Crunch

• Equipment
• Cleanliness
• Classes
• Other available amenities

Equipment

When it comes to equipment, regular members feel Crunch has all the necessities to build and shape an awesome physique. Each Crunch Gym boasts the best strength training and cardio equipment in the industry. Whether members are looking to do bicep curls with free weights, or use various cardio machines, you can find these at Crunch. All strength training equipment and cardio stations are adequately spaced from one another, so there is plenty of room to do what you need. All weights remain racked so members don't have to go fishing around for dumbbells. Crunch also has a boxing area, big bag, and jungle gym.

Cleanliness

Many of their gyms have positive reviews about how clean their facilities are. Gym cleanliness appears to be consistently important across most of Crunch's fitness locations. Everything (floor, plates, dumbbells) is coated in rubber, so which prevents both damage to the facilities and equipment, as well as unnecessary noise. According to customer feedback, "the gym is very clean, (and) upscale," while the restrooms, locker rooms, showers, and sauna are all considered "spa-quality." These facilities also feature complimentary high-end toiletries, large shower cabins, and high-end shower heads. The gym and locker rooms are well-kept by staff and clean. Crunch provides body wash, shampoo, and conditioner in each stall. Towels are available at the front desk. There are also basic hygiene products like mouthwash, cotton balls, and hair dryers in the wash area next to the sauna room. One unique feature is Crunch's large and very clean toilet cabins where you can change clothes in privacy. Very few gyms we reviewed have this option, which is a plus for those who prefer not to be naked in front of other gym members.

Classes

Crunch is known for its unique classes and fun atmosphere. The variety of classes and experienced instructors/personal trainers has consistently been one of Crunch's biggest selling points for the past 25 years. Many reviewers say that going into a Crunch gym can often feel like you've walked into a club or party. There is always upbeat music playing throughout the gym. Offerings like Hip-Hop Aerobics, Co-Ed Action Wrestling, Zumba, and Cyked Yoga Cycling are offered along with many others. Each instructor is well versed in their respective courses. Consumers may also search classes by their favorite instructor online to find dates and times of each class.  

One of the best parts about the classes offered at a fitness center or gym is the chance to participate in exercise as with a group. Group exercise provides opportunities for those in attendance to feed off of one another in order to best push themselves to meet their fitness goals. Fitness clubs and health clubs like the Crunch franchise that offer this group exercise option are definitely ones to be looking at as you look for somewhere to take your fitness to a new level.

Other Available Amenities

Other available amenities include a full-service locker room, towel service, a touch screen menu for group fitness classes, designated stretching tables, filtered water for your hydration, and so much more. We found these to be unique among most of the fitness centers we reviewed. We also noticed that Crunch has a pool and basketball court. Crunch offers personal trainers at all locations for those seeking personal fitness assistance. These trainers are certified and use a wide array of personal training tools such as battle ropes, kettlebells, TRX Suspension Straps, Bulgarian Bags, and MMA equipment to name a few. These functional training tools allow our trainers to provide an array of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts.

• Price and contracts
• Upfront fees
• Hidden fees

Price and Contracts

Crunch offers month-to-month contracts, which are great for people who are unsure about how long they will be committed to a fitness routine. Some locations offer a $9.95 month-to-month membership with no contract, although this deal is only available to users in certain areas. There is not a consistent membership rate among any of the locations. This can become very confusing and irritating if you're enrolling in a membership online and you see that a location in New York is $99 a month, while another location in Oregon is $9.95 a month. Varying processing fees and pro-rated annual fees are also a major turn off for people who might have otherwise wanted to purchase a gym membership; however, unlike several gyms whose prices are impossible to find, Crunch's fees are available for all to see online. Along with these inconsistencies, Crunch has certain locations-particularly in New York and New Jersey-where locations are very pricey for what you're getting. Many reviews and complaints are about high-end gym pricing, for a lower- to middle- class gym. One reviewer stated that she could pay $99 a month to workout at Crunch, or she could pay $140 a month to workout at The Sports Club/LA and have a country club type experience each time she went to the gym. Many reviewers also state that they have had issues canceling their month-to-month non-contract memberships with Crunch. That there are many loopholes, and stipulations to complete the process. On a good note, students can get a special rate. If you are looking to cancel your membership, it would be advantageous to do some research beforehand to ensure that you are treated fairly and that things are taken care of in a timely fashion.

Upfront Fees

Crunch is known for being very inconsistent with their initiation fees, hidden dues, and monthly rates. Typical enrollment fees are $239.98, which are extremely pricey for chain gyms. We found the industry average to range between $100 and $150.

Hidden Fees

The initial membership pricing is very seductive to those wanting an affordable gym membership. Let's take a look at sign up for a Los Angeles Crunch membership: Fees Due Today: Enrollment Fee: $0.00 This Month: $7.10 Last Month's Dues: $109.99 Processing Fee: $49.99 Pro-Rated Annual Fee: $6.66 Out of most gyms we reviewed, Crunch had the highest quantity of and most expensive hidden fees. This makes being a member-which appears to be cost-effective at first-to be an expensive proposition.

Trainers and Nutrition

In terms of pricing, you have to submit an email form before Crunch will tell you how much its personal training sessions cost. We found this inferior to some gyms that offer an upfront pricing chart for customers with pricing rates. Also, Crunch offers a nutritional plan with their own line of products, but customers have complained after feeling high sales pressure from gym employees to purchase the gym's protein shakes and products. We did not find any customer reviews that disclosed the personal trainer pricing, except to allude to it being expensive for them. The only complaint we found with regard to the classes themselves was that at certain locations, the fitness instructors show favoritism, paying attention to and correcting the forms of their favorite students only. For group classes, there have been times where it's so crowded that there are not enough supplies. And while Crunch's mobile app lets you reserve a class spot for the next class, in some instances, people have come to class only to find someone else in their seat/machine/bike, etc.

Inconsistent Facilities

In 2010 Crunch took over several former Gold's Gyms. Many reviewers have stated that in renovating the gyms, Crunch cut several corners, leaving many things unfinished in the gyms, giving the gyms a messy, inconsistent feel.