First off, I can't believe I am writing a review for my once favorite gym and giving it a rating…read morethat's not 5 stars.
I've been here for over 4 years, introduced over 20 clients to this gym, and built real friendships here. We even have a gym group chat with members here. I was one of the OG members, and now I had to leave because my membership was terminated for reasons I strongly disagree with. Hear me out.
This gym has nice equipment, and yes, it is well maintained, so if you only care about machines, you will enjoy it. I would give the equipment 4 out of 5.
But the staff and how the entire management team handles things made me have to give the overall rating 2 out of 5. I just can't give this place 1 star because this was once home to me with all my friends, and I recommended over 20 friends here.
The real problem, in my opinion, is the staff experience now. Anyone who has been here long enough knows how much this place changed after McCall left and The Bumgardner Health Group took over. Real gym enthusiasts and bodybuilders have started going to Gold's, and there is a reason behind it. If you're an old member, you probably understand what I mean.
In my experience, the way rules are applied now feels inconsistent. It felt like once you got on their radar, normal behavior started being interpreted differently.
There was a front desk staff member who watched me closely throughout my workouts. If I moved to a corner, I would often see her nearby checking machines or changing paper towels. It gave me the impression that I was being monitored more than usual.
And honestly, I would say be careful about arguing or pushing back, because in my experience it did not lead to a productive outcome. I was a long-time member, known for being friendly, and still ended up being labeled as having a "negative attitude toward members and staff," which did not match how I see my own behavior. In my experience, escalating to management was not productive, and the response did not feel professional. eg. getting banned asking for proof and getting a response of "asking for too much".
If you are someone who keeps a low profile, you can probably go there and enjoy the machines. But if you stand out or get the attention of staff, your experience may be different.
According to me and my homies' experience, issues can be raised around things like gym attire, check-in situations (funny cuz this falls under staff's responsibility), standing near equipment, using your phone for video/photo, or helping friends with form. Some of these situations felt more like misunderstandings than actual violations and you are not allowed to prove yourself, aka. shut up or leave.
I still love the gym vibe because of the people, but now even the people are leaving. The gym is becoming more and more empty, and that is the saddest part because the community is what made this place special.
If you are a true bodybuilder and you care about community, vibe, and culture, not just machines, I would recommend Gold's instead.
If you do not believe what I am saying, stay and see for yourself. I just hope you do not end up in the same situation.