Exercising local fitness club options
You'll have to decide on whether you want to be pampered, or just work up a sweat
Gyms used to be sweaty, Spartan spaces filled with bulky weights and equipment resembling torture devices. Now, the finest health clubs offer a luxe lifestyle of health education, child care, spa treatments, food, and, oh yeah, exercise.
The Globe tested four of the area's highest-end health clubs: the Sports Club/LA, Equinox, Boston Sports Club, and Wellbridge Athletic Club. At each gym, we anonymously asked for a tour, worked out on the equipment, and used the locker rooms.
The clubs all offered the basic perks such as free towel service and shampoo in the showers. Still, we found a huge range, with some clubs featuring an array of spa-like services and others that offered pared-down options focusing solely on the workout.
Prices mirrored the offerings, with published costs ranging from about $1,000 to more than $5,000 annually for the highest membership levels at the fanciest club. But many of the differences depend on what someone is looking for - and what is going to keep them going back.
"Anything that makes a person feel more welcome makes them more likely to stick with a program," said James Leone, an adjunct faculty member in Northeastern University's athletic training and physical therapy department, adding that about half of those who sign up for gym memberships stop going within three months.
Leone prefers Boston Sports Club among those we tested because he wants the basics without the frills. That club was the least expensive and most utilitarian gym we tested.
Our choice was the most expensive, the Sports Club/LA with its views of Boston Common.
Sure, we enjoyed watching a personal television connected to our exercise bike. And the club had the brilliant idea of putting the free body lotion in each shower stall's changing area instead of next to the hair dryers as the other gyms do.
But beyond the frills, it also was the biggest gym with 114,000 square feet on three levels. It also had the most equipment and classes. Plus, it has a pool, basketball court, squash courts, and a separate floor just for yoga and Pilates.
As for cost, these gyms aren't cheap. But all of the clubs offered discounts from their published initiation fees and dues, sometimes slashing sign-up fees down to a fifth of the original cost.
Leone compares shopping for clubs to shopping for cars: if you are willing to walk away, they will be willing to negotiate. Ask about corporate discounts and determine if your health insurance will credit you for membership.
He also says to avoid any long-term commitments such as two-year contracts. And he recommends joining during off-peak times such as summer, not the post-New Year's rush.
Convenience also plays a role - the club across the street may be a more realistic workout option than one off your daily path. "If you can afford it, go for it," he said.
The Sports Club/LA/ Boston
Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Boston
Price: Varies, depending on membership level, from $700 initiation fee and $165 month dues to $2,000 initiation fee with $275 monthly dues for "executive" membership perks, such as free parking and permanent locker. Minimum annual cost without promotional deals: $2,680.
Pros: Features all the amenities that one would want - pool, basketball court, child care, spa, salon, boutique, dry cleaners, squash courts, sauna and steam rooms, cafe, full restaurant and bar - except perhaps a tennis court. It also offers the most equipment and the most classes of the gyms tested, with nine to 26 offered daily. Also offers amazing views of Boston Common as you exercise.
Cons: All those extra features such as dry cleaning, child care, and the cafe add to the price. Personal training sessions aren't included to get you started. It doesn't have other Boston-area locations but does have gyms in other major cities such as New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco.
The final word: This is the Cadillac Escalade of gyms: pricey, big, eye-catching and can help you burn lots of fuel. The best choice if money is no object and you're looking for a wide range of exercise and spa options.
Boston Sports Club
Boylston Street flagship branch in Boston
Price: Initiation fee of $149, plus $59 processing fee, with monthly dues of either $69.99 or $94.99 and requires a one-year contract. Minimum annual cost without promotional deals: $1,047.88.
Pros: Offers more than 20 sites throughout the Boston area plus affiliates in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. It also has a pool and offers an "express line" machine workout system that takes 22 minutes to exercise the whole body. Features an independent physical therapy office on-site.
Cons: The utilitarian basement-level site lacks windows. Offers fewer open classes, from four to 13 each day.
The final word: Fewer accoutrements with lower price tag makes this a good option for those seeking a workout and not much else from their gym.
Equinox
Dartmouth Street in Back Bay, Boston
Price: Initiation fee and membership dues range from $525 sign-up with $139 monthly fees to $645 initiation with $170 monthly dues for access to all the chain's clubs. Minimum annual cost without promotional deals: $2,193
Pros: Provides a physical assessment, training regimen, and Pilates session for each new member and features trainers with three different levels of experience. Includes high-tech gadgets such as eye scans and fingerprints to access the club instead of plastic cards, plus offers Wi-Fi access and public computers to check e-mail. Also offers clubs in other big cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Cons: No pool, basketball or racquet ball courts, and its cafe has only a pared-down menu of salads and shakes from the neighboring b.good restaurant chain.
The final word: A great gym for those focused more on serious training, but who still want some of the lifestyle perks such as an on-site spa.
Wellbridge Athletic Club
Charles Hotel in Cambridge
Price: Initiation fee $199 with dues ranging from $138 per month for an annual commitment to $148 per month. Minimum annual cost without promotional deals: $1,855.
Pros: It offers two complimentary personal training sessions to get new members started. All of its cardio machines have individual television screens in the three-level gym and it doesn't play distracting music. Plus it has a beautiful sun-drenched indoor pool and windows overlooking a courtyard.
Cons: Smallest of the gyms tested so it also offers the smallest number of open classes, from three to 11 classes each day. It also lacks some of the pluses of the other gyms tested such as child care. It has no other local sites but has gyms in other states such as Colorado, New Mexico, and Hawaii.
The final word: A good choice for a low-key workout, and the well-designed pool wins points.
