Posted by Christian Aguirre on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 @ 03:36 PM
Hey everyone! I just got done doing a killer workout at Crunch Fitness in Blackhawk. It was previously a Bally Total Fitness, but Crunch took over the building. (Hint don't buy a membership at Bally Total Fitness because they are going out of business)
Crunch Fitness used to be a small company that was only located in metropolitan areas, but they are making their way into the suburbs like Blackhawk Ca. Crunch Fitness in the Bay Area is known for having cutting edge group exercise classes like "stripper aerobics and gravity yoga."
These are the reason's why Crunch Fitness is so unique and more cutting edge than traditional health clubs. They offer a fun,cool, and trendy service.
When I first entered the Blackhawk location, I was greeted by a friendly front desk staff and was given a quick tour of the facility. The bathrooms had flat screen T.Vs, leather couches, and a lot of other amenities. After touring the bathroom, I was shown the workout floor. It was big, with alot of free motion machines, clean free weight area, and had a brand new cardio theater.
I was also given the oppurtunity to workout at the other Crunch locations in San Francisco this weekend. One of the clubs is located inside a old opera theater. Inside the gym, the stage was turned into a group exercise room and the movie screen played music videos.
One of the locations had a shower room where you can see into the other shower.
Overall, this is a really cool and hip health club. I see this company being able to successfully compete against the other big corporate gyms in the future. They are so unique with their offers that they will probably become the "800 Pound Gorilla" in the health club industry.
Although the looks and shiny bells that they offer are great, there is a downside. They are an expensive club to join and their personal trainers are extremely over-priced. If you are willing to pay alot of money for the look of your fitness club, then Crunch Fitness is the place for you.
But if you want serious results with fitness professionals that care CLICK HERE
Posted by Christian Aguirre on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 @ 04:30 PM
Today I am going to give my next health club review on Bally Total Fitness
Clubs in the East Bay. To those of you that know me, you know that I worked for this company for 6 years as a personal trainer and managed a couple of their fitness centers.
For those of you that have been following the fitness industry or watch the news, you know this company is not doing well financially. Bally Total Fitness filed for Chapter 11 twice in 2009. For the last two years they have closed over 300 hundred clubs nationwide.
So if you're thinking about joining this health club, I repeat, don't waste your money. There are a couple of reasons why this club is not doing well and I will explain them.
- Bally Total Fitness is being run by investors that don't know anything
about the fitness industry. They have been trying to manage and operate this million dollar company like a car dealership. They don't care about the quality of the gym, the experience for it's members, or compensating their staff correctly. They aren't selling fitness or motivating its members anymore. They just want to make money and they don't care how they do it.
- Bally Total Fitness is trying to save money by laying off its employees
and lowering the pay of its employees. They laid off the housekeeping staff from all the clubs. The main reason why their clubs are struggling is because most of their fitness centers are dirty and disgusting because they are trying to save money by having the personal trainers, sales reps, and front desk staff clean toilets.
- At one time, Bally Total Fitness had really good operators in the club
as well as talented personal trainers. Since the pay cut, a lot of the best employees have left the company to start their own business or work for the up-start company "Crunch Fitness." Now Bally's has to hire underqualified personal trainers (just like 24 hour fitness) and end up promoting employees to management positions when they have no business running a $100,000 dollar health club.
- The sales reps are so desperate to sell memberships now that they are using car salesman tactics to close "YOU" on a long term contract. If you watched my other video on how east bay health club scams, then you know that you should never sign a long term contract with a gym. Because this company filed bankrupcy twice in one year, you don't know if they are going to close their doors on you and never return your money.
Last year Bally Total Fitness closed the Utah market without telling the staff or managment. One day the members and staff went to work and saw chains on the door.
Bally's never gave the members their money back or bothered transfering their employees to another health club.
If Bally's treats their employees like "CRAP" they will definetley treat "YOU" the same.
So if you live near a Bally Total Fitness in the Bay Area, run away and join another club. My prediction in the next 5-8 years, they will not be around.
Most likely they will be bought out by "CRUNCH FITNESS."
If you're pissed with your current health club or have been ripped off by a gym in the past CLICK HERE to see how we treat our clients.
Posted by Christian Aguirre on Tue, Dec 08, 2009 @ 10:36 AM
As we are entering the new year, most people are going to start looking into getting gym memberships at their local health clubs in the east bay. I think it's awesome to start the new year with a fitness program, but don't let the health clubs in the east bay fool you!
A lot of the the time gyms like 24 Hour Fitness, Bally Total Fitness, & other corporate gyms will try to take advantage of the consumer during the busiest year in our industry.
Here are a fews that the health clubs in the east bay will try to rip you off.
- $0 enrollement fee is the best way that most health clubs will drive traffic. When there is a $0 enrollement fee, usually means a big monthly payment.
- Most health clubs will set you up with an uncertified trainer that doesn't know how to train anyone, including themselves
- They will sell you the "bells & whistles" of the facility and then totally forget about you as a paying customer.
- They don't care about you getting results, just your monthly payments
So beware of these fake fitness professionals inside your health club, they are just salesman that want your hard earned money and don't care about you, your family, or your fitness goals.
There are alternatives to getting in shape than paying money to a local health club:
- Find your local independent east bay personal trainer (they are great because they specialize in getting you results that you are looking for.
- Just get active and start walking with a friend, this cost absolutely nothing!
- Find your local east bay boot camp (these bootcamps are a fraction of the cost of one on one training and usually is provided in a fun and motivating enviroment.
If your interested in learning more or getting started on an exercise program click here