UIC Student Center West

Well there is not too much I can write that is much different than some of the other positive reviews so far. What I can tell you though, is that this location is a no frills, nothing fancy type of gym, with all the equipment and basic amenities a gym should have. It is not your high-​end, spa/​juice bar/​tan salon/​supplement store/​. well you get the point!
It is however, a great place to get your workout in. It has a great selection of free weights, cardio machines, running and walking tracks, a pool, sauna, racquet ball courts, basketball courts, heavy bag and speed bag, and offers group fitness classes and affordable personal training…
Being a university employee has it’s perks as the fees are very reasonable and allows us access to the bigger, nicer, east side location on Halsted with our membership. But the rates for non-​employee/​non-​student are still cheaper than big chain gyms nearby and offer more than the small local gyms.
So if you are in the Medical District and need a solid gym, this gym is a great option.

This has everything you need. A swimming pool, 2 basketball courts, 3 racquetball courts, 3 workout/​dance studios, a walking track, a running track, weight sets, etc. They also offer Badminton and Volleyball during special times.
One kicker to this venue is that they do have kettle bells. and a large selection.
They have decent hours by closing at 11 Sunday — Thursday and earlier closing times on the weekends. Summer hours are shortened a lot.
Showers are a bit dingy, but its not like you need to eat off the floor.
I recommend, and if you are a UIC member, summer fees are ridiculously affordable if you are not enrolled.

Tried out this place for a month as it was, location wise, extremely conveinent between my two jobs in the medical district. Unfortunately I was not so impressed to make a long term committment based on the following: 1) Policy for non-​UIC folks: you can only use this west facility and not the bigger east one, for a significant markup (although not as bad as other gyms in the city for sure); 2) I realized that the last thing I want to do is hang around work more when I was done; 3) Lack of locker rental unless you purchase a whole year – EXTREMELY inconvenient to have to carry everything with you every day (probably the biggest dealbreaker of all); 4) Despite a nice outer shell and new building, the equipment was old, needed oiling, and not up-​to-​date compared to my local neighborhood gym; 5) attendants seemed disinterested and non-​welcoming – overall atmosphere reminiscent of my dreary college gyms rather than a motivating place to work out.

This is a great facility. The shitty part is that you have to pay for a membership up front and without an alumni or faculty discount, it can be pretty pricey to pay in a lump sum.
The locker rooms are spacious and clean. There is a lazy river if you feel like hanging out in your bathing suit but there are also swimming lanes. There is a rock climbing wall, tons of cardio equipment (including stair steppers, elipticals, treadmills, rowing machines, bikes, etc.), an indoor track (¹⁄₈^th of a mile), basketball courts, racquetball courts, and many weight machines.
It can get fairly crowded without it feeling like there are too many people in there.
I went to UIC and used their crappy basement gym in the CCC for four years. Finally, after I graduated (go figure), they construct an amazing fitness facility for students and staff. I suggest it for people in the area, as there isn’t another gym of this quality for this price close by.

To my knowledge you have to be a student of UIC to have access to these facilities, but I’ve heard rumors you can gain access otherwise too for a fee. The facilities at the fitness center recently went through an amazing facelift and addition. I workout here quite often and they have a real good selection of free weights, weight machines, workout equipment, and cardiovascular machines (treadmills, elipticals, etc.). The only downside is their indoor track. I don’t like small tracks (less than a half mile) and this one is definately smaller, but thats a personal preference.