LA Fitness — Attraction in Norwalk

First off, I would like to say that I am not one to ever leave reviews, even if it would be a fantastic review or not. This place has driven me to do this. I joined LA Fitness in Norwalk about 6 years ago now. Pure convenience alone is the reason I went with this gym as I live right down the street and wasn't going to the crowded Edge gym across town. When I first joined the club was immaculate. The machines were clean, the equipment was new and some what updated and the gym itself was huge. The staff was friendly and considerate all was well. I go to the gym almost 3-5 days a week so when you start going frequently you start realizing the things that need to be improved. After about 2 years into my membership I started noticing things going down hill and they would only get worse. Let's start with the general building first. Number one, up until last year I believe there was not ONE security camera outside of this establishment, although this never happened to me I heard from multiple members (a few family members and friends that have now since cancelled their membership due to various issues) that their cars were being broken into, locks were being picked or straight BROKEN and LA did nothing about it! They finally put cameras up after multiple police reports and complaints from their members. Now we go inside, I don't know what is going on with this area but everything around is just a dead zone, even Walmart across the way you can't get a signal to save your life. THAT SHOULDN'T MEAN LA CAN'T GET WIFI for their members! The edge and gyms like Equinox have WIFI for their members! This seems like a simple thing but EXTREMELY frustrating to your members, sometimes my apple music wont even work if I haven't downloaded a song and saved it before going into the club. Lets move to the equipment, or should I say the LACK of equipment. THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE KETTLE BELLS FOR THEIR MEMBERS! HOW SAD! And I am not talking about the whole STACK they have for the people that only pay their ridiculous monthly fees to get a personal trainer. This is so unacceptable further there are no ropes in the general area as well. These should be KEY STAPLES in ANY gym let alone a gym that claims to be a higher end, more member friendly establishment. Now we move to the cardio equipment, these machines are so outdated from any other gym around here. I was asked to go to the Edge with a friend as a guest and not only is ALL of their cardio equipment immaculate they have screens that actually work and further have the choice to pick a "scenery" you want to work out in. You can take a "walk on a beach" while you are running miles or doing stairs. Even though this doesn't matter to me much I rather just listen to music, the per NEGLECT of updating ANY of these machines at LA became extremely apparent after my visit to the Edge. NONE of the TVs work on the stairmasters in the center of the gym, these have been out for YEARS. Not ONE time have i seen anyone working on them either. The equipment (esp cardio equip.) is always disgusting with dust balls and sweat stains where you can clearly tell the equipment wasn't even wiped down (and I don't mean by members I mean the general cleaning staff). With all this said it's really a shame that I have come to this point. I don't want to leave LA but I think after this year I will have to make the plunge esp since we will be moving. This used to be my favorite gym, one I could brag about but now even outsiders say they can't believe anyone would go there, it's the size of the gym and location alone that keeps me coming back. Wish they would make some minor tweeks, being a member for years and seeing not one ounce of effort put in to update little things is just completely...

AVOID THIS GYM!

Describe this gym in one word: DISGUSTING. I suspect many of these reviews were either bought or favors by friends of management and staff, because this gym deserves 0 stars in the state it has been. I will be spending time flagging false reviews.

I have a been a member of this gym since 2016 and will be leaving. Sad to say this because the space itself has great potential in terms of its size. But it has deteriorated to an unacceptable condition, to which the health department should be called.

Biggest issue - ineffective management and staff. While they are certainly understaffed, whenever I have brought issues to staff, rarely anything is done. Many are certainly welcoming and kind, but that alone doesn't make for an effective gym. Today for example, no paper towels in the locker room OR bathroom area. I informed the front desk staff who said they’d take care of it, almost 45 minutes later - still nothing. The most visible staff member consistently trying is the custodian, but he alone can't keep up with it all. The bathroom and locker room are often disgusting, urine all over the bathroom floors and stalls, unwashed or under washed floors. Lord knows what people are carrying to the gym floor after being in the locker room. Fun to think about how no one was able to properly wash their hands today and then going to touch all of the weights. Staff infections, anyone?

Speaking of the gym floor, have fun hunting for weights. No one racks their weights and staff do little about it. Many people are certainly lacking gym etiquette, no question, but it’s the responsibility of the staff to maintain the floor and the overall function of the gym. And this is rarely done. They started to make announcements to remind people to rerack, but that lasted maybe a few weeks. But they’ll be sure to remind you 100x that the gym is closing. Get out on the floor! They’re sitting behind their desks on their phones a majority of the time. I won’t begin to talk about how often equipment breaks and the months it takes to fix them. And the equipment is rarely cleaned, many people don’t wipe down benches after using them.

My frustration with this gym has been growing for a while now, and I've tried to see past these flaws. But today was it for me. Despite several conversations with management or staff on duty when I’m there, nothing sticks. They may occasionally react in the moment, but nothing lasts.

This gym needs a...

Okay so I hope this review is worth the fee that you discreetly charged my credit card.

Folks watch your membership fees/charges to your card.

Signed up for a membership two months ago. During the membership initial process, was told about monthly fee, an annual fee and there was also an initiation fee for signing up.

Two months later, I was charged an annual fee and a monthly fee was that was different from that they’d originally told to me. WTH ! During the signing up process, I was never told that I had to pay an annual fee two months later. Folks isn’t an annual fee one year later?

When I confronted the issue not on the phone (I’ve those reviews) but in person, nobody had an answer. They kept passing the buck from one to the other; the hot potato game.

I’d asked, if I just came a member two months ago, why the annual fee? Their answers were it’s what the contract says. There was no logical reason for the charge just two months into the membership. I’d said I don’t mind paying the annual fee but one year later?. Not two months after membership then another charge one year later? The supervisor said I understand your logic but it’s just what it is. He did not offer any details or clear explanation as to why I was being charged an annual fee two months into a membership.

I tried to obtain more information about these extra annual fee charges from about 4 staff members but nobody knew anything. It was like ok we got the membership that’s all that matters.

LA Fitness staff provide clear and detail information to the folks who are signing up for membership. Don’t provide inaccurate or misleading information to potential members.

Like I said before i don’t mind paying the fees but don’t blindside me with these extra fees that honestly don’t even make sense to me. I haven’t even been a member for a year and being charged?

I understand it’s business but take care of members and not manipulate the fees after members have signed up. Warning ! Folks, make you’re clear with charges.

The gym is nice, open with plenty of equipment. Additionally there’s a swimming pool, basketball court, weight room and exercise classes which are all great additions. My disappointment was not with the facility it was the additional charges with no...