This post has been long overdue. I’ve now been a member of the YMCA – Twin Cities since late May last year (2013). I wrote part 1 of my review last June after being a member for a few weeks and was super excited about finally joining a gym (for the first time in my LIFE!).
Now, 7 months later, I still enjoy being a member. I love how good I feel after a workout at the YMCA. I also love the free child care that’s part of my $65-a-month membership, along with the free guest passes, free fitness consultation, and access to any YMCA in the Twin Cities plus up to 14 visits per year to YMCA locations outside the Twin Cities.
Here’s how the past 7 months have gone.
I haven’t lost weight, but I haven’t gained any weight.
I guess this is ok, though I’d like to lose a few pounds and tone up (especially my abs, which were always tight until I had kids!). I could certainly achieve all my goals at the Y, but haven’t yet committed to a workout schedule like I should.
I did have my free fitness consultation with a personal trainer which lasted an hour. This was wonderful – my personal trainer was very supportive (she told me I don’t look like I need to lose weight so she got points for that) and she taught me how to use some of the machines and equipment that I’d never tried before.
The group exercise classes and equipment are FABULOUS.
The equipment vary from location to location, but are pretty much state-of-the-art and offer all kinds of variety. The classes are great, too. I’ve tried Yoga, Turbo Kick, Zumba, Core Conditioning and a few more. They’re all taught by great instructors who are very knowledgeable. I like that they all offer variations for all fitness levels. I am hoping to try more classes.
I went to the gym 3-4 times a week in the first couple of months, but then started going 1-2 times a week.
Life got busier especially starting in September when my daughter started kindergarten and I got busy with some personal projects. That’s when I started going 1-2 times per week which is how often I have been going since. I’d LIKE to go more (like probably everyone else would!).
I still work out at home, in addition to going to the gym.
I feel best after working out at the Y and prefer working out there, but sometimes working out at home is more realistic than heading to the gym. And honestly, often I just don’t want to leave my family. I feel bad when I want to go to the gym and my kids want me to stay home with them. I want to be with them too.
I’ve visited a total of 5 different YMCAs and they’re all unique.
Four in the Twin Cities, and one in Duluth (where I grew up and visit family regularly). Each YMCA is unique, but each offer mostly the same amenities. Of the YMCAs I’ve visited (Coon Rapids, Shoreview, Andover, New Hope and Duluth), I think the newer Andover YMCA is the nicest and has the best leisure pool for families.
Kids Stuff is set up differently at each YMCA. The Shoreview YMCA has separate Kids Stuff rooms for different age groups while many other YMCAs have just one combined area.
One thing I really like is the YMCAs that have women’s and men’s locker rooms for ages 18 and over, in addition to locker rooms for women and girls, and for men and boys. I think most do offer 18+ rooms, but surprisingly, the newer Andover YMCA didn’t have these, so after dropping off my kids at Kids Stuff I had to change in a room where both older women and younger kids were changing which I don’t think is always appropriate. There ARE private family changing rooms though which anyone can use.
Kids Stuff is great and most kids like it.
For the first few visits my now 6-year-old daughter Heidi liked Kids Stuff. But then suddenly decided she didn’t like it anymore and I haven’t been able to get her to go. I think she feels too old for many of the toys. My 3-year-old son Thor has loved Kids Stuff ever since the beginning and still loves it. I think Kids Stuff is usually best for toddlers and preschoolers.
Going swimming as a family has been fun, but was a bit frustrating at first.
The first few times I took my family to the Y to go swimming (using a guest pass), the kids loved it and we had fun, but a lifeguard blew a whistle at us at least once each time. This was because we broke a few rules that we didn’t even know about. This was very frustrating. No one likes getting a whistle blown at them for something they don’t know about while they’re trying to have fun swimming as a family, and it happened several times to us.
The first time we went swimming there, my daughter Heidi wanted to go on the water slide, so I took her to it and because there weren’t other kids in line, I told her to go right up (she was wearing a safety vest), then I went up right after her and went down myself. She and I went down the slide fine, but I got the whistle blown at me and then found out we broke 2 rules: 1) I was supposed to wait at the bottom of the stairs for my turn instead of going up right after her, and 2) she wasn’t allowed on the water slide without a wristband. WHAT? No one said anything about a wristband. Turns out she had to pass a safety test in the water to get a wristband and be allowed on the water slide and in certain areas. Now we know but no one told us.
The other rules we broke were allowing our 3-year-old to swim with an inflatable safety vest (inflatable ones weren’t ok, we found out), and allowing our 3-year-old to climb onto the ledge near where swimming class flotation devices were kept (even though I was right there with him).
What I learned was – Read everything in the YMCA manual when you get it, because the rules are in there and no one will tell you about them until you break them. And read ALL the signs in the pool area – rules are on them but may be easy to miss.
Regarding swimming at the Y, I love that there are lifeguards that do a great job making sure everyone’s safe. But be prepared to hear a lot of whistle blowing if there are a lot of kids, and be aware of safety checks. This happened twice when I was there. At random times, the lifeguards make everyone get out of the pool for 10 minutes to make sure everyone is safe and “to give everyone a break from swimming.” It’s required by the Red Cross, but it put a dent in the fun for a little while.
I DO recommend joining the YMCA if you’re budget-conscious and want to join a gym.
Despite the few things I was surprised about, joining the Y has been great. I like being able to go to any Twin Cities YMCA, the people have been nice, and it feels great to be among so many people just trying to take care of their health and get fit. I hope to go more often and get in better shape!
