This was only my second time at Chi50, and I'm already seriously considering getting a membership!…read moreI absolutely LOVE Cheri's class. I'm currently transitioning from strength training to Pilates, and Pilates has always intimidated me because I never really know if I'm doing the movements correctly or getting a real workout. Cheri completely changed that for me. Her class is challenging without feeling impossible, and she does such an amazing job paying attention to your form and making adjustments when needed. She'll give you modifications if you need something easier, but she'll also help you level it up if you want more of a challenge. I've tried Pilates at other places before and never stuck with it because I always felt a little lost, but I feel so much more comfortable and confident in Cheri's class. She's attentive, encouraging, and makes you feel like you're actually learning while still getting a great workout. I definitely wanted to give her her flowers because she's amazing!

Best place ever, I will never go anywhere else. Love every single instructor! Highly recommend for…read moreanyone who wants to get in shape. It's a challenging but rewarding class.

Edit: since posting this I have seen they did some cleaning. It is definitely better. Keep it up. I…read morego here because the location is so convenient for me, I like the 24 hour access, and I can do my own thing. Unfortunately it's disgusting here. And there's a treadmill that's been broken so long it's gathering dust. I see the manager mopping with a super strong smelling cleaner every day (honestly too strong it burns my eyes). And I appreciate the effort... But I don't think he ever looks up from the floor to see the mountains of dust everywhere. It could also really use a new coat of paint all over.

I love the location of this gym, but it's in such poor shape compared to other AF gyms. It's 7am on…read morea Monday and the trashcans are overflowing, theres no paper towels to wipe down machines, and the bathrooms are gross. It's really frustrating to pay for a membership to this gym knowing other locations are so well kept and yet the one closest to home is always dirty and has none of the newer equipment other AF gyms have. I'd really love to see this gym improve. :( This is just unsanitary.

I fell in love with this gym during a recent Chicago visit (I am from LA), and almost can't believe…read moreI stumbled upon it. It was like walking back into the 90's, true authentic old school gym. I loved it so much I bought a t-shirt!

Awesome spot to get in a lift. It's usually not super crowded, especially compared to other gyms…read more Typically waiting for a machine isn't necessary and in the it is actually taken, others should be available to use. The membership is one of the cheapest in the area too. Only complaint was with the treadmills. Seemed like the treadmill belts were also broken and couldn't jog past 5.5 speed.

I love Above the Bar so much that I had to continue my membership in the form of online training…read moreeven when moving out to the suburbs. The trainers know their stuff, make sure you feel confident through the exercises, and become friends. 10/10 recommend.

Alex and his team at ATB are the most compassionate people I have come across in a long time. They…read moretruly care for all of their clients and really listen to each person's needs and meet them where they are in their fitness journey. If you are just starting your fitness journey, this is the place for you. If you have been on your fitness journey for a long time and looking for something new, this is the place for you. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Alex before he started this gym and he has always been encouraging and helpful. I love lifting weights. It has made me feel stronger physically and helped me a lot with my mental health as well. I often struggle with recovery due to scoliosis and imbalances in my physical body. Alex and his team are well-educated in the interconnectedness of the body's components and have the expertise to help their clients through any struggle. Alex and his team have shown me better ways to warm up and specific recovery stretches and movements to keep me progressing in my workouts. I recently joined their Training Club, which has been a great way to workout with others independently but with a coach on hand for assistance, suggestions, and posture/movement checks... and that little nudge of encouragement to keep you progressing with weight ranges...all within your comfort level, of course. There's no pushy, drill sergeant coaches here.

I've been a member of the CACs for almost two years now. I've been to all of the locations. I have…read moremy favorites and my least favorite location. My favorite locations are distinguished by their level of accessibility, availability and upkeep of equipment, and class schedules. When I started building a consistent schedule of gym-going, yoga classes were the greatest draw. Rebecca Delott at the Evanston location, Laura Dembo at the Wicker Park location, and Kathy Pace at all locations were particularly impactful. Each of these women infuses their practice with bits and pieces of their personality. They may all offer a multi-level vinyasa class, but their teaching styles are vastly different. That's what makes each class a different experience. Big shoutout to Kathy Pace who has taught me so much over the last couple of years. I would not be the athlete that I am without her. Most of the front desk staff are friendly and engaging as well. It's demoralizing to walk into your gym and be met with the face of a staff person who clearly doesn't care if you live or die. I'm grateful that those experiences are few and far between at the CACs. I've never had a visit in which I didn't see custodial staff moving all about the club. Big fan of their work! As a borderline germaphobe, it's good to know that things are being regularly refreshed throughout the day, not just once at night. My biggest gripe is with other members who treat the gym like their mother will come in behind them to tidy up. I've seen full grown adults leave towels and cable attachments pooled around the bottom of machines as though they never saw them. I wish everyone would respect the space in which they work out, but I guess you can't control the actions of others. All in all, great gyms.

I am a citywide CAC member, my home gym is LSAC, but often go to BAC because of it's proximity to…read moremy partner. Note: I have had the opportunity to work out at several FFC locations, Planet Fitness, and LA Fitness locations throughout the city as well as other locally owned gyms in the area. While this gym does get busy, and has a heavier focus on free-weights, it's an amazing facility for the price you pay. If you are someone looking to only use machines, then you should probably go to Planet Fitness or LA Fitness. If you are looking to really learn how to lift, this is a great place to do it. Their dumb bells have 2.5lb increases, which can be hard to find at most gyms, and really allows you to improve form without straining joints or muscles. If you are looking to throw out 200lb vanity lifts on a bunch of machines, this isn't the place. In terms of the gym being busy, that's most gyms between the hours of 7a-10a and 4p-7p. Develop a program that allows you to move between different areas of the gym while you're waiting for something to free up rather than complaining on the internet. BAC has substantially more free weight benches and racks than 90% of other gyms, there is no reason that you should be held up by anyone else. The only reason I am at 4 stars is because the Bucktown location does have fewer amenities than Lakeview or Lincoln Square, but that is to be expected, it's just a smaller space, but if you don't NEED to sit in a sauna or steam room after every work out, this gym is going to meet all of your needs. At $80-90 per month, you will be hard pressed to find a gym that is exceeding any CAC (and that price point gets you access to ALL of their locations), if you want TOTAL luxury and expanse, go drop the $350 a month at FFC (which is also busy, lacking diversity in amenities, and generally missing a luxury feel), or you can go to Midtown, which is **again** quite busy.

Awesome Gym! Ethan is a great trainer and knows what he is doing to get you to hit your goals!…read more‍‍‍‍‍‍Helps a lot with doing the correct techniques and motivates a lot when need it the most. Really helped me with getting in the right mindset to WANT TO DO THE WORKOUT! Highly recommend! You are in awesome hands with Ethan! Crafts every workout regiment to each of his client! Really helped me with my progression of getting in shape again! Thanks Ethan! Very flexible and worked around my schedule to get the job done!

I have worked with Ethan for a number of years. He is highly dedicated and incredibly…read moreknowledgeable. I recommend him highly

Great programming. Evan is a great tennis coach--patient and fun…read more Love Jenny's strength group and the community built between the women!

Midtown is the place to be - I absolutely love the facilities and scene, the tennis and Pilates…read moreclasses, and as far as one-on-one personal training goes, you can't get any better than Ryan Yates. He conducts each session with a wonderful disposition and commitment to pushing you the right amount so you can meet your personal goals. We are so lucky to have found a place like Midtown! It is in a league of its own.

So grateful that our friends introduced us to this gym while we were in town. They welcomed us in…read moreand made us feel like a part of the family from the start. Great coaching, programming, and the facility was always clean. The app for scheduling classes was easy to use and I loved that they have the option for open gym throughout the day. We will definitely be back next time we are in town.

When I moved to Chicago, I was looking for a new CrossFit gym and I couldn't have found a better…read moreplace! Andrew, Bridget, and the entire coaching staff are amazing. They perfectly balance a welcoming atmosphere with personalized attention to help you improve as an athlete. Couldn't recommend CEF, and the community, more!

It will always surprise me when small gyms put people with low social skills and patience to work…read morewith the people coming in and out of the gym. Guy that worked with me had an attitude and was impatient. And yeah, $40 for a day pass is rough.... And what's up with the stick up the *ss when it comes to verifying residence lol even though I live in the loop, this whole experience was such a turn off.

At first the gym was okay.. the bathrooms are horrendous looks like they don't clean the showers…read moreDAILY... the gym is terribly smaller than what they make it seem on social media. Barely have any machines there's one of each so it makes it nearly impossible to do your workout session in a timely manner, since you have to wait for sometimes 2-3 ppl to use a machine before you can get to it. I happened to move to the suburbs and didn't have a chance to cancel in person so I thought I'd call THEY NEVER ANSWERED THE DAMN PHONE I CALLED LIKE 7-8 times NO ONE PICKED UP THE DAMN PHONE!!! The one time my partner went in person to cancel his membership he was given the run around and was not able to cancel his membership! We just want out of this horrible gym, the staff isn't easy to work with at all! I just want to cancel my membership and they make it nearly impossible! HORRIBLE SERVICE DO NOT PURCHASE MEMBERSHIP!! Update I sent an email to cancel since I moved and they're saying I have to live 25+ miles away from the gym to cancel my membership which is complete and utter bs!! The cancellation process is ridiculous and nearly impossible save yourself the headache AND DONOT GET A MEMBERSHIP HERE THEY MUST BE DOING TERRIBLY FINANCIALLY TO MAKE IT THIS FRICKIN IMPOSSIBLE AND FRUSTRATING TO CANCEL A SIMPLE MEMBERSHIP NOT EVEN AT MY LAST GYM DID I HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME TO CANCEL A MEMBERSHIPPPP

Gorgeous health club!! My friend belongs here and I joined her for dinner at the restaurant/grill…read more The food was tasty and excellent service. I was given a 90 minute pass for dinner and they seem strict on the time. My friend also gave me a tour. It's an impressive space!! About 450,000 square feet, spanning across 2 full city blocks and 5 levels. They have everything you can think of: pools (4 pools!), saunas, restaurants, tennis, golf, basketball, boxing, group glasses, weights, machines, pickleball, spa, hair and nail salon, indoor running track, co-working space, and so much more. Beautiful artwork, pristine locker rooms and restrooms. Wow! High ceilings and so much space overall. Nothing felt crowded. Beautiful design and layout. I was in awe and very impressed.

(Kari's Rating 7.5/10)…read more TLDR -Up-to-Date equipment -Work from home spaces -Convenient Healthy Market Came with a friend to hang out on a Wednesday around 5:30pm to see what East Bank Club is all about. After seeing all the crazy amenities which were super cool with a ton of variety, I think the thing that surprised me the most is how up-to-date all of the equipment was and the variety of activities they had for people to enjoy. If you're looking for an all encompassing workout/work space, this is it! They have everything from full-size tennis courts, to a golf simulator-like set up,except you get to hit into an inflatable pillow! They also had plenty of Pickleball courts, and they offer so many different workout group classes.both a wet and dry, sauna, and tons of treadmills and free weights. I was also really impressed that they also had a physical training area. So think something that was my personal favorite and the best thing for Chicago Summers is a beautiful rooftop pool and lounge area. Not only did they have two outdoor pools (one for adults and one for kids) but they also have an indoor pool as well for winter as well as an indoor hot tub! They also had a common area workspace where people can come to take meetings and do their work from home gigs. You could practically move in here haha! As of right now, it is a $750 new membership fee as well as $295 a month, which is a pretty hefty chunk of change if you ask me considering most of the high rises around, have some kind of rooftop pool and workout area. It is cheaper if you join with a domestic partner or if you're between the ages of 16 and 29-see pic for current pricing. They also sometimes host social events which is super fun to meet everyone else in the club, but at the same time I think it is more of an investment in your future and your future health if you can afford it! I will not be joining at the moment, but hey-that could change anytime if I decide I should be on a health kick.