Newport-Mesa Family YMCA — Attraction in Newport Beach

I am a big time convert to the YMCA. I admit I was skeptical of the YMCA when I first joined almost a year ago. Here are the cons: It isn't very big, the locker rooms aren't very posh-looking (I'm not a fan of group showers), and it closes at 9:00 p.m., which is usually when I start my workouts. I have been a Super Sport and Ultra Sport member of 24 Hour Fitness for like 10 years. When I lived in Irvine I was an LA Fitness member and spent four months at Equinox Fitness as well. I go to the gym 20 times a month. You can only get kids club access for 1:15, so just barely enough time to do a class and do pickup and drop off.

I honestly prefer the YMCA now to 24 hour fitness. There is a total sense of community there. I am a huge believer.

What is better here? I will list them in the order of importance:

The class instructors are mind-blowing. I can't figure it out, but the instructors are amazing. I wonder if YMCA gives benefits or something to their instructors. They really are way better than the other gyms I go to. I go to Soul Cycle and Grit Cycle and other expensive spin classes, but I love the YMCA. Sherry, my spin teacher, is ranked #4 in the world for triathlon. Diane has amazing playlists that keep me going. And it isn't just for me, my kids are on the swim team and Louis Wojiciekowski is hands down one of the best swim coaches for kids I have ever seen. The energy he throws into coaching is incredible. He is also very patient. This guy is totally going places and the YMCA is really lucky to have him and this guy is going to make his mark on the sport as a coach I have no doubt in my mind. My kids started at 0 in the pool and Jonathan was such a patient coach for personal swimming lessons. Drew does my Killer Circuit workout course on Saturdays and he works you really hard. I would put the instructors at the YMCA up against any gym in Orange County. The guys at the Playpen are really mean and scary looking but if you work hard no matter your fitness level they respect you for it and work with you. The Yoga class is full of super buff men. It's funny because usually yoga classes at Yogaworks that I have been to have like 5% men. This class is like half men.

The actual machines are fantastic. The spin bikes and treadmills are way better than the ones at 24 hour fitness. They use this brand of equipment called Technogym, and they are really high quality. They are easy to operate and don't break down. The view from the group exercise class looks out over the back bay and is stunning. The weight machines (not free weights) are also Technogym and I get amazing movement, much better than even the high-end Hoist machines at the expensive gyms.

Kids sports. If you have kids, and want to work out yourself then put them in a class for $10 a week and get your own workout in. It's perfect. We put my kids in swim team and Tee-ball and then when they are finished we put them in kids club and get almost a 3 hour workout.

Price. It seems expensive, but you get discounts on your kids activities if you are a member of the club. So full price swim team is cut in half with your membership, so here is what we pay: we have the family membership for ($85) plus tee-ball for $35 for my youngest, plus swim team for my oldest ($40), which is four days a week at 1.5 hour intervals with amazing coaches. I also pay $15 per month so I can get access to the PlayPen, which is like an America Ninja Warrior training course. I do the Monday and Wednesday morning boot camp class for the $15, even though I was paying $200 per month for the same thing at 24 Hour Fitness. I consider the YMCA a bargain if you are...

Worst YMCA Iv been to, front desk girl is rude and has an attitude. She also lies when there no need to, claiming she called my “home” YMCA to verify my account when they are closed because it’s 2 hours ahead there. She couldn’t find me in her system claiming it was my home YMCA fault when Iv been nationwide how years and travel 80% of the time and Iv never had an issue.. beside the rude lier their lifting equipment is slims picking and I mean SLIM. What they do have is all rusty and old, dumb bells don’t even match. Lockers are rusty too… it’s unfortunate for it’s location, the must just be money driven because they dont upgrade or take care of anything and it’s $198 a month.. I play $120 for my whole house hold 3 adults and 2 kids.. the rude girl also came in 10 min before closing and turned off all the fans while I was still in there working out.. very unprofessional and inconsiderate . All in all, I will never come back here and I would encourage people to...

Last Thursday I had a bad experience with this gym there was an American man I Abel on the phone for about 5 minutes the very angry man told me that I couldn't talk on the phone then he went to the review went and told the girl named Quendra she is a worker of this gym she went to tell me that I couldn't talk I didn't know that inside a gym you could never talk I heard that stupid idea of not talking inside some gym and she told me in a very ugly way and not even a I'm sorry of her I was here for many years paying $75 every month just because she takes care of children it's not fair the treatment I receive by the staff of ah they are very very bad employees only a girl named Sara she is a love of a girl but everyone else are very bad employees and in the children's a sweetheart all the girls are a love they are very good employees they give love to children nothing to do with them but I will never be back at this gym...