LA Fitness

Author: Kalicia Bateman

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The Good

• Price and contracts
• Classes and trainers
• Equipment
• Other available amenities

Price and Contracts

LA Fitness offers different price options and contract lengths. If you sign up for a membership online through the website, the monthly fee is $34.99. If you're already a member and want to add family members, you have to pay $34.99/month (this also applies if you enroll online). Some customers report paying fees as much as $40/month. This is one of the few companies in the fitness industry that openly advertises its pricing online. We found this to be a huge plus, since customers want to know this information before talking to a representative or signing up. As far as LA Fitness's non-online membership pricing, information is not available.

Classes and Trainers

Group Fitness classes are held throughout the day, many at no additional charge. The average number of classes offered is 21, and cover a wide range of workouts from Zumba to Hip Hop Fitness, to Boot Camp Conditioning. Here's the full list of LA Fitness's classes:

• Aqua Fit
• Belly Dancing
• Body Works plus Abs
• Boot Camp Conditioning
• Cardio Jam
• Cycle
• Cycle Zone
• Hip Hop
• Kickbox Cardio
• Latin Heat
• Mat Pilates
• Power Circuit
• Senior Fit
• Silver Sneakers
• Step plus Abs
• Step Sculpt
• Tai Chi
• Total Body Conditioning
• Yoga
• Yoga Beat
• Zumba

Classes are typically available in high intensity or low impact for different fitness levels. We find the gym's wide array of classes to be favorable and competitive with the industry average. Personal trainers are also available at all LA Fitness locations for those who are seeking assistance; they design a customized workout plan and provide an ongoing motivation and support.

Equipment

LA Fitness has state-of-the-art equipment and Cardio area. The staff keeps the machines clean. There are a lot of cardio machines but really lacks in the stair master machines. There are peak times like any other gym, but people seem to go in get their stuff done and leave. There isn't always an extreme long wait time for the machines, either.

Other Available Amenities

Other amenities the gym offers include Indoor heated lap pool, whirlpool spa and saunas, racquetball, basketball (tournaments and leagues available), locker facilities, Kids Klub (babysitting), juice bar and Swim School. LA Fitness also has a Café where you can get a smoothie after a hard workout. Many of these amenities are common among both regional and national fitness centers-though, a few of the very upscale gyms do not cater to children or offer childcare services, which gives LA Fitness an advantage; however, there may be additional fees for some amenities depending on the LA Fitness location. That is a disadvantage for customers.

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The Bad

• Upfront fees
• Hidden fees
• Cleanliness
• Nutrition

Upfront Fees

At LA Fitness, initiation fees change according to what package customers sign up with. For example, if you sign up for a membership online your initiation fee is $99. Current members have to pay a $25 enrollment fee for family members to be added to the package. We found this to be a disadvantage since some fitness centers let you add at least one family member without paying additional enrollment fees.

Hidden Fees

Although LA Fitness offers a low price for their new members signing up online, the small print states different pricing applies to Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Signature Clubs, and clubs in Canada. Also it costs $10 to freeze your membership account, so if you're relocating or need to stop using your membership for a while, you will be charged. We found this unfavorable, as some gyms don't charge this. Another hidden cost is having to pay extra for attending certain locations. Members have complained that they were told that their membership covered all LA Fitness locations only to find out that their membership did not cover Signature club locations. The additional cost is $5 per visit, or a one-time fee of $167 to make your membership valid at signature clubs.

Cleanliness

Overall, minus a few locations, customers find LA Fitness to be a clean facility. A typical LA Fitness facility experience starts out with high ceilings, well-lit spaces, elbow room around the equipment, convenient parking, and new and well maintained equipment; however, over time, customers across the country say that the condition and cleanliness of the facilities go downhill. Things like AC, saunas, and machines break down and take a long time to get fixed. One customer reported roach sightings on two separate occasions, posting pictures online. It appears LA Fitness falls behind several gyms we reviewed that successfully maintaining higher cleanliness standards.

Nutrition

There are no nutrition plans offered for customers, which lowers LA Fitness's rating in this area. We found several major gyms that offer a more holistic personal training program with both nutritional and exercise training.

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The Bottom Line

LA Fitness is one of the few companies in the fitness industry that openly advertises its pricing online. Prices are affordable, averaging at $40/month, and the gym offers 21 different types of fitness group classes, most at no additional cost, which run the gamut from hip hop to bootcamp to yoga. If price is a factor, LA Fitness's rates are some of the more affordable ones out there. There are enrollment fees for both individuals and for adding family members to your plan, which many gyms don't charge. However, cleanliness seems to be a big complaint across the board. Meanwhile, the gym's personal trainers don't reveal package rates without sitting down for a consultation with them. There is also no nutritional training or support, and locations tend to be low on certain exercise machines.