Five stars for Kids Corner, three to four for everything else. Lots of new equipment, friendly…read morestaff, lively atmosphere and family-friendly. The building is v v old though.

Came here for the pool. They have shoe booties to cover your dirty shoes before entering the pool…read more There are two pools - one for swim lessons and laps while the smaller pool is for little kiddies and water aerobic classes? Good to see that they offer life jackets, noodles, and other floaties. Staff hand out different colored necklaces to kids depending on their swimming level (red dotted = can't swim, red = can swim a bit but can't go to deep end, yellow = can swim to deep end). Overall ok until I saw a floating bandaid in the deep end and clump of hair on the deck. Family locker room is clean. They have soap if you want to rinse. Need to scan pass in order to enter (turnstyle like paying before entering the mbta train). That's good because other locations, everyone can enter without checking IDs or memberships. Machines can use an update. I didn't use but a family member said they are old.

Good deal, good location…read more Will was very nice & helpful with Black Spa Services. Locker room could be better (no soap or shampoo in showers, no mirror so lots of near misses when walking near W lockers.

I've been going to Planet Fitness for five years since the previous manager left the dirt and…read moredust all over the machines .I never never themclean the bathrooms at all the .previous manager kept the place so clean.

I met with Brian and he showed me around this facility. It seems really nice very clean very well…read moreorganized. I like how everything has a little niche, and it's humongous! The only reason why I had to turn it away is because the few things that I like to do with the gym, they do not offer. I would still recommend. The price is a little bit pricier than the competition, and they do charge an extra $25 to use the pool that you also have to make reservations for. They do offer classes and personal trainer services. I didn't get the cost, but I can't imagine it being more than competitors. Thank Brian , good job!!!

I went to Waverley Oaks Athletic Club for a little over a year and really loved it. I had a family…read moreplan which makes the price much more reasonable. I loved the included classes and the variety of classes. I just couldn't make the class times work for my with my work schedule anymore. The space was clean and the front desk staff was helpful. They have a locker room with a sauna, three workout class spaces. I wish they had a track for running and walking somehow.

TL:DR; It's a pleasure coming here and working with Ryan - five star recommend!…read more I've been working with Ryan for the past few months, and it's time for a Yelp Review! After a few years of working out (almost) exclusively in my home gym, I started working with Ryan to turn up the volume on my strength training. Working with Ryan: as a credentialed fitness professional and business owner myself, I started working with Ryan because of his reputation as an effective, deeply competent trainer who gets good results. And it's been working! I look forward to my workouts, get a good sweat. Some specifics: he's patient, encourages you to trust yourself and really tune into your own body. (I have no doubt he's as great with complete beginners as those beginning again). His programming is solid and specific to your needs. It's also easy to schedule with him, tech-friendly (love those google calendar invites!), human hospitality - text reminders come from the real person! Let's talk about the space: AnkFit in Newtonville is a pleasure to get hard work done in. Bright, open, good mirrors, a really strong collection of high quality weights, contraptions, mobility and flexibility tools, and the occasional welcome torture device (I'm looking at you PSO-Rite psoas/hip flexor release tool). The music coming out of the Sonos is great. The place is *spotless* and deep cleaned and literally every thing has a proper place - I can't underscore how pleasant that makes things. Amenities: clean towels (I sweat!), multiple bathrooms and showers with good hair care products I sadly don't have an excuse to use because I live down the street.) Good water for water bottles or a sip from the cold bubbler. Coffee. (Even while you work out.) BONUS: any opportunity to hang out with Meghan, the VP of Snorts and Snarfles (Ryan's French Bulldog).

From the owner: Ankfit is an immaculate private workout facility with state of the art equipment and highly skilled…read moretrainers.

I came to FT in Newtonville after hearing rave reviews from a friend and she was right. The…read moreinstructors are dedicated, friendly ,and very professional. I trained twice a week with Mike (and sometimes with Ashley) and felt encouraged and supported every step of the way. I also felt he listened carefully to me, supported my goals, and helped me translate them into the changes I wanted to see in myself.

A great place to workout. They have small groups, flexible workouts, flexible times, and can focus…read moreon the different needs of different people. But it's really the quality of the people who work there that makes them stand out. They are very good at what they do.

Great facilities, but the "Sales-First" culture is exhausting…read more While Life Time Fitness is clean and offers a great variety of classes (popular ones fill up very quickly), the daily experience is marred by several significant issues that make it hard to recommend at this price point. The Parking Nightmare The 5-story garage is a disaster. The first three floors are mostly reserved for valet, leaving everyone else to circle the bottom two floors. The spots and turns are dangerously narrow; even with a mid-size sedan, you're constantly at risk of scraping your car against pillars or rails. Constant Upselling & "Hustle" Culture The "luxury" vibe is frequently ruined by promotional announcements over the PA system. Even booking a high-quality massage comes with an exhausting sales pitch both before and after the session. Most recently, I tried a "complimentary" training session. I was incredibly explicit during scheduling: I only wanted the one free session and a simple list of the exercises we covered for my own reference. Despite being assured this was doable, the trainer withheld the list at the end, stating I'd only receive it if I signed a paid contract for more sessions. It is insulting to have clear boundaries ignored. This relentless "hustle" and sales-pitch culture is fundamentally at odds with a true wellness environment. Deafening Class Volume The music in many studio classes is set to an uncomfortable, near-painful level. Instructors have refused requests to lower the volume, or even turned it up in response. While earplugs are provided, you shouldn't need hearing protection to attend a gym class. Alpha Space Equipment On a positive note, I did notice recently that management addressed a previous shortage of 20lb and 25lb barbells in the Alpha space. It's good to see they are capable of making functional improvements when members speak up. The Bottom Line The facilities are well-maintained and the class variety is excellent, but the stress of parking, the "disco-level" volume, and being treated as a "lead" first and a member second make every visit an exercise in frustration. It feels more like a sales floor than a wellness club.

Two stars because for a premium gym, it should be better…read more Group exercise classes that are not scheduled during work hours, and even ones that are, have enormous waitlists. But the studios have plenty of room. There are classes I want to try but I don't feel like being number 17 on a waitlist. Seriously, this is a whack system. I want a fitness class, not a Birkin bag. Creating scarcity is a bad business model. Weight room is fine. Blah what a disappointment.

If you're a busy dad of three like me, you know the fitness struggle is real. It's been a loooong…read moretime since my high school Track days, and trying to maintain a workout routine between kids and work was just not going to happen. I've lost track of the number of times I've said, "this is the time I'm going to stick with working out." I started going to Fitness Together last year and it's been exactly what I needed. No crowded gyms or waiting for machines. Expert trainers who handle all the thinking (and racking weights!) for me. Sessions on my calendar that keep me accountable. The trainers plan the workouts, track my progress, and actually make sure my form isn't awful. It's amazing how much easier it is to stick to a workout routine when all you have to do is show up and focus on picking heavy things up and putting them down. It's been the only way I've actually stayed consistent. If you've got fitness goals but zero time to waste, definitely check them out. Super glad I found this place.

"Fitness Together in Belmont has been life changing for me. Two years ago, I was living a pretty…read moresedentary life, eating poorly and dealing with multiple chronic injuries due to lack of exercise. I decided to try Fitness Together and the experience has changed my life! Unlike other fitness places I had tried, this program is tailored to my specific needs on a daily basis. I work with trainers one-on-one and they have come up with a workout plan and a meal plan that fits my personal goals. The trainers at Fitness Together in Belmont are extremely knowledgeable, encouraging and friendly. If I have any physical discomfort when I arrive for my session, they alter the exercises to accommodate my needs. Coming from someone who has always hated to exercise, I actually like going there because I feel supported and cared about by the entire staff. After working with them for two years, I am 40 lbs lighter and feel physically better than I have in a decade. I am so grateful to this amazing team of people for helping me obtain a healthier lifestyle! "

The staff here is friendly and welcoming. The vibe is friendly and welcoming. I come in on a free…read morepass I got. The cost is pricey . The service requested is day pass . They have a big lot so parking is not an issue. The facilities were super clean .

Best Equinox club in Boston. All of the bells and whistles including pool, sauna, and steam room…read more Spacious locker rooms and clean facilities.

I have to admit that I was a little scared about going here with some co-workers, mostly because I…read moredidn't know what to expect. I was picturing a gym full of meat heads I guess, which is not my scene at all. This place is further from that picture than you could ever get. The atmosphere of the place is actually very chill/relaxing. It's a big open space with tons of interesting looking equipment. Josh is probably the most friendly and welcoming guy you could ever meet. We even talked running a bit, and he is full of helpful information! The class we took, Sweat Shop, was not at all what I was expecting. Josh makes the workout not only interesting, but fun and I got to use some of that interesting looking equipment. I had never used kettleballs or weighted bats (not sure what they are really called) before! I left a little sweaty, feeling like I had a very good workout, and I had fun on top of it. I'm a little sore the day after, which my body knows it means I had a great workout that was a full body workout! It's way better than the typical gym circut where you just go from dull machine to dull machine. I will defintely be coming back for more classes at Gymnasium. I'm paticularly interested in Yogabells and the fencing classes.

It's a few minutes before my first class and I am nervous. I hear a cool 80's song as I open the…read moredoor. Immediately I am greeted by the owner, Josh Conway. I see him peering over a desk flanked by tall plants, smiling at me. It looks like he is briefing one of his coaches for the upcoming class. I take off my shoes, briefly speak with him and then proceed to the changing room. I noticed behind him was a lighted library of books ranging from Chinese breathing techniques to the history of European sword fighting. What a nice collection of varied interests I thought. As I grab a cup of water from the bubbler Josh informs me that although optional, I needn't to keep my socks on for the workout --part of the strength training involves training the feet, naturally. As I stretch out before class I see an older couple finishing up their kettle bell routine. They chalk up their personal best on one of the chalkboards on the wall. I see that one chalkboard is filled with quotations, comments and words of encouragement written by various members. Another board describes what 'theme' it is for the day. 'Stamina.' Today's theme is stamina I thought. Yesterday was 'Power.' Tomorrow is 'Strength.' The couple comes over and says hello to me and we introduce ourselves. This is pretty cool I thought. As I look around I see that Gymnasium is a nicely designed, large two section studio with cozy lighting, wooden floors, floor to ceiling mirrors along one wall and a huge Gymnasium logo emblazoned against another. Thick and heavy ropes hang from the ceiling, next to a row of pull-up bars. There are many tires stacked like a wall in one corner. A large variety of kettlebells and Indian Clubs line the back wall. There are also hurdles, metal stands, rope, straps, foam bricks, sandbags, fitness ladders, a peg climb and many other tools for circuit use. Intimidated, but curious. A coach comes over to me, extends a hand and says hello to me. 'Hello, my name is Marlon" I reply. 'My first day here.' Several more members fill the room as the clock winds to 5pm. The coach instructs us to get into a circle. The mild chatter quiets down as the coach-led group begins with a twisting and breathing exercise as 'Simple Minds' softly gets us into the mood over the gym's sound system. It's been a hair over two months since I've joined Gymnasium. I clocked in at 228 pounds the day I signed up. Today I am 202 pounds. I can't believe it. Twice the results, half the time. At first I was skeptical because there weren't any 45 pound plates, barbells and ellipticals which are usual staple found at regular gyms. At the risk of sounding cliché, this isn't a regular gym. After a few workouts I found myself crawling on all fours, doing planks, swinging kettlebells, hurling sandbags and performing an endless variety of floor work. The exercises are always changing weekly too. No chance for my muscles to become accustomed to anything. What is key, is that since the classes are small you get a lot of attention from the coach. There are always two or three alternatives to each type of exercise. An experienced member might perform a more difficult version of a pushup exercise while a new member might do them inclined along a wall. Gymnasium recognizes that each person is different. Another thing which is cool is that the community at Gymnasium is very fun, social and lively. There are tables and couches to sit and read from the library, sip tea or coffee which Gymnasium provides, or just to hang out. Josh organizes many other fun events such as evening runs, a variety of seminars, kettlebell challenges and a 60 Day Food Challenge in which I am currently involved. There is a great deal of personalization and interaction which is seldom if ever found at other gyms. I am simply flabbergasted as to why I don't see a lot more people doing natural movement exercises like the kind found at Gymnasium. However, I do know that this style of training is increasing in popularity. Also this type of training isn't as 'sexy' as pushing 10 pound plates on a machine. But for the record, given by my results I would never step back into a 'regular' gym--not if being strong and balanced, moving optimally and losing weight was my goal. 2/25/13 Sincerely, Marlon V

Tried calling them a few times. But every time I spoke to someone they said I would get a call back…read morefrom Angel who is the owner. It's been over 2 month and I haven't heard from anyone. So much for their stellar five-star reviews. Psh! Update: The fact that the owner was so quick to call my review 'petty' when he didn't return my calls for months goes to show the line he's ready to walk just for the sake of maintaining a false reputation on yelp. It also speaks volumes of how mindful he is of other's time. We all come from a different place in our respective lives Mr Owner and all I expected was an acknowledgement. P.S: Don't assume people are stupid enough to tell the different between a genuine apology and a snarky comment. I hope have a fabulous day!

Boston Underground Strength Training is a godsend in the sports fitness community. I spoke with…read moreAngel on the phone to discuss my goals, recovering from a multi-year shoulder injury and getting back onto the path to powerlifting, and we set up an in-person consultation. The consultation was quick and thorough and we set up a plan of action to get me back in shape to lift heavy again. It took a while but trusting Angel and the other trainers here was the best thing I have ever done. I want to say it took about 8 months of recovery based training with the semi-private training group but I no longer have the chronic shoulder pain that I first walked in with. Since coming to Boston Underground Strength Training and going through the recovery training I have competed in three powerlifting meets and have been performing better than I could ever imagined thanks to the excellent programming and coaching provided here. Without Boston Underground I would never have been able to recover from my shoulder injury and probably would have had to give up on my favorite hobby. I wish I could rate this higher than 5/5. -Kyle Campofiore