Great gym, with nice staff. Never over packed, and it's very clean. $29/month for guest privileges…read moreis a very good value anywhere in Cambridge. Better than any gym in the area, and I've tried em all!

I signed up for basic membership in Feb 2025 (19.99) but they have been charging me for the core…read moremembership (29.99). I went in to get this resolved, they told me I would be able to downgrade back to basic but I would have to pay a fee. On top of that, they said I would not be eligible for a refund or compensation for the extra amount charged. The gym manager (name is Drew) also told me, word for word, that basic members are able to utilize the benefits that are open to core and ultimate members only, because they have no mechanism in place to see whether each individual is a basic member or an ultimate member. So you can go in and use their massage chairs, tanning machine, red light therapy, all for the charge of a basic membership! Gym manager: Drew

This place always smells like poop. It's telling me I need more characters to post my review but…read morethat's all I really had to say. They need to figure out their septic system or something. It literally always smells like human feces, especially near the locker rooms. None of the other members seem to mind.

Planet Fitness at Porter Square is a mixture of pluses and minuses…read more Pluses: 1. Kind people at the front desk 2. Very clean 3. Plentiful and a good variety of workout stations 4. Low monthly cost Minuses: 1. Revolving door of managers. 2. Parking is difficult. Can only park around perimeter of lot. 3. Machinery that is broken doesn't get fixed quickly.

I can't believe I have not written a review so far! My favorite gym by far! Amazing classes, a…read morelovely spa area, friendly and accommodative staff and inclusive/judgement free environment. I didn't know I needed to be in an all-women environment to feel comfortable and judgement-free, but here we are! The membership is worth every penny. The Cambridge location is conveniently within the porter square plaza so the er is plenty of parking. Just try it - you'll remember me!

I visited HealthWorks in Cambridge because I am interested in finding a gym while I'm in the area…read more I was able to schedule a tour pretty easily and the front desk was accommodating when I needed to switch my time. This is my review from attending the club during one visit. LOCATION The location is pretty accessible by train and there is parking at the Porter Square parking lot. CLEANLINESS When considering a gym, the cleanliness is of high priority to me. The facility was relatively clean and they had places to use wipes in different locations on the floor. EQUIPMENT The equipment is pretty updated. I went in the middle of the day and there was plenty of equipment available for use. PRICE The price is on par with other health clubs of similar status? I have paid more for gyms but this certainly isn't cheap even with my corporate discount. I could see how you can get a lot of value because they have different classes and is someone that takes many group classes, it's nice to see that they have a number of classes to choose from. I like that you can choose to forgo a contract because I'm not able to lock into a year-long contract at this time. I will say the locker room has a lot of different things that you would need to get ready such as blow dryer, flat iron, feminine hygiene products Q-tips. The showers are standard not very spacious and they have soap or body wash shampoo and conditioner. The lotion isn't the best quality. Despite slathering plenty on my skin, I was was dry soon after. My main gripe was that the bathroom or changing area definitely smell like corn chips. I haven't decided if I'd become a member yet but this is a pretty solid health club.

Good classes and instructors and staff are really nice. The rooms aren't very clean. The bathrooms…read moreare so gross! The same stall in the women's room has been out of order in months and the toilet paper stands are often broken. They have two locations. The one in kendall square is a lot less busy.

Great gym, but they will scam you when you try to cancel! Fill out a form to cancel my gym…read moremembership since I was moving away from gym. They said it never went through. Refused to give me a refund even when I contacted the same day I was charged. Don't leave the gym until you have proof you cancelled or they will rip you off. Horrible experience, why can't they just play nice with customers. I always recommended this gym to locals but I guess that wouldn't help anymore. Had to go to credit card company to dispute charges.

I worked out for a year here and was sad to leave as I was moving out of the area. I had been doing…read morecrossfit for a year before then, and for my year at Commonwealth my technique improved immensely. The coaches like Brian, Larry and Abby are sticklers for technique, but as a result help you build safer foundations for movements. For example, I hadn't realized that I was basically throwing myself at the wall for handstand pushups when there was a much safer way of getting up on the wall, which then later allowed me to complete hand stand walks! People at this gym are great as well, laid back and relaxed. It's a great place to work out!

It looks like the people here are having a good time, but I've noticed that there is at least one…read morecoach dating a client. I'm looking for a professional establishment! (And not that kind of a good time lol) If this also gives you the ick, then maybe not the place for you.

This gym continues to improve---they've just recently upgraded all their Life Fitness cardio…read moremachines (treadmills, ellipticals, & stationary bikes) to the latest "Club Series+ SE4" version which come with beautiful 24" touchscreen monitors. These monitors feature something like two dozen different "virtual terrain" selections where you can choose different places in the world where someone runs or bikes while wearing a GoPro camera, providing you with their POV experience of moving through scenic urban areas (Paris, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, etc) as well as stunning natural landscapes (tropical island jungles, desert trails, volcanic beaches, etc). This pretty much takes care of the #1 problem with cardio machines: soul-crushing BOREDOM from being stuck indoors huffing and puffing while going nowhere...in this case, a somewhat claustrophobic-feeling, fluorescent-lit basement gym. But with New England weather being what it is, especially those long dark winters when the sun sets at 4pm on icy/slushy sidewalks, what are you gonna do? Coupled with 5 separate free weight areas, a boxing gym with lots of free hanging bags including two Thai bags, and the highest-temperature sauna I've ever set foot in, this remains the best Y in the greater Boston area. Yeah it's in an old old non-pristine building (the Celtics used to practice in the upstairs basketball court during the 1960s, I've been told) that could use some massive sprucing up, but to be honest I'd rather they just invest in the actual fitness gear like they just did with these $11K treadmills! 4 and 1/2 stars (Deducting 1/2 star only because they continue to refuse to restore their pre-pandemic hours, when they closed at 10pm weeknights and 6pm on weekends.) Wish list of further upgrades: matched pairs of 20/24/28kg kettlebells, a Perform Better Glute-Bridge-Roller, and NON-eco showerheads so we don't waste so much TIME waiting for the soap to wash off.

Kind of conflicted on the 4 or 5 - for the price point this place is a 5. It's surprising how few…read moregood gyms that aren't a billion dollars or jam packed with sweaty students exist in the area. But by a general gym metric, this is more of a 4. The equipment isn't in the best shape, the basement is kind of dingy and sometimes the staff just doesn't have time to deal with you. But most of the time it's just a quality place. Decent classes, all the equipment you could need and it even has a sauna. Fair, the sauna is essentially a converted broom closet, but we're talking about a Y here, I'm just surprised it's not just actually a broom closet. I really found it impossible to find a place that had so much resources in one place, even at a higher price point. I'd imagine Cambridge would be chock full of uppity gym, but it isn't and the ones that are out there don't really hold a candle to what the Y has.

Clean 25 yd pool that wasn't too crowded. I went after work and didn't have to share with more…read morethan one person. Also, there's a very large diving well and separate kiddy pool so the lanes don't get full of aqua-joggers or families. Compared to some other local (non-university) pools, it's not quite as over-chlorinated or quite as warm, and definitely cleaner. Cheap entry by day, multiple-session card (I did the 10 entries for $40 which I think is budget-friendly) or gym membership - although I haven't checked out the gym yet. Only complaint is limited hours of lap availability and no AM lap swim during the winter session.

I am trying out several different masters swim programs in the Boston area and this is my second…read moreone I've tried. (See my other review for Quincy masters). So, I have to say, this one is just okay. You get a decent workout, but it's not HARD. And the reason why is not because of the workout itself, but it's because there are no SEND OFF times. Basically, the workout is, you do X amount of sets, but resting wise, you just do 10 or 20 second rests after each set. And so personally I'm not motivated to swim faster because I'm not trying to do anything on a specific time constraint. I find myself a little less focused to go faster without sendoffs. Also, the workout is pretty much the same each time- you start with a warmup, then 2 underwaters, and then the main set, and then an IM set, and the same kind of sprints where you try and do each 25 with zero breath or one, or whatever it is. It's not a bad workout, but I'm incredibly bored because I know it's the same each time. The main set changes each time, of course, but the sameness of structure makes it kinda boring. We get a decent amount of yardage in- anywhere between 2400-3200 per hour and 15 minute workout time. Practices are twice a week. As for the coach, Elyssa, she is a lovely woman. However, she doesn't quite have the enthusiasm I'm personally looking for. I want somebody to yell at me and give me critique. However, in her defense, she does have to coach 6 lanes of people so I understand it's not easy to give personal attention, so I don't blame her. But personality wise, I like a little more spunk in my coach. But everyone is there for different reasons so it's hard for a coach to be everything. The one thing that really bugs me is the staff that works there at the front desk- they are SO unfriendly, rude, impatient and clearly underpaid. They are CRANKY and they are the first people I see when I walk into that building so it makes me want to not be there. The pool is about a 10 minute walk to Harvard T stop (cut off across Harvard campus will save you ample time), so it's not terrible in terms of location. Oh, the pool itself really sucks. First of all, there are bulk heads that's separating the different sections of the pool so there's nothing to GRAB onto when you're doing two hand touches; it's completely awkward and irritating. Imagine finishing and doing two hand touches on a wall. Also, when you get into the pool, they have these blocks that are covered by orange covers that sorta get in the way and make it hard for you to get in- not to mention it is IMPOSSIBLE to get out because of the depth. You have to swim to the ladder to get out of the pool, because there is no way you can get out from the pool otherwise. It's kinda ridiculous. Cost wise, it's $105 for 20 sessions, so that's $5.25 per session, which is pretty cheap. I've looked into many other programs and this is probably the cheapest one. So pros: -Pretty good location if you're in Cambridge -Decent yardage of workout -Nice coach -Inexpensive Cons: -Sucky pool -Unfriendly front desk staff -No real send off times, just go at your own pace (which can be a pro if that's what you are looking for) - A bit dull (atmosphere, people, some of the workouts) If you are in Cambridge and are looking for twice a week workout for fitness, this is probably a good option for you.

I have been taking Angelica Teixeira's classes whenever I can. She is such a motivational…read moreinstructor and makes even hard exercises fun. Her classes are always varied and interesting.

If the gym would take greater care to tell members not to drop weights, or if the gym would add…read morebetter vibration isolation, then the CVS employees and customers downstairs wouldn't have to hear the booming noise at odd intervals. The noise is disturbing. A few days ago I asked a CVS employee about the noise, and the person said the noise happens all day. I've been going to that CVS for years, and I've heard the noise plenty, and I figured it was time to complain to the gym. I don't know of anyone who likes the noise, or who wants to hear the noise while standing in line to pick up a prescription--do you? At the time I visited the gym and complained about the noise, I was told the manager wasn't in. What I was told by the person at the front desk was a series of standard deflections, which didn't sit well. To paraphrase: 1. The gym tells people not to drop weights. I'm not sure I believe this. It's not hard to monitor. The gum should make it a policy to kick someone out (for the day) if they drop weights. -- 2. The gym can't do much about it. Sure the gym can! It can warn people or tell them to leave for the day. There is no right to disturb the peace because a gym member can't handle the weight they're lifting. Members who won't learn to handle weights properly could have their memberships cancelled. They can find somewhere else to work out. Imagine a gym that showed greater concern for other tenants of the same building--that gym could have a better reputation. 3. No one else has complained. Go down to the CVs during normal gym hours, and ask yourself whether you would prefer no noise, or whether you would prefer noise (with no benefit to you). Not many people will complain even if something bothers them. That's too bad. But when noise is loud enough to be noticeable, it shouldn't require a complaint. It should just be fixed. CVS employees (like other people in retail) might be concerned about possible reprisal. I would be. --- It's not uncommon to encounter people in gyms who like the thud of weights dropping. They may even be in good shape, and they may only drop weight during some exercises, but when they drop weights they're not acting as good community members. For many exercises, if someone in a gym drops a weight, then the person isn't actually *doing* the weight. It's an incomplete rep. I've been in gyms where more people understood this: if the weight is barely under controllable, consider reducing the weight until your form improves. Here's to hoping the gym will do something about the noise problem.

It has all the basic equipment I could need, staff is friendly, and it's never busy! The only con…read moreis it's pretty ancient but it looks like they've slowly been replacing equipment with newer stuff and they have chalk which I appreciate when it gets hot in there. The basic plan is $35 a month which is probably fitting for the area and you get access to other YMCAs so can't really complain.

After nearly five years away, went back today due to having a medical appointment just five minutes…read morefrom here. Very glad to see all the improvements that they've done: 1. Cardio room: replaced crappy old stationary bikes with two almost-new Keiser spin bikes---these are free of silly frills/gimmicks unlike the big hulking Life Fitness, Precor, or Cybex bikes but provide unmatched ergonomics and authentic bike-feel, which is why they are used in spin classes everywhere. Forgot how nice and strong the AC is...sigh, if only the weight room had the same! 2. Weight room: instead of a random hodgepodge of ancient dumbbells, they finally got a full matched set of Perform Better (also the best in the business) rubber coated dumbbells, two excellent Matrix multi-position adjustable benches, a full Valor Fitness squat cage with deadlift platform & arms, a Smith machine with deadlift arms, and a smattering of kettlebells including 25# and 40# pairs, topping out with 55# and 70# singles...80-100# would have been better, but a 70# max KB isn't bad. Some new weightroom accessories I've never seen anywhere else: a Titan multi-grip Olympic barbell, a fat barbell and fat lat-pulldown straight bar, a pair of 6" wooden blocks with handles, and a number of other unusual but useful training tools if you're willing to dig a little and use your improvisatory imagination. Of course they've kept some of the old stuff, like about 4-5 pairs of truly old-school York dumbbells and a gazillion of old rusty all metal weight plates (most gyms now use rubber coated plates with built in hand openings for easy carrying), but hey, better to have an over-abundance of old weights than not enough of the new weights (as sometimes happens in the newer gyms). 3. Elkay filtered water fountains in cardio room and by basketball court...this is a life-saver, literally! You don't want folks getting dehydrated just because they don't like the taste of a crappy old water fountain or tap water through 100 year old rusty pipes. 4. The small indoor track above the basketball court is about the same, but I noticed they've made the best of it by adding a Concept 2 rower in one corner (next to a Wing Chun dummy, which I have NEVER seen in a gym before, wow), a Stairmaster next to the 80lb hanging bag (vinyl Everlast, not bad) in the opposite corner, and a carefully stabilized "Power Tower" in the 3rd available corner. Now that they have kettlebells, the track is perfect for doing weighted carries (Suitcase C, Farmer's C, Cross-body C, etc) which is an incredibly useful full-body and core-intensive exercise most people overlook. All in all, I'd say that this Y while small and still burdened with the ravages of age (the locker rooms and showers are just as decrepit as ever), it does have about 90% of everything essential you really need. The Fitness Director, or whoever manages the workout rooms, has clearly put a lot of attention and care to make the best of their clearly shoestring budget...and does know what they're doing, and does it well. Their opening hours are relatively decent compared to the Cambridge Y or especially the Charlestown Y. Unlike those two places they offer free parking...big plus in this area! I do wish they would get rid of the silly "Health Center" extra membership tier that allows access to their mediocre saunas and just get two really good saunas built into a small increase in membership fees. Their membership fees remain a good 25% or so lower than that of other local Ys, but considering how old and small the place is, that makes perfect sense. If I lived 2-3 blocks away like I used to, I would still come here if I didn't have a car, or whenever I didn't feel like driving 15-30 minutes to better/bigger Ys nearby.