145th & Frederick Douglass Blvd.

Admittedly, I have been to this location before.  That was before the marathon though (before the "better" me?...let's not stretch it).  I went this past weekend and had a pretty decent workout.

This location is very large and located on two spread-out levels.  The first level has the studio, free weights, most of the machines, treadmills, a few ellipticals, and locker rooms.  The free weight areas are typically very busy with guys on the 'roids (excuse me- "pre-game vitamins" is more appropriate) and can get a little cramped if it's during peak hours, even with the large amount of space available.  For heaven's sake, NYSC, get this place another cable-fly system!

Upstairs has newer machines and the Xpress-line program, two stretching areas, cycling, and plenty of bikes/ellipticals.  Both levels have lots-o-sunlight which is quite delightful.

Locker rooms are OK; they are never completely out of control but not spotless. One huge downfall of the locker rooms is the apparent lack of benches.  Sometimes you just need to sit when putting on your shoes after you sweat out a bottle of wine on the treadmill.  Speaking of treadmills, there are NOT ENOUGH of them here.

And gays.  Not enough gays.

My grade: A

7th Avenue at 10th Street

Fitness tip:  do not workout after brunch.  More specifically after a boozy brunch.

I have walked by this location countless times and have never gone in.  Today was the day!  It was quiet and a little cramped in the lobby.  The first floor is the entrance, lockers are underneath, and then two floors above.  Second floor was cardio and a large studio, and there were plenty of treadmills for all to use.  The best feature of this (gay!) facility was the equipment all overlooked 7th Ave.  Natural light in a gym is the BEST atmosphere.

The third floor (really fourth since you have to walk up two flights of steps...those tricksters) is the weight room.  It was nice and spacious and had everything you need.  Up a few stairs on this floor were the bikes and spin room, but I don't think that counts as "floor four."  Just a subset of floor three perhaps.  Who cares?

The weight room was nice, clean, and open.  Full of natural light.  TINY stretching areas (one tiny one on the second floor and another tiny one on the third floor); I guess people don't stretch or do abs here.  The locker rooms, while having plenty of lockers themselves, were a little cramped and downtrodden.  The most fascinating thing of the day was the naked man who was opening all of the shower curtains and looking inside -- whether or not there was someone showering.  Awkies?  YES.  I chose to bypass the showers since there wasn't a steam room or sauna anyway...and he wasn't really my type.

My grade: B

48th and 6th - Rockefeller Center

I had heard nothing about this location which is odd cause I ran into an old college friend while working out.  Apparently HE doesn't read this blog or he may have chosen another location or advised I avoid this one (ohhh snap!).

The first floor underground had most of the cardio equipment and a very small stretching area.  So small that the man next to me, consciously or not, kept getting up and almost stepping on me.  I was doing SIT UPS.  How do you not see me?!  I was deathly afraid for my iPod and had to move it underneath me to avoid his sneakers of doom.

I felt claustrophobic on this floor and for the life of me didn't know where the free weights were; there were a few machines but that was it.  Finally, behind the bins of dirty towels, I saw two escalators (shout-out to the Wall Street location!  which, btw, I added a snapshot of).  They take you down to the "main" underground level which has all of the weights, the rest of the machines, two studios (plus spinning) and a couple of extra cardio machines.  They had most everything but it was very crowded and cramped.  I'm sure this location is very quiet on the weekends and later at night.

The locker rooms were tiny and gross.  Tiny to the point of proving difficult to walk around people and gross since 1) the floors were wet and 2) if you are in a certain part of the locker room, in order to use the restroom you must walk through the shower area.  That's gross.  Your shoes --- your FEET!  No.  I refused to shower at the end of my workout just assumed "Athlete's Foot shower stalls" would lower the grade a little.

My grade: C-

80th and Broadway

It's a lot of fun to leave a gym and say "wow, what a great facility!" or "man some of the people working out there were easy on the eyes!"

I say no such things about this location.

"6 floors?  Really?" and "Maybe they aren't allowed to vacuum, why else would it be so dirty?" were more along the lines of what I had to say.  I'll put some of the criticism aside and give you the layout (from memory so I may have them slightly mixed up...they had directories on most floors so it wasn't confusing per say, just ridiculously annoying).  First floor is the lobby with the unattractive/awkward management desks directly up front, and a few cardio machines (all ellipticals or variations thereof).  Lower level is men's locker room (small, unkept, humid).  Second floor is the largest with women's locker room, daycare, plenty of treadmills, a stretching area, and a few machines.  Third floor is a small studio and a tiny stretching area (body bars, no medicine balls).  Fourth floor was also small with free weights and the larger machines.  Fifth floor had another studio.

I'm not even going to write more.  It wasn't worth the trip and because of the quality/layout (and clientele) I was no longer motivated to workout. 

My grade: E  (I went to a secondary school whose failing grade was an E not an F.  I know it's weird but it's not my fault; it's how I was raised.)