Great facility open year around BUT CLOSED FOR SCHOOL HOLIDAYS! Spa and sauna are super nice. The rec app says there is a Pilates reformer but no classes to sign up. Testing to find out if true. read more

UIC Student Recreation Facility - Recreation Centers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

**UIC Swim Classes: A Budget-Friendly Option for Kids** We enrolled in UIC Swim Classes for our 1.5-year-old and found it to be a solid, budget-friendly option. At $22 per session, the classes offer structured swim lessons at a more affordable rate compared to other local options. There is a chill vibe that works great for a 1st learner, but the level of rigor is lower than Goldfish so we switched there once we got off their wait list. Classes are sold in 5 week packages, and reschedules are not typically allowed. The class structure follows a set sequence of exercises. Instructors are friendly, but engagement is inconsistent. While they guide kids through various activities, the level of encouragement and feedback varies, with some instructors mentally checking out after providing initial directions. The UIC facility itself is quite nice - The water is comfortably warm and there are changing areas. Parking is available but paid for a few dollars. Note that your access is restricted to within 15 minutes of class time, so don't go too early. Though there are fewer opportunities for underwater practice and confidence-building dips, the parent/tot classes are primary about getting your kid comfortable in water. Overall, UIC Swim Classes deliver decent value for the price, though parents seeking a more intensive training that will get kids swimming faster may want to explore Goldfish. read more

Try the free spin class! The instructor is super nice and helps out people who are struggling to do some of the moves!

Having student access to this facility is one of the best perks in the city. I enjoy the aquatic area for all my swimming needs - There is two life guards in this area to make sure every one safe and play nice. The only negative here is the in area lockers. On the other side of the building is a 50 feet wall climbing area with two instructors there to help you and and down the wall. There are other areas upstairs like a whole floor for exercise equipment. I literally can spend the entire day here at this recreation center to fully utilize this entire membership. I would recommend this facility to anyone. Parking is metered read more

OMG UIC'S GYM IS BEAUTIFUL. kekeke and the people there are suuuperrr cool and friendly very smiley :D heehee. but yeah, the gyms super clean and new and even a nice place to chill (and grab a smoothie/sandwich thanks to tropical smoothie!) or even study! read more

You wouldn't believe how bad I wanted to get my I-card just so I could work out here. Going the entire summer sans gym was murder for a fitness junkie like myself. I tried out the pool today, and it was way better than the one at my undergrad fitness center. The temperature was flawless - not freezing cold, but not bathwater. There's plenty of equipment (kickboards, buoys, etc.) and the lanes weren't overcrowded when I went around 9am. I only used the lap lanes, but there is a lazy river and a hot tub. A lazy river. Yeah. So after my 2-mile swim on Friday? I'm totally going to float around on a tube. I'll update this review once I've run on the track and used the cardio/weight machines. I've seen them, but haven't used them yet. The place looks nice, though! read more

The sad thing is the facilities are the best in the area. But the "social atmosphere" is sadly hostile and at times just completely bizarre. I joined this gym as an alumni because I recently moved back into the area. The staff now seems to be made up entirely of undergrads, and other than the janitor, there is not a single professional adult working here. The result is something like Lord of the Flies. The kids who work here have obnoxious "I don't want to be here, so F you" attitudes and treat patrons like garbage. And because these are the people "in charge," those are the standards set for the people who come here. Expect inappropriate aggression, cattiness, weights left all over the place, machines constantly broken from misuse, etc. And if you're not a student here, expect to be made to feel very unwelcome. Maybe my expectations are unreasonably high since it's a college gym, but compared to any other college gyms I've been to, this place is a straight up circus. Rude staff who wouldn't be employable as McDonald's cashiers and students who treat the gym like it's an extension of their personal dorm party. It should not be listed as a community gym. read more

It's funny to me that folks are writing reviews for a university recreation center, but I guess you never know when someone's looking for a great university student recreation center to join. I visit the SRF about three or four times a week, usually in the mornings. It's busiest right after the new year, and right before spring break. I try to avoid going in the afternoon or evenings because it's way too busy then. The best part: the spin classes are now free! If you're a local resident looking for a convenient gym, I'd recommend you look elsewhere. The SRF is first, and foremost, a STUDENT recreation facility. They do allow staff, faculty, alumni, and community members to join, but the hours are limited when students are not in classes (and they close for two weeks during Christmas break). However, if you're a UIC student, you can't beat the price or the convenience! read more

Good gym with ample study space. The ping pong tables are in poor shape. The place lacks olympic lifting equipment, which is probably the only drawback for lifters. Plenty of treadmills, stair-climbers, rowing machines, free weights. The climbing wall is awesome and easily accessible for beginners - try bringing a friend to belay for you. read more

Ahhhhh UIC G.Y.M......... why have it wrought thee? You have been my home since it opened and i'm sad that i will be leaving this place after this semester. We have spent many winters, summers, spring, and fall days together. And soon our journey will coming to an end. I will be graduating this spring semester. I remember when the UIC gym used to be a dinky little hole in the ground under the inner circle cafe. It used to be the size of a small living room. Nightmare, CHECK!! This is definitely much better. THere are endless amenities as some people listed here on yelp. Saunas and the lazy rivers are great in the summers and there are tons of machines to exercise on. Bathrooms are clean and cool looking. And a plus is that you don't even need a lock. They are Self-locking lockers. The beginning of each semester tend to be very crowded as well as certain times of the day might be a problem for some people because they might occupy the machine you want to use. Another thing my bf pointed out was the lack of available lockers in the guys side. The ratio of men to women is probably 3 to 1. It's also funny how intimidating the weight section might be for women. I rarely see any women on that side. They are usually reserved for the guys and men who eat people for breakfast. Note*** for an non-uic memeber, is 1,200 dollars and for a uic alumni it is $430.... Again, i say farewell to this place. read more

Much improved facility for UIC's East Campus, open since March 2006. With a full-sized gym, indoor track, indoor climbing wall and deluxe pool area that includes a lazy river, it beats lots of neighborhood gyms out there. Like many college recreation facilities, however, you do have to offer a photo ID as collateral (and often complete a form) for certain accessories that many gym-goers take for granted , such as a towel (only one), medicine balls, jump ropes and basketballs. Also, aside from the typical machines and free weights, you won't find many other amenities in the weight room besides three stability balls and 2 bosus (no steps, resistance tubing, Airex pads, etc.) You also won't find any dumbbells under five pounds, and the pre-loaded barbells are only available in increments of 10--no plate mates around either. What I find incomprehensible is that no bar pads of any sort are available (on Smith machine, for example). Despite all this, their selection of machines is very good, and if you keep it simple, it's a great place to get a good workout. read more

What's Good--sauna, hot tub, three lap lanes, spacious area for cardio machines, free weights, and weight machines. They have a nice running track, basketball courts, indoor soccer courts Not good--They are slow to repair maintenance issues. They close down during UIC's winter break. read more

is it a Lifetime Fitness or XSports? No. is it not bad for a university gym where membership is already included in your student fees/tuition and there's no way to deduct it? it's decent. are they going to give you free tampons, unlimited towels and free childcare? are you kidding me, this is UIC. -minus 1/2 star for their ever-changing hours (what if one of the student employees gets a B because they had to work during finals?yeah, you're right, let's just close the gym) -minus another 1/2 star for their janky shower curtains which led my friend to expose herself read more

Pretty good gym. Fairly new equipment. They finally brought back the small food stand on the first floor so you can get smoothies. The gym has a weird pool, squash and racquetball courts, weight lifting area with machines and free weights, running track, four basketball courts, study room, two ping pong tables, rock wall, indoor soccer court, small area for martial arts with a punching bag, and some small areas for group fitness such as yoga and spinning classes. The gym is mainly for UIC students but you can buy a memebership at a pretty decent rate the only downside is that it goes by student hours so you have to consider that when buying it. (School breaks mean shorter hours and it's closed on certain random days.) read more

as alumni, we get great discounts to become members of this gym and I love it! Before renewing my membership, I checked out other gyms however none came up to par to this brand new beautiful and full amenity gym. It has everything: rows of quality machines looking at overhead tv screens very cool, clean, open, light & airy feeling. large windows look out onto the city and campus. 1/8 mile running track, with fans blowing and digital clock. large feildhouse set up for pickup bball/vball raquetball courts 4 story rock climbing wall 3 lane, 25 yd pool w/ recreation area (lazy river) large hot tub & sauna pool has a large digital clock! (this is hard to come by in gyms!) clean and large locker rooms drop in classes all year long massage & athletic trainers juice bar babysitting/day care. no other gym compared to the price and the quality here! My only complaint, as a swimmer, I would love to be in a better pool (ie. more lanes, deeper) however at least it's 25 yds and not what most gyms have, "junior olympic". Also, their hours vary a lot throughout the year. Pool will be closed due to events. Or the hours of the gym will shorten when school is not in session. read more

This is not only a gym, but it's a community. There is always a fun event happening! Many of the members establish great relationships with the instructors and staff. When you come to this facility, you not only get a great workout but you are welcomed with open arms. The facility also has Try it Week which allows you to drop in on classes that wouldn't normally be free so that you can experience the best of what the rec center has to offer! If you don't want to pay for any classes, there is a packed full schedule of drop in classes that are ALWAYS free. The pool is great too :) This place rocks! read more

this review has been a long time coming. if you are a student and membership is included in your tuition--good for you. if you are an alumni and tempted by the discounted membership--find a comparable price at a gym elsewhere. if you do not go here and are thinking about buying a membership--DO NOT. because most of the people using the gym are students who pay for their membership with their tuition (i.e. no refunds, no skin off their teeth if a student stops going), they don't treat members with the respect i would expect. i have an alumni membership and still look like a college student, and they are SO RUDE to me. they run out of towels constantly (every time i tried yesterday THREE times, out. how is that possible?). guests are not allowed to use the outdoor tennis courts/basketball hoops. they didn't tell me this until after i paid for my guest and bought tennis balls. wow. i find myself perpetually frustrated here. it's a beautiful facility (props to the architects and the person who designed the gym itself) but the staff and little things make it an ugly experience. read more

Being a U of I alum has many perks, but the discounted gym membership is one of my favorites. For $400 per year, I get to work out in a new, state-of-the-art gym that's really close to my house. The indoor running track is very nice, with a view of the interstate. Ok, maybe not the coolest scenery ever, but it beats brick walls or running outside in subzero temperatures. I was used to the IMPE facility in Champaign, where you were forced to sign up for 1/2 hour time slots for any machines. UIC's gym is great because there are less people and you can almost always find an empty treadmill or eliptical. In addition to the main weight-lifting section, there is a smaller area that is great for the "non-meathead-beefcakes" like me. I feel comfortable working out here, even though I'm not benching 400 pounds or doing 2000 situps. My only complaint is that fitness classes are only available M-F and early in the evening. read more

As an alumni, the UIC gym is amazing. For one you can't beat the amount of amenities they have for the price of 37 dollars/month. They literally have everything, machines, free weights, indoor track, swimming pools, basketball courts, multipurpose rooms, rock climbing. They even have squash and racketball courts and free group classes! After a strenuous workout, I love going by the pool since they also have a nice jacuzzi and sauna/steam room. The staff there is super friendly (all students). The only nick if any is the locker room. Sometimes it gets crowded and there's not enough room to fit everyone, but it's a small price to pay all in all. I have been to many gyms that are 3* or more expensive, and they don't even come close to what this gym has to offer. Strongly recommended for alumnis of UIC. read more

I am a gym head and if I could I would live in a gym. Out of all gyms I've been to YMCA, X Sport, LA Fitness, EBC, etc etc I would choose to live at the UIC recreation center. They have it all from huge wall to climb to racket ball. The basketball courts are great in that there is always one thats free. The swimming pool is huge. The saunas are awesome, the staff is cool, the food is great, the weights are amazing, shall I continue??? Now I am a student so I get all of these perks and more for free. I recommend this place to anyone who has access to it. I cant think of anything bad with the gym I Love This Place!!!! read more

There's always open machines, the equipment is great, and it's very spacious. Be forewarned that the stairs are pretty much a workout in themselves. Definitely a nice, state-of-the-art gym. Don't bring your non-potty trained kids to the daycare (they call you out when they need a diaper change, which is pointless, I would think). read more

This place is awesome. It can get a bit crowded during the afternoon, but that's expected. My only real complaint is that they only have one squat rack... They definitely need to get some more. read more

I can't believe they changed the locks without notice... I didn't even bring a lock with me and didn't know what to do with the hour I had. :( read more

Awesome state of the art equipment and machines! Even machines I never heard of until I saw them here. Just wish cardio equipment had their own tv! Wish they free-weight leg equipment like hack squat for example :-( Very clean all the time. I've taken a class with Wallace before and I am not a fan of classes but going to his are a lot of fun and I go when I can! Definitely gets you sore the next day! read more

UIC has a great rec center this is thrown into your tuition so check it out if you have some time. The equipment is great and lots of things to choose from. It can get really busy during peak hours in the afternoon so avoid if you want a non rushed stress free workout. You get a nice locker room showers towels pools basketball courts and so many things other then just somewhere to lift. All students should try and go! The hours are pretty good and easy to get to if you live on or around campus read more

By far my favorite gym in Chicago. I went to school at UIC, and I have to admit that in terms of equipment and activities available here, I like it even better than XSport . If you are an alumni they have very reasonable rates, a year ago it was around $30/month or so. Pool, hot tub and sauna are very clean. Showers are alright (it takes a minute for water to heat up). They have a punching bag, activity rooms with mirrors that you can practice in, if there is no class. I love the view! I usually work out by the entire row of windows and it's really motivational to me. It's easy to meet people here. If I were single, and still a student, this would definitely be the easiest place to meet a partner. Their selection of machines is just great and mat availability accommodates those like me, who focus predominantly on the stretching/yoga aspect of a work out. read more

UIC Rec Center offers the Peyow (Aqua) Pilates program taught by Anne Burnell, the founder of Peyow Pilates. Students and Alumni get super cheap rates for rec center membership and group classes. Others can also join. This is by far the cheapest place to get aqua pilates, reformer pilates, and mat pilates with the best instructors and one of the best facilities in the city. I've got nothing but raves for this program. read more

Considering how much money has been spent on most of the facility, i was surprised how little the University seems to care about the running track facilities. It is nice to jog around the upstairs track but it was very unfortunate that the 200m jogging track was not a "real oval track" like at most division 1 schools. They had the space and they spent the money but the rectangular track makes it impossible to do a track workout. It is suitable for jogging, but if I wanted to "jog" I would go on a treadmill or outside.... I wonder where the track team has to practice since the school has no indoor or outdoor racing track and field facility?? read more