YMCA

If you are looking for a day camp this summer, Legacy YMCA has one of the best! My daughter attended last year and will be going again this summer. Last year, she exercised, swam, went on field trips, and had a great social experience. Director Kelli is fantastic and will be back again this year! Can’t beat the hours or the price either!

Terrible chemical smell. I had an allergic reaction to it and they wouldn’t give me my money back. Horrible place. I do not recommend it at all. Really a drab smelly dreadful place!

Recently joined, and I have to say I’m very content with the place. The employees were kind to reply to my stupid questions (you know, those first time member, awkward questions that have simple/​obvious answers,) and were very helpful. I just joined to get in shape, so I have basic needs, the weight room and maybe the pool once in the blue moon for laps. Haven’t been to the pool yet, but the weight room is just right. Not too packed, like the previous U of A gym I used to attend, and it has all the equipment needed for a basic lifting routine. Plus at the time I went, there were plenty treadmills and ellipticals open for use. I’ve been to several other gyms prior, and I have to say this YMCA weight room makes me feel the most comfortable to workout in thus far.

Wow, have to «go in» before they will even tell you how much membership is. GHETTO! Facility is old and kind of run-​down. Staff is what you would encounter at a typical fast food establishment. Odd smell and in a sketchy part of town = NO THANKS!

We moved to Phoenix about 6 months ago and since the first day I have been looking for a clean gym to work out in without having to get into a 1 or 2 year contract and have to pay a big sign up fee. About a month ago my husband found this ymca relatively close by and as a former military family they gave us a preferred membership fee without a sign up fee.
So far I’m really happy with this place. The work out area is spacious and the equipment are modern and clean. There is an outdoor pool and classes I haven’t used yet, but so far I’m very satisfied with everything and enjoy my workouts a lot.

I’m sad to write that the Christown YMCA is no longer what it used to be. I remember going here as a child and it was a great place for children and families. This is no longer the case. This YMCA is not a safe, healthy environment for children. The facilities are filthy, the childcare is overrun with kids, many of them sick, with very little supervision, and the swim lessons are poorly run.
This was our experience: I put my daughter in swim classes here and signed up our family for the gym membership. The swim classes were highly disorganized. The first day we were there they realized that they had signed up double the number of kids allowed in the class. They had to tell half of the people to wait thirty minutes until they had an instructor available. That might not sound like a lot, but when you are waiting by a pool with a baby, it is very inconvenient. Also, the person who signed us up for the class said that there would be 5 classes that month since there happened to be 5 Saturdays in the month. It turned out there were only 4 classes scheduled (which we didn’t know until we arrived at the 5^th class which turned out not to be happening). Also, during the 4^th class (which was actually the last class), there was an intoxicated man wandering around the pool area. He actually passed out on the pool deck five minutes into my daughter’s swim lesson. My husband saw it happen and rushed over to help. The lifeguards didn’t seem to know what to do. One lifeguard said, «He’s not breathing!» My husband knelt down to check and smelled a heavy scent of alcohol on the man. My husband asked the lifeguard, «Do you know CPR? Do you have a defibrillator? Has anyone called 911?» They did have a defibrillator and appeared to have had some training in CPR, but definitely were not quick to get started. My husband called 911 on his cellphone. They cleared the pool when this happened and told us we would be contacted about a makeup lesson. Not only were we not contacted but I called and e-​mailed multiple times to ask about scheduling a makeup lesson and never got a response.
As far as the childcare is concerned, we were told when we registered at the Y that the child adult ratio was 6:1 in the childcare area. That sounded reasonable to me, so we decided to come as a family one afternoon and have our girls stay in the childcare area for a half an hour while we worked out. When we arrived, there were (I am not exaggerating) AT LEAST 30 kids in the childcare area (which is not very large), and three adults. I use the term adult loosely since the two male staff members appeared to be around 18 years old. There was also one female staff member who appeared to be a bit older. I have a small baby who is under a year old and asked one of the male staff members if it would be safe for the baby there. He said yes, and when I pointed out several bins of small items (choking hazards), he said, «Don’t worry, big sisters are good at stopping babies from eating things they shouldn’t eat.» He was referring to my older daughter who was 2.5 at the time. I said that I would not leave my kids there with so many hazards and he said he would open up the «baby area.» This was a tiny enclosed area with a few toys and mats. He proceeded to pick up about 7 babies and put them in the baby area along with my two children. Immediately all 7 babies started crying and screaming and the staff member (the 18 year old male) appeared very frazzled and had no idea what to do with 7 screaming babies. I stepped into the baby area (my kids weren’t crying, since I was still there) and proceeded to help comfort several babies, including holding one baby boy who was especially upset, while I tried to distract the other babies with toys. The staff member left the baby area to go attend to some older children. Needless to say, I did not leave my kids there and did not end up being able to work out. As soon as I had the babies calmed down, I took my kids and went to the front desk and reported what was going on. The front desk worker told me that it was always like that in the afternoons since it is a very popular workout time.
I think it is terrible that the Y has become a place that is not suitable for kids and families. I would not recommend the Y to anyone, especially if you have children. It is an unsafe, disorganized, unclean facility with incompetent staff and there are so many better options available.

This became my home Y when I moved to the Central Phoenix area. The facilities are clean and the staff is very friendly and helpful. There are lots of newer cardio and fitness machines as well as free weights, so even during peak hours any wait would be minimal. The outdoor swimming pool is heated and of a decent size. There are areas for basketball, racquetball, and other activities. While my former Y in Glendale closes at 2 pm on Sundays, this one stays open till 4 pm on Sunday — which is good for me because I tend to wake up really late on that day. As with the other Ys, this branch offers various programs, classes, and other activities for the community.

So I went to Phoenix for six weeks to care for my family during a medical crisis. I work out regularly (six to seven days a week) and needed a place. A lot of local places pretty much ignored my requests so I decided on this place. One of the best choices I made while in Phoenix.
Karen the director figured out a short-​term deal for me while I was there, which truly shows how much she values her customer base. This worked out for me and I’ll say that I’m a true believe in the YMCA program when it’s run properly.
The Pros:
1. Plenty of parking available for members. I rarely saw it get filled up. A good sign of steady membership but not overflowing with people.
2. Extremely friendly staff working there. They took the time to learn my name and greeted me each time I checked in. Karen asked about how my family was doing periodically. Once again, clear understanding of customer service.
3. A spacious, clean, up-​to-​date facility. A great selection of weight lifting machines mixed with free weights. Plenty of room to workout. Even when there were a lot of people I never felt cramped. They’ve definitely put in plenty of investment in this area. If a piece of equipment had issues it was repaired immediately. The cardio equipment was also set up in a way that made sense. Usually places have everything lumped together and it feels like you’re going to be crushed into oblivion if you move too far to the left.
4. A fantastic basketball court for cardio, sports, etc. A great outside pool that is currently being renovated. Just perfect.
5. Membership rates are great for what they offer. In fact it’s the steal of the century. They’ve truly invested in getting members the best for their dollar. Yes there’s an initiation fee but that goes back into the facility if you’re going to be living in Phoenix.
The Cons:
1. It might be considered a bit out of the way for some people in the area. It’s on the corner of 17^th Ave and Missouri right next to an elementary school. To me it was worth the drive everyday.
In final, this place was a true respite for me in my time of trouble. I was able to relieve the stress of dealing with two parents that are critically ill while maintaining my own personal health and fitness. My wife noticed the change in my body because of going here. If I return I’m definitely going to look them up again to work out. Thanks to the entire staff for their support of me.

It pains me to write this review but I am so at the end of my frayed rope with you. I’ve almost nearly had it all together and I’ve voiced my concerns on many occasions and I’m all out of ideas.
Your group exercise program is flawed and needs to be re engineered. You pride yourself as being a volunteer center but you have no volunteers to instruct the classes. Scheduled classes that go cancelled once you have a packed (up to 40 members) workout room. Unacceptable and has unfortunately become the norm. I pay my monthly fee specifically for these options but I am finding myself paying additional out of pocket costs to pay another facility. This is my choice but I’ve done this with hopes that the program will make a come back. It’s been a cruel summer and I’m going to take this weekend to do some much needed thinking about alternate options.
I commend the loyal volunteer instructors who have stayed committed to their schedules and students. I’m going to venture that if you modify your program by paying out an instructor fee (like every other center) then you would have instructors fighting for time slots. I look forward to updating this review with a higher rating once the program improves, if I stick around.

Went early in the morning for cardio and the cardio room smelled like funk. Not a good funk, not a sexy funk — a cross between homeless person and thrift shop funk. They have wimpy ceiling fans which don’t do anything. Bring in some gigantic box fans or sue the company who did the HVAC on your recent renovation cause y’all were robbed.

When deciding to finally get a gym membership again (those summer months are not made for running, I don’t care what anyone says), I found it hard to look anywhere but a YMCA. As a child, that’s where we always had a membership. A YMCA is where I took swim lessons, where I learned I am not good at indoor soccer, even if it does involve cute jr high boys, and where my dad took me with him to use the real gym for the first time. There’s something about YMCAs that make you feel like home, and the Chris-​Town YMCA is no different.
The staff, first and foremost, is very friendly. From my first visit to every one after, they’ve always been kind and answered any questions I have had, no matter how silly.
The instructors are the same way. I took my first ever spin class here, and I didn’t feel like an idiot when I wasn’t sure how the hell to set that bike up. And no one judged me for the sad looks on my face when any gear above 14 was mentioned. Oh. And the bike class was outside that morning. Awesome! The zumba class on Thursday nights is a great mix of different types of people at all different skill levels. And the studio it’s in is gorgeous.
So speaking of gorgeous, that’s what this place is. The colors on the outside and inside within the studio and the entry walls are so bright and colorful. It makes you want to get moving. The studio where zumba and other classes are held is amazing. The bright paint, the new floors and the windows looking outside can’t be very old. There is a brand new gym with a basketball court that is phenomenal.
Standard gym equipment applies, but is very well kept. After a few weeks, I have still yet to see one that is out of order. The gym area is packed with treadmills, ellipticals, standard weight machines and free weights also, and always seems to be packed. That is the one slight downfall. Sometimes you will have to wait if you want to use a treadmill or elliptical. However, I’ve never had to wait long and come on, pick up a pair of weights or something. Or use the amazing rock climbing treadmill wall thing they have. This YMCA also has the fitlinxx system that lets you keep track of your progress. Way to go!
The only downfall so far, is that they haven’t had an operational membership card machine since before I started. Therefore, I still have yet to get my membership card which makes it not feel as real. I’m sure the minute I come in with the most terrible workout getup known to mankind, it will magically be fixed. I’ll try to do that soon.

The YMCA really is great. They provide such a welcoming atmosphere for everyone. With great programs, prices and a friendly helpful staff you really can’t go wrong here.

yeah, i’m not that into this location. it’s quite small and the weekend hours are sort of lame. i know a ton of people who like or need to work out later in the day over the weekends, but can’t do it here.
there are many older folks who use the facility and they are some of the most unfriendly people i have had to deal with… snotty really and lamely cliquey.
the staff are super nice which is funny because i used to workout at the downtown Y and the members were very nice and engaging but the staff were total di#@@s. so much so, that i have stopped going. the bummer is that the DT location finally changed their weekend hours to much better hours and now i’m over at christown… and not really happy.
the one thing christown has going for it is their fantastic pool! It’s so nice to swim out of doors and there are enough lanes for the overweight people to float and blob up and down, while still having enough lanes for lap swimmers. so what to do? sounds like a personal problem for sure. i have been thinking about trying out LA Fitness but i haven’t heard many great things about them and their pool is quite small.
i’m planning to go to the christown Y tomorrow but not without angsty thoughts of old people looking at me oddly or making it known that i’m in there way or on their machine. well, maybe i won’t go i’m already feeling stressed thinking about going there… this is not a good thing:(

It’s the YMCA. The original gym/​fitness center. Ok, I mean in modern times – like the last 120 years or so. If you have kids and live in the community it’s worth belonging to the YMCA just for the discounts on kids activities and the chances for involvement. But the YMCA in the Phoenix area also has several surprising features in their workout center not found in other places.
I belong both to the YMCA as well as a corporate gym (LA Fitness). It’s surprising to me that YMCA has implemented the FixLinxx System while the sales reps at LA Fitness have never even heard of it. FitLinxx allows you to keep track of your cardio and circuit strength training by first logging into a central console when you arrive, then entering your PIN at each machine as your progress through your workout. The system lets you track your progress in a convenient way, keeps you on the straight-​and-​narrow for range of motion and speed of reps, and even bitches you out if fall short of your goals for training frequency or sets/​reps for a given time. I have found it to be wonderfully helpful in my program. Again, LA Fitness does not have anything like this system, but most YMCA’s in the Valley have FitLinxx fully implemented. And the family rate for the YMCA is attractively low considering it includes things like child care during common workout hours.
This location tends to have a lot of older members working out throughout the day, which can get embarrassing for people 20 – 30 years younger (like me) who can’t keep up with them.
The biggest drawbacks for me (and reasons why I joined another gym) were the limitation in hours (close early most days and at 3 on Saturdays) and the location (it’s a 6 mile drive for me). Also the facilities are often not as well-​kept as they could be. At times nearly a third of the treadmills will be out of commission.

This is my local YMCA, which I’ve been a member of now for almost a year. We joined to give the fiancé’s daughter a place to play basketball and meet local kids (there aren’t any her age in our townhouse complex). Towards this goal, the Y has been great. She’s on her second season of basketball, and has meet new friends in our neighborhood. Another goal was for us to have a place to work out occasionally, usually while she’s at practice.
The workout facilities are top notch. Lots of free weights and machines for the muscles, lots of cardio machines for the heart/​lungs. The facility also has large rooms for classes (aerobics, tai chi, yoga, etc) and a pool and basketball courts outside. Locker rooms are available, as well. I’ve never had to wait for a cardio machine, though I intentionally don’t go at 5pm M-​F to avoid waiting.
Over the last year, I’ve seen continual improvement in the staff and facilities.

I usually go with parents (members) when I’m in town. It’s a small community-​oriented gym perfect for families and older patrons.
You’ll see pre-​teens, teens, and men in their 40s and 50’s in the racquetball courts. The weight and aerobic machine area attracts a wide age-​range of people. Nothing makes you work harder than seeing someone 20 years your senior lifting more and leaving you in the dust on the elliptirunner. Today I watched two women in their late 40s/​early 50s put me to shame in the weight area.
The elliptirunners and treadmills were updated and all have screens that allow you to see your virtual trainer and your virtual track. You can also plug your IPOD in. There’s a plethora of magazines for those of you who like to read while you work-​out (you know, the hard core gym rats). There are multiple TV screens usually tuned to news stations.
I’ve only swam once and I had a lane all to myself though there were classes nearby.
The locker room’s a bit worn but never dirty. The facilities are actually kept pretty clean.
Staff is young and pleasant enough but certainly don’t have that corporate 24 hour smile going.
The only down side is the hours. They close early-​ish compared to some other gyms and don’t force their staff to hang out at the gym on holidays.
I definitely recommend it if you have a family or want to be surrounded by fit older people putting you to shame by their sheer endurance and strength.