Sidney Albert Albany

Finding a quality gym in the Capital Region has been an exhausting experience for me. I’ve done the $ 10/​month, national chain, warehouse-​like gyms and always longed for a more personal experience. I could no longer deal with competing with others to use equipment, the echoed grunts coming from the weight room, nor the general chaos that accompanies such places. With the JCC mere blocks from my home, I could no longer fool myself into saying I didn’t have time to go to the gym.
While the convenience of the JCC’s location scored high marks for me, nearly everything else has fallen flat. This is a small gym. No matter what they tell you, you will almost always feel cramped in any one of the workout rooms. Many of the patrons seem to lack common gym etiquette, often occupying significantly more space than one single person could need. Sometimes, the people that I’m describing are off-​duty employees who just sort of stand around and occupy space with a couple of buddies.
There are a couple of other things that are probably worth noting here. The first is about the locker rooms, or at least the men’s locker room. The JCC tends to attract a rather elderly population who take bizarre and, unhygienic, liberties in the locker room. It’s common to see these men sitting nude on the benches, with nothing separating their sweaty skin from making contact with the seat. During the last couple months of my membership, I chose to change at home to avoid contact with the locker room altogether. On the positive side, there is plenty of locker space here. Also, with the exception of a couple of staff members, most won’t give you so much as a glance, let alone a warm greeting. The only time I was ever really addressed by a staff member was after I had lost and cancelled my credit card, causing an issue with billing. Outside of that, I can’t recall sharing so much as a hello with anyone.
Granted, there seem to be other programs and services that I have not taken advantage of such as aerobic classes, daycare, swimming programs, and social gatherings. I cannot speak to the quality of these things.
For $ 55 per month, I would expect a bit more than I have ever received from the JCC. In a world where you can easily obtain a gym membership for less than half of what the JCC is charging, I’m surprised by the lack of investment they are returning into their operation.

I’ve been coming here off & on for more years than I want to admit to. My kids did swimming lessons & day camps and went to childcare hour so I could work out in the gym or go to Jazzercise classes. It’s not perfect but has a lot to offer a wide range of ages, from infant to senior citizens. Definitely worth considering if you’re in the market for a gym.

Best bang for your buck in Albany. We live nearby so it was a no brainer when we saw the couples prices vs other gyms that were farther away. Staff is always nice and helpful. One indoor and one outdoor pool. Gym for basketball. Spinning and other classes to try. Nice and quite during the day time if you work odd hours. Just keep in mind the days and times they aren’t open (usually for holidays) as many of the big chain gym started staying open on those. Otherwise great gym for the price; they will give you a walk through before you sign up.

Best fitness facility in Albany: one indoor pool, two outdoor pools, top of the line equipment (bikes with simulated videos, latest cardio machines), awesome members, tons of leagues (water polo, basketball, volleyball), weight room, tv’s everywhere, kettle bells and balls, sauna, amazing hours, and awesome events. Real positive place!

Hello Albany JCC, it’s nice to meet you.
My kid is taking swimming lessons at the pool here. What is nice is that they let you try this out for one session without becoming members. There are a heck of a lot of services and activities associated with the JCC. The largest would seem to be the nursery school, the gym and the pool.
If you had a nursery school aged kid, and enjoyed to lift weights and swim for some good low impact cardio, you would probably never leave this place.
But that’s just not me.