LA Fitness — Local services in Jefferson Township

My original review is downgraded from 5 to 1 star rating. This is my initial version from the past 2 years. "For years I was trying to find a place to relax after hard work. I live in the area and was immediately aware when this new fitness club opened, as I drive by every day on my way to work. I figured they have a pool I just didn't know what it would feel like. I didn't want to come to the pool that is overcrowded and hopefully no kids. It's hard to take me out of the house once I get home, I just feel so tired as my job is very physical, all day long on my feet, very active and for sure not the office job. I don't need cardio or any workout lol. But the pool I could use any time. And the sauna. And the jacuzzi oh my! I applied for the free 3 day pass just to see what it is like, but still wasn't brave to just show up. So it was so helpful that I got a call from them, actually Tony, the manager and he was so helpful, decent, positive and lovely, and encouraged me to even show up. I took the membership as soon as I walked through, without even caring for any promo. The place is great. It's huge, it's on the rooftop, the pool is great, never crowded, the sauna in the woman's bathroom is huge. I got to spend my time alone today after the pool. The place is clean and there's someone in the bathroom to clean it all the time. I don't want to be mean, but there was a kids daycare corner with kids usual stuff that was officially closed since 2022 and that made me smile. I'm sorry but the reason I have all the aches and was upset all the time, I was a nanny for 10 years, and one thing when I want to relax, no kids!!! Please! NO offense!!! I love them but even their parents didn't want them all the time that's why I was hired on weekends so much! The place wouldn't be great without people making it so. The management is just so cute and cheerful and they take such good care of you! I had such a great Saturday afternoon and now I am so excited to come back. It was as crowded as it could be, so many people, but yet, so much space and such a great vibe! I did my groceries on the way and had a great change in my usual routine. It made me energized and to want to come back. Not a single complaint. And I do get very grumpy and sarcastic all the time. Not this time lol P.S. No matter how many people there's ALWAYS a parking spot. And it's on the rooftop that takes you to the gym. I didn't wear my winter jacket or anything, just walked in and jumped back to my car later."

May 15 2025 MY VISIT TODAY WAS DISHEARTENING

What happened to LA fitness? I wasn't coming for awhile as I was suffering from debilitating nerve pain and couldn't even swim for awhile. I'm only using the pool and paying full membership. Today I was unpleasantly surprised by the kids screaming, and there was one lane reserved for swimming class, only 2 kids btw. So they told me not to use it. I am a nanny and the only reason I picked this place is as I don't want to have kids fuss or germs in my free time. BUT that was not the worst part. Other 2 lanes only had 4 elderly people, one of them was swimming face down and was so large I don't think I could pass him by neither he could see me. I tried to use the middle lane and I was so far from other people. Then some elderly lady suggested that I switch to a "free" lane with that one guy who had it for himself and none of them wanted to use it as well. That passive agressive attitude really ruined what was left of my mood so I had to leave within 5 min. There are 0 wellness experiences and I also need therapeutic swimming, not just elderly!!!! I'm in so much pain!!! I asked for the swim class schedule so I can come other times, but it's literally most of the afternoons for hours and the only time I can come. It also didn't seem as clean, the hot tub didn't work. I always enjoyed the pool and had the best experiences but today it was just so upsetting. I am considering canceling my membership as I am paying for the service that I am not using. Kids do not belong in such a place, there are so many...

I’ve been a member at XSport for years. YEARS. I’ve survived the occasional broken treadmill, the odd weird smell, even that one guy who grunted like he was passing a kidney stone every time he benched. But nothing could have prepared me for the slow-motion dumpster fire that is LA Fitness taking over XSport in Chicago.

Remember when XSport was open all night, so you could roll in at 3 AM, skip the crowds, and actually touch a dumbbell without signing up for a waitlist? LA Fitness took that dream, wrapped it in a sweaty towel, and left it in the lost-and-found — right next to your stolen gym bag.

Since they shut down one already-busy XSport location, it’s been like a gang war every time you walk in. They didn’t just “absorb” those members — they catapulted them into the nearest surviving location and said, “Good luck, peasants.” Now, no matter what time you go — opening, mid-day, late night — it’s a human traffic jam. I’ve tried every time slot. I’ve tried being clever. Nope. It’s always packed. You either stand around like a wallflower at a bad prom, waiting for equipment, or you wedge yourself between two strangers’ sweat puddles and hope for the best.

It’s not just crowded — it’s hostile. People guard machines like they’re protecting their firstborn. Others wander aimlessly, hogging space, scrolling TikTok between half-hearted sets. I’ve seen people “reserve” three different stations at once like they’re running a real estate empire. You’ll spend longer just trying to figure out where to stand than you will actually lifting weights.

And speaking of chaos: theft. I’ve personally heard more locker theft stories in the last few months than in my entire XSport tenure. Gym bags gone, shoes missing, even people’s wallets lifted. It’s like a wild zoo, except none of the fun and all of the smell. The only thing it’s missing is a “Do Not Feed the Animals” sign — although honestly, it might apply to some of the regulars now.

Cleanliness? Don’t make me laugh. LA Fitness apparently replaced all the paper towel dispensers with… hope. Machines stay slick with mystery sweat, the floors have a sticky “don’t ask” texture, and the mirrors are so smudged you could use them for fingerprint forensics. The showers? Let’s just say I’ve seen cleaner gas station bathrooms.

The staff? XSport’s trainers used to at least pretend to care. LA Fitness staff now look like NPCs in a bad video game whose only dialogue option is “We’re working on it.” Sauna broken? “We’re working on it.” Machines busted? “We’re working on it.” Someone stole your stuff? “We’re working on it.” I’ve seen sloths at the zoo move faster — and at least sloths are cute.

And the worst part? The vibe is gone. XSport had that gritty, hard-work energy. LA Fitness rolled in with their sterile corporate glow — like if Planet Fitness and a DMV waiting room had a baby, and then fed it nothing but broken promises and expired pre-workout. They somehow managed to make it more expensive while giving you less gym you can actually use. Congratulations, I guess?

As soon as my contract’s over, I’m signing up for Planet Fitness — cheaper prices, better quality, and still 24/7. Imagine that: a place where you can actually get on a machine without waiting for someone to finish their Instagram photoshoot.

Final verdict: LA Fitness didn’t just take over XSport — they bulldozed it, paved it over with disappointment, and then had the nerve to charge you more for the privilege of standing in line to use a broken elliptical. If you enjoy overcrowding, chaos, theft, filth, and corporate apathy, this place is your Disneyland. For the rest of us? It’s time to move on before you start needing therapy just to talk...

So, let’s be fair. First, great equipment - most of the stuff works fine, and they repair broken equipment fairly quickly. Second, very clean facility. Third, nice staff for the most part. Now for the issues that I see brought up here. 1) “Very very busy all the time”/ “way way way too many people”/ “Not enough parking” - GUYS, it is a nice gym in a nice(r) area of the city. It is going to be really busy if you go at peak hours, but it is also just going to have a lot of people in general. Xsport closed, yes, and LA absorbed those members. If you wait to go until after 4 or 5, you can’t be annoyed with others for doing so the same. And as for parking - YOU ARE GOING TO THE GYM! If you are going to complain about having to walk/take a couple flights of stairs before your WORKOUT, just stay home. They don’t charge you for parking so shut up. 2) “I had to wait in line to get into the gym” - when? 5 minutes before they opened? I have never seen a line to get into this gym 3) “workouts take forever” - this one REALLY irritates me. You should have a clear idea of your workout for the day (doing upper body, or legs, or full body, etc) AND YOU NEED TO BE ADAPTABLE. I like the plate loaded incline press. Is it always available? NO! Do I sit there and get annoyed that someone is on the machine I like? NO! I go find another chest workout. OR, if you MUST use a particular machine (or piece of equipment), THEN I ASK POLITELY TO WORK IN. I think that’s something I don’t see enough people do, and people look rattled sometimes when I ask. A set takes 60 seconds or less. The person lifting should (in a nice world) let people - who are obviously waiting - work in, and people need to be less shy about asking to work in. 3) “the sauna blah blah blah” - yeah it isn’t too hot WHEN THEY FIRST TURN IT ON! And remember, this is not a 24 hour facility, so they have to clean the sauna SOMETIME. TLDR: Gym is packed at peak times, BUT if you go off peak or ask people if you can work in, your workouts shouldn’t take much longer than normal. Plan on parking downstairs (always plenty) and walking up. There are no lines to get in the gym.

MY ONLY real annoyance is them not having any policy/enforcing any policy that addresses groups of 4+ teens on one piece of equipment for 30+ minutes. But I usually ask them if I can jump in/how long they have if it is my last exercise, or I just find another similar piece...