I recently joined In-Shape after spending many years at upscale gyms, and honestly, I'm pleasantly…read moresurprised by how much I like it.
The facility is located in the former business fair center in Concord, so it's quite big. And unlike some enormous gyms where everything feels crammed into one giant open space, the layout here is actually quite thoughtful.
The first floor has several group fitness studios, a VTL classroom, locker rooms, weight rooms, six racquetball courts, and an indoor basketball court that also accommodates pickleball.
Upstairs, you'll find another extensive selection of strength-training equipment, plus ellipticals, treadmills, recumbent bikes, and stationary bikes. There's another large group fitness studio, a spin room, stretching area, and additional exercise spaces. Equipment is well spread out, so you can usually find your own space without feeling like you're working out shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone else.
And importantly, the place is very clean and relatively quiet. That makes a big difference.
There's also an outdoor five-lane swimming pool, apparently around 25 meters, which is a nice bonus.
The selection of group fitness classes is comprehensive, with classes offered every day. Attendance seems quite good, too. The locker rooms are spacious and clean.
Parking is ridiculously easy compared with many gyms. There's plenty of parking right in front, plus street parking if needed.
The front-desk staff are reasonably friendly and responsive.
Of course, it's not perfect. A few things clearly need attention. The digital clock in the basketball court has apparently been showing the wrong time for quite a while and still hasn't been fixed. The AC in the basketball court could be better, and the racquetball courts are even worse. These seem like relatively easy problems to identify and fix, so hopefully management will do a regular walk-through of the facility and take care of them.
But overall, this is a very good gym for the money.
For a community like Concord, I think it's an excellent fit. You have younger people serious about strength and fitness, as well as plenty of baby boomers who want to stay active and healthy. With the good variety of equipment, classes, racquetball, pickleball, basketball, swimming, and plenty of space, there's something here for just about everyone.
After years of paying more for upscale gyms, I'm genuinely impressed by what In-Shape offers at this price point. A very solid value for Concord and the surrounding area.