Best Gym near Chicago, Illinois

I was interested in the free fitness assessment and did not want to continue with the personal training program created for me and every staff member was extremely kind, flexible and helpful when I canceled. If you cancel in the first 3 days, there’s no fee and I realized I could not afford what I signed up for so this was a god send. The personal trainers were helpful, flexible and down to earth when working with me. The facility is clean and well maintained as well.

I had an amazing 👏 experience at the location. My personal Trainer Abel was downright awesome. He pushed me further than I ever knew myself. I highly recommend the location and Abel if you want to get into the best shape of your life.

The reason of these 3 stars it’s mainly because of the constant issues I’ve been experiencing lately at this location. First, all wet area was closed… for a week… then the sauna was closed… for a week… I mainly come here for swimming and to use the tub and sauna and its very disappointing when you cant do any of that. Taking a shower is always a challenge every time someone flushes the toilet and shower heads spraying everywhere. In the past there was always an equipment that was out of order… Not cool Other than that it’s convenient and cleanliness is at a decent level.

I've been looking for a clean gym to work out at in Chicago. The merger of XSport and LA Fitness has given me more options. This location is the best I've visited so far. It's clean, the staff is friendly, and the pool is clean and inviting, unlike the XSport pools that were always out of service and looked dirty.

Every time I lost an item, it has never been turned in at the front desk. I left my swimming cap and goggles in the sauna a few days ago and as expected, someone took ownership or threw them away. I am seriously thinking to subscribe to a more affluent gym, like Lifetime Fitness, where patrons can afford to buy their own gear and where the likelihood of someone stealing your stuff is considerably less.

This is a very unique gym. There are tons of windows. The walls are not super tall. There is tons of overhang. The routesetting is very creative and challenging. The grades are accurate. The front desk staff are very nice. The routesetting is very good, however, many of the holds are polished. They use good quality holds, but some are old. There is not much fiberglass in this gym. Many boulder problems are very chossy. There are not adequate brushes around the gym. Overall an amazing spot with tons of natural light and very unique overhang areas including roof climbs, which is very rare to find in bouldering gyms. Gym is 10/10 A+ and would definitely visit again next time in the area!

Excellent climbing gym with friendly staff. With multiple gyms in the Chicago area there will always be new routes to try. The gyms change their routes consistently and give a good variety of difficulty levels. All the gyms have a good variety of exercise equipment and multiple types of exercise and climbing classes to choose from. The gym also offers fun monthly activities! All the staff I have interacted with there have been very helpful and friendly. If you are looking for a gym that offers great climbing routes and has a friendly atmosphere this is the place for you!

I rotate first ascent locations every week. I go to block 37 one week, humbolt another and uptown on third week. I used to really like uptown but they don’t update their routes often at all. I went to uptown 4 weeks ago and I just visited a few days ago again and the routes were the same. Please change the routes.

One of the best bouldering gyms I've been to. Great people, helpful staff, always clean and setting changes frequently enough to have always something new to work on.

**** EDIT I have been coming here for over a year as a member now and my review stands. I can’t express how amazing the FA community is and how hard the team works to make a welcoming environment and host tons of cool events for meeting people. This is the bouldering gym to come to (all the other FA gyms are great too) and there are some really unique routes with how the gym is laid out. My respect to the hard worker setters for that ! One of the best bouldering gyms i have been to as someone who is more new / intermediate to bouldering. first, the staff is always so welcoming and kind when you walk in. the prices are pretty reasonable and they have lockers where you can keep your stuff. they have a weight gym, a bouldering gym and a yoga studio. the bouldering gym is a pretty good size and they seem to frequently change the routes. there is a wide range of routes and even the ones that are there for awhile, they are creative and fun to do again. they have classes that i have yet to try but they are available. also a bonus is the regulars are all pretty friendly and helpful too ! I always have a great experience at first ascent and definitely will keep coming here.

I've been a member of Cheetah for several years and enjoy going (when I can force myself into leggings). The trainers are knowledgeable and there's plenty of equipment. The yoga and Werq classes are fantastic. Their hours accommodate early birds and night owls alike. The part that gets frustrating is that there are lots of classes, but many of them cost extra (sometimes up to 25$) on top of what is already a not particularly cheap monthly payment. There are cheaper gyms around, but Cheetah is so welcoming and such a good community neighbor that I do love being a member. However, not being able to take strength training or pilates or boot camp or whatever because I don't have an extra $$$ in my budget makes annual renewal a much more difficult choice than it should be. Still, the staff are lovely and it's a nice place to workout.

The free weights, strength machines, and cardio machines are all adequate but the locker room facilities are sub par. The towels are smelly and the soap in the showers is really cheap, plus they have disgusting shower curtains. Location is excellent (1 block from my home)

I'm incredibly pleased to have this as my neighborhood gym. There's plenty of options for machines and equipment to use. I've been looking for better structure for my workouts and got a personal trainer from Cheetah. It took a little time to find the trainer that was right for me, but along the way, staff has been incredibly accommodating to my needs. I am much more confident about my fitness journey since starting here and my current trainer has been great about improving my form and addressing questions/concerns. Thank you Angie and Josh!

I toured Cheetah recently being new to Chicago looking for a gym that checks all my boxes (which Cheetah does). However, the person that conducted my tour didn't make me feel welcome at all. As a person of color this was disheartening because I was so hopeful for this place given the area it's in. Towards the end of my tour I asked some questions about rates, and when they responded it felt like they were intentionally telling me that I wouldn't qualify, instead of just letting me know what the qualifications are or how I could learn more about specifics. I was debating writing this, but I thought it would be something important to call out for both the business and potential members.

I gotta be honest. I really wanted to like this gym. They have a really cool interior and local neighborhood vibes. The trainers are friendly and the space is big. But there are a few reasons I left once my 1-year contract was up. I came here wanting to take classes. I previously worked out at FFC, and would have stayed there forever for their stellar classes and instructors if I had not moved too far away from any of their facilities. I was hoping Cheetah could offer comparable class options. Unfortunately, there were not enough class options for my schedule and I was disappointed by all the classes I took except the Wednesday night cycling with Kathy. I didn’t feel I got a good workout at any of the other spin classes nor the few conditioning/hiit-type classes I took. The only yoga instructor available for evening classes made the class (which was supposed to be for all skill levels) way too advanced, with students doing headstands for most of the class and me sitting in child’s pose most of the time because *shocker* I can’t do a headstand. This particular instructor would come over and touch my body to adjust me without asking, which I hated, and when I asked her to stop touching me, she ignored me. Red flag. Aside from those issues, the locker rooms often smelled like sewage and it was frequently way too hot in the summer months. To cap off my experience, my annual contract ended July 31. I emailed the gym to terminate my membership and they informed me I would be charged for August because they had sent me an email warning me my membership was up 2 weeks ago. I never received this supposed email. Not only that, they charged me $99 for August when my previous bills were $75 per month, because they considered my roll over into August to be at the monthly rate. The whole process was not transparent and clearly set up to squeeze more money out of me when I was not satisfied with the product. When I emailed to ask for some help with this I was met with immediate and strong rejection, almost as if they had dealt with this before. Hmmm… I am disappointed that this process ended up being as impersonal as you would expect from a big corporate chain gym. Not the friendly customer service I hoped for.

Some improvement is needed but it has its advantages. You get 24 access and you can just come in and do whatever. Rules are common sense nothing weird. It’s a small space so sometimes it can feel crowded but comparing to La fitness and your other gyms it’s not as dense for sure. There are two things that are noticeably wrong though. 1) the ventilation isn’t good so it always smells musty, u can almost never see out the windows in the front bc of how foggy they are due to the sweat and poor ventilation and while this is unpleasant in the winter, it’s even worse in the summer time when they don’t have the AC at a good temperature. My other complaint is that often it’s not clean when you start paying attention. Like the machines, weight resting areas and sometimes the carpet. I’m sure it’s a hard job to have but this would make a huge difference. Could use a little more upkeep.

I don’t know about the negative reviews but I liked it. I never ran into staff and there’s usually 3-4 people in the entire gym. It’s cleaner than any other gym I’ve been to and everything has always worked. I wish they’d dim the lights a little but that’s just my personal preference. They also replaced “Member of the month” board with a “Pet of the month” and I got to enjoy looking a cute pets when checking in. In my opinion, the manager’s replies are what any person with common sense would think to say, but wouldn’t since ya know…corporate. I find it brave and refreshing. I’d recommend this gym without hesitation.

Devon Washington was an awesome person for streamlining and getting us ready for a week pass during my visit with my parents in Chicago. He was able to address any concerns I had and was very helpful. The gym was pretty cozy with very clean and updated equipment, and kudos to whoever organized the weights; it was no problem trying to locate the right weight to rack on to the squat bar. I am definitely going to reup my week pass next time I'm visiting my parents.

This is a great neighborhood gym. The staff is super friendly and they go to great lengths to ensure everything is always clean. The membership is a great community - never seen anyone with negative attitude or any kind of body shaming. And, if you're able to go during off-hours, the place is hardly crowded and equipment is always available. Plenty of cardio machines as well. This is a great local business to support - highly recommend.

I encourage anyone who is considering going to this gym to look at how the owner (or social media team?) replies to negative reviews so that they can see how unprofessional and egotistical they are. Instead of putting their efforts into improving the customer experience, someone is spending hours going on bizarre power trips where they reveal personal information about former clients? On the plus side it's really funny how dramatic they are. It sucks that I have to go to a gym further from my house to avoid this toxicity, but at least I can check back every once in a while to laugh at these small-minded weirdos. Hopefully at some point this place is under new management, because it would be nice to go to the gym that's closest to my house but there's no way I'm going near it in the meantime.

Easy to navigate gym with clear signage and plenty of machines. No nonsense attitude so I can get down to work with my partner. Nice front desk staff. Everything in good working order. Low price for the black card overall.

Hey hope doing okay if may ask? Staff is considerate and show care in a way by communication skills and maintenance as well. Visit many locations and refer a lot for health reasons too. Just would like pricing to be more negotiable and know amenities vary in specific areas.

Not from the area just visiting family, but a black card member. Pros: 1. A lot of space. 2. Good choice of free weights. 3. Good selection of machines. Recommendations: 1. Adequate lighting = more lighting. 2. Bands. I didn’t know you had to give an I.D.; I get why you do it. 3. Update more of the equipment. 4. The pull up bar within the TRX system is quite high; can be lower to accommodate others of shorter stature. 5. Lower the the holder for the yoga mats; accommodate others of shorter stature.

The place is not well kept half the machines are usually always not working. The water fountain is either not working or nonstop spilling out. I just feel like you can do a better job at keeping the gym at its standards. I've given this location plenty of chances but every time I am disappointed.

Egdar was very helpful and very nice. He was able to assist me with all my questions. I recommend his customer service and urge you all to ask for him if you need anything.

Great full service Y with classes and weights and sauna and steam! Old converted school with character. Cardio and other machines are like new and clean. Amazing and friendly staff.

Only hit the weight room this morning. Well maintained facility with a good variety of machines and quite a few squat racks. Dumbbells up to 100 pounds. They call it the "Bears Den" and it's full of Bear's memorabilia.

The schedules and services are constantly changing with no update to members in the app or online specifically the open swim schedule. The pool was closed for training and no contact was sent to members or signage posted in the facility. The second time I called to confirm the pool schedule and was given the wrong hours. The communication is very inconsistent across departments. As a long time member I’m constantly disappointed by the misinformation I receive by the front desk staff regarding scheduling for family programming at this ymca and it has been this way for several years through any leadership changes.

I enjoy this YMCA... Great staff and facilities! The equipment is decent and I can usually get in and out quick. The men’s fitness center needs a TV or at least one close by so I can watch the game while I relax after working out.

So impressed with our experience joining the Y, Leilanie at the front desk was so sweet and accommodating. She gave us a great tour and answered all our questions. The facility is super clean, has nicer equipment than most “high end” gyms, and isn’t overcrowded at all.

This gym is absolutely exceptional! I've cheered here from ages 12- 18. It has truly been an amazing experience. The coaching staff is top notch. Each coach is incredibly dedicated to helping athletes reach their full potential. They focus not only on perfecting skills but also on personal growth and development, making a very empowering environment for anyone. The positive energy, the attention to detail, and the level of care the staff provides are unmatched. If anyone is looking to help their child develop new or take their skills to the next level, this is the place to be. There is so much opportunity for growth, both as an athlete and as a person. I couldn't recommend it more!

I enrolled my daughter into Cheer Destiny Allstars on August 31st 2023 . My daughter has been begging me to enroll her There have been several incidents that occurred that has put a negative spotlight upon my daughter and her friend. I had to withdraw her from the program. I know this will have a lasting effect on my daughter and her self esteem. When I first signed her up for cheer destiny I was told one of the main goals was to boost the team confidence, but all they’ve done was kill their confidence. It’s honestly my fault for ignoring all of the red flags at this place. Starting off with 18-20 girls just for the end results to be narrowed down to 10. During practice we was only able to observe on the tv screen in the waiting area, I don’t know how terrible they were talking to them during practice, but I could only imagine everytime they left out of practice their feelings was always hurt. Especially since I still decided to keep them enrolled after they were accused of bullying which in fact was proven innocent, my daughter’s friend was called a “monkey”, there was no apology, discussion, or resolution, they also were really mistreated by not being experienced with being able to do handstands, back walk overs, front walk over, etc. We are aware that they came with little to no experience and if that was an issue they sure had no problem with taking out money every month. John and Christina are racist people and avoided any issues we had with them. I mean why would I even think an establishment like this would even take my concerns seriously when I gave this place $2,000 for a wasted SIX months and end result is unorganized, lack of communication, unethical, & racism. My girls skin color is not a crime and Christina and John should not deal with kids. My daughter & her friend is now thriving and has learned everything they were supposed to learn at Cheer Destiny. I hope no other parent that has enrolled their child in this establishment child has to experience this.

Adult open gyms are an amazing experience every time! Athletes of all types (Gymnasts, Cheerleaders, Parkour/Tricksters, Acrobats, etc.) always have a friendly environment here. People love to collaborate and a great place to stay involved in the sport! Thanks Cheer Destiny for being an establishment that provides this opportunity!

I am so happy with our decision to enroll our daughter in tumbling and high school cheer prep at Cheer Destiny. Her tumbling skills have substantially improved with the coaches here. The coaches are fantastic, especially Ryan. He is very patient, and is able to get his students to push themselves to get to the next level. I highly recommend signing your child up for the classes offered here.

LIKE I SAID our kids did not get the same respectful opportunity to explain their side before being overwhelmed and silenced when they had to speak in front of 10 people after being called bullies. JOHN you and CHRISTINA also did not address or acknowledge the resolution after being resolved by the parents with no commentary or rectification from the staff involved into the discussion prior to the resolution. Also, despite the suggestions on what was needed for our girls to advance their skills doesn’t over rule the fact that for a child to change their behavior and feel motivated they have to be encouraged by the ones teaching them! And that for a fact was NOT what was being done in those practices. We bared first hand witness to the disgrace at the first competition, being the main reason why we decided to withdraw and no longer take the obvious discrimination and disappointment that was displayed that day. It is imperial for you JOHN to take offense to what was said because in reality that guilty conscious makes you defensive. We were committed parents and if the allegations we are making didn’t hold truth you wouldn’t be so damn adamant about having a rebuttal for every point being made. I despise of people like YOU meaning never able to take accountability when you know how messed up YOUR professionalism was towards us, so quick to respond to this review, but could NEVER give us a full face to face adult apology. “Cheer Destiny is celebrated as one of the most multi-ethnic diverse cheerleading gyms in the Chicagoland Area” NOW because they don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. You playing with a child of God, who is blessed and HIGHLY FAVORED you will reap what you sow.

I'm not a huge guy looking to get ripped, nor am I rich. I'm just trying to make it so that, as I settle into middle age, I keep my mobility and maybe offset some of the inertia caused by working from home. The gym is clean, the staff is helpful, the location is great and the price is affordable. The parking is wonderful, and the hours are good. Not sure what else you're looking for in a gym, but this more than works for me.

I’ve been here once as a tour, and I was immediately sold. It’s not crowded, it’s very clean, and has great machines etc. I just canceled my other gym membership, and will be going here in the future!

I've been pretty happy with Retro Fitness, I signed up about few months ago and the process was quick and easy. I pay $35/month for the package including childcare but there's one for $20/month. I start out my session on one of the hydromassage chairs (the first time I tried it I wasn't impressed with the pressure-which was on the highest setting--10-- but every time after has been much more powerful and a great experience). There are tons of free cardio machines and I've never had to wait to go on the stairmaster even though there are only two. The childcare was my favorite part at the beginning, but now I wish they would just take the tv out. I feel like my daughter often watches TV instead of playing and I think not having a tv would encourage the kids to play more. They have cute little exercise equipment that the kids can use as well as a coloring table, play mats, and other toys and chairs. The equipment is all very new (it's all red and yellow so kind of an eyesore, but you get used to it). The locker rooms are very nice and always clean. There's a cardio cinema, but several of the machines squeak so I avoid it. Parking is also much easier than most places in Chicago. The main con is that the childcare doesn't overlap with any classes which is a bummer. Once they get more kids coming, they said they would increase the hours (I didn't believe them at first but they did add childcare to the weekend since a few other kids started coming, so they seem trustworthy). There doesn't seem to be any good mat to do core work, so I just use the individual mats in the cardio classroom, but it's not ideal. Also, the kettle bells and other fun equipment is off limits except for the personal trainers and their clients. I totally understand (I used to be a personal trainer, and I know how annoying it can be to have people on your equipment when you need it) but wish we could use them when no one else is. I prefer more functional workouts, and am somewhat limited without that equipment. None of these are a big deal though, I'm just spoiled coming from a great gym in California.

This gym is close to home, clean (never a smell), and I LOVE their protein shakes and the price point of the shakes are reasonable! Not overpriced like some gyms. The staff is also friendly and professional. 5 star gym for sure! There should be more gyms like this.

Great gym with very great equipment to workout with . Has everything you need to get a great workout in . No frills gym with great amenities. Would recommend to anyone to come and join !

I love this place! The group classes are excellent, the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful, and the gym is always clean and never too crowded. I highly recommend it.

Best gym ever! I went here for 2.5 years and loved it every time I set foot in here. With Ramie, Bob, and Michael running the place you’ll always be greeted with a friendly smile. The gym has great energy but isn’t overly busy. Great equipment and the group classes are awesome. Highly recommend this gym to anyone in Chicago.

Has almost everything you could want in a gym, with some great extra perks (hot towels, pool, smoothie bar, snack station, free samples). It's a little pricier but worth the cost because their group classes are actually very good here. People from other FFC locations have come to be my guest here because of the instructors. Only downside is parking can be difficult (there is a parking garage but it's always very full) and it needs more free weight/open space for workouts. Otherwise, very highly recommend!

I did 2 private Pilates sessions with Grace and she was 10/10 wonderful! She was very supportive and a great teacher during these beginner sessions.

Ramie Reed, the Membership Director, was absolutely wonderful to work with. She has always been exceptionally pleasant, supportive, and understanding. I also loved working with Michael for personal training. He supported me with very thoughtful, beneficial, and fun workouts. The facilities were always in great condition. Thank you FFC! The only downside I have to report, which is mostly out of FFC's control, was repeatedly encountering people in the sauna who seemed to have a cold or some other transmissible respiratory illness. I just think it's inconsiderate to potentially get other people sick by using such a small, unventilated space while ill.

This is a good gym in a compact space! It’s small but mighty. The staff is nice and knowledgeable. You can’t beat being able to get in there on your own schedule, even if you keep odd hours. It’s a lively atmosphere, but it’s rarely crowded. What really sets this location apart from nearby competitors, though, is the level of cleanliness, which is outstanding!

I recently joined Anytime Fitness and have been thoroughly impressed with the facilities. The gym is well-maintained and the equipment is top-notch. The cleanliness of the gym creates a pleasant workout environment, and the accessibility of new equipment adds to the overall positive experience. Additionally, the fact that it's open 24/7 is incredibly convenient for my schedule. I would highly recommend Anytime Fitness to anyone looking for a great gym with flexible hours and modern equipment.

I’ve been a fitness junkie/ trainer for years now. I’ve also been to a variety of gym including private and local ones. This gym has impressed me. Although it’s smaller than avg you have private bathrooms. 24 hour access. The staple equipment that you need for beginners to expert lifters. Not to mention how clean the staff and trainers keep it. The staff there are super cool, friendly and knowledgeable. If you’re just going there to have a good private lift all the way to laughing and training with the community / staff. This is the gym for you.

This review is long overdue. How dare the staff exceed my expectations!! The l bel of professionalism each team member displays is not going unnoticed. From Jazz(GM), to Mark ( Custodial Personnel), and Antoine(Coach), any and all of your fitness goals can be accomplished. This location is ALWAYS clean, toilet paper in every restroom, and disinfectant wipes stocked at every post. I’ve worked out at other AF locations and Beverly is the BEST!! Keep up the great work!!

Anytime Fitness is an awesome place to work out, It has modern equipment, the space is always clean and you feel safe while there at all times.

My home gym! I love this place. The energy is always high. All my coaches are phenomenal in what they do. You want a good workout go check out my gym!🦍🦍🤙🏽

I’ve been absolutely enjoying the workouts, Randy is great! He changes the workouts every day, it keeps my brain engaged! I am excited to continue working out here.

My son loved this place when it was on Cottage Grove however after paying my money and went one day to take my son for practice they had closed without warning, I proceeded to call owner and nothing but circles, although one of the instructors tried staying in touch, but eventually we lost touch with him as well. It would have been nice to know when and where they had moved to after taking my money , it's called common courtesy.

I have been walking pass to work every morning talking to Unique (the owner/trainer) saying that I was going to sign up. Well I was walking by last nite after I left work. Stopped in & signed up! Asked him for an accountability call in the morning & sure enuff atv6am he was on my phone! At 7am I was in there sweating it out!. I really enjoyed the class & I will be doing at least 4 days a week!. I love the accountability, a lot of these places will collect ur money & not care if u show up or not. Not him 🤜🏽🤛🏽💪🏾🖤

Combat zone very clean and friendly. Love working with them good too and with kids and adults.

Jenny’s strength class was the best strength focused workout I have ever attended. As an orthopedic PT I greatly appreciated how she tied together dynamic movement patterns that encouraged natural core engagement. Highly recommend this class!

I love this place! I prefer Treadfit vs going to the gym. Whether I’m taking the Fit class or Strength, I get a high-yielding workout. Whenever I need to jumpstart my exercise routine, after falling off the wagon, Treadfit is where I start. It was perfect after month of no exercise during the pandemic. The classes motivates me to push myself with the help of a coach (I adore Collette!). In every class, I learn what I’m made of, and I translate that feeling of accomplishment into my everyday life. I recommend buying a package, it’s worth it!

Treadfit Beverly & Western Springs offers a very unique workout, and their instructors are fantastic! They combine treadmill speed/incline work with total body strengthening exercises, which really gets your heart pumping and challenges your strength, mentally and physically! Just when you feel like stopping for a break, the instructor changes the music and you get pumped up all over again and ready to rock and finish strong!! I have enjoyed all of the classes so far, and I look forward to more in the future! If you are looking for a great workout that integrates cardio and strength, this is THE place to go! Friendly atmosphere, great instructors, great music, excellent & creative workouts and it is FUN!

I would give 3.5 stars. I love the workouts and the instructors! The classes rock and. I love how they flow and incorporate everything. However, the cancellation policy is horrible. If I do not cancel within a 10/12 hour window of the classes start time, I get penalized and lose my class credit. Basically throwing money out of the window. Things happen in life and these classes arent cheap! A 4 hour window is more way more feasible. Crossfit allows you to cancel within 30m of class start time. Maybe this policy can be adjusted. Otherwise, I love this place.

The studio is easily walkable if you are local and also plenty of street parking. The classes are effective, motivating, and always a full body burn. The instructors are encouraging without being over the top. I appreciate they offer packages but you can always drop in a class.