Life Time — Local services in Houston

If you want to pay out a certain posterior orifice for a flashy commercial gym with no character, this is for you.

Pros: There is a lot of equipment. Pools, sauna, rock climbing, etc. It's a one-stop shop as far as gyms go. They also have group classes, some of which are included with membership, others are like $100-200 a session.

Cons: The atmosphere is tailored more towards soccer moms who want to spend money to feel like they're losing that 20lbs rather than people who really want to make gains. There's a lot of in your face "new you" type advertisements trying to sell you expensive personal training; they spam you with about 10 emails a day trying to sell you equipment, classes, training, spa services, etc. That and they're always bumping top 40 on the PA system and have about 50 TV's on all around the gym. It's overbearing and distracting.

More than anything, the place is a rip off. You have to pay about 100 bucks as a "registration fee" to sign up, something I've never had to do in the 4 other gyms I've worked out at in the past, and their monthly memberships range from like 70 bucks to 110. If you want to cancel your membership, you have to give them one month's notice; ie you're forced to pay for an extra month you don't want rather than just quitting then and there. Also, when I did decide to cancel, I went to the dude in the offices who signed me up in the first place and he gave me this questionable spiel of "oh, I actually can't do that bro, you have to talk to this one dude, he's gone for the day", which makes no sense. I came back the next day and told the clerk at the front desk I wanted to quit and he just pulled out a generic form from this stack in the desk's shelf and filled it out for me; clearly they were just trying to make the process involved to discourage me from quitting which is dishonest and I don't respect that.

Furthermore, their "lifetime spa" is full of four letter word. As a member you get these "lifetime bucks" which can only be spent on a select few things they sell there, one of them being spa services. I neither need nor want a mani pedi but I was overdue on a haircut ($25 there) so I went in and asked for a low and tight fade. The girl there told me she didn't know how to fade hair and I should come in tomorrow when someone else was working. I came in the next day and the lady spent an hour and a half giving me this crooked fade which I'll now have to go to another barber to get fixed. She obviously didn't know how to give fades either. When I went to the front desk to pay the lady told me that for some brilliant reason, policy dictated that lifetime bucks (an electronic currency) could only be spent in increments of 20 or 50, and so I'd either have to use 20 of them and pay 5 bucks cash for the remainder or spend all 50 of my lifetime bucks. Nowhere was this rule posted, naturally. So I said spend all 50 of them and decided then and there I would find a different gym.

Bottom line: The only reason you should be going to this gym is if you can't find anywhere else and don't really mind being jerked around while simultaneously...

Wanted to add on to others experience. Should have read these reviews. Around mid June, I thought to myself - you know, my apartment complex just got a new gym, let me see if I can keep up my routine at my apartment over the rest of the month. I was able to, so June 30th I CALLED to end my membership. I was told it was impossible and that the only way I could cancel was by WRITING a HAND WRITTEN NOTE (even though I signed up ONLINE) or by going in person. Like anyone who has dealt with membership negotiations, I asked to talk to a supervisor. The supervisor told me the same thing. So in frustration I just decided to just go to lifetime and end it as fast as possible.

When I get there they are "busy" even though the General Manager decided to "help" a pretty woman who got there after I did...but you know what, I don't care. So Jon, a nice guy, takes me back to some room and he asks the generic question, "Why do you want out?" - I just do Jon. So we joke about me just wanting to leave...no big deal. Then we get to the atrocity. He goes, ironically, "Well the nice thing is you will have your membership until July 31st." Perplexed, "Excuse me? So I will be charged for July even though I am cancelling in June?" At this point, I am furious. The absent minded general manger then comes to mind. I ask to talk to him just to express my frustration. He comes in, does not sit down, even though I am already sitting, and asks me what is wrong while folding his arms. I am angered by this as, although I have been frustrated, I have not shown near the amount of disrespect that this "professional" has even though his business is attempting to cheat me out of 70 dollars. I ask him to sit down, he does not. So I tell him that I do not understand his policy. "I am going to repeat to you what two other employees have already said..." At this point, I just don't care anymore. Take my money. You have won.

In a serendipitous manner, a friend of mine from work shows up and she goes, "I didn't know you were a member?" Laughing, I respond, "Well I no longer am. Also, did you know that when you cancel you have to pay for the following month as well?" Immediately she responds, "Really?!? That is ridiculous, I just signed up and they didn't tell me that."

This, at its root, is contractual thievery. Hiding ONE SENTENCE in an extensive contract to get the last laugh when wanting to end a MONTHLY contract. I could understand if this was a non monthly contract and I attempted to get out of it...like a renters lease. However, I was told, "This is common business." Well I truly help your "common business" runs you into the ground at some point.

In summary, when you cancel with this place, which i hope you do not even begin with, expect to give them...

I went for a visit and met with Scott who turned out to be rude and unprofessional from the get go as he started the conversation off with you already visted our Cypress store so what is it you need from me !! I said first of all I dont know what you are incinuating but your website sent me to that location first but its to far away from my home as I live in Tomball and this location is closer ! After that he proceeded to tell me over and over there are no deals and that everyone must pay 89.00 a month plus tax ! I said hey listen I only use the weights and nothing else can we make a deal like I pay a big down to bring that monthly payment down to around 50.00 dollars a month as I love their weight room and he said NO that there is no down payment and the rate is 89.00 a month plus tax and that is it no negotiating ! I told him I never heard of a gym turning down cash down on a membership and he just looked at me. He was the worst sales person I have ever dealt with any company in my life and I am no spring chicken at 57 years old ! I then said well I will just work out today and he said sure but your going to have to pay 30 dollars !! I said what he said yes ! I said really and he said well you already worked out at our Cypress location a few weeks back and I said so what I told you why I went there because your website sent me there and he said well you can only work out at one location as a guest otherwise you have to pay the 30 dollars today ! He was mad he did not make the sale so he was going to punish me by not letting me workout which is just spiteful and an act of a vindicative and selfish individual ! I am not a rude person and am a degreed professional who also was an ex starting College Football QB for a major University back in the day and have been working out all my life and have been members of many gyms over my years and this experience tops it all as Scott needs some re-education on dealing with people and how to effectively present his companies contracts and learn the art of negotiating and not take things personally when they dont make the sale and then become vindicative on the very prospect he just insulted with his poor demeanor, tact and presentation !! I would have thought Life Time Fitness would have more qualified and professional sales people considering they charge an arm and a leg for a membership but its obvious they spend there money on other things rather than hiring top end professiuonal sales people !!!! Shame on YOU LIFE TIME FITNESS !!!! My recommendation is to save your money and time and go to a gym that will treat you with the respect that we all deserve and a price...