they quickly make a run for it.
-they have a lot of machines, not a lot of benches - northgate has twice as many benches.
-the power rack is in the corner close to the wall and would be difficult to modify being in this location
-lighting is better than nothgate and northland golds'
the good lighting showed me myself almost too good, which is my own fault for having such an unrefined body.
-all the machines have cool displays attached to them with smart card slots, and the displays give cool LED light shows showing how full your reps are and it also counts reps for you as you do them.
-the seated bench press machine is the best ive ever used, it takes away a lot of stress that most machines put on your shoulders, the movement is really natural and i can do a lot heavier weight and no worry about shoulder pain.
-also there was a hot tub in a room, not finished or set up totally, but some people might be interested in that, personally i would never get into a hot tub with a bunch of strangers that had just worked out/filled their bodies with mass amounts of suppliments.
-they have a couple cool machines, one is a torso twist where you sit and put a brace over your shoulders like a roller coaster and twist your upper body with weight resistance.
the other is a stretching machine that seemed useful but i felt like an idiot messing around with it so i didnt completely figure it out.
the last is an American gladiators style hand bicycle type machine that is exactly the same as a normal bicycle at the gym only with hand pedals, and with good resistance it gives a really nice full arm pump that works every muscle in your arm really intensely.
so in conclusion, check the gym out, and if anyone finds away around this 15 visit rule, or a trick for free parking, let me know.
and as a second conclusion, i have only 3 months left on my 2 year contract from june 1 07 so when my contract concludes i will have a lot of thinking and planning to do.
right now im torn between northland and northgate, they both have their pros and cons.
great thing about where i live, its equal distance to all three gyms, northland northgate and eau claire, so i am in a good position to be picky about my gym.
i will likely re sign a contract with golds this summer once my contract expires, and im gonna try to push to get au claire added for free.
but once my contract is up i will be touring all gyms near me and if i find one i like better that either doesn't have a contract or has a cheap rate i may switch companies altogether.