Uptown Gym

I love this gym with all my heart. I am not into the commercial gyms where it’s always jam packed with people. This is one of few real gyms around. I love the old school feel about it. No Hassel to sign up. No contacts I dig that. Other places are just worried about signing you up and taking your money. The only thing that I wish they could change are the closing hours on the weekend. They close a little to early for me

Awesome gym way better than any commercial gym.

Went to sign up again after taking a break, A new manager was onsite he proceeded to tell me I never had an account there prior. I told him to look up my card Richard the owner had always kept it on file even after a year break he still had it. The manager told me I was lying I never had one and also told me I never paid a lower price prior. After that the manager if you call really can him that told me that this gym is not my gym and go some where else! He stated this at least six or seven times I don’t know what his problem is, but when a returning member comes back to sign up you would think a manager would be happy and welcoming to a returning account. I would not recommend this gym to anyone with this new manager and atmosphere he trying to create. He also told me to look around and said again this is not your gym. Saying this I am White and the gym had only Hispanic member in it this morning. This was a horrible experience to be pumped up to get back in there and then be treated with racism and plain disrespect. I am a vet. I have been over seas 4 years to defend my country so people like this can live free in a great country only to taint it with their ignorance. Please stop and consider if this is a place you really want to represent, changes need to be made starting with new management!

Perfect gym! People are more self disciplined and strictly about their workout! Place is always organized and weights are always put back where they suppose to be. Owner is a kind gentlemen and introduced himself the day I got my membership. Rather workout here than to work out a 24 hour to be honest.

Love this place. I go to whittier college and decided to go somewhere while my school gym is closed. Great old school feel without the crap that comes with 24 hour fitness or LA fitness

Great gym overall. People do take their work outs seriously. All levels of experience attend the gym and seem to be welcome. The gym supports body building and physique type goals. Powerlifting is supported at this gym I trained/​peeked for my last few meets here. Great early morning staff whose an ex college athlete and knowledgeable person. Great evening staff as well young dudes that are college football players. This is my gym.

So, I joined this gym a few weeks back, after wanting something close to my house and also liked the fact, it isn’t packed.
The owner is very nice.
Old school gym, so isn’t all modern and fancy shmancy, but it has everything you need to get in shape, maybe not all the bells and whistles like 24 or LA Fitness, but it serves it’s purpose. You will see people who take their workouts seriously, no bs or chit chat here.
I usually go around 6 am, so not sure of evening, but it is really nice to have a place to workout where people aren’t ogling at you or where you have to wait on machines.

Great place and people I’ve been working out here for over 6 months everyone is very helpful and willing to help just ask and for everyone just an FYI Matt the trainer is no longer here for the last two months

At this point Matthew has now threatened me that he will make sure no one will in the industry will ever work with me and has told me to watch myself. I have never dealt with an individual like this before and it’s scary. Please see attached screenshot as proof.

Okay I am excited to leave my first official review for my trainer of 4 months now.
I ran into Matt at the gym I was working out at and after a few different trainers and after many hours of working out with very little results I was ready to invest into my health and well being with a certified trainer. Everyone thought I was crazy… I am naturally healthy & fit but this was a life changing moment I will forever be grateful for. If you are looking to make a change in your physical appearance health or well being you have come to the right person. I am motivated by him and his other clients daily in reaching the results I desire. From the meal plan which has shaped my healthy eating habits to the functional fitness training I was yearning for. Results speak for themselves and I couldn’t be happier with not only how I look but the great feeling that powers me through each day…
If you have the will he will help you get there!!!
Thank You for helping me reach my personal goals on a daily basis
Much Love for Talk Less Train More & Matt Diaz’s Training!

This review is specifically for the trainer Matthew Diaz who apparently only uses this facility for training his clients. I know nothing about Uptown Gym otherwise.
This cocky little sh! t of a high school drop out will do anything to book clients. He has been reported to 24hr Fitness at Whitwood for soliciting and stealing customers This is the saddest excuse for professionalism I have ever heard of. Come time for the end of your sessions and he will hound and harass you to commit to train with him only. He allows his personal life and drama effect what his clients pay for and brushes it off as ‘haters’. I’ll do whatever I can to have this childish, egotistic a-​hole banned from training at other local fitness centers.
Sorry Matthew Diaz, but you are no one special. Learn how to speak to people respectively. One day someone may not take kindly to your pushiness.

I love this gym! It’s a little old school but that’s what makes is so much nicer than one of those big commercial places where you have to wait in line to get on a machine. Everyone is so friendly and it’s a small town feel in Uptown Whittier. Support the local businesses. Richard, the owner, could not be nicer or more knowledgeable about working out. I’m so happy I joined this place and it’s within walking distance of all the uptown amenities.

If I could give an additional half star, I’d give this place 4.5 stars. The only reason they don’t get 5 is because they are, after all, an old school gym that does not provide a child care option. If they had somewhere for my child to hang out during my workout, I would have signed up in a heartbeat.
Parking in Uptown Whittier is a pain, but since I trained in the morning, this was never an issue for me. This is a no nonsense, SERIOUS gym. No sales gimmicks, no trainers (see note below) trying to pressure you into nightmare training contracts and no crowds. Yes, there are some BIG guys in there, but they’re all very polite and NEVER inappropriate. They want to train and get the hell outta there and they respect your space. If you’re looking for a Planet Fitness type of place, THIS PLACE IS NOT FOR YOU. If you want to train in peace and avoid waiting 20 minutes for an available treadmill, you’ll be glad you came here.
Their memberships are pretty simple and range from month-​to-​month, to a year at a time. The pricing is clearly better if you sign up for a year (vs month to month), but they don’t try to talk to into anything you don’t feel comfortable with. Jay works the front desk in the mornings and he is a riot. He doesn’t put up with shenanigans and makes sure that gym members rack their weights so that no one will get hurt.
note: personal trainers are allowed to rent space at this gym and work as independent contractors. These people are not employees of Uptown Gym and I would recommend doing your homework before signing up with any of them. If they claim to be certified, please ask for their certification ID number and the name of the organization by which they claim to be certified (i.e. NASM, ISSA, etc.). Some have been known to display certificates to potential clients, but they fail to mention that they have not kept their certification current. Not all the trainers here are shady, but all it takes is one bad apple to make the rest look unprofessional.

Do I even have to give this place a star? Seriously do NOT waste your time at this place. You have big dudes that think they know what they are doing because they have big muscles. They may know for themselves for people paying money, they have no respect, absolutely no education to be giving nutrition, workout advice. Please stay away from this place. If I were you, go down whittier blvd, and Find Mike Seril’s Fitness or all the other gyms that will give you a 100 percent better workout then this place! Other gyms also care about who they hire, this gym will hire anyone that will pay rent for the place!