Bob Gilbertson Central City Family YMCA

One of my two gym memberships, and actually the one that I like the better of the two. The Y may not have a juice bar, or the newest equipment, but what it lacks in these areas it makes up for in personality and friendliness. Going to the gym can be intimidating for many people, and I have never felt intimidated ever going to the Y; as a matter of fact it’s the complete opposite. The staff always check in with you to see how you’re doing, even other patrons are willing to give a helping hand, which is my biggest complaint about the other gym I go to: it just doesn’t seem friendly. They have on site child care, racquetball courts, pool, huge basketball courts, and a good amount of both machine and free-​weight equipment. Honestly, I like the Y, not just because they are friendly but they give back to community too, and help those in need. Central city is a pretty good Y to attend overall if you’re interested in working out and close to downtown Tampa.

This is the first time I’ve joined a Y. Coming from belonging to Anytime Fitness there is a lot to get used to.
First, the hours. Having limited hours isn’t great, the Y isn’t open on Sunday at all. That’s OK, I can go run on Sundays instead of going to the gym. On the plus side, and one of the major reasons I joined is that there are spinning classes at 6 am weekdays. I like to work out in the early morning so this is perfect for me.
Second, the equipment. There is a lot of equipment, which is great. It’s not all new but it’s all serviceable.
Third, the pool. I love that I can swim laps year round. So that is also a plus.
My first day going to the Y was the day they had the Breakfast with Santa event so I was a little overwhelmed by how many kids were running around. Now I just work my visits around those busy times and I’m fine.