I searched gyms in Cambridge for months. They were either way way cheap, no classes, and with very bad reputations (stolen items, terrible staff)... or.... way way too pricey. Think Wellbridge or Healthworks. Healthworks seemed great, but the locker room was a nude show and I hated how crowded it looked. I also didn't like that you had to sign up to use a cardio machine. Wellbridge was great, but expensive. The answer? Cambridge YMCA! Well priced, (with classes), friendly staff, clean (no frills, but plenty of equipment). Convenient location. No termination fee. When I go after work, it is NEVER crowded. I actually like the old building - very unique. Thumbs up. Only down size I've seen people not wipe down equip when done and no one rebukes them. However, this is very rare and you can always wipe down machines before you use it. read more

I personally love the Y but I can understand why others might not feel as strongly about it. It's totally awesome for me mostly because it's so insanely convenient (a ten minute walk from my house) and I can go any time of day and find a treadmill to use. It's a family oriented place mostly, a bit grungy and a very mixed clientele with sometimes adorable and sometimes not so adorable kids running around after 3pm. I haven't tried the swimming pool out but while it's not huge, it looks pretty decent. Also there are large gyms and frequent games of basketball if you're into that sort of thing. It's a bit overpriced (I pay $70 bucks a month, the basic is $50, but for $20 bucks more you get an overnight locker, three towels every time you visit, and unlimited yoga courses) so I certainly wouldn't commute just to attend it. Also the place could use a little cleaning in the shower area and steam room, but it has a very friendly informal feel which I like, and the sauna is aMAZing. Oh, and the other weird thing is that the weight room is separated from the "nautilus" room by the gym, and as a woman I don't really feel welcome in the weight room, but I don't use them anyway, and I kind of prefer not to have muscle heads watching me work out, so I'm not really complaining... read more

My favorite gym. They have a lot of space for dead-lifts and Olympic lifts. Since they have reopened after the initial COVID shutdown, I have always felt safe. They have temperature checks when you enter, carefully monitor capacity and equipment spacing, and clean equipment well. The staff are always friendly and helpful. read more

You can find everything you are looking for at the YMCA in Cambridge. Yoga, dance, boxing classes. Basketball court, a pool and so much more. The staff is helpful and a great atmosphere to be in. read more

Yes, the workout area is grimy. But I'm so comfortable working out at the YMCA. Maybe I'm romanticizing it as an everyman's gym, maybe it is misguided of me to think that gym's should be quaint, maybe if I got ringworm from the mats in the stretching room I would change my tune. ...But for now: Cambridge Y, I love ya! The yoga studio is great too - I like to go to the lunchtime classes on my break. So convenient! read more

An incredible value! Membership includes weight room,cardio, pool, basketball courts, racquetball, sauna/steam room and more. $5 extra gets classes like yoga, pilates and boxing! No frills, and the building shows it's age but its well maintained and and the management cares. read more

I love this Y. It's very grungy and down to earth, and the chlorine smell hits you when you walk in. It feels more like a community center than a gym, and I like that about it. I love that you can take all of the fitness classes free with the membership. Probably the right place for you if Golds Gym type places give you the willies. read more

I've been a member for the last 6 months and have no complaints about the facilitiy itself. However, about two months ago, I went to sign up for my monthly dues. They realized that they had been charging me the student fee ($40 a month) even though I already graduated. Since I had no student ID to show, she said she would have to charge me the regular amount of $80! Come on, now! That's more than BSC! read more

I started out my boxing career here on Tuesday - Thursday,, taught me the basics and help me elevate my career.. Very polite people at the front desk and staff give you pointers when your working out and doing something wrong... Helpful... read more

Cambridge YMCA - Sparing... - Gyms Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Love this Y. I've taken the most fun classes here (punk rope, push and pull, weights 101), and most are included in membership. There are always people around, and there's a comfortable atmosphere. It's an older building, but they have all of the essentials and more for getting a good workout/lifting (lots of treadmills, but thankfully more than that!). I've been given advice by instructors on their off time and sometimes peers about my lifting form in friendly ways (preventing injuries, etc.), but for the most part people are doing their own workouts and won't bother you even if you're the only girl in the lifting room. And the price is reasonable, especially for the area. Speaking of the lifting room, it's sadly undergoing renovations until some undetermined time, so there is only one squat rack now that might not be comfortable for everyone to use. I was given the option of getting to pause my membership while the renovations were going on, but so far have been able to use the remaining rack without issues, and might start taking classes again. Hopefully the fixes (for water damage) will be done by the fall... read more

I've been a member for 10 years but I'm probably quitting. I do the yoga classes and they just flail around with the schedule. You might be able to find convenient classes when you join but that doesn't mean that that schedule won't change without warning. I just complained but the guy made it clear that my business wasn't really important. Vim is also in Central square and (with classes) about the same price. Not so run down either. The dirty locker rooms were also starting to wear on me too. read more

I had been thinking about becoming a member at this Y. But I was there yesterday evening, around 7:15pm and the front desk was unnecessarily discourteous. Do not be rude to your potential customers. Planet fitness at Porter Square is cheaper and closer to my house. Thanks for helping me make that decision, folks. read more

The Central Square Y is fine for what is is. If you don't care about frills and bright-and-shiny, and don't care about watching tv while you work out, there's no major problem here. It does feel like working out in a basement though, especially the weight room. Doesn't feel particularly clean. Locker rooms are ok. Patrons and staff are friendly. People mainly go here to exercise, not to socialize and look pretty. No free parking; need to use the lot or search for a free meter. Membership fees are perhaps a little pricey for this experience. Oh, I have to mention that one time while I was there, I had to abandon my workout when the weight room suddenly was permeated with a thick, disgusting sewage smell. Now that I think of it, it was reallllly bad, and other patrons said it was an on-going problem due to some problem with the pipes. Eek. Gross. UPDATE: So, I went back to the Y today after going to several different BSCs for months and realized there is some more info I can add to make this review more complete. I'm also lowering my rating to 2 stars instead of 3. This Y is definitely like working out in a basement -- the walls are painted cinder blocks. Also, this building is old and there is no hiding that fact. It's underground on Mass Ave, so you can hear the T go by, and sometimes the chlorine smell from the pool permeates all of the 2nd floor. Most of the cardio machines and weight room equipment is pretty old. All of the ellipticals are still the older, more circular-stride varieties, as opposed to the newer crossramp ellipticals and arc-trainers most gyms have upgraded to. I'm guessing that this Y can get away with charging almost $50/month due to the variety of facilities/etc that it offers: cardio, free weights, fitness classes, yoga classes, pools, squash courts, basketball gym. But unless you take advantage of most of these, I'm not sure this place is worth the monthly fee. read more

New option - option #3. Go to Planet Fitness for $10/month instead. It clean, huge, and not packed. There also aren't little kids running around the locker room. read more

I have no idea why this place gets four stars. It is a total dump. Dirty facility, broken equipment in a nasty basement. I came here from another Y visit and will never be back, complete waste of my day. I had to show a picture ID to get in and sign in , get a code for the locker room, was told that there was a charge for all classes even though I have never had to pay an additional charge at any other Y... And of course a charge for towels. I am on the forth broken machine right now and shocker ... tv's not working! read more

Boo-hoo, it's dirty. Boo-hoo, at BSC they rub your feet while a robot gently exercises your shoulders! WHAAA MOMMY! That's what I hear from people when they complain about the Cambridge Family Y. It isn't the prettiest place. Hell, I think I got staph infection from their hand sanitizer. You know what, IT IS A GROSS PLACE. BUT THAT'S WHY IT IS SUCH A GREAT PLACE. Here's why: Have you ever tried to use the free-weights at a gym? It can be a really intimidating experience if you a weak little gym novice like myself. All those knuckle-dragging weirdos grunting loudly, gazing soullessly at you as you pick out the perfect ten-pound dumbbell, and generally acting like jerks. BUT! The marginal maintenance, lack of amenities or pleasing interior deflect those people! They'd rather go to the Huntington Y or B$C (lol.). I really mean this. There is nothing intimidating about this gym. It is a really good atmosphere to exercise in. If a little dank, this place is welcoming. read more

there are meat-heads everywhere, and if you ask me, that's worth 5 stars all by itself. the "nautilus" room is cool because it reminds me of 20,000 leagues under the sea. i highly recommend listening to that audio book while in the cardio room. The nautilus machines are something i've never seen before. i'm assuming it's because they are state-of-the-art, not supremely outdated. i honestly do love the ymca though. be still my heart. read more

we joined this place for two main reasons: it's down the block from us, and the fees are cheaper than whatever nearby cambridge gyms we looked at. it's a passable facility. i can see how members who take advantage of all the services, classes, and the pool may see it as a better value. as far as gyms go, the weight equipment looks like it was pulled from the ocean floor. the cardio machines are newer but nothing to crow about. weight equipment is sometimes broken or left in disarray. almost nobody puts away weights or sees any need to toss the little plastic cups used for water. obviously, i have a problem with the lack of respect for the equipment and the space. the other big benefit is that the weight room and cardio area are almost always sparsely occupied. you'll never have to wait to use a machine. maybe that's telling, too. i've been a member of better gyms for lower monthly rates. if you live in central square and need a no-frills place to workout and re-enact marky mark's "good vibrations" video, the cambridge ymca is worth a look. read more

The gym is no frills and lackluster. However, the staff is amazing and they have a variety of classes to choose from. It's relatively cheaper than neighboring gyms but not disgusting like those $10 a month gyms. Try the boxing classes for an extra $5 a month. The pool isn't very large but gets the job done. read more

I have been swimming here for over 3 years. The pool isn't bad, especially for the price. And the people that work here are great. Sauna, steam room, I'm happy. To be honest, I have never even visited the weight room or aerobic stuff. But overall, I like it here. read more

This boxing gym is great if you're interested in condition and training minus any unnecessary distractions that might come with other commercial gym. Along with having a full sized ring, there are plenty of bags and speed bags to work on as well as tons of rope, gloves and wraps. Dan is the man who will get you into gear and on a great program. read more

Great swimming facilities, nothing to complain about! Glad this place is around. It's been a part of my life all through my life, either through affordable and free programs for low income and disabled people or friends of mine who live there or are members, and through community events. read more

This is a review mainly for the children's swim lessons. We've been going for about a year and I'm so impressed with the staff and how quickly my kids have progressed in their skills. It's a bit of a pain for us to drive to but we come here rather than pools closer to home because I like the people, the smallish classes and the attention each of the teachers pay my kids! read more

Today we have a bad experience with open swimming team. They do not allow my kids with my husband to get in to the pool for open swimming. They said that the rules should two parents come with the tree kids, but last week they allowed them and they did not say that. They hurt my kids feeling, especially my kids they wear their swim suits and they were almost in the pool. The lady that talked unpolite with my husband. I think she can said to him my old kids can go in, but she did not give them this option until I asked her later after my kids change their cloths. read more

If you're looking for a bare-bones gym facility and you don't mind a grimy feel to all your weight and cardio machines then feel free to sign up. Its true the monthly fees are lower than other gyms in Harvard/Central/Porter Sq but you really get what you pay for. read more

Best water aerobics class in the Boston area! Included in membership, so the price is right. Friendly staff. Facility clean but not luxurious. The building is old and definitely falling apart. Leaky ceilings etc. and the Sauna in the Men's locker room is alternately broken or putting out little heat. You get what you pay for, but the location and the water aerobics class more than make up for it for me read more

The Ashtanga Yoga classes at this Y are fantastic. So far the best I've taken in Boston. Instructor Saundra reallly kicks our butts every Monday and Wednesday. And we love it ;) read more

You get what you pay for. It's not the swankiest gym out there, but they offer a lot of different classes for not that much per month. And they have a good lap-swimming pool with a convenient schedule. Unlike other places I've belonged, you can usually get a lane to yourself. The yoga classes I went to were pretty good, and the free mats are a nice touch (not a given even at places that charge twice as much). read more

Serenity Spa - a new addition to the Central Square Y. An absolute surprise in Central Square. Tucked into a quiet area near the women's locker room, this peaceful room is so different from the usual energy and commotion of the Y. Soothing sounds of falling water, calm colors on the wall, soft glow of the lighting and the best massage hands! I left the message table a changed women. My knots were teased away and my nerves felt energized. This spa just opened a few weeks ago and I hope it succeeds because I need to stay relaxed & healthy and a good massage does that. read more

I recently moved to the Cambridge area and I was looking for an affordable gym where I would feel comfortable. I tried a few other gyms in the Boston area over the years and I never really felt like I fit in at any of them. Most are too pricey and/or full of people a little too gung ho about narcissism. The Y offers me a pretty good price and a place where I can work out without all the bother. Sure, the building is old and can be tough to navigate, but their nice staff more than makes up for it. I take a lot of the fitness and yoga classes and the teachers are amazing! I've noticed a lot of childrens programs going on, and I must say, I am happy to support a place that gives as much back to the community as they do. The BSC is very beautiful I am sure, but also very impersonal and what do they do for the community? read more

This gym keeps me coming back time after time, which is very impressive since I have a netflix subscription and a pantry stocked with oreos at all times. I'm not actually a member here, but I heard about the racquetball courts and boxing ring and decided to check it out. The front desk staff are polite and friendly, and I was even greeted cheerfully by an older woman in the locker room wearing nothing but a smile. For me one of the most alluring qualities of this facility are all the water stations located throughout the gym. I'm not a huge sanitation freak, but I've been to other gyms and I've watched people accost the water fountain head like they are being paid to recreate the kiss scene from The Notebook. Anyway, the water stations here have little paper cups and you can recycle them, plus they are everywhere, located in the cardio room, weight room, near the stretch area, and in the hallways. They also have 3 sets of dumbbells, one in the cardio room and 2 in the weight room, so the few times I've been where there is a bit of a crowd, I was still able to use the dumbbells and weights without much of a wait (not my proudest pun.) I'm looking forward to building up the courage/muscle/stamina to check out one of the beginner or women's boxing classes soon! read more

Love this gym! It really feels like a community place, with the affordable prices, the diverse clientele, and the down-to-earth amenities. Weight room and cardio in the basement, pool just below the entrance, and a main floor with yoga studio/group class room. I took a few Zumba classes there, which were great and inclusive. I imagine other classes would be the same. I'm looking forward to start taking women's boxing soon, which has always intrigued me. Most importantly, I never felt judged or uncomfortable here, regardless of how fit I was at that particular moment. It's the right atmosphere for getting healthy and making long term changes in life. read more

Truly a gym for the people! No frills here-- you won't find electronic music playing on the PA or a scantily-clad girl passing out free towels. No, this gym is for the folks who want simplicity at a reasonable price. The walls aren't gleaming with that "new gym" look. but they offer the same brand of machines as the other guys, plus a plethora of classes (yoga, kickboxing, conditioning, etc). The patrons are generally polite, friendly, and best of all, keep to themselves. One of the biggest selling points of this gym, however, is their pool, which gives the Y a leg up on the local competition. Not to mention it's about 20-30 bucks cheaper per month, and offers a sliding scale if you are experiencing economic hardship. The Y also supports lots of initiatives and programs for local youth, so it feels pretty good to contribute to that. In the end, it all depends on what you are looking in a gym, but if you can do without all the bells and whistles, the Y is the way to go. read more

This is probably the best gym I have ever been to. The classes are fantastic and the Y Weight Challenge changed my life. I highly recommend the Yoga classes as well. It isn't a pretty place, but the cost is reasonable and the people are really friendly. read more

Great gym! Nice selection of weights and machines. Great for new and experienced lifters. The only problem is that it's closed on Sundays.

Honest, no frills, no BS gym facility. Great staff. Nice new men's locker room. A real bargain.

I take the Red Line subway to this Y because its convenient. The interior feels like a Dungeon with intricate mazes, but it's not as bad as the Somerville Y. This location has a boxing gym, so that's a major plus. The staff is pretty decent, and the class instructors are great. They have separate Steam Rooms and Dry Sauna's in the Mens locker, and it's always nice and hot. Actually, it's probably the hottest out of any Y that I've been to, which is a plus. The only downside to this Y is the age, small selection of workout equipment, and the sense that it's been mismanaged throughout the years, thus many of the amenities disappearing slowly, yet cost of membership getting higher. read more