Berkeley Y has just about everything you want (and a little of what you don't). The women's gym is a wonderful place to work out quietly and comfortably, and it's usually not nearly as crowded as the universal facilities on the main floor. However, the eliptical & treadmill room is stuffy and there aren't any TVs in there. Still, they have every machine and piece of equipment you need; plus it's clean, convenient, and the staff is always friendly. I think the monthly cost is totally fair for all of this. My biggest gripe is that this place is always so crowded, kids are running around everywhere, and you often have to dodge strollers and toddlers just to get from one place to another. read more

The YMCA in Downtown Berkeley is the first gym that has ever made me feel "at home". The staff and members are all incredibly friendly, supportive, and helpful. The classes are great, as are the pool & women's gym. I'm so happy to have this resource in Downtown Berkeley! Thank you YMCA!!!! read more

I loved my time as a member here!! I only left because I get free membership at RSF as an enrolled student at UC Berkeley now. Also, I aged out to use the teen membership which was half the price. Although membership is pretty expensive for adults, they do offer good financial aid to those who apply. Took about two weeks to process. The group classes were my fave thing, especially Body Sculpt. The pools are nice, usually crowded though. The women's room is a great discovery, a place just for the ladies. They have lots of cardio and weight machines and different rooms and a separate locker room. read more

My daughter began learning to swim at the Oakland YMCA, but the pool was big and a little cold, and she cried almost every class in the beginning. Here, the pools are just the right size for little swimmers, the water is warm, and she is happy with her teachers. My daughter also LOVES the Kindergym and I appreciate the kind folks at Childwatch for creating a safe and welcoming space for my kiddos while I work out. read more

The classes here seriously ROCK compared to the ones at my regular Y in downtown Oakland.

I have been a member here for about 7 months, and I really like the facilities. I had been a member elsewhere, like 24hr and Bally's, but to get out of contracts and the constant push to by supplements was bothersome and made me leave. The YMCA has undergone definite improvements since I have been here. The co-ed weight area just recently bought tens of thousands of dollars of brand new equipment. The cardio room has plenty of equipment, and there are three pools...too bad I don't know how to swim. The mens locker room has just undergone a complete makeover, ripping out the carpet (gross) and putting in tile, which can be cleaned and sterilized. The staff are friendly, and instead of forcing you to pay for trainers like other gyms, the Y has attendants in the work out areas who are more than willing to help you out. In the mornings most people who go there are a bit older. In the afternoons, the gym gets crowded with high school kids. I really like going to the Y, and recommend it for anyone who wants to work out without the nuisance of extra sales and contracts. Take your iPod though, because otherwise, there is no music, and that makes the workout harder... read more

A really fancy gym is like having cable television. There are so many facilities, basketball courts, lap pool, deep pool, pool for teenagers, whirlpool, cardio annex, donkeyball courts. But how many do you actually use in your given workout routine? This is not about the types of machines within your main workout room, I'm talking about how many times have you watched all 5 channels of ESPN and truly enjoyed the myriad of options at your fingertips? That being said, all I look for in my gym is a nice treadmill that lets me walk fast uphill at a really steep incline. This place has a Woman's Fitness Center, I think for women to workout without being gawked at, to feel safer, and to wear whatever ridiculously unflattering thing they can find. My friend and I were shopping for workout clothes and I asked her about a pair of spandex workout pants we'd both purchased previously. She said she returned hers because they were too tight in the wrong places and didn't want guys staring. I ignorantly didn't have that problem because i work out in the sanctuary of my sisters. I can handle disapproving looks if there were any. The showers in the Women's fitness center are decent though the locker room is often chilly because all the rooms are connected and the windows are open. The sauna is there if you want to use it. No steam up here, you have to go down to the locker room by the pool. They offer SO MANY CLASSES from Yoga, to dance, to spinning, for all ages. Saturdays are punctuated by the sound of 3 and 4 year olds running around on the 2nd floor wearing various princess ballerina outfits. I used to take these classes before I started my affair with the treadmill and my magazines. I take off a point for the price. Its kind of expensive. But its closer to me than any other gym and I can haul my still sleepy but over there in any weather. read more

3 stars because there is no student price. I'm a grad student so I'm poor but I don't go to UC Berkeley so I don't get to use their gym for cheep either. It's crowded, the staff is not that friendly (I even had problems with a yoga instructor), but I love to swim. Thats why I come here. Also, it's clean. You get what you pay for, this gym has everything you could want, classes, pool, fitness room. It is missing TV in the cardio rooms and I can't run indoors without a TV. read more

I'm crazy about the Y. Despite a few pitfalls, which I'll get to in a moment, it's a fun, diverse gym with so many features and classes, it's an exercise buffet! The lap pool is attitude central. I've been snapped at several times for swimming in the wrong lane (I'm a timid swimmer) and it's kinda stressful, so I usually avoid the pool. The women's gym is AMAZING. I love the fact that we have our own space to work out in. It's bright, airy, and well-appointed. You can get free instruction on any of the machines, although make sure to check in with somebody at the front desk if nobody's at the Women's desk. I waited a long time at an empty desk for my instructor, who didn't realize she had an appointment that day. Free classes! The spin classes are so excellent they're tough to get into. Robert is the GREATEST, but the drawback to even SAYING that here is that it's hard to get into his classes. He's really awesome though. Free yoga (look for the great yelp review that rates all the instructors), excellent sculpting classes, and plenty of them at times you can get to. So even with the drawbacks, this is still the most inviting gym I've ever belonged to. It's a community favorite, and the one I'd recommend over all others. read more

I feel pumped up! Great weight area with a dizzying array of different machines. Lots of facilities on three different floors. Reasonable rates. Friendly staff and cleanly facilities. The steam room is awesome! I wasn't even all that into gyms before getting a membership here and I love this place! It would be cool if they had another racket ball court though. read more

As good as it gets when it comes to cardio equipment, weights, classes, activities for kids, locker room etiquette, diversity, pool temperature, towel softness, wall paint color... It's just an all-around great place to move your body. I can't think of anything bad to say about the Berkeley Y. Even my ID card photo came out nicely. read more

I've been a member of the Berkeley-Y for many years now. Over this time the look and feel of the entrance area has improved and it's nice to have the new indoor bicycle parking area. Besides those changes, it's declined. Parking, which used to be free with validation is now somewhat expensive. The machines are run down, many of the aerobic machines don't properly measure heart rates making the heartrate+ programs useless. The machines also support ipod/iphone connectivity as long as you happen to have an ancient iphone or ipod. The system that was used to track workout routines has been discontinued as the company that provided it as a service went out of business. They do not currently have a commitment to replace this functionality. The men's locker room is in it's final stage of renovation. After months of inconvenience most of it is available but it still feel rundown. The lockers which I believe are recent look tattered and cheap, the floor always looks dirty and the area you need to cross to enter the shower doesn't drain properly so one has to walk through a "pool" of water to get to/from the shower. Adding insult to injury, the Y established a policy to limit towels to only one per day in response to our drought. I didn't like this at the time as my membership offer stated two towels but I understood and appreciated the attention to the drought. That said two small towels to use during workout and after shower was barely sufficient as it was. The mandatory drought restrictions were lifted months ago and now the Y is charging an extra $1 for a second towel. This is in effect an increase in my dues without my consent. I asked about what that dollar is being used for in the hopes that it was used for something water related and thus would likely be removed soon as our water level has been rapidly increasing. The money goes to funding certain children's programs. I'm all for the children's programs offered by the Y -- but I'm not ok with masquerading it as a water related "tax" and thus misleading us. I'm raising these issues to the executive director of the Y and I'll update this when and if I hear back. In the meantime i'm considering other gyms. read more

Great facility and I've been very happy with my toddler's Parent and Me swim classes. She's really enjoying them and appears to be learning. However, I'm very confused by the "No Make-up classes" policy for youth swim classes. Last Monday morning, April 25th, downtown Berkeley experienced a major power outage which included the Y. The entire building was shut down. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2016/04/25/downtown-power-outage-knocks-out-berkeley-bart-station/ My two year old's parent and me swim class was cancelled and we have been offered no refund or opportunity to make up the class. UPDATE: I did receive an email and phone call from the Y after posting this review, as well as an apology for the delay. My credit card was refunded for the cancelled class. Power outage aside, the policy in general is very difficult for toddlers and young children. Seems like they want you to bring your child to class when they're sick?!? We may look for swim classes elsewhere when she begins preschool. read more

Recently started using this particular branch of the YMCA again after utilizing the RSF at UC Berkeley. I have been a member on and off of the YMCA for the past 35 years amongst this branch and the ones in Oakland and San Francisco (Embarcadero and Chinatown). This branch is where I learned to swim when I was a sprog! I had a very recent unpleasant experience at this YMCA a couple of days ago. I shall explain. The Mother and I came to workout at the YMCA. As we were leaving, I was halfway out the gate when The Mother called me over to choose some fruit that was available in a bowl near the towels. An obnoxious and rude young man who is an employee asked me if I entered through the gate. I tried to explain that I was on my way out when my mother called me over. He did not believe me or The Mother. He asked to see my ID. Man, I muttered a blue streak about it. I could not find the card. He then asked me to write my name down. Fine, so I did. Well, he checked and did not apologize. He then goes into this schpiel about how the YMCA is for families, there are young children, and all that dribble. Excuse me, I am not a pedophile and not a child-snatcher! If anything, if I do see children too far from their parents, I corral and return them to their parents. I did not appreciate being accused of entering through the wrong gate and excuse me, the YMCA is a place for families--a safe place! For cry F-word sake, I was with my mother. One of the many reasons we come to the YMCA is being a safe place for families in the community. The Mother made a comment about people on a power trip. I narrowed my eyes into the famous Chiara Gladstone glare at the obnoxious and rude employee and said (making sure he heard me), "Well, he messed with the wrong person." And if I ever see him again . . . . When I got home, I did make a phone call to complain about this obnoxious employee's attitude and conduct towards me. Unfortunately the person I wished to speak to was out until the following week. The person I spoke with was of no help though they did understand how I felt. And after going into the same dribble as their obnoxious colleague, they did promise they would look into it. Yeah, right! I hung up very angry and dissatisfied. I am going to speak the person in charge when they return and are present for me to give them a piece of my mind. It would be a real pleasure to point out that obnoxious person to them and let them know I did not appreciate their attitude and insinuation with their desire to be on a power trip and wielding it. As a result, I am now very uncomfortable coming to this place to workout because of obnoxious, power tripping employees like that unpleasant one's accusatory treatment of me. So much for coming here to relieve anxiety and stress only to induce more--it is a stress-fest because of power trippin' front desk staff. So much for customer service. Hashtag: This is not my Y . . . . read more

The staff is soooo rude. A woman named Cassy yelled, no screamed, at me when I took two towels. I belong to Oakland YMCA and we are allowed 2 towels there. So, she is basically chasing me down telling me I own her a dollar for taking the second towel. I honestly didn't know. The correct response would have been, "hey next time only take one or pay the dollar." After being so rude, she asked for my name which I happily gave to her and she sent me on my way. The next time I went to my home YMCA, Oakland YMCA, I had a HUGE RED tag (scarlet S) on my membership card when I swiped in. Cassy took it upon her self to freeze my membership (even though my dues were current). The folks at Oakland YMCA were awesome. The manager, Zack, apologized. I asked that Cassy apologize to me and all I heard was crickets. Then I contacted the CEO Fran, who was no help at all and didn't want to get involved. I asked how was I going to feel comfortable going into Berk YMCA and how would I know this woman Cassy wasn't going to rage at me again. Again, crickets from Fran and Zack.Maybe they are trying to decrease their membership? Looks like the YMCA employees could use some training on customer communication skills of engagement and appropriate behavior. Truly shocking! read more

I live in Berkeley when I moved 2years ago from Orange county. I usually go to there 2days per a week. when i was young my mom and me we loved sauna. I was looking forward sauna here. My husband recommend in Berkeley gym.when i was so exciting because they have to 3pools and they are many have to program,they have to 2sanua!! I love Jacuzzi and sauna. sometimes I'm spending time spinning class. I had a good time everyweek!!! read more

I am mildly disabled in a way that looks worse than it really is. I was barred from water aerobics as being too hard for me after a 5 second evaluation as I walked up to the instructor. I was also told that I could only do tai chi from a chair, thereby negating the balance improvement I was looking for. I have also been forced off the disabled ramp at the entrance by people with strollers. I guess the Y would be OK for able bodied people with kids but not so much for me. I cancelled my membership. read more

It took me 6 months to get back overcharges on my credit card from this YMCA. It took many phone calls and emails. Once they have your credit card, they will keep charging you long after you have cancelled your membership. In addition, they violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). They let aggressive swimmers swim in the walking lane, endangering the elderly and disabled. When a disabled person complains to the lifeguard, they are treated with hostility. I saw 3 male staff members harass a disabled woman who was walking in the walking lane when there was a class of 7 people at the opposite end of the Olympic sized pool. The male staff members bullied the disabled woman into leaving the pool saying there was no room to walk! The YMCA staff also lets people contaminate the sauna with chemical scents, which can cause dangerous asthma attacks. The staff does nothing to stop this and ignores the Y's own signs stating it is against their rules This YMCA is a lawsuit waiting to happen. They need to make changes in their staff attitudes and policies. read more

I didn't know where to start working out again when I moved here in June 2012. This may have be one of the best investments I've made thus far. There is a wide range of mind/body, cycling and cardio classes. Plus, there's an entire women's only cardio room, weight room and sauna. Highly recommended. read more

I've been a member of a PF-like, "no bodybuilders" gym, 24 Hour Fitness, and a bodybuilder-friendly World Gym, and the YMCA is one of the best gyms I've gone to with a great sense of community to boot. The weight room and machines are fantastically extensive. Shoot, the weight room even has three Olympic lifting platforms...Damn! With the exception of the occasional college bro, there aren't any raging egos or judgment. The only time I felt annoyed was when a couple bros were loudly discussing my leg sleeve tattoo behind me, but I haven't seen them since. Clientele is a diverse mix of ages and skill levels and there is a friendly rapport among many members. Unlike other gyms, people at the Y courteously re-rack their weights and are respectful when it comes to working in. I like that there isn't some crappy EDM blaring over a PA as I prefer working out without music to concentrate on my lifts. There are saunas in the locker rooms, which is something I only expect from higher-end gyms. Staff is always friendly and helpful when asked. I'll take a $65 membership at the Y over my previous $85 World Gym membership any day. read more

I go to the Berkeley Y for a gym. Since I'm a young woman without kids, I can't rate them for their programs for seniors, teenagers, or children. Pros: - Great weight room with kettlebells, TRX, bosu - Spacious locker rooms - Separate women's cardio and weight room (I don't like use it and prefer the general facilities, but I know others do like it) - Warm temperature - It's where Jack Lalanne (of the juicer fame!) learned to lift weights Cons: - A bit dusty - not sure if there's anything they can do about it Suggestions: - License Les Mills for RPM and BodyPump instead of group cycling and body sculpt A few people have mentioned the nudity in the locker rooms. I thought I was prepared, but I was still shocked. I've got no issue with changing in a change room, but I think it's strange that at any given time, around 75% of the people in the locker room are completely naked. read more

I have been at the YMCA for over a year now, so it seems about time to write a review . . . * general * pros: The location is pretty convenient. The building is old, but reasonably maintained, and I like the variation from the typical gym layout. The hours for the basic facilities are good, and in particular, they are open pleasantly early in the morning. I have always found the employees to be friendly and helpful, even at 5AM. They have WiFi installed (which is free to members), and it works pretty well in most locations in the building. They have lots of classes, covering a significant range of interests. cons: There are way too many shared costs at the Y, including the parking, and the child care (Yes, I know the subsidized memberships and the women's gym are also things that I can't use, but those are central to the mission of the place.). These should absolutely be paid for _only_ by the people that use them. * cardio * pros: There are a good selection of machines, and they are _always_ enough machines. Also, they are in a good state of repair. cons: Basically, none. * free weights * pros: The selection of weights/equipment is not bad. The seriousness of the clientele (even the high schoolers) is generally pretty good, and definitely significantly better than the RSF. cons: The selection of weights/equipment is not good. In particular, they still have those sh***y octagonal plates, which are terrible for any exercises that require pulling from the floor (e.g., deadlifts). Additionally, they do not have enough power racks. As a general note, the free weight room is generally _way_ over subscribed, as opposed to the cardio room(s), in which there are always machines available. This points to a significant imbalance of resources between weights and cardio that the management has yet to remedy . . . * training * N.B.: I have only worked with one trainer in my time here. pros: The trainer I worked was really knowledgeable, and super friendly. cons: None * pools * N.B.: While they advertise that there are three pools, two of them are perpetually reserved for various special purposes, so practically, there is only one. pros: They have a nice jacuzzi next to the pool, good for relaxing after a hard workout. cons: I used to swim at Hearst. Compared to that, the pool here is terrible, in pretty much every respect. Way too small/busy to do almost anything. Plus, it doesn't have the beautiful view, or camaraderie, that Hearst has. If you are only concerned with swimming, join the RSF. * spin * pros: The bikes are reasonably new and in good shape. cons: Of the three facilitators I worked out with, two of them were terrible in various ways (lots of political talk during the workout, which I find extremely unprofessional, as well as terrible, terrible music). Also, the room is the smallest I have ever seen for that many bikes. Very, very crowded . . . Summary: Overall, the Y is a nice place to work out, and in particular, is significantly better than the RSF. However, the pool is basically unusable, the weight room is often extremely overcrowded, and I don't think it's reasonable to be paying for specialized amenities. Ultimately, a pretty good place to get a workout early in the morning, or when the weather is bad, but I will be keeping an eye out for a place with a bigger weight room, and less spreading around of costs for completely unnecessary services . . . 3.75/5.0 read more

The facilities looks very good . The all people work there are very nice except two guys work for the front desk. The two guys gave me very terrible feeling. I really want to complain them. Anybody knows the method to make a complaint? read more

Went in to sign my daughter up for swim lessons and they wanted to charge us $35 for my daughter and $45 for each parent (non-transferable between parents in the same household) just to be able to sign her up, and this does NOT include the actual fees for the actual lessons. So, they wanted us to pay $125 just so my daughter can sign up for lessons and just so either my wife or myself can take her to that lesson. Ridiculous. Its really sad to see that even the YMCA is just trying to shamelessly nickel and dime everyone. Needless to say we were very disappointed and won't be going back. read more

This is what a modern YMCA should be. It has all the equipment of a modern health club, yet maintains the traditional Y feel and services like residential living. I stopped by this place today as a stand in for my two regular gyms and I was impressed. Full disclosure- I'm reviewing this from the perspective of a guest and not a regular member. I learned to swim at a Y in Cleveland, OH. in the 70's and this place has that old time YMCA feel that I remember without looking the least bit dated and well it shouldn't. They've totally renovated the place since I was last there 20 years ago. The best thing, for a gym user like me, is that their fitness equipment is as good as any high end sports club that I've been to. On par with my gym in SF and much better than my local YMCA. The equipment is separated into several "use" rooms. There's a free weight room, cardio room, "machines" room and room with a matted floor for stretching and the like. When I went (7:30am to 9:30am on a Thursday) it wasn't too crowded. The folks in the free weight room were quiet and serious. The free weight room has a very long dumbbell rack with many dumbbells of the same size and intermediate sizes such as 17.5lbs in addition to standard sizes such as 20 and 15lbs. The free weight bars seemed kind of heavy. They maybe the traditional 25lb bars instead of the 20lb and 15lb bars that some places carry these days. I don't know for sure but I was definitely benching more weight here than at my regular YMCA on Tuesday. The cardio room was quite a shocker! Not only is there ample space but they have different styles of the same type of equipment and none of it looks old or worn out. I'm pretty sure I saw at least 3 different types of elliptical machines, including my favorite LifeFitness 95x which accepts IPods/IPhones and saves your workout data to Nike Plus! Now here's the downside for you sensitive/prudish fitness types out there. The locker room is in the traditional style, which means no individual shower stalls. Personally, I got over my body self-image issues and need for changing/showering privacy as a child in day camp but I know some adults still have issues. If you have privacy issues, you won't like the giant shower room with 16 plus shower heads. You also won't like the fact that a lot of folks don't "towel up". There are lots of bodies to be seen that probably should not be seen. Like I've said before, some things you can't "un-see". That aside, the place has a real community feel (as a YMCA should). All the folks in the locker room seemed to know each other. If you are in Berkeley and need a quick workout, this is the place for you. Cost is $5.00 to visiting YMCA members and $12.00 for non- members. read more

YES! I love this gym! I've been a member for many years now since I was in middle school and it's great here. They recently renovated so the gym is super nice now! If you have kids this is great because they have many programs for youth so it's very family-friendly. The room that used to house the bikes and rowing machines is now a youth studio and I've seen ballet classes in there, which is awesome! I work in San Francisco during the day so I usually go work out after work and it's nice the the parking lot has 2 hours of free validation after 4pm on the weekdays. The staff are super nice and helpful and answer all my questions and my favorite part about this gym are the classes that are offered. The classes I attend regularly are Body Sculpt, Total Body Challenge, Spinning, Step, and Pilates. They have great instructors like Noel, Jennifer, Robert, Mercedes, Kelly, etc. who really motivate me, totally kick my butt, and made me work hard. Besides the classes, on the main floor they have really nice new treadmill and elliptical machines that are ipod friendly! Also all the bike machines have their own tvs with lots of cable channels to choose from. The next room over is filled with great weight machines and right across the hall is a huge room filled with free weights and more weight machines. Down stairs is a HUGE pool with certain times designated for lap swimming and other swim-related classes. Upstairs there are two basketball courts, so when I peek in there's always a pickup game going on and such. Also upstairs is the youth studio previously mentioned as well as an aerobics studio where most of the cardio classes are held and a health and wellness studio where the yoga, pilates, and such classes are held. The women's locker room is upstairs as well as a separate room full of free weights, machines and a little stretch room just for women so it's nice to have that if you're more comfortable working out with women. Overall, I think this YMCA has so many great things to offer, besides all the great classes that I totally love and take advantage of, the facility is great, they keep it clean and it's really well kept. The membership fee is not expensive compared to other YMCAs (my friend pays about $20 more being a member of the Embarcadero Y) so it's not bad at all. I would definitely recommend it and it's totally a breath of fresh air to be able to work out in a nice facility after crazy days at work. read more

Great place. One star because my wife called to quit (money is tight) and was told she'd have to come in person. Creating such barriers to canceling a service is totally unethical. Updated - an email to management helped, but not before she had gone down there and been told there was a 7 day notice policy and we'd have to pay an additional month. This hassle reminded me that when we signed up the person at the desk tried to overcharge us for a prorated month. So, a nice facility, but the front desk staff seem to not be able to give you accurate information about billing read more

Great facilities! Now the bad: + Classes in the middle of the day? Nope forget about it. + Parking. "Premium" city rate on the streets, meaning you're paying 30% more than elsewhere in the city. In the garage, if you return to your car a minute past validation time, they not only charge you for the entire next hour but negate all your validation hour(s) as well, so you pay FULL FREIGHT. Cool huh? ... btw - there's no validation in the middle of the day. + Towels used to be free. Then some knob decided to nickle and dime customers, and charge a dollar for a second towel. Now towel-Nazis control the towel pile. Beware! + A side effect of not having enough towels is that the machines are now sweaty, and it's tremendously easy to slip in the locker rooms because EVERYONE ONLY HAS ONE TOWEL (and they're saving it for their shower). + They drone on about how you should give up longer (expensive) showers to somehow save water ... note, their swimming pool leaks thousands of gallons of water due to a defect (overheard a manager saying this). So jokes on you. Cool huh? + While the pool is seeping away, they have water-saving shower heads that feel more like a squirrel is tinkling on you than a usable shower flow. This is a bit ironic, because you still need the same amount of water to get the shampoo out, so now you're just taking twice as long to do it, while half-freezing (in a room full of other people doing the same). + Much like the surrounding city, there are marginally helpful signs everywhere telling you what you should and shouldn't do, but mostly what you shouldn't do. Kind of like weeds they just pop up everywhere to the point that they nearly camouflage one another. ... Reading some of them, you might even wonder how anyone in the target audience could get it together enough to even signup for a membership. + If you work 9 to 5 and don't like overcrowded classes, forget about it. During yoga they pack everyone in by the square inch, way past the fire code limit, and you get limbs, behinds, elbows, and shall we say, pungent odors, all up close and personal. This is Berkeley btw - home of the scentophobes, there are actually signs in some areas warding off evil-scent-users ... however because this is Berkeley, being more than a little a "naturally" ripe is fine and dandy. + Changing rooms are generally clean. Now and then, there's some weird thing, like a person grooming their pubes, and another irate person ranting why its uncool that this person's pubes are stuck to their feet. btw - Bring a serious lock for the changing room. They've basically chiseled away at the little nice things and stand clueless to serve you for an exorbitant monthly fee, part of which goes to subsidize a handful of sketchy people that use the gym for pennies by comparison. All in all though, it's still nice, they provide a nice service for people with disabilities, kids, etc., but it's just not worth what they're charging. read more

I have been a member for over a year now and like this gym, it's pretty alright; super easy to get to, lots of equipment, and decent price. Downsides, though, are no running track and no late weekend hours. Staff are mostly all friendly, though I did get an oddly condescending comment from one of the staff ladies supervising the women's weight area upstairs: I was bench-pressing alone and she came over to remind me to use the collars for the bench-press bar, fair enough, though there is strong argument that when bench-pressing without a spotter it's better to *not* collar incase you need to drop the bar and slip the weight off one end. When I don't have a spotter, I'd like to have the option of rescuing myself somehow if no staff or other people are around. If she were aware of the rationale, maybe a more constructive thing would have been to offer to spot me and then suggest putting collars on for that. I was also doing a short warm-up set at that moment, starting at low-weight and increasing quickly every 5 reps until reaching lift weight -- extremely inconvenient to deal with taking the collars off, adding weight, then getting them back on again. Instead, she then added that when I "get good at it" and "someday, when you make it to the *big* weights (she stressed *big* like you would to a small child), it's a good habit to collar every time". Now, if I'm there while she's working, I head for the women's cardio room or opt to lift with the dude-bros in the co-ed room on the main level. read more

The Berkeley YMCA is awesome. I've been going to gyms for over 15 years now and the Berkeley Y is hands down the best gym I've ever been to (I have worked out at various places such as World's Gym, Gold's Gym, Bally's, etc.) This place is very well maintained and clean with all the frills and amenities that you would expect and want from a gym! I have also visited many other YMCA's in the bay area and none of them come close to this one. I have been going here for over 3 years now. The facility is huge! Including 3 swimming pools, a whole women's wing (cardio, weights, stretch room), all the latest fitness machines, child watch (very good!), kinder gym and soooo much more. Even the new cardio bikes have individual tv's with cable if you're doing a lazy work out. They offer classes in everything (cardio, dance, yoga, pilates, spinning, etc) which are included in your membership (except for certain types of swim classes). If you do have children they have a drop-off center while you're working out and the staff is great. They are wonderful with kids/babies and there are so many activities for them to do. My toddler loves it there, and they all know her by name. Everything has recently been updated, retrofitted and remodeled, so the place looks great. The women's wing is a major plus! Tons of equipment and it is usually never hard to get on any machine. I do a lot of free weights and they have everything you need in the women's too (not just the co-ed area).The locker rooms have saunas and are well kept. Fresh towel service is also included :)! Another great thing is they offer financial aid for those who qualify. So students, low income or part-time workers can apply and get good discounted rates on membership & child watch fees too. The Berkeley Y is a very community oriented gym. They always have activities going on involving the community and members but without feeling like just a family and kids gym.I can't think of any gym that compares to the quality and services. Love it. read more

I came to participate in the classes and tried 4 different classes and they all was really low level, felt as is I went to my grandmas class. Also went to the gym it was ok, they had TRX and it was good for me but they didn't had someone professional to consult with and no music. Didn't like the place at all. read more

Beyond tight. It's got a hot sauna, a wet sauna, and cold water so you can rotate between all three and get that super high from alternating your inner body temperature very quickly. Seriously. It feels great and there's plenty of interesting culture to the sauna and hot tub scene. Persian gangsters, Korean skinny and fat men, not to mention that hippy with 4 foot hair that's been in the dry sauna for the last 45 minutes. It's all good. The pool's alright. It's kind of got these fluorescent lights that aren't the greatest - but hey, they've got tons of Yoga and Pilates, the best is that Sunday 2.5 hours Yoga+Meditation combination, like some kinda neo-21st century hippy hipster church. It's got like, good vibes man. So yah, I'm a fan. Have a nice day. read more

This YMCA is the YMCA to end all YMCAs. It is three floors of fitness awesomeness. It is the Great Mall of America of fitness awesomeness. It is the de facto town square of Berkeley and outlying areas. read more

Love the classes and the environment is friendly! I'd give a review of four stars but I really do feel that they need to thoroughly clean and get rid of the sweaty scent in the locker rooms and in their lockers. It sticks to my clothes and belongings. (1/2015) read more

This is a great gym if and only if you're getting financial aid. It simply is not worth the regular fee. The customer service is essentially -Lousy- Current members will remember this when eventually they too will experience the unprofessional front desk. I've been a member for over two years, attended numerous birthday parties and classes. The last party we attended was in Jan.2010 and they finally painted the tiny party room. Our friends paid over $230 for approx. 2 hours of time. The staff want you out of there in a hurry and you'd better clean everything up. The party asst. is a joke, he tries to be helpful, acts like he's still drunk from the night before. Pretty useless, mirror image of the front desk staff. They are very unprofessional. We spoke to the party planner who advises you of all YMCA party rules and the front desk tells you something completely different. Checked the room this year which has since been cleaned up, new paint does wonders. Wouldn't recommend it for a party even for die hard swimmers, shallow pool is too shallow for 5 & up, Grace pool is too cold. Good luck with the staff if you join. read more

I went to view a few gyms in Berkeley today among those was YMCA. After waiting around for someone to come and give me the tour, i had an opportunity to view lobby, swimming pool and several facility room . Frankly it is most dated, dust everywhere, stained carpet, the only crowed i saw while waiting were about 20-25 ladies in their 60's then finally i was asked to take the tour however i was given a 2 page questionnaires before they will allow me to tour the club? which i left read more

This is the best gym I've ever joined. The facilities are extensive, with an air-conditioned cardio room, separate weight rooms for men and women (while I'm not normally self-conscious about exercising about men, the quiet environment in the women's room is a huge plus), three pools, and any kind of class you could want, offered pretty much all day. I appreciate that this place is oriented more towards fitness and family togetherness than the typical gym meat market. There are truly men and women of all shapes and sizes here focused on getting in shape. Also, with the generous scholarship program, I'm only paying $31 a month. My only small complaint would be the limited holiday hours, but how many of us work out on those days off anyway? I highly recommend the Y. read more

I have been a member of this gym more than a year. Recent reconstruction became a pain, and I'm not sure if it is going for the better. They opened a new stretching and aerobics area in 2nd floor, unfortunately that area is smelling like kitchen (probably because of the people stay next to that area), it is impossible to do cardio around dinner time. I am not getting any financial aid, but I think there are lots of people getting it. It might be a good deal if you are getting one of the cheap rates. I will add to my review after the construction finishes, if I am still a member (I am checking 24 fitness this week) read more

Maybe I have high standards for gyms but I was a bit disappointed with this one. Although the price wasn't so bad compared to other gyms around the east bay but the gym itself is very filthy. Equipment isn't so up to date. Locker room is pretty dirty as well. The staff seem pretty down to earth and welcoming though. Another con for me was that they don't play any music in the weight room. So all you're left with is a library gym. Very quiet and awkward. No parking either since it's downtown berkeley. So there's an extra 5 dollars a day to park in the garage as well. They do validate but only specific small window times of the day. read more

I've gone here every work day since I moved to California in 2006 for the pool. usually the lanes are pretty clear, but typically you'll have to split a lane. I can count on my 2 hands the number of times I've had to share a lane 3 ways which can be a bit stressful when you're in the fast lane. Not surprisingly this happens most often in the fall and winter months both before and after new years resolutions are made. There are 2 gyms. The first gym has aerobic equipment like recumbent bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, nordic track-- the full nine. pretty much anything you can think of that'll get your heart-rate up. There's also universal weight training machines in the front. The second gym has all of the free-weights, a few universals and some gymnastic equipment. I wish there were more gymnastic equipment, but what is available is fine. it tends to be too cold in this facility in general, but it makes perfect sense as to why. it would also be nice if they had more equipment to work the lower body. there are two small matted areas and one with a studio bar for ballet stretching. the core strength balls for use in these rooms provide a very nice workout and help to improve your posture/balance. The staff are mostly young high school students, but there are some older post college grads as well. all-in-all, young staff; not really to be relied upon unless they look obviously over 25, but they do their jobs well enough when a real adult isn't around. The atmosphere is more homey than professional so expect courtesy-- not customer service. So you'll get what you need if you show some respect. There's a long waiting list for a locker and if you miss the assignment lottery sheet they send in the mail, you'll have to wait another year. It doesn't matter much to me since I use a full size locker which are for day use only, but was annoyed by this process when I tried. (the rent lockers are tiny 2x2x2 foot lockers) I'm a quiet guy and appreciate that I can come here for 3 years and not have an entourage of people greet me from the front door to the where-ever-I'm-going. However if you meet the right people (I see them everyday. most of them participate in the training programs like karate, yoga, or the touted spinner class) you can create that kind of atmosphere here if you like. The people are very nice and very down-to-earth. There are very few pretentious yuppies that frequent here like they do the 24 hour fitness down the street and when they do come, they don't last very long as members. I'm not saying that they get chased out and stoned by the dedicated grass-roots members. I'm only noting an observation that they eventually stop showing up regularly for whatever reason after a few weeks or months or so. Most of the regulars are honest, hard working nature loving politically charged semi-educated citizens of reality. Relax it all off in the hot tub when you're done. The old men talk too much in the steam room and saunas. The Y is very clean and safe and the janitors do an extremely good job at keeping it this way. They also do a very good job at being social and professional simultaneously. I tend to trust them to help me in a bind more than the front desk staff. all and all, the Y is a very utilitarian place. It has what you need without the bells and whistles. the gated City-of-Berkeley atmosphere the people here create along with the $65 a month membership dues for some of the best amenities a gym can offer give this place 4 stars. read more