LA Fitness — Attraction in Linden

Initially, I really liked this gym. I used a 3-day free trial at first, and the woman I spoke to when I first went there was so nice and the equipment was so new that I ended signing up for a membership on the spot. But it all went quickly downhill from there.

The gym just reeks of chlorine and sweat. I get that it's a gym so there is going to be smells there, but this is just OVERPOWERING and not a hint of cleaner. Sanitizing wipe stations are scarce, but what does that matter when no one uses them anyways. You may not notice it as first, but the machines are packed so tightly close to each other it's almost uncomfortable. It's also always packed with people. There is never an empty time here so open machines and parking are hard to find. While this is all nit-picky and I understood that.

What really did it for me was what happened when I went into the gym then I was approached by Marcus who said “You clearly look lost. Let me help you.” I have to admit that I was flustered and mildly insulted at first, but I brushed it off, laughed, and agreed. I do want to point out that when someone is clearly new to the gym, they know that they’re new. You do not need to point it out and start almost mocking how they carry themselves. Initially, Marcus gave some good tips that I appreciated. Then he asked me what my plan was, and I hesitantly told him.

It became increasingly clear that he clearly had no respect for me and my time. He took me over to his desk and proceeded to belittle and antagonize me some more for my lack of knowledge of fitness. When I never claimed to know anything about fitness, to begin with. He started calculating my body fat % and at this point, I started to regret stepping foot in a gym. I wanted to be respectful and appreciate that he was trying to help. Then he asked me about my goals. I told him I wanted to tone my body and shape up my arms. This is where I had my mind blown. HE PROCEEDED TO TELL ME TO TAKE OFF MY SWEATER AND SHOW HIM MY ARMS. I was NOT comfortable with this, and I said “No.” At this point, I clearly was not comfortable with any of this, but he just kept on insisting that I take off my sweater. I repeatedly had to tell him “No.” He would not let me leave his desk. I told him once again I really didn’t want to come here. I don’t like gyms. I just wanted to get my foot in the door. Get comfortable get on a treadmill and go from there. But he continued belittling me. It seemed like the more I said, “I don’t know.” the more invasive he got. I tried to remain levelheaded and appreciate the “help” he thought he was providing, and I tried to get through this conversation so I could get my steps in, and go home and figure out what just happened.

He just continued asking more and more personal questions, questions that a therapist would want to ask. This was just a clear waste of my time, I felt extremely uncomfortable, and we were going nowhere so I honestly had to get up and leave the gym altogether and it was at that very moment that I knew I had to cancel my membership. I don’t want my money to continuously go to people who want to physically harass me and lack the proper respect for me and my boundaries, physically and mentally. The employees should be able to read the room and see if you are making a member VERY uncomfortable. If you notice someone is uncomfortable you should know to back off and adjust your tone if you are truly wanting to help someone.

I miss Blink. They were great. I really took them for granted. I thought all gyms were that well-spaced and...

Did a free trial here while looking for a new gym after mine closed. Was not a fan. The lady at the front desk was rude and had an attitude when I asked her a simple question about the guest pass. Then, the person who was helping me with the guest pass was very kind, but once I stated that I am not looking to get a membership that same day, his demeanor changed. However, he was still kind and gave me the 3-day guest pass with no problem. The employees in general just kind of ignore you; maybe that’s the norm in some gyms, but in the gym that I am coming from, the customer service was beyond kind & caring, so maybe I just have high expectations from what I am used to.

The gym, locker room, and bathrooms seem fairly clean (though from other reviews it seems like I just got lucky), and there is always someone cleaning the floor or the bathrooms. However, the entire gym is so disorganized. I did not see a single person wipe down their equipment after using it or put any equipment back. No one racks their weights; the dumbbells are all over the place and none of them are in their designated spot. I spent five minutes trying to find a 17.5 lb dumbbell just to find one completely across the gym from where the racks are. Also, there are maybe four yoga mats in this gym. All of which are damaged in some way and they do not seem to have a designated spot—people just leave them in random spots after using them.

The environment is also just not pleasant. A majority (can’t say all because there was like one kind person who helped me find a mat) of the people that go here just seem snobby and unapproachable; that’s not really the gym environment I enjoy. I’m not even the type of person who is very social at the gym, but if I were, there wouldn’t be anyone to talk to. Here, it just seems like a whole bunch of wannabe gym influencers who stare at you as if you’re some extraterrestrial being.

The only positive thing is that it’s new and the actual building is nice. There also seems to be a lot of equipment, but it is so crowded and the people & machines are all just kind of on top of each other.

Overall, this gym is not worth it and I do not see myself making a membership here. Especially for...

I had a very unfair and unprofessional experience with LA Fitness. When I signed up, the staff told me that I could cancel my membership at any time with just a phone call. The problem started when I had to enlist in the U.S. Army. I called to cancel my membership before leaving, but they refused to do it. Instead, they forced me to “freeze” the account, charging $10 per month, and they never told me that they would still charge the annual fee.

During my time in Basic Training, I called several times again trying to cancel, but they kept telling me it wasn’t possible and that the only option was to keep the account frozen. I also tried to transfer the membership to my parents—something they said I could do when I signed up—but they denied that too.

After a year serving away from home, I tried again, and suddenly now they can cancel memberships over the phone because “the rules changed.” I asked to close my parents’ and husband’s memberships as well, and at first they said yes, then changed their mind and said each person had to call the specific location where they originally signed up.

Another important warning: if you sign up in October or November, they immediately charge the annual fee—even if you are a brand-new member. This was never explained to me.

Overall, the communication is confusing, the policies constantly change, and they are not transparent about their fees. As a military member, it was extremely frustrating not being able to cancel a membership they promised would be easy to close. I cannot recommend this lack of clarity and the way they handle their...