Fox Valley residents have some great choices when it comes to fitness. Recently Anytime Fitness came to the Valley, offering 3 gyms with great equipment and a 24/7 model. The facilities are staffed from 10 am to 7 pm most day, but members can come anytime using a pass to unlock the door and gain access. Video cameras monitor all parts of the gym. Equipment is high-end, with individual cable TV monitors for the many various cardio units. One of my sons and I have been trying it out for the past month and really liked it - until something went wrong with their system and kept my son out for two days during this holiday week. Frustrated with the bug in their service, an unusual fluke but still disappointing, I checked out a competitor before deciding to renew and enter the six-month or year-long contracts required at Anytime Fitness.

So I went to Gold's Gym in Menasha in the Shopko Plaza on Highway 47 (Appleton Road) just south of Highway 441, north of Midway Road. Wow - I had no idea that it was that large. In contrast to the quiet, low-key atmosphere at Anytime Fitness, Gold's Gym is a sprawling, bustling place with lots of staff, large classes, a sea of equipment, many users, but still plenty of free equipment. They have something for everybody, including a lady's-only gym room if you don't want to work out with muscle-bound guys nearby. There's also a pool, a hot tub, a theater room where a group can watch movies playing all day long while using cardio devices, and many other features. Very impressive. They are less expensive than Anytime Fitness, with a regular program going for $10 a month and a more advanced program for $17 that includes classes and some other perks. But the $10 plan looks great for me. I took my wife over there and she liked it, too.

A nice thing about Gold's is that membership is month-by-month, so you don't have to get locked into a contract for a long period of time. I'll let you know how it goes.

I was all set to renew at Anytime, but the unfortunate glitch really causes a problem for two days in a row of the very short time I had with my son before he begins college again in January. The problem was supposedly fixed after I left a message, but the next day he was denied entry again. Had to drive him him and go back alone to exercise that morning. That's what led me to look at Gold's.

There are other choices, of course. Many women in the area really like Curves, which has a great business model and good offerings. But what is your favorite fitness center or fitness-related business in the Fox Valley?

Update: Gyms of course, are interested in selling you on expensive services like a personal trainer. Gold's Gym offers you a free one-hour session with a personal trainer who supposedly will get you acquainted with the equipment and so forth, but it turns out to be pretty much a sales pitch for a $780 month-long package of about 20 sessions with a personal trainer to help you reach your goals. Less intensive, less expensive options are available. A friend of mine has had great results with his training, but that's too pricey for me.

Labels: fitness, gyms