Potomac Total Fitness — Local services in Lexington Park

Buckle up buckaroos, this is gonna be a long one.

The good- this is the only gym in St. Mary's County that I know of that's truly open 24/7. The sauna gets very hot.

The bad - the membership here is pretty expensive for what you get at $40 a month. My old gym in the Seattle area was somehow cheaper. The building is huge with tons of equipment, but it's a weird ratio of actually useful machines to the cable-based machines. I don't think I've ever seen the place more than 50-60% full. The equipment is all pretty old and dirty. The bathrooms are truly awful.

The ugly - some of the machines are downright dangerous. The floor and some of the benches in the dumbbell area are not level, so you'll be mid lift and the bench will shift on you while you're dangling a hundred pounds over your face. The treadmills are also not properly maintained. I've found one so far that doesn't suffer from severe belt slip. I mostly see the other patrons walking, which might be fine, but if you're 200+ lbs and try to go over 5-6 mph you'll faceplant when the belt randomly skips. The billing is quite suspect as well. PTF attempted to bill my March membership on February 29th despite my contract stating I would be billed on the 1st of each month. The early billing caused them to trip a monthly spend limit I have set on my card. PTF succeeded in billing me on their second attempt in the first week of March, but also added a $20 "service fee" that is separate from the late fee in their contract. I'm not sure what services PTF staff are procuring that could possibly cost $20. I understand needing to charge a small late fee for payments over 5-7 days late, but the "service fee" for a simple declined transaction is ridiculous. It's half the cost of the monthly membership! The billing fees, along with the general condition of the equipment, reek of a lack of respect for their members.

To wrap this up, this gym is currently the only spot in town if you have a busy schedule and need to work out in the late evening. I definitely think that they benefit from the lack of equipment at the NAS Drill Hall. That said, PTF have some significant problems. I think they'd be a more attractive option if the gym was smaller, cheaper, and cleaner. The Navy has recently announced they're opening up all MWR gyms for 24 hr access, as soon as that happens I'll be cancelling my membership here unless they make some...

I was very reluctant to write this review. However, the pure disregard of one of the front desk employees over a hazardous safety situation pushed me to do so. I have been a loyal member of this gym since I moved here in august of 23. I frequent this gym 5x a week at the least and am always kind to the front desk people. For the past two months, the water dispenser in the back has had the front panel removed. The only way to get water is to reach inside the machine to trigger the dispenser button in order to get water. Upon reaching inside, my entire body jolted. I had struck a live wire. There were no signs, no warnings, and this is the only dispenser in the entire gym. I gave it a little time to make sure I was okay after the fact but my entire arm hurt for a few hours after. I went directly to the front desk to let the employees know. It was three employees behind the desk at the time. One gentleman came over after I flagged him down. I was very polite in saying I knew it was not their fault, but I had just gotten shocked and was in pain from the water dispenser in the back, and asked if they could please put a warning or something because I fear that could cause a future lawsuit (there are children who come to this gym for daycare and elderly people and I couldn’t imagine if it happened to one of them). The employee looked entirely disgruntled and cut me off halfway thought my sentence by replying “yup, thanks, have a good one”. Another employee nearby looked genuinely surprised, but the disgruntled employee turned and started explaining the matter to him in a way that I could tell I was not the first person this had happened to. Anyways, the employee did not apologize, did not say he would relay it to management, not even give me the courtesy of looking at me when he replied. Had he had the most minor amount of empathy, I would have probably brushed it off. But this is beyond ridiculous. Do better, and have some care and compassion for the well-being of your...

I have been a member at this gym for over 12 years, and an avid lifter for almost 30 years. I live 45 minutes away with gyms nearby but I choose to make the commute for this gym. It is the largest gym in the area with the most equipment, and the only gym in the area open 24 hours. It has everything I need to stay competitive as a powerlifter or a bodybuilder. Wait times for equipment are minimal, and everyone is so friendly they often invite you to work-in if you are waiting. I am not one to complain about trivial nonsense, like equipment having wear and tear, I always get a great workout. Always a great atmosphere with great music. The only gym I have ever been to where they will honor your music requests. What I love most about PTF is its not your typical trendy commercial gym where many people go to just hangout and socialize. PTF is for everyone, all walks of life, regardless of your goals, you can be yourself, and you will be welcomed. Comradery is huge at the gym, we all support each other, no matter what your goals, whether you have been a member for years or it's your first day. Hard work is always appreciated and encouraged! Since I have been a member we have had several management changes and this management is by far the best. The owner takes pride in the gym, takes time to personally get to know the members, and he will always listen to your ideas or concerns. The Gym is located in an aging building, but don't let that fool you. PTF is a place where the grind has left its mark, giving the atmosphere a raw, authentic energy that can't be found anywhere else. This gym takes you back to the roots of fitness, with an old-school vibe that’s hard to replicate. It’s not about flashy equipment or modern trends, it’s about real, raw workouts in a space that’s been built on decades of hard...