LA Fitness — Local services in Chicago

So disappointing. The great location and free parking are offset by the fact that this gym is is a total dump. I've been told by their relatively friendly employees that corporate Xsport is on a multi-year gym update cycle, so instead of investing any of the substantial membership and merchandise revenues into making sure the equipment ACTUALLY WORKS, they've told me they won't replace broken equipment until it's this location's year, which I think isn't until 2025. In other words, they're letting the place fall to pieces, but don't worry, it'll get a refresh in a year and a half. I've mentioned these things to their employees and even their managers repeatedly over my time here. Examples? Sure thing... Out of a bank of 7 treadmills, usually 2 of them work. The other 5 either don't work at all, or the screen is broken, or the incline is broken, or the tv is broken, or some combination thereof. The heavy bag is so old, it's as soft as one of those Squishmallow toys so you risk spraining your wrist every time you punch it, and the chain holding it up breaks once every 3-4 months, which means there's no punching bag to use at all for typically upwards of a month. I literally punched it off the metal rack it hangs from today, and some other poor schmo didn't listen to me when I said it wasn't worth trying to fix himself. 15 minutes later, he was standing on top of a plastic bin, trying in vain to reattach it with the help of a well intentioned employee. The hot tub is broken now, I believe the sauna is too. 1/3 of the showers typically don't work. The mirrors are cracked all over the walls of the gym. There are water leaks, sometimes so bad that the ceiling of the locker room is caved in all over the floor of the locker room. It's regularly either a goose-bump inducing 64 degrees or a steamy 77 degrees. Several machines are missing the pin to select a weight, and a handful somehow won't let a pin go into a few of the holes at all, so those weight levels are effectively off-limits. Several other machines are mounted lopsided so one side gets worked harder than the other, unless you contort your body to offset the crookedness. As of earlier this week, none of the rowing machines with the chain-pull have any resistance, and the screens are typically broken. They stopped doing towel service during the pandemic and haven't restarted it, though the price hasn't reflected it. 2/3 of the paper towel dispensers are either broken or empty or have been removed completely off the walls leaving the holes where they were once attached exposed, and the disinfectant wipe dispenser hasn't been filled back up in over a year. One of the 2 cable-cross machines is broken so often that I assume there's only 1 to use. There have been locker break-ins, and the elevator lobby regularly smells like someone is smoking blunts in there, which is just the smell you want when you're breathing heavy after the gym. The elevator up to the parking garage will be broken for weeks at a time, and there's a sign on the 2nd floor elevator that says something like, "the down button doesn't work, so hit up and wait." OK, I'm getting annoyed writing this, so I'm stopping. I've told management, but either it falls on deaf ears, or corporate doesn't care. They could even raise the price a bit, if they would only put any effort and funds towards running a...

I've been a member of XSport Fitness for 3+ years, and given the price and freedom to use my membership in many locations around the city I would say I would be hard pressed to find a new gym at the same price/value point.

Atmosphere: It's a pretty balanced gym between people who are hard core weight lifting and people who just stick to cardio machines. There is the occasional annoying person who overly grunts and talks to himself. Or on the other side of the spectrum, the person who takes a lot of weights and lifts them once every 5 minutes for 1 rep to look cool for the ladies. These are the minority and the vast majority of the clientele are mature and respectful. 4 star rating.

Employees: Usually friendly and welcoming, but there are the occasional new hires who think that I am easy pickings for a PT (personal training) session sell. For instance, they tell me I'm going backwards on a cardio machine like I don't know what I'm doing. These people are few and far in between and usually appear on weekends. 4 star rating.

Equipment: It's a pretty typical gym that has 2 sets of standard weights and about 1-2 sets of the weird in between weights (2.5lb increments). There a large assortment of machines and benches. There's plenty of cardio machines to the point where it would be amazing if I couldn't find one that I wanted to use. I just wish there were more sets of weights at the 5-50lb range. 4 star rating.

Cleanliness: I've only been 2 non-university gyms on a normal basis and they were both XSport Fitness locations, and I would say this one is much cleaner than some of the other ones cough don't go to the state st one cough. It's no Equinox level of cleanliness, but then again I don't need to pay $100-$200 a month so I can rub my face on the floor. 4 star rating.

Other Amenities: There's a pool, which I have yet to use and a jacuzzi I'm pretty sure. 4 star rating.

Value: 5 star rating. I'm a big guy on value and this is a monthly payment I make without hesitation or thinking to cancel. FWIW, they haven't raised my monthly premiums in 3 years, so we'll see when they do.

Ease to Cancel/Customer Support: Since I haven't had a need to cancel my membership yet, this is just based on accounts from close friends who have said that the process to cancel is pretty annoying. You have to call a number since the employees at any of the locations are not able to help with cancelling a membership, just signing you up (which I find to be questionable considering I don't think you would drive a car that couldn't go in reverse if it needed to). But alas this is generally common practice in the fitness/gym industry to subtly convince you to keep membership (their main source of income) 2...

LA Fitness is a case study on how not to run a business. There's a reason why this gym has so many one star ratings. It appears the customer service is nonexistent. I went in today to cancel my membership and was told only the operations manager could do it. Thats fine, but turns out he's only in 9-5 M-F, which isn't convenient for anyone who has an actual job. I asked Steven, the front desk associate, if he could leave a note for the operations manager to cancel it when he's in. Steven literally laughed in my face and said "the operations manager won't do that.. your membership is a base level promotion and only 20/month" and proceeded to imply because it's a base level membership no staff member will be compelled to provide any amount of customer service. When I asked to speak to the general manager, Gabriel, thinking certainly I'd get someone who is more reasonable and professional, turns out I got a nearly identical response. Beats me why you'd even pay a general manager when it seems nothing is actually being managed. The manager's suggestion was, I kid you not: "cancel your credit card." So basically, it seems if you have a base level membership be prepared for no service, and even if you have the most expensive membership they offer.. also be prepared to for no service. For example, there are multiple instances my friends (who have also since cancelled) have gone to work out and the gym has literally been closed in the morning because people just don't show up to open the gym. It's pretty pointless to even write this review, since it seems obvious LA fitness staff, including the GM, don't really care about customer feedback or the level of service they provide (if any). So this is more a warning for all of my neighbors to go to literally any other gym. Really miss XSport.

8/21/25 Update: Guess I'm not the only one with this complaint... FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is suing LA Fitness over it's cancellation policy: "When people appear in person to cancel their memberships, the suit alleges that LA Fitness complicates the process by enacting a policy that states only one employee is allowed to process cancellations. If that employee is not available, they can not cancel, despite multiple employees being authorized to sign people up for memberships. These employees typically work the same hours as the average American during the day, making it difficult for customers to arrive at the gym when the necessary employee is present, the...