Lots of equipment and space. Staff at the front was cool. Lots of mirrors. Seemed really clean. I can see it might be easy to get lost in there. Locker rooms were nice. If your into a calm gym I'd suggest it. No music was a little different but to each their own. read more

My wife and I have been members for about three weeks. We exercise at the OAC about three times per week, generally not in classes. We're both in our 60's and are reasonably fit. We have both enjoyed our experience. The OAC has plenty of options. All of the equipment is well maintained. Staff members have been friendly and helpful. The one critique we have is that members generally avoid eye contact, so if you're looking for more than an efficient work out, this isn't the right place. My guess is that the lack of eye contact is connected to the fact that the OAC is a big place with a large membership. But again, if your goal is a high quality efficient work out, the OAC seems great. We're happy members. read more

My biggest complaint is how crowded this gym has become. It is hard to find parking, a spot in classes, a swimming lane, or even equipment to use. Also, they say they have two hot tubs, but you can't use the jets in one of them. So you are basically just sitting in warm water. The latest updates to the women's locker room look nice but lack quality and functionality. The highlight of the gym is Daniel's Zumba classes. They are the best! read more

My husband went to this gym and before his contract expired, he emailed the gym to cancel for the next year. Olympic said this was not enough to cancel his membership, so he made multiple attempts to email the gym which was a month of back and forth exchanges. They told him they would continue to add extra overage charges if he didn't pay but said they would waive them if he would pay two months worth of membership fees which totaled $243. I would not recommend this gym to anyone unless you want to get locked into a contract that's impossible to get out of and be charged exorbitant fees. read more

This is definitely one of the best. Specialty/ unique gyms in the Ballard area. It's an absolutely massive gym with a huge footprint and really unique layout. They preserved a lot of the original buildings, charm and character which makes for really interesting environment when you're working out. But definitely makes the format and finding machines a little difficult the first couple times. I'm constantly surprised by how much equipment they have and although there are so many members of this gym, it manages who never feel too full and I'm able to get on the machines I want whenever I need to. It's really cool that their membership comes with parking and classes. I've mainly just worked out on my own for now but look forward to trying those offerings when I have time. read more

The Olympic is Seattle's premier health club, the facilities are excellent and the staff is helpful and efficient. The Management, Kristine Drinovsky and Kevin Fritz provide world class customer service, and are efficient and friendly. When you have found the best, there is no need to look further. I have been a member since 2008 and have over the years tried other gyms in Seattle as a guest, none compare to the Olympic. read more

I came in for a tour on a Friday evening and was met with rudeness and unnecessary attitude from the front desk staff. Their behavior felt unprofessional and reminiscent of high school mean-girl conduct, dismissive, immature, and openly mocking. After I pointed this out, they became curt, and as I was leaving, I could hear them laughing. While disappointing, I'm thankful this behavior was displayed upfront, as it would have been far worse to experience this treatment after registering. I followed up the next morning and was told that the staff member I interacted with was "having a bad day." I want to be very clear: having a bad day is not a valid excuse to be rude, dismissive, or disrespectful to anyone, particularly when the behavior was displayed by all three staff members. It raises a deeper and more troubling question - why is a "bad day" seemingly taken out on certain people and not others? I did not observe this same tone or behavior directed toward other individuals at the desk, which makes it hard to ignore how often women of color are treated as easy or acceptable targets when someone is frustrated. In my opinion, prospective members should be aware that this does not feel like a space that truly values or uplifts people of all races and backgrounds, and that is something worth considering before joining and experiences like mine are likely to be minimized, explained away, or invalidated rather than taken seriously. read more

First time here. Gyms very nice. Amenities are nice. Clean and organized. 1 pointlessly rude member encounter. 1 impatiently rude front desk Taylor. Expensive but worth I say. read more

I have been a member of OAC for years now and it sort of feels like dating a really good looking dude who never listens to you. Listen, it's a beautiful facility. The lay out is quirky with lots of separate rooms; I am still not sure I've seen them all! But the upside of this is that you have lots of options for where to work out. I love the little semi-private weight lifting booths on the first floor! It feels extremely over-enrolled to me; I feel like whenever I go, it's crowded. The weekend hours are just not good: 9 PM closing time?!?! I've also noticed a steep increase of very young people (teenagers?) who have zero gym etiquette. I never see gym staff anywhere but at the front desk, so weird and rude behavior goes unchecked (and wow is there a lot of rude behavior--my theory is that it's so expensive that people just feel entitled to do whatever they please). I feel like it's been under non stop renovation for years now, and often the results of these projects leaves me scratching my head. The coup de grâce has been the completely bizarre remodeling of the women's locker rooms, which resulted in the loss of a much loved hot tub (literally the reason I joined this gym), which was replaced with a vanity that literally no one asked for. They did not announce this in advance and it feels like a HUGE "f you" to members. I know I am not the only one who feels this way as I have commiserated with many strangers in the locker room. There is a hot tub in the pool area, but it's just not at all the same. I am definitely thinking of looking elsewhere. I know no other gym in Ballard will be as glamorous but I do think that some feature better hours, better prices and are more member friendly. read more

This is a modern facility in Ballard, with considerable floor space and numerous classes. If you're a class sort of person and can pay the not inconsiderable fees, this is the place for you. Also if you like resistance training, but not much of it, and mostly sit on machines and watch YouTube, you will find many like-minded people here. The gym floor sometimes resembles a meditation center. If however you are serious about exercise requiring machines, numerous lackadaisical members are going to make that impossible. There is a culture of don't-exercise and don't-yield which dominates. And although the gym has posted rules against hogging the machines and cell phone use, they do nothing to enforce them. Which is understandable, as that is the preference of a significant part of the membership. So it depends on your preferences. Many members find their sessions relaxing and untaxing, and can catch up on their email. But you can do that at home for free. Others, I am one, will wonder what they are paying for. read more

Amazing facility top of the line always can get a pump in! Always friendly staff 4/5 stars What could be better: the male locker room I've heard rumors about the female locker room I've heard there's an hot tub in the locker room, also I heard about a workout area. This seems unfair because no offense the gym is split it's not only woman there probably more men so I think they should be equal. read more

I have called this place 3 times now trying to get information on membership pricing with every time someone says I'll get a call back. Never happens the last time I called I just asked for the price so I could decide if I want to sign up or not and the person said "the front desk doesn't know membership pricing" really weird to me. I have also sent an email requesting information with nothing back. read more

Great gym. Not sure about all the complaints. Parking situation is fine. Sometimes you have to walk like an extra 5 minutes during peak hours... what a tragedy! You're going to a gym you would think people would want the extra cardio lol. I have belonged to several gyms and this one is unique and has really nice well kept equipment. Really scratching my head at people's extremely nit-picky critiques. read more

Well, 10 months later and I feel I owe OAC an updated review. Things got much much worse before they got better. The whole personal training staff quit and no one in the admin office answers emails or gives a damn about your experience, as far as I can tell, so they've lost me as a personal training client. You'd think this would be a priority since I pay WAY more for 2xweek training than I do for use of the gym, but curiously, despite trying to reach out in person, by phone, by email, and even by yelp review-- yeah, no one cares. Why 4 stars? Well, at the end of the day, my annual fee (about $60/month each when you pre-pay) seems like a decent deal after the remodel. They now have 6 lifting platforms in the main weight room. They also just installed 8 or 10 more in a newly remodeled area and I think there are 4-6 more downstairs. So, I have not had to fight for a squat rack in months. Hallelujah. Rarely do I find a wait for things like benches or machines. All in all, this is much improved. And, another big cheer for AC everywhere. Cool, sweet, breezy AC, how I love you on a 90 degree day. I'm not really into classes or doing cardio in a gym these days but they do seem to have a lot of classes and cardio equipment with a variety of different views, if that's your jam. I would say I'm much happier now than I was last fall, but once again, we'll see what happens with the renewal and if they decide to rebuild a personal training program. Oh, parking, can we talk about parking? You technically get parking included but there either aren't enough parking spots or they don't do a great job policing them. It's tough to find a spot unless you go at like 3pm on friday or 7am on a weekend. So, I try to either walk or bike (there is also not enough bike parking in the area but that is an sdot issue). read more

Two weeks in a row super cold. This place looks good on the surface. Nice equipment, clean. As someone who does facility's work professionally they need some help. Carpentry sub par. HVAC system sub par. Brick walls failing. I've brought it up but no one seems to care. read more

The gym is great. Everything works well! me and my family have paying memberships and go frequently, but we recently got turned away at the door by an old lady with an accent. She was very rude and disrespectful to us. we have paying memberships parents permission to be there, but she would not let us in although the guidelines permitted us too. read more

This is a stunning place but it's also a lipstick on a pig story. The first floor room to the left of the entrance is now like a fishbowl, putting members on display along a stree- like a holiday display except we are paying-- utilizing harsh- almost institutional lighting directly onto workout areas, blinding- literally. If you raise these issues, nothing is done about it. I logged in 6 machines on the 3rd floor needing maintenance and 18 months later? Nada. They are still impaired. The big windows are nice but the equipment needs to work and across the system they need more bands and kettlebells. That first floor room also has no space conditioning as their expensive contractor failed to install it properly so it's stuffy and hot in the summer and freezing once the temperatures drop. I am told the owners just come in and do things to meet their whims (after the silent partner forced a sale in 2020 from a family that had owned it for 40 years)..... So come to the gym but don't expect any ustomer service for your high fees from management. read more

Wonderful gym, kind and welcoming staff and great classes and pools. There is childcare and the spa is very good too. I love it.

Jean-Luc (the GM) doesn't demonstrate any reading or critical thinking skills. There isn't any parking at this facility no matter what they say. It is loud due to lack of sound insulation and is generally unpleasant. It also smells terrible! read more

After almost 4 years of not going to the gym, 5 months ago I took the leap and I started training with Pete Peterson, first the stats. I weighed 270 lbs at the start I am know 260.lbs. My Muscle Mass was 110 it is now 118.8 ( that's .2 from 9 lbs of new muscle). My Body Fat was 29.8 it is now 22.6. Every month I have exceeded my expectations and if you have a trainer that is what you should demand of your trainer, RESULTS! Beating Expectations and Overall improved body muscle and health, CHECK!. I also am now a 36 waist when I started I was 40. That felt awesome to share! My review. I read Petes bio and I felt he was the best match for me. Picking a trainer for someone who has trained for over 30 years (I'm 52) is not easy, because I need someone that will push me, explain to me why I am doing this when I ask intelligently and knows his SH$T because you can't fake it with someone who lived to train since his teens and there is nothing worse than a fake poser trainer! but with the pandemic, herniating my lower disks (L4/L5) and owning my own company which means I work sometimes 24-7, and with travel every month I got severely out of shape, packed on 35+ lbs, dropped in muscle mass, waist size expanding from a 34 to a 40 and I just became a couch potato with damage self esteem. But 5 months ago and with some heavy pushing from my husband of 10 years I did it and it was the best thing I have done for myself in the last 4 years. Pete is not just an awesome person, he is super knowledgable about training, the body, fitness, and lots of other super fun stuff that can keep you engaged and motivated as your training. He took into consideration my injuries and my messy back which meant the first month/6 weeks was really getting my body realigned, getting it back into the rhythm of working out, and burning off the fat. It also meant getting my confidence back to be in the gym. The last 5 months I have maintained a 3 day a week schedule with Pete, packed with muscle building, fat burning routines that have transformed my body faster than I ever thought possible! I posted my 5 months results as proof of how good Pete is, it amazing how a person can motivate you and keep you motivated plus talk to you clearly about why you are doing this, why you are doing that, here is the path and what the goal. I am person that needs to know the person I am training with know his SH$T and I need to see results or you're not my trainer, period. Now my husband trains with, Pete a buddy of ours just started training with Pete and a few more friends are thinking of switching their trainers for Pete based on the results I have had, at 52! so I no spring chicken! You want to get back to you fighting weight, to wear clothes you feel good in, to look in the mirror and whistle at yourself because your so HOT, to bring your sexy back in your relationship big time! Pete is your man. Thanks Pete, you're a game changer buddy! read more

Olympic Athletic Club - My 5 month progress with Pete - Gyms Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The amenities are nice. People are snobby, do not talk to people or ask questions like where can I find a towel. One guy was very agitated as he waited for me to finish my sets and eventually asked when I was going to be done (there are 2 other machines that do the same thing but on a different floor). The pool is hard to schedule and booked everyday and every minute until 10 pm. read more

great gym, great sauna, great showers, nice people. worth the price for the sauna for sure

I can't even give you a bit of a star. Narrow minded people must own this gym to not even have one gender neutral bathroom. Thanks for making my choice not to ever step foot in this place ever again. As a non binary person, I choose to find a safe place to work out at. And for NON BINARY people? Your response is still gender biased. That means you skirted the issue and still didn't respond. Oh and, there is still no where for me to pee, change, or feel safe. In light of the recent attacks of the LGBTQIA+ community, I offer this advice: find another gym. Not safe or inclusive here. read more

Have been a member for 8 years. This place has been like a second home but it's starting to break my heart. The classes are packed and reservations only ( at least the ones I like). Parking is a total challenge; have had 4 nights so far this last couple of months where I waited for over 1/2 an hour to find a spot. I like it because it's close to where I live, but that's getting negated by the time I am spending trying to find a spot. Have always been happy here but am going to look at the options now. read more

WTF? You will be over charged, over charged and over charged...unbelievable lack of accountability when it comes to billing and basic customer service, like actually getting back to member's inquiry. Since there is plenty of free or 3 hr free on street parking nearby and the Ballard Athletic club is nearby too it's a much much better option. Combined with the public Ballard swimming pool it's much better value to pay 1/6th of the OAC monthly charges ($187 for a single month for a single member and a 12 month contract- total BS and totally not what we were sold on). Better value elsewhere. read more

NOT LGBTQIA+ FRIENDLY. After two unanswered questions regarding safe gender-inclusive changing spaces, I called. A positive note that Preston was very friendly and excellent in attempting to answer quickly, offering suggestions, even though information wasn't available off-hand. With only 'men' and 'women' open locker spaces, Olympic Athletic Club does not meet my needs for nonbinary / trans people seeking inclusion and safety. I was told the women's changing space does include a few curtained areas, so I will be looking into this if it is feasible, but the lack of e-mail responses to questions, the lack of information on gender inclusivity on the site, and the lack of attention to infrastructural inclusion during their recent building updates leaves much to be desired in generating a community safe space. In Seattle, in Ballard, I hope that enough people are able to influence inclusive spaces for nonbinary and trans people who also have health goals. read more

It's a great gym but parking is very limited. Also warm on summer days. Have suggested they use blinds in the room facing the west to block the blinding sun and enforce parking (30% have no stickers near Asedero/cafe lot - people there said it's rarely enforced), but have seen no changes for years. read more

Litle communication with members about recent pool closure. Newlsetter gave a reopen date, reservation system allowed reservations, but got there and the pool is still closed. Manager claimed notices were sent, they were not. Disabled people like myself join mostly or solely for the 1st floor pool, the 2nd floor pool isn't accessible to us. Staff and mgmt have been unhelpful, rude, and deceptive throughout this construction closure. read more

Wonderful and extensive facilities and great staff. The vast majority of people I've met are friendly or at least respectful and polite. (A few people of course hog the machines to sit and play with their phones but most will readily understand and let you work through). But mostly friendly and civil. read more

Hello, I have been a member for over 13 years! I have benefitted greatly with the many different classes and opportunities to keep my health and strengthen while being in classes with stellar instructors. When covid hit OAC closed as mandated and sent all members clear information re putting our memberships on hold and if we were mid-month how it would be handled- very fairly. Once they were ready to safely re-open we were sent information about what was available and our options. I went in pretty quickly as i know their staff and continuous care regarding safety and health. All protocols were carefully followed. Front desk staff greeted us warmly and could be heard explaining new procedures etc to people returning to the gym. They've added many of their most popular classes and adjusted sizes and capacity as it was safe. I am so grateful for the classes and use of swim lane as well as being a member of a gym of which I am so proud to be a member. People tell me I look younger than I am- I attribute this to many years of Boot Camp, Spinning, some Zumba and now using lane swimming. read more

Nice Community, great facilities and lots of fun classes like BodyPump and pilates and spin. There is a private workout room in the women's locker room + hot tubs, dry and steam saunas also in the locker rooms. read more

I am so happy to be back in my favorite place. OAC has always been a beautifully maintained facility and they've only raised their bar since reopening after lockdowns. The other members are awesome, the staff is always so kind and helpful, and everyone does their part to keep the gym impeccable. Just a beautiful spot full of good people and vice versa. And the location is everything. read more

I really love the space and the facilities, but the policies here seem to be aggressively anti-customer. I've maintained my membership after all of my friends have quit over the crazy pricing schemes, parking, and other policies, but it feels like they are actively trying to get me to quit. They are selling "24 hour" membership (and certainly charging a premium for it), but they are not open 24 hours, nor do they intend to be again in the future. Several times they have mistakenly charged or cancelled my membership "on accident" thinking it was another account, and multiple times member details have been accidentally shared to me via email. They seem terribly sloppy with people's personal information. They've also started charging $20 per guest (previously free the first visit, then $5) and stopped letting people interested in joining have trials, which means my friends who want to work out with me prefer me to join them at their gyms instead where guests are allowed. Since those gyms are also half the price there is little reason to pick OAC over their competition. The icing on the cake for me is the front desk staff has turned over and become really rude to members. I am finally cancelling my membership because I feel really uncomfortable going here. read more

UPDATE 3/26/2023: Alex, I was misled to sign that form thinking it was canceling my membership, as that was what I told the staff member that was what I wanted to do. Also, in those two months I made no attempt to use my membership. When I noticed the charges I called the gym to inquire about the charge. Again you are being misleading even in your response. I did finally receive the check, however it was nearly three weeks after you posted this response. It's unfortunate that I even had to write these honest reviews in order to receive the refund. I just hope other customers don't have a similar issue. ORIGINIAL: The issue I have with OAC is their deceptive fees and overall greedy attitude when I found out about their fees. I had requested to cancel my account, and was told I had to sign a form. They filled out the form and I saw they wrote the date I had requested so I signed the form. What I didn't notice and OAC management doesn't seem to care, is that they actually put my account on hold and charge you a monthly fee to be on hold. The first time I saw it on my credit card I immediately reached out to the gym. While the staff I spoke to was apologetic, at no point did they offer to provide a refund of a hold fee for a gym membership that I actually wanted cancelled. It's unfortunate that the management is more concerned about making money than customer relations. read more

I am incredibly impressed with this Club. I joined during Phase 2 of COVID-19 and they took safety precautions very seriously. I love how big this club is so if its crowded in one room, I can move to a different room to complete my workout. Everyone who works there is very friendly. If you are considering joining I highly recommend it! read more

Have to say the location and overall facilities are nice and the service is pretty good. Can definitely recommend the massage services in the spa. Been going for a little over a year and have had a good experience so far. I did want to call out that as a member of other gyms in the area I was kinda surprised by the large number of older men standing around and socializing stark naked in the men's locker room. Not a prude and seen my share of guys in the Navy, but wondering if hanging out, literally, was kind of a thing here? Going to get more involved in the classes and group exercise events and looking forward to another year. read more

My husband and I have (had?) and annual membership here. To be honest, I didn't use it due to several health issues and surgeries over the past year. However, my husband uses the gym almost daily. Our renewal came up this week and we were absolutely SHOCKED at their new rates. For an annual two-person membership last year we paid $1455, including tax. We were planning to go month-to-month for a few months while we decided what to do about the annual membership (given my health issues). We were told it would be $90 for one person per month, and that they no longer offer annual unless you renew an existing one. The same annual membership is now $2000!!! A $550 increase in one year is absolutely insane! I guess we know how they're funding all those upgrades. Needless to say, we are not renewing our membership. read more

This place has nice equipment but that's it. The most disrespectful management team there and ridiculous rules to try and cancel your membership. They will always milk you for an extra month or two read more

Another Year around the corner. Thank You Olympic Athletic Club for being my gym for maybe 4 years now! I wasn't a "gym person" in the past and now I am! Great facility. I enjoy the dry sauna each time I go. Many people work hard to accommodate the experience. Got to appreciate the big picture and I do! Thank You, Anita read more

Do not stop by unless you have time to waste on setup. Tried to drop in for a day pass. Three people at the front desk, but none of them could help me. There was one membership person who was busy for the 15 minutes I waited. I run a business, this is ridiculous. LET ME PAY YOU. It's a gym. Not that complicated. Take my money. Let me lift weights. Good thing there's another gym right around the corner. read more