For anyone in the South Bay interested in joining a well-rounded community of individuals who will do their best to look after your well-being and help you achieve your own personal fitness goals, this is the perfect place to start at. Southwest YMCA is consistently doing their best to improve their renown establishment of amazing staff and trainers. I've noticed that the area where this particular YMCA is located at is very nice compared to others within the South Bay. Don't miss out on coming here, you'll be very satisfied with the knowledgeable staff and upper management that will make you feel at home while being supportive of your future ambitions, both personally and physical read more

First let me start off by saying all staff members here are friendly and helpful. I only go to the Y Saratoga to swim. I swim daily- but I don't think I'll be able to going forward. First-- the pool is crowded nonstop. Almost impossible to have any peace when swimming. Kids will pop out of nowhere and swim in your lane-- the FAST lane. And they can barely swim. The 'lifeguards' do nothing about it. Next, I loathe circle swim. It's kind of dangerous and doesn't work. I understand sharing lanes, but circle swim is not easy at all. The biggest issue with the pool? OVERCHLORINATION (is that a word?)... like another reviewer said, the Southwest Y pool is like poison. The chlorine is so strong; i know there's so many people who use the pool but this is ridiculous. I use anti chlorine items like soap and gel- and normally they dissolve chlorine in seconds. Nothing will work with the Y pool. That's how strong the chlorine levels are. They need to look at the company who is doing the job. It's even worse than 24 Hour Fitness pools! From the smell to the itch to the dryness-- it's way too strong. I'm close to letting corporate know. It might not even be safe to swim here. Aside from the pool poison, the Southwest Y used to be a building so gym and weight area is separate. Annoying in winter and rainy season, to walk between buildings. Then there's employees who monitor both areas. Seems like a great idea, but it's kind of annoying. It's like you're being watched. They have complimentary towels , which is a good thing. The locker rooms are severely outdated. Think 1970s high school. The Y is for families. It's not for single people lol. There's so many kids running around , it's constantly busy and loud. This shouldn't be a surprise. There's good things but the bad outweighs. They need to do something about the pool chlorine levels-- have i said it enough? read more

Limited availability of classes for group exercise. You have to register a week in advance and classes fill up early. Admin will tell you that people on the waitlist get into the classes but many times you can't even get on the waitlist! Admin will also tell you not to worry about personal training sessions expiring but later hold you to the expiration dates. Admin is rude and disingenuous. I used to really enjoy the Y but now it's just a waste of money. read more

I ADORE this Y specifically the Kids Club staff! Super bonus for the kid's facilities being perfect for pint size kiddos (yay easy for hand washing and parents to potty train)! The kids are always happy and have ample room to play both inside and outside. The staff go out of their way to get to know the kids- printing out their favorite characters to color or reading their favorite books. There are heaps of building toys and ride ons and play equipment for when the weather is nice. They get you if your kiddo isnt quite ready for the full 90 mins and will give you encouragement and tips. I've been going for over 11 years to various bay area ys but this Kids Club is my favorite! Shout out to Tania, Raquel, Jasmine, Megan, and Sara!!! They have become an important part of both my littles development over the years! read more

I never went to Southwest YMCA until last year, but now it's my go-to gym after work! The location is tucked deep in Saratoga away from the highways, so you're going to have to make a bit of a trek to workout here. The parking lots are small, so I've had to park in the nearby neighborhoods once. Best cardio room out of the San Jose area YMCAs imo! Always has the A/C blasting so you can get a good run in without feeling sticky or overheated. I also love how someone is always jogging or running, so I get motivated to go faster on the treadmill too. Their weight room is not the best though since it only has one squat rack and you can't really deadlift since there's no room. It does have two benches though, so I'll give them that. There are a good amount of free weights and machines. I never get a bad workout in; I just wish they had one more squat rack or even an area to deadlift. Employees are nice, and the pool is good too. read more

Oh yes my local gym. I must declare I have been going here for quite some time now. It is a good place for me to work out and get fit every week. The staff here is very nice and are always happy to talk with you. On some occasions I swim here and the lifeguards here are very professional and helpful. I like how this place is located near where I live because all I have to do is drive 10 minutes and I am there. Weight room is good because the trainers are very professional and are not so pushy. I would recommend Christine and this other guy. Very sweet and patient. Drawbacks: The cardio room is too cold, it is not good for me because I get sick very easily. Tried to tell the attendant at charge to turn off the fan but he refused. Parking is okay but you have to hurry or you get 0 shade. read more

Quality instructors, great classes, lots of equipment, they do great things for the community. Very reasonable membership. Cleaning lady doesn't stop lol. Parking is an issue and wish they would redo the green area out front that isn't used much. read more

Southwest YMCA I had came to this YMCA to utilize The locker room for daily routine care needs, and recreational classes only. I had not used any fitness equipment, as access the stretch room once in a while and lobby area to complete work as necessary. I have been in transition since my home residence space had been disrupted in June 2023- June 2025 not yet resolved per self request. I had only traveled to this YMCA as self not being accompanied of any other persons. Location had plenty of parking in front and back. Well maintained area spaces and lockers. Customer service representative as well is well spoken. If any interaction to staff I do primarily communicate in English. I am direct in my communications at all times; and had not made any recommendations of YMCA Facilites to any other. But, I do personally enjoy going as some locations it seems are more accessible to being more comfortable at facility locations then others. Hike programs I have priorly attending with large groupings once every month. -Christina (updated on 6/3/2025) read more

Great culture of personal trainers, instructors and variety of fitness choices. They offer cooking classes, hiking and many other fun class's for all. They just received new weight machines. Good quality and value for options. read more

First and foremost the staff is awesome. Always ready to help, talk and encourage. Second the E-gym is my favorite I don't have to remember the weights or reps. I can just zone out to my music and go for it. I like how it keeps track of your progress. biggest pet peeve is when people cut or go wrong way in the circuit, but a kind word and they usually move The bathrooms are old but clean. towards the end of the day girls locker room gets messy People need to learn how to clean up afterthemselves. Yes the parking is small but it got me walking from home (2miles) so that actually helps I would absolutely recommend this place for family or individuals. read more

This was my first time there, I took a Fitness and Balance group class. It was a good pace and the instructor, Jack L. was very nice and easy to follow. The facilities were clean and well laid out. I'm excited to try the e-circuit next week. One complaint is the app doesn't send your registered classes to your calendar, and is overall not as robust as it should be. I'd like to see it work with android watches, for instance. Also it doesn't connect to Google Fit or Samsung Health. Which is not great and I hope they fix that. The people were friendly, the class was good, and overall I was happy. I will be going back, but I am dithering on whether or not to take more classes or do the self lead stuff at my own pace. Indoor pool at this location, and Service Dogs are allowed. read more

Southwest YMCA - Mural in the yard - Gyms Near Me - Saratoga, California

I'm still on my endorphins from tonight's Zumba class I had a great time. The teacher was enthusiastic the music was great.

I cancelled my 49ers fit membership and I'm really happy that I no longer have to wait a while to use their equipment, deal with the excessive afternoon crowd and...of course deal with the IG influencers taking up space in the recreational rooms to record their next exercise clip. I absolutely love the Y. The staff are incredibly amazing. I bring my son to the gym and he's a huge fan. Yes, the machines are a bit outdated but I appreciate the diverse fitness community it brings together which is important to me. I've never had to deal with any wait time and I'm happy to say that I have not spotted out any influencers in the wild! Whooosah! read more

The staff is super nice and welcoming. Very helpful. The community is friendly and the facilities are good.

The kids group fitness classes are great. The front desk staff is friendly. Very welcoming fitness center.

The best parts of the facility are the nice friendly staff and the indoor heated pool. The cardio room is ok with a nice mix of recumbents, stationary bikes, steppers and treadmills. The weights room is sufficient with egym, machines and free weights. Overall the classes are excellent but some variability as a lot depends on the instructor. Really like their seasonal events. read more

I really enjoy the variety of programs you offer at the YMCA. The indoor pool is fantastic, and the staff are always helpful and friendly. There's something for everyone, and the sense of community here makes staying active and engaged so much easier! read more

Every time someone asks me about this ymca, I say that its pretty bad but has everything I need at the same time. Nothing more.

It was my first day here and my first time taking any classes. I was very scared and worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with my swim work -out class. ( I'm partially disabled ) but Diane the instructor made me feel so comfortable. The pool is a little crowded but I was able to find spot to blend in. Highly recommend for people who do physical therapy . read more

The floor in the women's locker room is often wet, especially after aquatic classes, posing a slippery danger, especially for seniors. I have brought this issue to the front desk twice, but the problem persists. read more

I usually stray from my main Y (Central) about once a week to come to Southwest on my lunch breaks. This branch has plenty of modern equipment along with an abundance of cardio machines. All of the staff here is pretty friendly. Especially the gentlemen who man the main cardio room. Nice guys! My one complaint is the parking lot. There are two of them (front and back) and they are always full! I've had to find street parking more than once. Which is pretty inconvenient when you want to run in and out for a quick workout. read more

Southwest YMCA - Gyms Near Me - Saratoga, California

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Friendly, helpful staff, relaxed atmosphere, lots of classes, New equipment. Highly recommend for families and seniors and actually all age groups. read more

Love this Y , team is so helpful. Kids love the swimming lessons. Nice environment to be around.

Shaving your open hours? Last night on Saturday I went to the Southwest YMCA for a quick 20-minute workout before they closed. I arrived at 7:40pm knowing they close at 8:00pm. The doors were locked. I keep peering through the glass door and knocked. After a few minutes one of the workers came to the door, opened it briefly, said "we are closing" and then shut the door in my face. I just stood there. After another minute or so she saw I wasn't going away. She came back, opened the door and I asked, "I thought you closed at 8:00pm". She said, "That's correct, but we always lock-up early around this time." I asked if I could come in for a quick workout and she grudgingly let me. I did my quick workout and left at 8:00pm. I sat in my car to check some text messages and noticed that all the interior lights immediately went black. The workers streamed out to their cars and the whole place looked to be empty by 8:02pm. I guess the workers don't love their job, had better things to rush off to and certainly weren't there to serve their paying members. How disappointing. I had a similar experience a few years ago and reported it here. Things quickly shaped up with the doors no longer being locked during open hours. However, it looks like the service has slipped again. read more

I totally recommend this facility! I have seen a new member Yury, and he has been so helpful! He helped me get set up on the cardio equipment and showed me around the gym. He made me feel so welcomed! read more

There's an old Chinese grandpa who's immensely rude to me. I'm surprised at how immature that old grandpa was to me.

The pool is managed by amateurs. I'm constant having to swim around or stop my swimming because slower swimmers swim in the fast lanes.. The lifeguards don't do anything but sit around. Hire people who will also manage swimmers and speeds of swimmers. The pool is super old and small. The membership is over priced if you only use the location for swimming. read more

This is an awesome place for getting fit, yoga classes, meditation and general self improvement. The staff is exceptional, most especially Sally Smith at the front desk. Just love love this place!!!! read more

I'm giving 2 stars because I can feel that this YMCA is changing. Not sure yet in what way, feels like this place is going through some sort of "gentrification" :( This was the only place that was safe from all the techies (I really thought they would all stick to the Bay Club), I guess not... I also want to speak on a touchy subject. Charlene has been part of the YMCA ever since I can think of (at least the past 10 years I have been here). She was somehow the "heart" of this place. Just a nice lady who was part of my YMCA routine. So to "get rid of her" from one day to the next speaks volumes about this place...Has management changed? I bet you guys have had your reasons, but it clearly shows in which direction this YMCA (which I have praised for years because it has stayed down to earth)is going...This move has left a very bitter taste and I think (no matter what happened) that Charlene deserved better. I wish I could have said "good bye" to her, instead she was gone from one day to the next, without any explanation nothing...Very tasteless! Sad! P.S: I remember you guys closed the locker rooms last winter for a month, have you guys checked out the lockers? They are dirty covered with dust...just weird why the locker rooms were closed, there are NO changes. read more

My son takes swimming lesson stage 1&2 here and he is unable to learn anything because they have high teacher-student ratio. 1 instructor teaches 7 students and it is not enough time for every student to catch up. Moreover, they only have sub instructors and change them all the time, comparing to Northwest, they have a main teacher for the whole session. The pool is packed and is not enough room to swim. I gave 2 stars because the staffs are friendly and the teachers are nice. To me, it is not worth to register kid for a swimming lesson here. read more

Lot of good facilities including a nice pool. The gym is just OK though and parking is a pain!

I came here from out of town to use the pool and gym. They were nice enough to give me a 3 day guest pass for free. It must be the only indoor heated pool in the area, because they opened at 5:30 and at 5:35 there were like 15 people already in the pool. I had to share a lane with 2 other people and we were doing circles in a 5 foot wide lane. It worked out but it was a little crazy. After the swim, I hit the treadmill for a nice run. Fortunately, I didnt have to go tandem on it. Overall, the facility seemed very nice. They had towels for members for both the pool and gym areas. The locker room was fairly clean and there were plenty of private showers and changing stations. They also had a cool bathing suit spinning device to remove excess water. If I lived in the area, I would consider joining and would definitely go back if I was visiting. read more

I took the opportunity to come back to southwest YMCA when they had their April is free month this year. When I was small, I used to come every Saturday for swim lessons in the morning and I loved it here. Loved my instructors and loved the pool. I also loved their level system for swim classes (I got to shark!) but I'm not sure whether they changed this. For someone who never trained for any swim teams of any kind, I'm a pretty decent swimmer, and it's all thanks to the classes here! I'm 22 now and finally utilized the Y to my advantage this past April. I love how the cardio and weight rooms are separated so you don't get all the sweaty smells mixed in together. They do a good job of circulating the air too so it doesn't feel very stuffy. On nice breezy days, they prop open the doors and on hot days, they pop open the AC. Also, I love the cardio machines at the Y. They are the best machines I've seen compared to other gyms. You can watch tv, open your personal fan, and watch yourself run around a track lap on the monitors! Totally awesome. The locker rooms are big and roomy (yes, this is a family oriented facility so you will definitely see a bunch of kids and old people walking around naked - no big deal). I love how they play music during free swim and also love their machine that instantly dries your swimsuit. A big plus is the free towels they let you use (wish the body towels were bigger though). It's nice that they haven't done away with the towels like a bunch of other places. If only I was staying here for longer, I would sign up for their young adults program (Age 21-26 I think?) It's half the price of what adults pay, including half off the initiation fee. Pretty worth it if you enjoy swimming and using the gym. With that said, it sucks being an adult because the fees for that are way steeper (minus one star for price). read more

I think this is a great casual gym! It's not the largest and it doesn't have the best facilities and equipment, but it's good enough for me (though I do wish the cardio section was just a tad larger). I've never had to wait for any cardio equipment which is really nice. I do wish the people who used this gym wiped off the equipment though. I feel like I almost always see people just jump off the machines and leave and don't bother going back to the machines and clean them, so I like wiping the machines before I use them just in case. The employees here are so sweet! They always give me a big smile when they see me and are always willing to help people figure out how to use the equipment. I think if you're looking for an intense gym with people who are super serious about lifting and are training for marathons and stuff, you won't find them here. But if you're just casually staying in shape this is a great place to go to because I don't feel like the people who come here are judge-y. read more

I have been an active member of this particular YMCA since i was a child. Attended Y-Camp, worked there as a camp counselor for a summer, and frequented the gym as i was attending west valley college. The weight and cardio rooms are very well-rounded. They just got some new bench presses which are modern and have a nice feel, with the exception of the decline bench press, which felt a bit awkward. Staff is extremely accommodating and friendly. I almost feel as though they have to take a vigorous personality test in order to be hired. Never once have i encountered a meat-head trainer, or a front-desk employee who lacked knowledge. Though, actually, now that i recall i did have ONE experience with the front desk that left me a bit stunned. As i said, i have been a member since 1992, and the management takes to mind its loyal, long-time members. Once i had a front desk employee question my membership and gave me a bit of an attitude about it. Unfortunately, that experience is the only aspect for which this review is not flawless. The bad times stand out, what can i say. 1-10's Service: 7 Atmosphere: 8 Cleanliness: 10 Location: 10 read more

Excellent staff and super great facility! Hours are very flexible though it does get crowded at later rec swim times. Tavi at the front desk is very kind and helpful, and all the Lifeguards are very considerate. Definitely recommend! read more

The men's locker room stinks badly. This place used to be a school so rooms are separate. From the locker room to the gym I need to go out doors. It is cold in the winter to do that. read more

Southwest YMCA - Gyms Near Me - Saratoga, California

While I'm a fan of indoor pools, especially nice warm ones like the one at this YMCA, the water stings my eyes and reeks of hyperchlorination. That's not a complaint, but an observation. I'm sure it NEEDS that much chlorine! Pools like this are what I think of when I meet people who refuse to swim in public pools. I do like that they have kickboards available, and they sure get used. I've been here several times as a guest over a few years and never felt particularly welcome, but I wouldn't want any staffers trying to sell me a membership, so maybe being left alone is best. Last I checked, the price was $105/month, which is outrageous for the quality of the facilities. I wouldn't enroll if it was free. The women's locker room is pretty gross and the pool area needs an overhaul. I wouldn't enroll my children, if I had them, in swimming classes here as I wouldn't want them inhaling that much chlorine gas in the pool area. It's all enclosed. If you're not bothered by really dated, icky pool facilities and this is a convenient location, this may work for you. Just beware the amount of chlorine. If your arms or legs seem to stop working, that's your lungs using all your energy to keep functioning amidst chlorine gas overload. The body sacrifices the limbs first to cater to the organs that keep you alive. This happened to me several times by the time a doctor explained what it was. Get fresh air fast!! read more

Let me start by saying I like this gym a lot. This review is more about some of the people that go there. First off no one wipes down any of the equipment. Each machine is clearly marked with "please wipe down equipment after use". 99% of everyone just drags their towel across the machine at best. I am the 1% that actually grabs the disinfectant spray and sprays down every machine after use. Now I understand most people are clearly not clean but it takes 5 seconds to wipe a machine down properly. There should be a penalty for those that don't wipe down the equipment. It's not sanitary and spreads germs and viruses. Second, the high school kids that come here need to learn some serious respect. Here's a thought.....WHEN YOU'RE DONE USING THE DUMBBELLS PUT THEM BACK! Maybe at home your mom picks up after your spoiled little asses but this is a big boy gym. If you're going to try to walk around like you're a big boy then start acting like it. Also, you don't need to slam or drop your Dumbbells to the ground and then look around to see who's watching. No one cares how much weight you're lifting. Overall this place is good and the staff is great. read more

I still go to this Y a lot, but they have recently changed their membership policies. You will no longer be able to go to the other Silicon Valley YMCAs unless you pay for an upgraded membership. I don't really frequent the other locations anymore, but it's still kind of a bummer that they are taking away this membership perk. The upgraded membership is not just a few bucks more, so it's not worth it for me to upgrade. Good thing is that they have some new equipment in the cardio room now, including these ellipticals that let you choose your stride and increase your elevation! Pretty nifty. read more