Mandel JCC

Y’all pregnant mamas: this place offers the best prenatal yoga on the east side! Before I signed up, I investigated all yoga studios, including places that’s not yoga studio but offer prenatal yoga. Think hospital, «wellness center», counseling center, etc.
I’m careful about selecting yoga instructor in general. What qualification does one need to start teaching prenatal yoga? I don’t think there’s any regulation.
— Instructor quality:
The prenatal yoga instructor here, Eleanor, has the most comprehensive background — Master’s Degree from The Ohio State University in Somatic Education, which is the study of movement from holistic perspective. And of course a certified yoga instructor. She said prenatal yoga is her favorite class to teach all week, because yoga helped her so much during her own pregnancy.
— Cost:
You don’t need JCC membership to take the class. Just pay a bit more than regular members. The cost per class is $ 12 for non-​members, comparable to regular classes at nearby yoga studios.
Religious affiliation is not required to work out here. No one is preaching in your ears while exercising.
Friendly staff.
— Environment:
They’ve got big windows everywhere that put me in a good mood thinking about coming here. This is very important. In the past I’ve worked out in gym which doesn’t have any exterior window. I found it depressing to stay in a space like that for the long term. Work out is an activity that needs motivation already. Gyms should remove any mental friction that gets in the way of it.
— I’m glad JCC offers this class to the general public and I sure hope they continue to do so.

This facility is HUGE!
Do you want to play racquetball? Shake it at Zumba? Swim some laps in the Olympic pool? Chill in the hot tub? You name it, they’ve got it.
The locker rooms are spotless (bring your own shampoo/​conditioner for showers) and they provide towel service.
The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. I mostly use the pool and hit the steam room after. Pool can get crowded in the evenings because there are some lessons for all ages (which is a good thing) but they keep a lane or two free for those of us trying to get in our laps.
After you’ve sweated and earned your dinner head on over to the INDOOR Subway! Yes, you can grab a footlong sub after your workout without leaving the building. Score!

Love this place — great fitness center
Plenty to pamper your body
Yoga, Pilates, free classes including Zumba, gym, track, machines galore, weights, racquetball courts, pool, hot tubs, steam, sauna, massage, manicures & pedicures.
Tomorrow going to use the racquet ball courts! Can’t wait!

The Mandel JCC is easily the nicest, most welcoming, and most lavishly equipped gym to which I have ever belonged. Since joining (about 9 months ago) I find that I look forward to my semi-​weekly workouts more than usual! I look forward to remaining a member here for as long as I live on the East Side!
I really enjoy the friendly, welcoming environment of the JCC, which is far above and beyond most gyms in my experience.
The staff also keeps the facilities absolutely spotless and clean — a fundamental asset for a fitness center!
The JCC also offers some niceties that many gyms do not: your membership includes access to the pool, sauna, steam room, and whirlpool, which I try to make time for as often as possible. It’s a real added value!
Though I am not much one for group fitness classes, they are abundant here. If it is your thing, you’ll be well covered!

When I was deciding which gym to attend, I went to 3 different places in the Beachwood area. LA Fitness was too intimidating, LifeTime Fitness was too expensive. The JCC is great, clean, and I don’t feel pressure during my workout from anyone but myself. The atmosphere is very different in the mornings vs. the evenings (older vs. younger) but I like both crowds.
When you sign up, you get two free sessions with a personal trainer in order to go over the machines, and help you manage your fitness goals. They also offer a bunch of other free trials for different classes and aquatics.
I use their AMT’s, ellipticals, stair mills, rowing machines and general strength equipment. I will try the classes and the pool as well.
Tip: If you go to the gym in the evenings, you might want to bring your own face towel, since they can run out later in the day. In the morning there is no need to bring your own.

My son did preschool here. Good experience. He does winter and summer camps there now. Nice facility. Friendly people

Excellent equipment and staff. I really enjoy this gym, which has all the perks of lifetime and urban active yet has a sense of community. I only wish their weekend hours were better.

I gotta say. I really love this place. The machines are state of art. The staff is very friendly. I agree, this club is a best kept secrete.

I really loved this gym when I was a member, the major downside for me were the hours.
Weekends close at 6PM. That was always tough when I wanted to take the family out for a workout weekend.
I like the pool. Fits all ages & sizes, although I would like a 12 foot deep end (their’s goes to about 5 – 7 feet deep.
They have great competitions, including the Indoor Triathlon. That was really fun, and low stress.

This is an amazing facility! They have done many renovations and everything looks brand new. Their hours were changed from the previous post and are very accommodating. I was extremely impressed with the cleanliness and services offered. Tons of classes, great equipment, tv’s in the cardio equipment, well-​kept locker rooms, and plenty of extra amenities such as sauna and steam rooms, manicures and pedicures, and massages! I found the price extremely reasonable for all they offer. Naomi gave me a great tour-​ask for her and you will want to sign up too!

I love that the JCC offers options for my kids whenever school is not in session. As a working mom, it is so comforting to know that my kids always have a safe and fun place to go where the staff know and care about my kids almost as well as me! After all they have been coming here since Kindergarten and are now entering 3^rd grade and the staff is the same! The JCC’s van picks up my kids from their school and brings them to «Schools’ Out» every day after school. Swimming lessons, sports in the renovated gym, arts and crafts, games, homework time all keep my kids super busy! They are never bored and don’t want to leave when I pick them up each day. When their school is closed, the JCC offers full day vacation programs that are just like sending my kids to camp. They have creative themes and occasional field trips. And of course in the summer they can go to one of the many day camps that offer extended care from 7;30 am until 6:00 pm. It is so reassuring to know that the JCC is there for my family when we need it.

I love the JCC. It’s a well kept secret, at least on Unilocal :-)
Pros: Awesome pool, great classes which are included, nice aerobic equipment, 2 raquetball courts, tons of trainers, relaxed atmosphere, kosher Subway, (smallish) indoor track, really nice people, low traffic at night.
Cons: Some hours which are inconvenient, older free weight room, some gender restrictions.
I’ll address the cons. Basically, this is a Jewish community center, which caters to orthodox and non-​orthodox jews. However, you don’t have to be Jewish to go there (I’m not). As such, the facility closes at 5 on Friday, but the way I look at it, I’m not working out then anyway, I’m relaxing and/​or having a cold one. The other thing is that there are certain parts of the gym that are women only and certain times the pool is men only or women only. This is because of orthodox tradition. As long as you know the schedule, it isn’t a problem at all. As for the free weight room, the stuff is a little older, but it’s just free weights. As long as they WEIGH the right amount and don’t fall on me, I’m happy.
Now onto my favorite parts. The cost is the lowest I found, I pay roughly 30 per person per month because they let me and my girlfriend join as a couple (take THAT you stuffy catholic community centers! j/​k). Additionally, this is only a year contract instead of 3 AND I’m not paying to have the latest and greatest exercise equipment around (It really hasn’t changed that much folks, just work up a sweat somehow…). Best of all, since it’s laid back there aren’t a ton of gym rats giving you the stink eye when you’re using their favorite machine nor is there 2 year old sweat caked on the machines (I’m looking at you Bally’s).
Anyway, great place and I’m glad I joined there. If you’re on the east side, I’d highly recommend it.