Vanguard Key Clubs

As the only Unilocal review states from 2012, this is a place to go to workout not find a friend. It has changed over the years due to the fact that the only other gym in York closed recently which did change up the clientele somewhat. Some of these guys just never shut up but they are nice enough and pleasant and honestly I don’t really care because I go in and do my thing and get out. Its not a social thing for me its something I have to do so I’m not dilly dallying and having a chat fest. The bathroom needs some lights and updating but again I am not spending a lot of time in there. If I did have to use the showers there I would ask for improvement. Honestly every time I have ever asked for something from the owner its happened right away. My son, husband and I are all members and it is right down the street and we all love the fact that we can go whenever we want. Just swipe the card and get in when you feel like it 24×7. With the increased clientele it seems like the machines are a little more busy and /​or out of order than they were in the past. I am assuming they are simply catching up to having more people in the gym. They have tons of machines and weights. I have been the only person in there and I’ve been there with 10 others and still had plenty of room They have TV’s and music and a room to stretch with a heavy bag and exercise balls.
If you are looking for perfect or glamour go somewhere else — if you are looking for clean, ²⁴⁄₇ convenience this is the place for you. Management is responsive to all requests.

This is the gym for those who prefer a non-​social workout. The just get-​down to business kind of work out. If you’re looking to meet your new BFF or just any new person this is not your place.
There are also no frills. Vanguard is the type of membership gym that is run completely un-​manned. There are no front desk people or roaming trainers. Just a facility of equipment and changing rooms/​showers. No towel distributors or people to pick up your dry cleaning. The front door is locked and requires a key card to enter. Presumably only members have key cards. This style isn’t for everyone — there’s no one to ask about your account, get equipment-​use recommendations or anything else. This kind of place works if you know what you want to do, how you’re going to do it and possibly that you require access at all random hours of the day or night (facility is «open» 24 hours a day and all holidays.
I was drawn to this facility because mainly due to its proximity to my home. It was very convenient. I also like that it is 24 hours. Coming from California, this is a feature I’ve come to expect from a gym (if I want to work-​out at 2:30am I think I should be able to).
The pricing of this place is reasonable considering the hours available. It is a bit more given that you can join Planet Fitness in Portsmouth for $ 10/​month or something ridiculous like that. Last I checked the York Fitness Center was also more of a value.
But if you’re like me and you enjoy not having to wait for machines or have others tracking how long you’re been on a machine, than this place is for you. The machines are generally pretty clean (they have weekly cleaning service & honor system spray down bottles). The management seems responsive to complaints if anything is broken.
If you’re looking to get focused on your work-​out, not have to deal with anyone’s else’s workout and want flexibility in time of day, this is a great option.
Pros: Membership allows you access to all their locations (Dover, Portsmouth, etc), showers are impeccably at this location as it seems few people use them, never crowded, reasonable price, lots of parking.
Cons: Sometimes a little too lonely, seems to take awhile to get the vending machine re-​stocked.