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Ballard Health Club vs. Fitness 19

(31 posts)

Started 6 months ago by Nora Charles
Latest reply from gracie

Nora Charles

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Probably no compairson, right? Which one do you like and why?

Posted 6 months ago #
lakreitz

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Ballard Health Club for me. I am an early morning work out person. BHC has showers, which I use prior to heading out to work. Personal trainers are available at no additional charge. The staff is friendly and approachable. Parking is available at no extra charge. The Thurs am boot camp class looks intense and the instructor has a devoted following.

Posted 6 months ago #
treehugger

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No comparison is right. Long time BHC member here who tried the cheapo club to save money. Back at BHC in no time bc it is such a better, cleaner, more friendly and more staff-competent environment. F19 comes across as focused on $, while BHC actually cares about members and fitness.... and, importantly, inclusiveness

Posted 6 months ago #
briana-n-pugs

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I am really happy with fitness 19. I've never been to Ballard Health Club though. I pay $14 a month for me and an additional $10 a month for unlimited day care. Can't beat that! There are always machines available. I don't use a trainer and like that they don't try to sell me on one. It doesnt have locker rooms or showers, but that works just fine for me. It doesn't have classes, pools or saunas but Im happy paying so little and not having all the extras. There is also a parking garage which is great. I've been going since March and there has been a high turnover rate in the daycare staff, but everyone has been really nice and great with my daughter. I definitely recommend it, but don't tell everyone because I like how it's never busy!

Posted 6 months ago #
gracie

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I've always wondered what Ballard Health Club has or doesn't have. I do know F19 is not for me. I'm looking for one with classes, pool and showers. Actually looking for place htat offers aquadic exercise. I'm finally breaking down my self imposed barriers about being seen in a bathing suit & my doctor will be thrilled. Has been after me for a year now to get into a pool.

Posted 6 months ago #
ironymaiden

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no pool at Ballard Health Club, only Olympic (and Olympic is spendy). for affordable water exercise classes, look at the Ballard Pool schedule.

Posted 6 months ago #
Edog

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I think the neighborhood would be better served if fitness 19 was a nail salon.

Posted 6 months ago #
InterbayGirl

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FYI, LA Fitness in the big building at the NE corner of the Ballard Bridge also has a pool

Posted 6 months ago #
InterbayGirl

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I won't be able to make a comparisons between the various fitness centers around town as I have only been to one...Ballard Health Club.

That being said, I'm happy with BHC. I like that its not too pricey, no pushy sales staff, everyone that works there is essentially a trainer and can answer questions or help you out for a minute or two, a session with a trainer is free (just sign up for an appt), always clean, has showers lockers and a sauna, classes, friendly, not a weird meat market vibe *cough*CapHillGold'sGym*cough*, parking around the corner (or at Chase Bank during non-banking hours), easy bus access, etc...

Posted 6 months ago #
9

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I've had memberships at both. I preferred BHC out of the two; showers, lockers, sauna. The plus for F19 is that no one goes there, so it's not crowded.

Posted 6 months ago #
gracie

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Good to knokw about LA Fitness has a pool. Was going to check into Ballard Pool as possible..it wouldn't be a meat market like others.

Posted 6 months ago #
Edog

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How come no one ever asks about the Curves down by the locks?

Posted 6 months ago #
gracie

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I actually joined that when they first came to Seattle area. First night, during cool down I hurt my knee doing a stretch. They said, oh ignore it & just continue exercising tomorrow. So I did & it got worse. Went to doctor, told him I did it during exercise class & he said, "let me guess. Curves. I've had more patients with injuries from there. They are not properly trained."

Posted 6 months ago #
Silver

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I joined BHC for the yoga classes, because they are high quality and quite a deal since they are free with your membership. I go on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9am. the classes are popular, so they are crowded, but people are good about squeezing one more person in.

At first I joined on a month by month basis, with is $55/mo. and then recently I paid for a year up front, which saved me about $20 per month. As mentioned above, the staff is friendly, there is no upsell pressure, and the space is clean and nice.

Hope this helps!

Posted 6 months ago #
onederfullone

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S-t-r-e-c-t-c-h.

Puh-lease.

Doctors won't tell you that, fwiw.

Posted 6 months ago #
Edog

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Thats kind of funny. I did not think they worked anyone at Curves hard enough to break a sweat let alone cause injury. Wow!

Posted 6 months ago #
allisonw

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Gracie, Ballard pool is closed for maintenance right now. I'll be hitting Meadowbrook (or as I call it, "Ghettobrook") for deepwater aerobics at 8 tonight if it would help to have someone to go with.

Posted 6 months ago #
onederfullone

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Calling it 'Ghettobrook' outta get you lots of company /sarcasm.

Maybe you should just stretch...

edog, you don't get curves by riding a keyboard, sweat it, or, forget it. Maybe you did, and my apologies for that.

Posted 6 months ago #
Nora Charles

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I once hopped on the CURVES train...about 10 or 11 years ago...when they opened in Mr. Baker. Pretty much every afternoon a group of us would go - I too ended up getting injured. Usually had fun going there but the actual exercise didn't do anything except hurt me. I wonder how Curves stay open. Fitness gyms are so deluxe these days - Curves, not so much.

Posted 6 months ago #
allisonw

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If you've been to that pool, you know it has the worst lighting ever, anywhere.

Posted 6 months ago #
BARBIE

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OAC is too expensive for how run down it is, I also found their customer service to be incredibly rude!! The "manager" in her 20s is terrible!

I'm now at LA Fitness and they too are rude and pushy, but at least the facility is clean and nice. The one water aerobics class I went to was too geriatric for me, but it did involve a lot of stretching! I think they have a new instructor now and I've been meaning to try again.. on the other hand, try a spin class! Super fun and you can go at your own level to start off...

Posted 6 months ago #
seattletree

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I really loved Cross Fit Interbay if you want to totally wreck yourself in a fantastic way. You walk out of there just feeling so high. So very totally worked out to your max. I had the unlimited and went about every other day. It's incredibly intense... there's a warm up, the WOD (workout of the day) and the cool down. The actual WOD is any time from 7 mins to 20. Depends. It is wild. You can look at the WOD and actual exercises on their site. CrossFit has an online site with every exercise they use. There is a requirement of a 3 day "intake" which was free when I went. In this way they make sure you know how to do each piece they use, and they use very few machines. Mainly the Concept II rower, which I LOVE. "Be the Machine" is their moto. I would go back if it wasn't $165/mo. I had the max workouts available. I could have gone daily. They run classes from early to late. You are basically paying for a one on one coach. It's very personal attention. The coach I had was an ex Seal and Martial Arts expert. He was awesome. He pushed me when I needed it as I can be "sneaky lazy". So yeah... nothing like jogging backwards uphill around the block for a warm up. But I loved the weights, the "press" to do YOUR best and no mirrors, no pretty I really regret leaving it but it's a little spendy for me atm. If you stick with it and go at least 3 times a week, there is NO way you would not be seeing some incredible improvements in your physical strength and ability. You will get in shape. No doubt.

Posted 6 months ago #
seattletree

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I am interested in checking out the Ballard OAC. Can someone tell me what to avoid and what is great? I am attracted to the fact that it's 24 hours and I am a night crawler. If I cannot sleep or don't want to, can I go swimming? Or is it "free time" in the wee hours on the machines. What does this run and is there really parking available there? I worked on that corner at the "historic bank building" kitty corner to OAC about 28 years ago and it was busy then.. I'd really like to hear anything that someone who's been there or goes there now thinks. I keep getting their coupons in the mail.. which deal to go for? ...thanks .. OH BTW, when saying Ballard Health Club does that mean OAC too? or is that another facility? Thanks.

Posted 6 months ago #
lakreitz

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OAC is not the same as Ballard Health Club. It is in the lower level of the building at the NW corner of Market and 22nd. It is not 24 hour and no pool - but is perfect for my needs.

I assume you saw the coupon for one week free trial at OAC in this week's Valpak mailer?

Posted 6 months ago #
gracie

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I think I'll wait until the Ballard pool opens up again. The other one sounds not so great.

Posted 6 months ago #
BARBIE

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Tree- the best advice i can give is to use the coupon and try before you buy. I hated OAC because the pool was not even 25yards and was filthy!! I also thought their management was horrible, but this was a few years ago and they have since changed management and built a new pool...I'm curious myself to check it out again.

LA fitness is a bit of a meat market and has sleazy sales staff, but it doesn't take much to outsmart them and avoid their upsell. Their pool has a huge window and sky lights, which makes for an especially nice morning swim as the sun is rising, the downside is that it is only four lanes and you might have to share.

Posted 6 months ago #
allisonw

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Ghettobrook wasn't too bad. The Tuesday evening instructor (also Weds afternoons, I asked her) is quite good and I got a heckuva workout.

Posted 6 months ago #
seattletree

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I get that mailer all the time and I really don't know why I haven't "tried" the two week free drive. I read where OAC (I think?) has begun or did? do some major expansion? You know I love looking in the windows of LA Fitness as I come home from downtown over the Ballard Bridge. I imagine myself looking all hot and sexy there waving at the traffic in my cute little pink leotards... too bad I'm 50 and no leotards, hahahhaha

Posted 6 months ago #
BARBIE

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Haaahaha I don't think pink leotards are "in" anymore, but dream big tree... you can do it!

Posted 6 months ago #
phoo

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gracie: Once the Ballard Pool reopens, they will have a UV system in place. They'll still use chlorine, but hopefully a lot less. They waaay over-chlorinated their pool, which is why I had to stop going. It was the major culprit for my frequent (every 1-3 months) lung infections and wheezing.

Posted 6 months ago #
gracie

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Phoo, that's good to know. Not a health issue but too much chlorine screws up the color of my hair (I know, I know, vanity is thy name). But on health side I have chronic sinus and bronchitis issues. I hope they reopen pretty soon - before I change my mind!

Posted 6 months ago #