Gold’s Gym

UPDATE
I did get a call from the GM who was very generic with his apology and did not actually want to listen to my feedback. I was constantly being interrupted with «I am glad to know about these issues and we were able to talk» to which I had to respond with I am not finished… this happened several times.
It was not a very good call or representation of Customer Service. I did not write my review to bash the location but rather to give an honest review to people in the area interested in the location.
Today I see a comment misrepresenting this conversation that took place over the phone by someone I did not even speak with. Maybe there is a breakdown in management but this is not helpful. I want to just say my concerns were not addressed but rather multiplied.

This gym has the worst management and staff I’ve ever experienced from a gym! I’ve been going to this gym for a year and a half, upon returning from a deployment overseas I had to move from the Crofton area and cancel my membership. This should not have been a problem as I had signed up for the $ 39.99 option which is the supposed «no contract» option.
When I went to the manager he was friendly at first then told me he had to check one last thing and proceeded to click something on his computer and then tell me I had not signed up for that option. When I told him he was mistaken he told me he was not and got hostile. I left the gym and still have not canceled my membership.
A tip for all those considering joining this gym is to keep your paper contracts as they will have shady business practices and make sure you keep bank statements of your payments to Golds.

Joined while I was living in Crofton temporarily, had been a member many years before. The people are nice, if I noticed a piece of equipment was broken it was fixed very quickly, clean, etc. Also, when I moved to DC they were very easy to deal with to cancel my membership early. The monthly fee is extremely reasonable to what I am about to pay for a new gym membership in the city (Over 3 times the amount) because they don’t have a location near where I am living in DC… to anyone at Golds listening, please create competition for the WSC in Columbia Heights, I am joining an expensive gym within close driving distance b/​c of the complaints about the WSC. People in CH are wanting a good clean gym with nice employees to go to that won’t break the bank.

This particular location is the closest one to my job so it makes it more convenient to go here before work. I don’t really have many complaints overall it’s not a bad gym however it could probably use some upgrades. I’ve come 5 days this week and the particular girl that works the early morning shift with the lip piercing and glasses is the most unfriendly person ever. Her name is Gigi apparently. Her customer service and demeanor is overall negative and unapproachable. Hopefully someone from the gym sees this and approached her about her attitude. The way employees treat customers really affects whether or not they will return and apparently from previous reviews people are starting to go elsewhere.

As several others have stated, this place continues its downward spiral. I hadn’t been back to this location since my horrible experience with the trainer, opting for Bowie or Marley Station instead. But last month, I decided to give it another shot, as there was a class on a Saturday morning that I’d been wanting to try and this was one of the only gyms that offered it. So I drove from Arnold to Crofton specifically for this class, but when I arrived, it wasn’t on Motion Vibe, so I approached the desk for help. The young woman behind the desk was engaged with another guest, chatting about personal matters and ignoring the fact that I was waiting behind this person needing help. After several minutes, the guest moved on and she finally acknowledged me, although she looked like she’d rather be anywhere but where she was. I asked for a class schedule, saying that the schedule online was not correct to which she replied, «No, it’s sure not!» No apology, no further explanation, nothing. Since I was already there, I decided to go ahead and get my workout in anyway, so I went to the locker room to put my purse away, then hit the gym floor. The locker room was filthy, with one of the doors to a toilet stall hanging on its hinges and dirt caked into the corners of the room. The floor looked like it hadn’t seen a vacuum in a month. And there is a moldy odor that permeates the entire locker room. I didn’t look into the showers, but I’m sure it would have been unpleasant if I had.
After doing a bit of strength training, I went to the cardio cinema to use the bikes. None of the buttons on the bike I was on worked, so I was unable to adjust the time or any other settings, so I just decided to bike manually. Then two women came in and got on bikes beside me, and proceeded to talk and laugh loudly, to the point that I couldn’t hear the movie. After several minutes of this, I became frustrated and left the cinema and asked to use the tanning bed (after another long wait at the desk). When I got into the tanning room, the top of the tanning bed was covered in a layer of dust, to the point that someone had taken their finger at some point and written «wash me» in the dust. Obviously, nobody had taken their advice since it was still there.
I’ve visited several other Gold’s locations since signing up, and my experiences have been pleasant at all of the other locations. Everywhere else, the staff greet you with a smile, patrol the gym floors and periodically check in on the cardio cinemas. The guests are considerate of each other, and the facilities are clean. But the Crofton location is a disgrace to the Gold’s name, and I’m ashamed to have it listed on my key tag. The overall poor attitude and customer service and lack of cleanliness show a serious lack of leadership from the management team.

The sensational six are now full swing on motion vibe. We can now make classes our favorites and sign up for classes electronically. As long as we check in 10 minutes prior to the states time we are guaranteed our spot. If there is a wait list and we don’t check in that spot goes to whoever is next on the wait list.

My family has been members for several years, and love the equipment, classes, clientele and ambience in the work out rooms. HOWEVER, scheduling for admittance to classes is a bureaucratic pain in the ass, especially for people with jobs, children and a full day of responsibilities. The recent requirement to sign up on MotionVibe within 24 hours for each and every class you intend to take is a new time-​eating, bureaucratic stress-​inducing hurdle intended for retirees and the financially independent with much time on their hands… We working parents do not have time to plan our every move for the next 24 hours. When we can squeeze in time for a class, we need to be able to go spontaneously, and of course may not necessarily have internet access or connectivity when the opportunity arises. AND MotionVibe simply does not work. It is inaccurate and glitchy. For example, this week it shows no classes at all on Monday after 10:30am. Accessing tomorrow’s schedule took a couple of reloads (via FIOS!) and Suggestion to Management: Go into any class and ask for a concensus; customers will loudly tell management to get rid of this MotionVibe crap.
And while you’re at it, please clean the bathrooms. And clean up the sauna. We want to love «our club» again…

Terrible customer service at this place! I would rather pay more to go somewhere else and be appreciated as a customer.

This place has grown on me, more friendly than LA fitness down the street. People here are less pretentious.
Solid inventory of machines, work out your chesticles till your hearts content.
They have sold old stuff but they keep new machines rotating through the inventory.
It’s reasonable in terms of cost.
Check it out!

My comments are solely based on the trainers.
If you are looking for a knowledgable trainer one who understands how body parts move, AND where they are (Anatomy and Physiology), then LOOK else where. I have watched trainers texting and taking phone calls while their clients are performing exercises incorrectly (very dangerous). Most do not even pay attention to their clients when performing an exercise. Is the training free at Gold’s?
Some trainers at Gold’s – should NOT be training anyone! These trainers have clients performing the P90X or Cross Fit techniques – poor judgement is being used on folks who are out of shape (i.e., overweight, muscle atrophy). These moves are intense and can be extreme. Before performing any of these exercises, it would be in your best interest too talk to your doctor first.
People who do not exercise regularly face an increased risk for low back pain, especially during times when they suddenly have to perform stressful or unfamiliar activities. Exercise is critical for strong muscles and bones. Muscle strength declines as people age. Careful weight training can also be very beneficial for elderly people. If you have not taken care of your muscles; these are NOT the exercises to start out with.
The mindset of some trainers is to make you feel the burn, then you know you did something good for your body – BS! That mindset will get you injured. You need to start out slowly with any exercise or cardio program (young and old, no exception). Here’s the ugly truth, you wake up one morning thinking your soreness is coming from that great workout you did – think again, it might be coming from a pulled muscle (s), pinched nerve, or muscle tissue damage. Never push yourself beyond your health! A good trainer will evaluate his/​her client’s performance, step-​by-​step before moving into anything intense. Some folks will never perform high-​energy cardio or extreme exercises, AND that’s okay. Taking care of your body is the main reason for going to the gym, not to damage it.
If you decide to hire a trainer, be smart interview the ones you would like to work with to see who will be a better FIT with helping you achieve YOUR goals. Do not be pressured into someone else’s ideas about what is right for you, on that day you are the BOSS. Beware of trainers who have received their certifications ONLY on-​line and this is their first hands-​on job as a trainer. Every new trainer must start somewhere. You may want to re-​think it through before you hire them. Even if the trainer is a master trainer, sometimes these folks have too much of an EGO (both genders display this bad model), which can lead you down the wrong path. Ask for references, a good trainer will be happy to provide that information. Then study that trainer in the gym while he/​she is working with clients. You may be glad you did! I stress this part, because my friend hired one of the head trainers (short male) at this gym, and was injured. Do not let this happen to you.
Not all of the trainers at the Crofton location need to be educated and properly trained, you know who you are so stop texting, STOP WATCHING TV, stop taking phone calls, stop making phone calls, AND watch your clients. You are responsible if they get hurt. All eyes need to be on you, therefore you are wasting your time and money. You have made a commitment to yourself one you should feel proud about. Never feel bad to tell a trainer, it’s not working out!
The only way to reach your goal, is safe and sound.
Good Luck!

$ 35 for a month to month, not bad.
Equipment pretty good, a little wait every now and then, but fine.

Full disclosure — I only pay about $ 10/​month for this gym so my rating/​review is made with that in mind. If I had to pay much more than that amount, I probably wouldn’t maintain my membership and would surely try to find an alternative. That being said, this Gold’s offers a whole lot for a low price. Sure, the parking lot gets crowded but I rarely have a problem finding a machine to use inside. People are courteous and not in your face. I agree that the facility — especially the locker room — could benefit from a bit more TLC. But overall you do get a lot more than you pay for if you can lock in a low rate.

Was a great gym in the beginning but has gone down hill over this past year. The membership cost isn’t really worth the mess you walk into now, and the always broken equipment.
Terrible sales and customer service section, all about trying o squeeze another dollar out of your pocket,

This use to be a nice gym but it’s gone down hill in the last few years and they seemed to have gotten cheaper. A example they use to have a service there that would clean the locker room (the guy did a damn good job too) but they got rid of him and now using regular staff.
That saying the Locker rooms and bathrooms at this place is NASTY. I dont go in them anymore they stink and are dirty. Also alot of equipment at this place is always broken. The gym does not enforce any polices like not resting on the machines in between sets and making loud noises while lifting. (in the weight room at times it sounds like a gay porn or someone is really constipated for all the people grunting).
Another issues i have (although the gym many not have control over this) is how stupid and rude other members can be. A example is there could be a whole row of free machines (same make model ect) but someone WILL always come use the one right next to you while there are like 10 others that can be used. I dont understand this and i wish this gym would do something about that. It seems members at this gym dont understand the concept of personal space.
This gym is also way to busy in the morning and after work in the evening.
There are other gyms in the area check them out before you commit yourself to this place.

I was a member of Gold’s Gym for years and when LA Fitness came, I went over there to see what the fuss was all about and left Golds for LA Fitness thinking I would use the pool and raquetball. We played raquetball a couple times but it’s harder than I thought so I lost interest and never used the pool. Plus the layout of the place is open and doesn’t feel as comfortable as Golds. I ended up going back to Gold’s (which costs less a month too) and really enjoy it when I can motivate myself to go. Like it says on the door, half the battle is getting there and if I can get there more often, I know I’ll see results as in the past!

…and down we go. If you like showering in moldy showers, this place is for you. Unfortunately, the management doesn’t appear to be concerned with keeping their facility clean. The showers in the men’s locker room have been moldy for months. They were steam cleaned earlier in the year, but they’ve failed to keep them clean.

The only problem with this place is not the fault of the owners. Let me start by explaining why I love this gym so much and finish with the only down side.
This gym can get crowded but the amount of available equipment makes the crowds virtually no problem at all. The price is very reasonable compared to other gyms and they were even willing to negotiate with me when I inquired about the costs and initiation fees. This art of polite and friendly negotiation is something I frequently feel is lost in our modern US society. It was nice to see they were willing to entertain reasonable offers from me. Other than that, I can’t review the staff too much as I don’t regularly interact with them. I’m very independent when it comes to my workout. I like to develop my own routines and be left to my vices and it appears they respect my desires here.
The only negative is I keep over exerting myself here. Now that I’m getting back into an exercise routine, I must come to face the fact it’s going to take me longer to reach my goals than it did 10 years ago. Again, this is no fault of the owners or the staff. This is the fault of the Supreme Architect of the Universe (or whatever you may call him/​her/​it) for making my body less resilient in my 30s than it was in my 20s.
Conclusion: If you live in the area, then forget LA Fitness, forget Sport Fit, think Gold’s Gym!

Love it!!!
There are usually plenty of machines free at any time of the day and the movie room… it’s cool, dark, with great movies that makes me want to work out longer!

I mean, its a gym…
They got some really good equipment, though some of it always seems to be out of commision for one thing or another. Movie room is pretty cool, and they are playing some of the newer releases which is nice. I have reffered a few friends, so I think its a pretty good place.

After my not so great experience with the corporate side of Gold’s Gym (seriously-don’t do it!), this gym is a breath of fresh air. I recently moved from Austin and the closest corporate gym is in Virginia. I was terrified that getting out of that contract would be a nightmare but they made it really easy to end my corporate contract and start a new one with them. I am now on a month to month contract (YAY!!!) and paying less than I was.
The gym is very nice and they have a great selection of equipment and classes available. My daughter loves the kid’s club and the kidcersize class offered Monday through Thursday.
My only gripe is that the rule about not dropping weights is not at all enforced. I have seen and heard is happen on almost a daily basis and even when a trainer is present, nothing is done about it. If you cannot lift it-DON’T!!! No wants to listen to you grunt. Rude is what it is…