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I'm beginning to think that LA Fitness is something of a scam. I like my trainer, but he's the only one still working there and getting a time slot that works for me is getting more and more difficult. I'm paying for a 30-minute session, but it's usually more like 25 minutes because he has to get ready for the next client.
Seems like every day when I go in there's something that's broken (sometimes it stays that way for weeks), or some part of the facility is closed for "cleaning" ... like they haven't heard of the notion that cleaning should occur during off-hours. The basketball court is almost never available in the morning ... which is OK for me, because that's not what I'm there for ... but if you're paying for a facility, shouldn't it be available to use?
This morning I finished my workout only to discover the men's locker room had a female employee in there cleaning it.
It's 6 AM. A bunch of regulars are completing their workout and need to shower. A bunch more folks are coming in and need to change. And the damn locker room has a sign in front informing us that a female attendent is inside cleaning the men's locker room. Some guys decided to just go in, strip down, and do their business anyway. I opted to grab my bag and go back home to shower before heading off to work.
OK ... so I figure I'll call or email or something and see if I can make a helpful suggestion that they maybe consider alternatives ... like either cleaning the place first thing in the morning before it gets too busy, or maybe just skipping it that day. Guess what ... the "manager" is unavailable. The young lady I, like, spoke with is, like, 22 years old and, like, sounds like she still in ... like ... high school? No help ... she talked so fast I had to keep asking her to repeat herself ... not that anything she had to say was useful. She didn't seem to understand what the problem was.
Imagine if the genders were reversed here ... if a male attendent walked into the ladies locker room while a bunch of women were showering or stripped down to their skin getting ready for their workout ... what do you suppose the reaction would be?
I went online to see if I could talk to someone at "headquarters" ... nope ... they want you to deal with it at the local level. They have no method of lodging a complaint whatsoever.
I'm considering cancelling my membership and moving to a different club. But in the process of researching ways to contact LA Fitness this morning, I came across an appalling number of complaints about their membership policies, and how much effort and expense goes into cancelling a membership ... believe it or not, you have to send a certified letter to their corporate headquarters (you can't cancel at the same location where you signed up).
Feeling a bit of buyer's remorse this morning ... if any of y'all are considering them, look closer before signing a contract. They're the proverbial "Hotel California" ... you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. And I think knowing that they pretty much have you by the nutz makes it easy for them to decide that the quality of your experience isn't really their problem ...
Life is short. Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love deeply, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that makes you smile.
Not everyone who reads SB is looking to learn how best to use their new snorkel. Some are here just hoping to get the chance to tell someone else exactly what they can do with their new snorkel. While others are trying to sell their old snorkel. (gypsyjim)
Sounds like you have a really terrible local la fitness mine is nothing like that. Things that break are fixed by the next time I am in there. If you need to cancel, I see a cancellation button on the member page of their website.
Cancellation problems are a pretty common thing with health clubs. Count your blessings if it's not a problem at yours.
Lousy management is common in health clubs. Count your blessings if it's not a problem at yours.
If your club seems to be sliding, if it's not management it could be financial. (Probably both.) I suspect lots of clubs, while not necessarily in serious trouble, are having to cut back recently because of the economy - more people leaving, and fewer people joining and/or holding out for better deals.
Of course like a lot of things (a certain liveaboard comes to mind) cutting back just makes more people leave and it can spiral down. I belong to a Gold's gym mostly for the classes. It's poorly run but cheap, with lots of flexibility to use other Gold's locations. And they had good classes when I started which is what I care about most. But they're starting to drive away the best teachers (from what I hear pay cuts instead of expected increases after years there, combined with idiot management who are a pain to deal with.) In the case of Golds it's also very franchise dependent - I've been to others that are much nicer and better run. I'm starting to think of bailing myself and I don't think I'm the only one.
I was thinking about joining LA Fitness when I heard about a special they had running. I did a google search. That sealed it. No LA Fitness for me. Then I heard about gyms being notorious for making it almost impossible to cancel. No gyms for me.
If you have a Discover card, they have a feature where you can generate individual account numbers that can be used only one place each. I am using one to pay for my gym membership, did it exactly because the gym in question does not have a good rep about this. If I have trouble canceling I figure I will just cancel that number. Probably they will still whine and give me a hassle, but at least they won't keep collecting my money.
I was thinking about joining LA Fitness when I heard about a special they had running. I did a google search. That sealed it. No LA Fitness for me. Then I heard about gyms being notorious for making it almost impossible to cancel. No gyms for me.
Maybe look into the Y? My local Y has been around for over 50 years and has terrific facilities. Two indoor pools, plenty of machines, free weights and classes. Sauna, steam, and whirlpool in both adult locker rooms (under 18 have their own locker rooms). No contracts to sign. If the "C" in YMCA is a problem, I have never felt uncomfortable going there as a non-Christian. The name offficial is "The Y" now anyway, I believe.
I'm thinking about the Y, thanks for the reminder. I have to revisit thinking about it again, now that we are getting off the summer schedule (kid back to school) in a couple weeks..
My LA has been great. No problems cancelling my ex's membership. No problems putting my training contract on hold when I was going through my divorce. No equipment issues either.
NWG... too bad Coach Izzy is a bit far across the pond there... even so, it might be worth visiting him a couple of times a month and then using his "remote coaching" service.
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mine is nothing like that. Things that break are fixed by the next time I am in there. If you need to cancel, I see a cancellation button on the member page of their website.
Originally Posted by Scuba_Jenny
