Optimal Gym

Tough to give a star when I didn’t get in. Its hard enough to get ourselves to the gym. I went in thinking this gym was associated with the one near 13^th and walnut. When I found out it wasn’t, I tried to pay for a day membership. Which they did not have. I was told I could do a month for $ 24.00, I said no problem. Took out $ 30.00 and offered to the person at the counter. He told me he didn’t have change. I told him he can have 22.00 or 30.00 its all I have. I had no problem not receiving change which I told the person behind the counter. At which point he remembered he can not take cash. My monthly membership would have probably turned into a yearly with its location close to my house. I know the employee was instructed by ownership on this policy. Ownership has lost a member. I will never walk back into that gym again.

Besides the outdatedness the amenities are good if you are particular but like a lot reviews said I found out the hard way of how they like to play games with the rates and ultimately charge you whatever they want. Customer service is 0. My friend did month to month and they charged him for 1 year claiming it was the enrollment fee unbelievable!

My boyfriend and myself have been members at this gym for a year, but there was a lapse of a few months where we weren’t going. In the meantime, apparently the gym had changed their business hours and «after hour» access to the facility. There used to be a front desk employee until 11pm. We arrived at 10:50 and saw the sign that an access code was required for entry to the gym. We called the phone number that is posted on the door to be told that we would have to come back during the day to get an access code, the sign with the phone number also stated that there is a manger on duty 24 hours who apparently couldn’t come to the door to help us. We received no notice that this would be happening and weren’t issued an access code by mail, email or phone. This information would have been useful before we wasted our time driving and parking to go, on top of the fact that we were refused access to a membership that were both currently paying for. Thanks for the complete lack of customer service, old broken equipment, and poor business practices. I’ll be ending my membership at the end of my contract. There are nicer gyms in the area.

I was a member for a little more than a year starting back in 2012. I loved the gym, I was never backed up waiting for machines, there’s was always space to do ab work and pull ups, the pool and sauna were cool and the semi private boxing were all great! Things I had to sadly let go of because at the end of my one year the promotion I was over and I was going to have to pay more monthly (from 45 $ to 60 $). This messed with my budget at the time and I couldn’t really negotiate my rate to stay a member so I had to leave to another gym. My preference would have been to stay because it really was a great place to workout, but talking price with them was a nightmare. If you join you won’t be dissapponted, I just hope they’ve worked out better rates and promotions for member retention. I’m now at sweat gym up the street from them.

This place is a unique place to workout because it has variety of equipment but half the things go unused. They advertise saunas and don’t have saunas. The pool is tiny and hot tub is hot a couple days of the week which is extremely stressful when you want to relax. It’s more of an older crowd that goes but random younger people here and there. The place itself I think is filthy because despite the signs literally posted everywhere in the gym to clean machine after use no one does. And the mats don’t get me started! The place has karate/​judo classes… racquetball…indoor basket ball. yoga…rock climbing (only sometimes) …boxing ring. The machines in the one room are old and most of time don’t have weight pins or broken. Speaking of broken the treadmills.bikes.elliptical machines are broken all the time and all
of them are calibrated wrong and or different so good luck finding one that works for you. If it rains they put all there trash cans strategically placed to catch the rain leaks. If it’s hot and humid this place gets uncomfortably hot even though the «a/​c is on «. All in all it’s not a bad gym and price is high but what you get in all gyms in city. Unless you live closer to the city they have philly club that’s cheaper and way nicer. This gym also has a sister gym closer to city that’s nicer and cheaper. They will try and overcharge you for everything so watch your credit card statement. And now this new hour ordeal you’ve got to be kidding me. It’s a 24 hour gym but they make you pay additional 10 $ to go during non peak hours. Like I said all in all it’s a gym but they sell it like a 5 class place.

Optimal gym is one of my favorite gyms since living in Philly! The hours really make it possible for me to make it before or after work! There is a wide selection of machines and multiple rooms to do other workouts in! There are also some fun games like table tennis, pool and foose ball! I also really like that there is a pool and a place to tan outside! It has been a great gym for me and my boyfriend!

Excellent Gym with all amenities !
Pros:
Love the manager, Erich.
Front desk people are nice
Recommend Zumba with Luis. He’s the best zumba instructor.
Nice Pool and Jacuzzi
Cool Roofdeck to relax after workout and just tan
Experienced Optimal trainers
Spacious Racquetball and basketball courts
Boxing and Jiu Jitsu classes
Rock climbing room
Beautiful yoga room
Clean locker rooms (both women and men)
Aqua massage
Massage therapist on site by appointment.
Loungue to relax with pool and ping pong table
Cons:
Hard to find parking in the evening
Men’s bathroom needs upgrading

A great family-​oriented gym that has an emphasis on total wellness and health in a comfortable environment free of intimidation and a staff always willing to go the extra mile! It’s a great place to workout, meet new folks and improve health and wellness!

Best gym in area, great knowledgable trainers a real community. As a disabled senior this gym is a Silver Sneaker location and a large group of seniors meet and relax here daily.
The hours (24) allow for flexibility
I have been a member at this location past five years and looking forward to the next. 5 years!

Dear Unilocal Diary. I can not work out for a while because of my injury and so I now SPA at the new gym membership. It succks to not be able to work out anymore. i dont think Im destined to be thin and in shape. It really has been hindering and now just plain annoying. So i needed anything to keep me from being completely inactive or in bed. I use the jacuzzi hot tub here and then sauna and it works my cardiovascular… so I keep electrolytes… becus it is like u are physically working out the vascular system but not the muscular system. It is my technique. All the pharmacy school education has me very experimental with my creative version of physical therapy. I have a physical therapist but it takes time and hurts a lot after each session that i want to avoid if i can and come here instead. Well now the lights are blown out after i wished it would inside the sauna.;P It was way too bright. And I love the 24 hour much more. It is near South street so I can explore more and that makes me happy. But still parking is crazy. so… Im just a night owl now. its been over 10 years since Im a member here. And now I have Unilocal.Ten years ago there was no Unilocal.Only the explorative adventurous side of me and friends. Thank gawd. Otherwise Id be bored to death. Im wishing down the road I can lift weights and box and run again. This accident hindered my life and it sometimes can bring me to a depression cus i like to get out be active and do things. now i feel semi handicapped from my normal routine. I can just sit and write more. Walking outdoors long distance I can not do anymore without extreme fatigue or a level of aches and pain. Reminder Im allergic to pain meds. Just terrific! Yeah… So I guess I will become a full time Unilocaler while Im in this state of injury. Sincerely, Unhappy

Great gym. Very nice staff. Gym has a pool, jacuzzi, all the weights and machines a gym would have, racquetball courts, a small bball court, and sun-​deck for a tan for the summer. Prices are reasonable as well. Definitely recommended.

This is possibly the weirdest place I have ever been to and I’m not even sure if I can accurately describe it in my Unilocal review.
It has all of these ammenities (ex: racquetball, basketball court, boxing ring, roofdeck for sunning/​yoga classes on nice days, hot tub, sauna, etc.), but it looks like it hasn’t been updated in years. It just sort of looks dirty and rundown and I’m including the pool and racquetball courts.
I decided to sign up for a 24 dollar month despite the 1-​star Unilocal reviews because it was a block away from my apartment and I really needed to start running again. I thought I’d just be really careful when canceling my membership and billing. When I signed up for the trial, they required me to choose a plan that would automatically be billed if I didn’t cancel within the month and did inform me I had to sign something in person. I tried to ask for information on prices and couldn’t get a concrete answer. When my roommate decided to sign up for the trial, he told her different prices for membership than he told me!
Halfway through my month, I told them that I would not be continuing after the trial and they informed me that if I did not plan on continuing and signed this document, then I couldn’t come to the gym anymore for the rest of my trial even though I had ALREADY paid 24 dollars. I’m almost positive that actually isn’t legal. They want you to forget and trap you in a contract that says you will be 69 dollars a month for 12 months and a 25 dollars credit card fee and 29 dollar 6 month fee for «updating the gym.
That was very difficult to explain via help, but I really do think like other Unilocalers state they are intentionally trying to trap you in a contract.
So if you want to pay for a gym that is falling apart and possibly get stuck in a contract, go to Optimal! They haven’t actually billed me like the other Unilocalers, but lets see what happens when I get my next statement

I haven’t tried to cancel my membership yet, so I can’t speak to any credit card issues…
I’ve been a member here for a few years now. Yes, the walls could use a new coat of paint in the cardio room and some of the equipment is dated, but I love how down to earth the staff is and have never had a problem trying to get on a machine. I’ve been working out with trainer Will there for about a year now and can’t say enough good things about him.
+ Tons of cool ammenities (ex: racquetball, basketball court, boxing ring, roofdeck for sunning/​yoga classes on nice days, hot tub, sauna, etc…)
+ Friendly staff (especially Eric, the manager)
+ Not nearly as many meat head, gym rat types as you’d find at Sweat
+ Ample cardio machines (no waiting!)
+ Open 24 hours for people with odd schedules
— Wish some of the machines were updated in the cardio room
— The water damage in some of the rooms needs to be addressed

Since this isn’t a 1-​star review, I obviously have not had any billing issues with this place.
That said, I really like the vibe at this gym. Very friendly staff and management. Equipment is is good shape. They have crazy things that I only marginally care about (rock climbing walls, sun deck, saunas, cryotherapy?) but are really cool.
Normally, a pool, hot tub, boxing gym, jiu-​jitsu (costs extra), and good vibes would only warrant 4-​stars. This place gets the extra points for the wide open rehearsal space — something very hard for dancers to find. The yoga room is available much of the time — if not, there are 2 racquetball courts, a basketball court, and a general purpose workout studio (rubber floors but will work in a pinch).
I’ve been here about 10 hours a week for the past month, and I’ve never had a problem finding an open room. Shit is life changing. Plus — after jumping and rolling around on an un-​sprung wood floor like an asshole for 2 hours, the hot tub is fantastic.

Just to let everyone know — it seems that this credit card fraud is intentional, or at a minimum completely negligent. I have filed a billing dispute with the credit card company, continued to be billed 4 months after that, and now have to cancel my credit card. I am still owed $ 270.00 which I may never see.
Please go to SWEAT gym instead — it’s right up the street.

Probably the worst customer service of my life.
I was a member of this gym for several years. it is a relatively empty gym (which i like) but much of the equipment (ellipticals and such) are broken and they never repair anything. I would estimate that 50% of the cardio equipment is broken in someway and has been for years.
last November i tried to quit /​cancel my membership (i started going to Sweat down the street). They said i had to come in and sign a written note (weird request but i did it). it’s now June (7 months later) and my credit card is still being charged! i have had roughly 6 seperate in person discussions about the issue and several calls and emails. i’m at my wits end. i am thinking of suing them.
I honestly don’t understand. i guess ill just cancel my credit card but that is such a hassle for me and i cant believe it has to come to that. i have never experienced this level of incompetence in any organization in my whole life. please do yourself a favor and NEVER, NEVER, EVER sign up for this gym. it will be a mistake you will pay for many times over.

Another month and a half has gone by since my last update/​review of Optimal. Despite my phone calls, and emails, they have yet to contact me.
I called my credit card company to block them from charging me, and to dispute the charge. I called Amex for an update, and they have not been answering American Express’s communications either. Amex said «Thats a good sign for you».
Not only do they not answer calls from their clients, they dont answer communications from a major credit card company either. Yep, thats one way to do business.
Lets see if they answer calls from the bank when they go bankrupt.

If you want piss poor customer service, the run around, and waste of your valuable time join this gym. Do not engage in any type of «trial» memberships. I decided to «try» this local gym after belonging to the Bellevue for many years. Compared to the Bellevue — which is the only première gym in Philadelphia — this is truly basics. Run down machines, cob webs in the corners of walls, busted machines, scary locker rooms.
I physically went into this gym to cancel my «trial» membership, spoke with a rep at the front desk and they tapped on the computer and sent me on my way. Come to find out, they continue to charge my account for a YEAR membership because they claim I never cancelled. After a MONTH of trying to resolve this issue with no email returns, no return phone calls, run around from the manager they of course, blame me for all this «misunderstanding».
I should have listened to all my local neighbors that this place is shady and has been for years.
Go across the street to Sweat or over to PSC on 5^th.
Enough said.

This place is now called Optimal Gym, and I am told it is far nicer now than when it was Pennsport.
From the outside, it looks small, but in the spirit of Philadelphia architecture, a narrow front hides a long interior. Inside: racquetball courts, pool, hot tub, boxing ring, massage, tanning, roof deck, lockers rooms with saunas and steam rooms, rock-​climbing wall, free weights, kettlebells, weight machines, cardio machines, and a place to stretch after whatever grueling workout your heart desires. Classes include Zumba, functional high intensity training, jiu jitsu, yoga, and all of your basic aerobics classes.
On amenities alone, this gym can kick any other gym’s butt.
They have various membership packages, and no one who works there is a sales person meaning they are not pushy, annoying, or liable to represent the gym as something more than it is. That said, it’s a solid option as far as gyms go, with some older stuff and some newer stuff. Very recently, they replaced all of the cardio machines.
People seem to be pretty chill and represent a typical gym atmosphere: cardio bunnies with perfect hair and lipgloss, mirror flexers, douchepacks (packs of douchebags) who do a lot of curls and punch each other in their swole pecs, profuse sweaters, Runners, and those who buck the stereotype and just come to do their thing.
New members are entitled to a fitness assessment with a trainer. This was really helpful in identifying some of my weak points, though the trainer couldn’t understand why a past trainer would teach me things like the squat and deadlift, and he helped me bench the bar (by «help» I mean «lifted it for me») though I can bench more than that. Apparently women at Optimal should stick to stability balls and pink weights, so it’s unlikely that I would ever hire a trainer.

Just joined a month ago, and have been very impressed with this facility.
There’s a pool, sun deck, about four racquetball rooms, a boxing ring, basketball court and more. You would never be able to tell how big it is from the outside.
I primarily do the fitness classes, and racquetball. I’ve taken Zumba and Pilates and have loved every class. There’s four different Zumba instructors, with five Zumba classes a week!!! (That and the location being so close to my house, made me choose this gym.)
Am surprised that the gym is never really crowded. Class size vary class to class, but the weight area is never crowded, and my husband really likes that. Majority of people are from Queen Village, and there’s a real neighborhood feel to this place.
Would definitely recommend this gym.