 The Sports Club / LA clubs |  | Locations | : | Several | | Price | : | Very Expensive | | Trial | : | 3 Day free trial | | Notes | : | Most luxurious clubs with all the amenities including rooftop track. |
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Printing House Fitness & Squash |  | Location | : | 421 Hudson Street | | Price | : | Expensive | | Trial | : | One week trial pass | | Notes | : | Rooftop gym has best view of any club (NYC skyline, Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, etc). Facility has most interesting layout with multiple levels including outdoor gym area. Visitors are not allowed to see facility after 7:30 PM when membership staff leaves. The Fitness Director (and kettlebell guru) just happened to be at the front desk and was kind enough to give me a tour. Fitness staff is friendly and knowledgeable. |
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Steel Gym |  | Location | : | 146 W 23st, between 6th & 7th Ave (Chelsea) | | Price | : | Reasonable for year membership, very expensive for short term use. | | Trial | : | 3 or 5 day free visits | | Notes | : | Well equipped hardcore gym, open 24 hours on weekdays but it requires utility bill or other proof of residency to redeem 5 day free trial. Instead, I was given a 3 day trial by the time I could produce a utility bill. |
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NYC Fitness |  | Location | : | Broadway & 145th St (Spanish Harlem) | | Price | : | Inexpensive, $55 month | | Trial | : | 1 free visit only with website coupon. | | Notes | : | Well equipped and open 24 hours on weekdays, friendly members, good value. |
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DavidBartonGym |  | Locations | : | Several | | Price | : | Expensive, $495 (3 months) | | Trial | : | None offered | | Notes | : | Hip night club atmosphere with DJ. Reportedly over-crowded at times with waits for equipment. |
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Tribeca Health & Fitness |  | Location | : | 107 Chambers, near Church St (Tribeca) | | Price | : | Reasonable | | Trial | : | Unknown. Permitted video shoot after special request from equipment manufacturer. | | Notes | : | Good value, not crowded, clean, good equipment including latest generation Nautilus. |
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Equinox |  | Locations | : | Several | | Rates | : | Expensive | | Trial | : | None offered | | Notes | : | Nice facilities with plenty of equipment. 45 days notice required for cancellation, more than the 30 days required by other facilities. |
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Synergy |  | Locations | : | 14th St (between 6th Ave & 7th Ave) and other locations | | Price | : | Reasonable, occasional specials ($199 for 3-4 months) | | Trial | : | Free visit | | Notes | : | Not permitted to workout at their other locations, like other clubs allow, for a slightly higher rate. |
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New York Health & Racquet Clubs |  | Locations | : | Several | | Price | : | Expensive | | Trial | : | 1 day free visit. One facility provided me 3 passes, another facility only offered one 1 day pass. | | Notes | : | They hold your drivers license each trial visit during your workout. Weight room closes 30 minutes before facility closes. |
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Ludlow Fitness |  | Location | : | 100 Delancey St, between 2nd and 1st Ave (lower east side) | | Price | : | Reasonable, $219 (3 month) or $49 Initiation and $49 a month | | Trial | : | None offered | | Notes | : | Nice facility and friendly desk staff. Cardio equipment over looking street. |
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Mid-City Gym |  | Locations | : | 2 locations (a) 244 W 49th St, west basement entry (b) 345 W 42nd St | | Price | : | Reasonable, $89 (1 month), $175-225 (3 months) | | Trial | : | 14 day free trial online offer, 5 days free trial in person. | | Notes | : | (a) 49th St location has attractive facility featuring cool looking equipment and strong man equipment. Unfortunately many pieces of equipment are not of the best design and use of the strong man equipment requires an additional fee. Small locker room can get crowded. (b) 42nd St location can be described as a 1980's dungeon gym with older facility and equipment. Claims to be the longest running gym in the county and bills itself as the 'last real gym'. |
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CitiFitness |  | Location | : | 244 E 14th St, between 2nd Ave and 3rd Ave (near Union Square) | | Price | : | Reasonable, $29-$100 initiation and $69 per month | | Trial | : | 1 day free visit only after asking club manager. | | Notes | : | Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Unkempt weight room and locker room. |
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Crunch |  | Locations | : | Several. Visited (a) 152 Christopher Street (b) 162 West 83 Street | | Price | : | Moderate | | Trial | : | 3 day free trial | | Notes | : | You must leave ID during your visit. They had quite a collection of unclaimed IDs so don't forget yours when you're finish. | | | | West 83rd Street was nicely equipped with internet access on cardio equipment. | | | | Christopher location was cluttered with a messy weight room. Very difficult to load and unload weight machines since they are too closely spaced with far too few weight trees causing weight plates to be mixed up. No disinfectant sprays to wipe equipment. Other hazards such as boxing equipment mounted from ventilation duct. I personally took facility manager on the floor pointing out these problems so hopefully they have fixed these problems by now. |
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Iron and Silk Fitness |  | Location | : | 155 E 3rd, between Ave A and Ave B (Lower East Side) | | Price | : | Expensive with personal training sessions | | Trial | : | Free visit | | Notes | : | Personal training gym with personable and knowledgeable owners. Bill Grant, 70s bodybuilding champion, reportedly works here. No water fountain? |
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New York Sports Club (NYSC) |  | Locations | : | Multiple | | Price | : | Inexpensive | | Trial | : | None offered | | Notes | : | Few locations open 24 hours |
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New York YMCA |  | Locations | : | Several | | Price | : | Reasonable | | Trial | : | Free one week trial | | Notes | : | West Side YMCA is adequately equipped. China town YMCA lacks squat rack. |
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Five Points Academy |  | Location | : | 277 Canal, 3rd Floor, near Broadway | | Price | : | Expensive | | Trial | : | Free trial class | | Notes | : | Emphasizes martial arts instruction. Less fitness equipment than most. Includes fitness classes including kettlebell classes. |
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Dolphin |  | Locations | : | 2 locations (a) 94 East 4th St (b) 2nd and Ave B (lower east side) | | Price | : | Inexpensive, $99-$145 (3 months) or $50-$69 month (no initiation fee) | | Trial | : | None offered | | Notes | : | One of the remaining old chain gyms in NYC. 4th St location is open 24 hours on weekdays. |
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Paris Health Club |  | Location | : | 752 West End Ave, near 97th St (Upper West Side) | | Price | : | moderate | | Trial | : | None offered | | Notes | : | If not using pool, you can find better value elsewhere. |
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Chelsea Piers Sports Center Health Club |  | Location | : | 60 Chelsea Piers | | Price | : | Expensive | | Trial | : | None offered | | Notes | : | Far away from nearest subway. Hiked in early afternoon but was told I could not even peek in to see facility without a membership staff escort. They suggested I come back in 5 hours when a membership staff member was expected in. They're slogan is "Does your gym inspire you?" - Quite an ironic expression given their lack of customer service. |
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City of New York Parks & Recreation |  | Location | : | Several recreational centers through out all 5 boroughs | | Price | : | Very Cheap, $35 for 6 months | | Trial | : | None offered | | Notes | : | Facilities vary but may include weight room, lap pool, basketball courts, and exercise classes. Chelsea Recreation Center had old equipment, some in disrepair, and no squat rack. Free Wednesday night dodge ball. |
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Riverbank State Park |  | Location | : | Spanish Harlem (off of west 138th and 145th) | | Price | : | Cheap, $60 for 3 months | | Trial | : | None offered | | Notes | : | Park offers sports fields (softball, football, soccer), courts (basketball, handball, tennis), children's playground, water play area, swimming pools, and fitness center (weight room, cardio equipment, exercise classes). Old equipment with no squat rack. |
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19th Street Gym |  | Location | : | 22 W 19th St | | Trial | : | One day free trial but place had been shut down when I had arrived next day. Good thing I didn't pay for a membership! | | Notes | : | Word is the fire marshal closed facility but it may have just gone under. |
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