West Loop Athletic Club

Visited on a guest pass.
It’s a little small, and can get a little crowded. Most of the facility is taken up by the pool area. It has a pretty high price for the amount of space and what it offers, but I guess it’s convenient for those nearby. I think you could probably get a better membership at a better price, or better value nearby.

Looking for a lifting partner. I am an ex college athlete but that was 15 years ago! Looking for a lifting partner to set a schedule. Pretty benign request — but lifting results are always improved with a teammate. BTW — not in any way a salacious request, just looking for a workout partner.

When I moved from lakeview to the west loop I kept my CAC membership because I can literally see the gym from my bedroom. You would THINK that having a 30 second door to door walk to the gym would mean I was at this place all of the time, right? FALSE! This gym is small, dingy, run down and not up to par with the rest of the CAC clubs and in the 6 months I kept my membership I maybe went 10 times. I am a class junkie and I couldn’t get into most of the classes offered here. It’s possible that I was spoiled because I initially belonged to LVAC? I also found the front staff people to be less helpful and a little more rude than elsewhere. I really hope this club does some major renovations since this area is now booming with growth!

I go there about 4 – 5 times a week. The place is clean, the staff are friendly, and it’s usually not too crowded.
People like the steam room, sauna, and pool. I use none of them but they look nice if you’re the type that enjoys that sort of thing.
Probably not the place for the most serious of lifters, but perfect for more casual gym-​goers like me.
Minus 1 star (4 star review): A slightly higher cost-​to-​amenity ratio then I’d expect, but their location works too well for me to look elsewhere.

I have used gyms across the country, was a member of Evanston Athletic Club for 2 years and use the Bucktown and Wicker Park athletic clubs regularly. I have only used the West Loop Athletic club a handful of times — for good reason.
I have never interacted with a more in-​your-​face rude staff anywhere! I think the entire management of the gym needs to go. This location is an embarrassment to the pleasant Chicago Athletic Club family!

Good gym that has everything you need including the extras — pool, hot tub, sauna, steam.
Classes are surprisingly good for such s broad range.

I can’t believe it has taken me this long to review WAC! I just moved out of Chicago and WAC set such a high bar I am having trouble finding something as awesome. I love the classes and the variety in time and activity. Instructors are so nice and helpful. My boyfriend mainly uses the cardio equipment and weights and there is always enough not matter what type of workout you want. The locker rooms and clean and well stocked! I already miss WAC!

Great class, but old equipment, Use to go to LVAC club, so the facility are not exist, but still great

Great option in West Loop/​West Town/​Fulton Market area. Good size pool and basketball court. Wish they had hammer strength equipment like Xsport, and a juice bar.

Pretty clean, nice place, I was a member and only left because my health insurance got me a half-​price deal somewhere else.
it is expensive here though, and parking can be pretty tough; there are a few street spots in front and a small lot off to the side but both are usually full at peak hours.
oh and a minor thing — the drinking water is always warm.
asked a few times if they could improve that but they never did.

Great place to work out. Clean, well ventilated, up to date equipment, spacious, free parking. Lots of weight training… I’m happy camper now, my gym closed beginning April and I’ve checked out other fitness in near west side… west loop area.

Pretty nice gym. I came here with my boyfriend (who is a member) since it’s family and friends week or something like that. We took a yoga class and did some work with the weights. The yoga class was a little long for my taste (1 hour and 15 minutes), but it was still fun. The mats kind of smelled a little chlorine-​ish though, which was throwing me off a bit. The amenities are all very clean and very nice, which I thought was great. It’s also just spacious enough so that you don’t feel super crowded. There’s an area with like astroturf which was interesting, but not as bothersome as I thought it would be if you’re sitting/​laying on it.
Great gym, but I don’t know if I’d pay the $ 70+ a month for it. If you can afford it, I’d say go for it though!

I was a member here for three and a half years, going there about 4 – 6 times per week. So, if you want to know a little about this «Athletic Club», read on because I can fill you in. Here are many reasons to be very wary of joining this club:
1) Parking: easy on off hours, tough to very tough to impossible during prime time (both am and pm). More than once I’ve given up and gone home after circling for an open parking spot and being unable to find one.
2) Desk & membership staff, mostly people in their 20’s & early 30’s, are marginally friendly and competent. They aren’t given much responsibility, so can’t change or correct anything of consequence.
3) Locker rooms: small for the size of the club & membership. Nothing special or fancy; utilitarian comes to mind. Marginally clean and kept up. Towel service is OK, and other reviewers laud the fact that you don’t have to bring your own lock, but if that’s a highlight they’re missing the bigger picture. The music in the locker room is very uncomfortably annoying as it’s content is controlled by the young desk staff (think: rap/​electronica) and it’s really not aimed at the demographics of their members (mostly 30 – 50 yr old’s). Also, many (and I mean MANY) of the members are slobs (or really total inconsiderate people) leaving their used towels laying about & lockers open as they walk out the door. Plenty of other self-​involved behavior in the men’s locker room, for sure.
4) The swimming pool is a highlight, what with it’s high ceiling and 25 meter length. A good pool to do some serious swimming workouts in, but it’s almost always very crowded and often filled with kids-​time & lessons. Hard to find a time to swim without working around many others (swimmers & «floaters»).
5) The spin room is like a dark dungeon, and the classes are abhorrent, taught by «instructors» who aren’t cyclists or really athletes to any degree. If you’re a serious or even semi-​serious cyclist or spin class person you’ll quickly find their classes difficult to endure because of the less than inspiring leaders, hard to listen to sound tracks, and energy sucking other cyclists. Very uninspiring spin program at this club.
6) Cardio equipment: generally functional, but nothing special. Nothing is really new, cutting edge, or state-​of-​the-​art. A meat & potatoes offering. Mostly enough machines to go around, but can get dicey during prime time.
7) Basketball court: nice, but pretty much always in use. Leagues, kids programs, etc. Tough to find some open time to shoot around or get in a pick-​up game. Quality of the play their there is strictly low-​level Y ball (at best).
8) Free weight area: and I say «area». A very small space for the free weights, and nothing special. Good enough for a minimal lifting routine during off hours, but can get crowded and impossible to navigate during busy times. Not aimed at anyone attempting anything close to a serious lifting workout.
9) Yoga classes: don’t even think of bothering with taking any of these. The room is nice, for about 8 – 10 people, max. The Yoga «teachers» are more fitness instructors who might think they know about how to conduct/​lead a worthwhile class, but are truly clueless. I really wanted to take Yoga classes there, but most classes are poorly attended and taught, which seemed to go hand-​in-​hand. I’ve seen many of their Yoga instructors arrive late for their own classes, which I always thought was very disrespectful to the members attending the class. A real lost opportunity for this club and its members.
10) Personal trainers: I watched many of their «trainers» work people out, and always thought that they didn’t have a clue as to what they were doing. I wouldn’t waste my time or money bothering with any of their trainers on staff. Totally useless in leading a workout that makes any sense, by any fitness definition. Never saw a trainer correcting poor form, knowing anything about aerobics, or general fitness. Can’t see how any of them kept any clients beyond an intro session or two. None of them even looked like they worked out themselves, so how can they teach what they don’t know?
Value: At around $ 70/​month it’s in the middle of the road cost-​wise for gyms, and after you’ve been a member for awhile you’ll realize that you’re probably paying for less than than you deserve and receive. It’s often very uncrowded, which at first seems like a plus, but in the end you realize why. What they have to offer just doesn’t make you want to show up and workout.
To sum up: This is «club» for those who live close, want to say they belong to a gym, and workout occasionally. Maybe take the kids for a program or swim. In all the time I worked out there I rarely saw anyone doing anything close to a serious (or even semi-​serious), considered, or energetic workout. So, it’s a pretty uninspiring environment for getting your body and mind in shape, and can suck the joy out of what could/​should be a special time for you to express yourself physically

I really cannot complain too much here as the issues I have are more with members versus staff/​facilities. The gym is clean and there are ample exercise machines so I have no complaints there. The front desk staff is always friendly and willing to help as well. My only staff issue is annoying e-​mails I receive. I have asked to have these stopped but I still received them, then a staff member passed out my personal information to about 25 other members. When I spoke with the staff member about it, she said it was an accident and shrugged it off.
Beyond that one staff member I would say that the only other annoyance is the one or two daily «meat-​heads» in the free weights area. I wish there was more CAC staff in the area monitoring the throwing around of weights or the just caveman like tendencies of these guys. For example a man recently dropped his 35lb dumbells on the treadmill because he was «too tired» to bend over the extra 5 inches to the floor.
For the amount a membership is here, it is worth it, I just wish the staff was a bit more attentive in the workout area (up front is great though). The biggest positive here is Pamela in memberships, she is nice, friendly and willing to help you out in anyway. I would suggest that potential new members request her by name.

Clean locker room… check
Pool…,…,…check
Sauna…check
Basketball court… check
Affordable+friendly staff… check
Im a fan of this club and like the fact there Are multiple locations. Additionally there is a app they have that keeps you up to date on classes and hours. Solid gym at a reasonable price without silly contracts.

I have been a WLAC member for about 3 or 4 months, and I think it’s a pretty good place to work out. Here are the positives:
* The whole club is clean
* The pricing is reasonable and transparent, and I really appreciated that Sawyer didn’t subject me to an annoying high-​pressure sales pitch when I signed up
* The lockers let you set a new combination each time, so there’s no need to bring a lock or carry around a key
* There’s always plenty of available equipment when I work out (and there’s free wifi if you like watching shows or movies while you do cardio)
* It’s very easy to park about 95% of the time (lunchtime is rough)
* I have been training with Lyle for about a month, which has been awesome (except for occasional soreness, which is ultimately a good thing)
* The members of the staff are always nice
I noticed that a lot of people on here have complained about the astroturf in the stretching area — there are plenty of small mats and lots of towels in that area, so you never have to lay down directly on the carpet. I haven’t used the pool or the basketball court, and I haven’t done many of the group classes, so I don’t have much of an opinion on those things (except I like that they’re there). There are fancier gyms in the city, but I don’t think you can do much better than WLAC for less than $ 100/​month.
I will increase my rating to 5 stars if I lose about 20 pounds in the next few months :)

CAC has invested a lot in upkeep of WAC in the past year, and it has not gone unnoticed.
Most important to me though, the group fitness instructors are awesome. I’ve been bringing a few of my out of town guests here (yes, we still work out when they’re on vacation) and they’ve made note of how structured and fun the instructors keep class.

Note: I’ve only been a member for ~3 months and will update over time. Also, this is my first gym membership so I don’t have much to compare to other than the gyms I see at hotels. I would say that I’m very active and have good exposure to know what I would need to workout appropriately.
So far so good. The people that work here are especially friendly. I am still recognized and acknowledged by the desk staff who signed me up when I first came in. The people that frequent the WAC are also nice. I’ve never had any struggles with equipment or had any issues with people not picking up after themselves or cleaning equipment after use. Customers are primarily in their 20s and 30s and are friendly. Going to the group workout classes are a great experience — I hope to make some friends there over time. The instructors do a great job pushing you.
On equipment: it’s a modern facility and I would consider this location their «flagship» location. Full length pool, yoga facility, spin class room, two group workout rooms with wall mirrors, and a very nice custom workout area on the second floor (kettle bells, balance mounds, weighted ropes, medicine balls, yoga balls, etc.) They have TONS of treadmills and stationary bikes. 5:30pm I’ve never had to wait for something. The free-​weight area can get a little packed, but that’s to be expected.
The facilities are brand new. The men’s locker room is well laid out and spacious. I especially like the electronic lockers. No padlocks needed. You just pick a new locker every day and input your code to use that day. The showers and floors are clean. There’s always an abundant supply of towels and even capability to spin-​dry clothing.
Outside the facility they have ample street parking (free) and a valet lot next door (it costs if you want to valet, but don’t have to). They share the parking lot with a restaurant. The facility is also next to the Ashland GREEN LINE stop. It’s a safe and clean area to walk in at night. There’s also a Divvy bike stand a block away, on Madison.
For $ 69 a month I have access to the West Loop, Wicker Park, and new Roscoe location. I’m locked in for a year contract. This price was a special they ran when opening the Roscoe Village location. On Thursdays any member can go to any gym… that’s awesome since the locations vary in features (Lincoln Park has a climbing wall).
Overall I’m very pleased with this gym and will continue to make it a habit to attend.
SPECIAL NOTE: They even have an Android/​iPhone app that helps you coordinate your schedule to attend group classes! This app rocks. It’s updated live with class background info, the instructor for the day, and times/​locations. This is a big perk. Well done, gym.
TL;DR
Very clean, modernized, vast variety of equipment, pool, modern locker room, friendly staff, great parking, safe area, easy commute to gym, PHENOMENAL group classes, great customers, android/​iphone app

I have been a member for about two years now I believe. I use the facilities to run on the tread mill and lift free weights. It satisfies my needs and I haven’t run into any problems, well, aside from towels running out.
The West Loop location just recently replaced the all the weight benches which was a nice upgrade. In addition to that a good number of new tread mills have been put out. Overall I can get my workout done easily with the equipment they have.
I haven’t signed up for any of the group classes. I did have a couple sessions with a trainer named Deborah. She is very nice and straightforward with you. She set me up with a plan based on what I was looking to accomplish. A little guidance goes a long way. She always has a smile and says hi to me when I see her. I would encourage a few sessions with a trainer to get you moving in the right direction. I believe they were $ 99 for three one hour sessions when you initially sign up for a membership.
The locker rooms are pretty nice equipped with digital locks on each of them. No need to bring a pad lock. Sauna, showers, a machine to wash your suit if you plan to use the hot tub or pool. I have yet to use any of these but that hot tub is pretty damn tempting in the winter along with the sauna (steam room?). Indoor basketball court which converts to volleyball as well if that’s your thing. They have leagues too.
I am paying $ 65 a month which gives you access to all location but I believe that is with a corporate discount and agreeing to a year term. Not a bad price for what they provide and if you take advantage of the perks. I’m not really into group workout but rather heading over with a friend for some motivation.
If you want to beat the rush I suggest going after 7 – 7:30 pm or around 4 if you can swing that during the work week. Otherwise it gets pretty crowded just after the typical work day. I haven’t had to wait for a tread mill but it gets annoying when you have no place to stretch. I prefer to have some space and be able to move around the weight area without have a hundred people getting swole in my face. Everyone in the gym has always been respectful so it’s a good atmosphere to get your sweat on.

One of the benefits of being a member of the Lakeview Athletic Club, I try to take advantage of the All-​Access-​Thursdays promotion. This past week, I hiked it out to the West Loop property which is a great property. I was there in the late morning/​early afternoon and it was not overly crowded.
I took the Green line and exited at the Ashland station. I had then walked about two blocks (east) to Loomis Street to Randolph Street which you will be able to see the building. Yes, there is parking on the street and a smaller parking lot connected to the building. If I could… stop complaining how you can’t find free parking; consider it as a possible bonus. You don’t hear the members from LPAC or LVAC complaining about not be able to obtain free parking.
Once entering the club, I was greeted by Kelly. She was very pleasant when she was informing me about the club. As I’m walking to the locker room, I walked pasted the pool area which was a great size. I had also walked pasted the full basketball court which is a great bonus for this club.
The locker room was pretty basic for this organization. Please note– you must bring a lock. Overall, the locker room was very clean and decent size — not as large as the one at LVAC or LPAC — but decent size.
I made it up to the second level where the first of two cardio areas area. I then walked into the larger room with the workout machines, more cardio equipment then to the free weight area. Each area was very well planned out. Again, overall, very clean areas and well ventilated.
This club has more of the modern feeling with the exposed metal beams.
I look forward to a return trip to this property and hopefully to try the pool area. To my fellow CAC members, check it out.