RAC for Women – Greece

I’ve been there a couple months now and I really like it. I like the all-​female environment, its cleanliness, the machines, the classes, and the trainer they hooked me up with has been really sweet and helpful in answering questions. Now I just have to get my butt there more often…

Sincerely HATE this club. Signed up in 2010 and immediately regretted it. They harassed me every time I came in for referrals– to the point where I had to walk away rudely and then they would approach me WHILE ON A MACHINE with a clipboard to ask again when they know I couldn’t walk away! I cancelled my membership and went elsewhere where I was never once bothered for referrals. Now, 2+ years later, I receive calls AND texts constantly to come back or that someone has referred me for a free guest pass. I have called and SCREAMED at them to remove me and nothing happens. Still get called and texted and the workers just feign ignorance and say that I haven’t gotten called and that I’m on the do not call list.
What way is this for an athletic club to run?! You pay a membership to USE A FACILITY. You aren’t paying to be harassed! I know countless people who have cancelled their memberships due to this constant referral program and not getting a moment of peace while at the club.
Get it together, RAC. You’re driving away old members to gain new ones and that is a horrible business practice. Leave your loyal members alone and let them work out in peace or you’ll keep losing members like me.

I’ve been with RAC for a few years now and have been to all three locations. I prefer the Greece layout. I feel like there’s more space with the separate weight room especially when there’s personal training sessions going on. I’m at the Pittsford and Perinton clubs more often because it’s closer to work, but now that the weather’s lightening up, I will make the drive to Greece for Jen. B’s turbokick class on Saturdays. She’s fun, knowledgeable, energetic and her music is great! It kick starts my morning and I leave there feeling so hyped and ready for whatever comes my way. I highly recommend her classes! Some of my other favorites are Amelina’s Kick and RIPT; Becca, Mari, and Nicole’s Zumba classes; and Susan’s Yoga and Pilates classes.

Some reviews I write I don’t feel qualified to give a rating. Not that I don’t personally find this place to be worthy of 4 stars, but it’s really the only gym I’ve ever been to. I hate working out. I run around after my son all day, lifting him up, corralling him, going up and down the stairs 12 times before breakfast needing to inspect various loud noises… He’s cardio and weights in one small, ever growing package. Yet… I was noticing that my pants didn’t quite fit the same as when I was participating in an actual athletic lifestyle. So, when my sister told me she «won» a free month of membership but didn’t need it (she has a gym at her college), I went for it. The free month turned out to be a discounted monthly fee locked in for 2 years. Even with the «I have no idea why your sister would think it was a free month, but this is a much better deal» exasperated sales line, I could tell it was just a scam to get people to come in and sign up. Whatever. $ 25/​month is what I got, plus no initiation fee (or $ 10 or something small). I was looking into their classes, and unlimited classes for $ 25 seems to be a great price. At the time, my focus was on the kickboxing-​esque and more intense classes (dare I say Zumba?). Before my first visit, I discovered I was pregnant…
While I’m sure many women have the gumption to take on such an invigorating work out régime even in the beginning days of baby incubating… I am not one of those women. I need naps. I need gentle. I need comfort. So, I tried out a pilates class, because I also need to strengthen my core significantly before the nine months are over. I was going to try a yoga class next, but fell completely in love with the class and instructor I tried and have been attending once a week (…or so) ever since. Val R. is the instructor, and though I sense she does have a more energetic side that I’m sure she lets out during other classes, the Monday and Wednesday morning pilates class is sooting and mellow. I’m typically sore for 3 days after, but I can follow along without too much confusion and no one seems to mind when she takes a moment to adjust a move for my growing belly. Some day, as I don’t think I’ll be pregnant for the full 24 month contract, I’ll try a more challenging class. For now, I’m sticking with Val. (Val R., there seems to be another Val that is much more… hyper). To be clear, this is not an *un*challenging class, it’s just easy to follow along and slow down to your own pace (important when heart rates need to be reigned in).
The front desk has always been friendly, though doesn’t ever seem to not be training a new person, and that seems to result in a bit of havoc if more than one person is needing assistance. I’ve only used the child care once ($ 1.50/hour), and everything went well. My kid is pretty easy to keep happy for an hour with new-​to-​him toys and the Disney channel. One caveat — you need to reserve a space within the time frame you want to work out. The attendants told me it was typically safe to call ahead that morning, which is good because frankly, I am not a schedule person.
The locations available were recently cut in half when the co-​ed gyms were purchased by LA Fitness. For me, this didn’t change anything because I’m closest to Stoneridge, but I imagine this irritated a few members that went to the other locations. We’ve been promised expansions or new locations or something that I don’t really care about because all I use are the classes during the day which aren’t over full (like I hear the evening classes are). The locker room and restrooms are always sufficiently clean but I’m not one to inspect facilities beyond the obvious. I used an elliptical machine once. There’s plenty of TV’s to stare at, but the sound is off (because there’s like 8 different programs going at once). There’s a basket with plenty of clean towels and spray bottles to clean off the equipment after you use it (or before and after, if you’re so inclined).
Perhaps the equipment part of the gym is lacking in some way that I would see if I went to another fitness facility, but from the schedules I’ve looked at, this place meets my needs, current and future, as far as classes are concerned. Now if someone had an actual human sized mouse wheel…