Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA

I’m a fan of the Y-​M-​C-​A! How could I not do that? I switched gym memberships for the following reasons:
1) convenient open/​close hours
2) there is no time limit on when I can come in given my membership level (once you register, you can come whenever they are open)!
3) LOTS of great group classes with instructors who TRULY care about your well-​being!
4) Spacious locker room, so that you’re rarely having naked encounters you don’t want to have
5) PLENTY of parking! There are even ancillary lots in the evenings and a sign that lights up «FULL» when their main garage is full.
I hope this good feeling lasts (and I hope my body appreciates this)!

Fantastic gym. I brought here a lot of my friends and they satisfied. There are excellent coaches who are willing to help you. Very spacious hall and a lot of air conditioners. I am very satisfied.

It looks really elitist club, service excellent, at the reception will advise, prompt, help to find the locker room. I look narrowly, but I like it.
There is also a nice bonus in the form of pool, sauna, aqua aerobics and group programs.
The impression is positive, I recommend.

I am in love! This gym is amazing and it’s a Y?! Wow! Great schedule of classes. Took a yoga class today and it was great. The instructor was very helpful, gave lots of tips and pointers.

Soooo many beautiful people in one YMCA. This makes me wonder if this is what life looks like at a gym in LA? Except that everyone at a gym in LA probably has way more cosmetic work.
Talk about being built for efficiency.
— Cavernous locker room for you and your 1,000 gym rat coworkers. Perfect for lunchtime rush.
— Plenty of group exercise classes, and they have evening classes for those that get off of work late!
— Questionable lap pool, complete with old guys in a hot tub.
— Towel service! Such a thing DOES exist in Houston YMCAs!
— Levels on levels on levels. There’s a mini track above the basketball courts and weight room that also has room for some core exercise equipment.
— So many cardio machines.
Parking is kinda stressful if you are new to this place; their own parking garage can be bizzay. Turns out it’s free in the lot on Travis directly behind the Y from 5−8PM as well. It’s one of the best Ys I’ve seen though, so go on… walk in like the champion you are, and go do you.

I read reviews for the 24 hour fitness located near me on westheimer (and saw the scary gross pictures) and came running to write a review for the downtown YMCA.
This gym is SPOTLESS and there are always plenty of towels available. Their free class list is extensive (spin, yoga, body pump Pilates, trx) and at a price for a young adult that was 10 $ cheaper than 24 hours. The classes, much to my dismay, kick your a$$! Thank you. I’ve enjoyed the body pump class which is essentially a whole body barbell/​easy weightlifting class that will leave your muscles hurting afterwards
front desk staff for never complaining when I need a new card and you can manage your entire account (and track your monthly check ins) online
They have multiple basketball gyms and racquetball courts in addition to an indoor track. Plus I just feel better giving my $$ to a gym who then invests that into low cost programs for children and senior citizens!

All I’ve ever wanted in a Gym! Clean, friendly staff, group workout sessions, cardio machine & weights, swimming pool, indoor track, large locker rooms, personal trainers available on staff in the women’s fitness center and a kids watch room, snack bar with large indoor and outdoor seating area and attached parking structure with 2 hours free.
Facility has a wonderful diverse mix of clients! So if your just starting out or a seasoned workout pro you will feel right at home.

This is not your typical Y. The facilities are really nice and modern. They have everything you would want in a gym: indoor track, racquetball, basketball court, pool, sauna, an all women’s area, lots of good group exercise classes, a café, child watch. Yes parking can be cluster but they have plenty of free alternatives if you don’t want to deal with the garage during peak hours.

I’ll be brief: hallelujah from heaven’s above! God has heard our prayers!
The Downtown YMCA has recently acquired a third squat rack. Like the early completion of construction at I-​45N near I-​10, I could throw a party and sing praises from the rooftop over this addition. This facility is unarguably the nicest out of all the YMCA’s I’ve been to (Foster, Trotter, & MD Anderson), but its free weights, specifically barbells, was sorely lacking. Adding a third squat rack has made a huge difference in the traffic: no more ridiculous 3+ person deep waiting lines.
I personally think that the Y could benefit from adding a fourth squat rack (please stuff those comment card boxes), but this is progress and a huge step in the right direction!

One of the big draws for joining this gym was childcare. I’m a stay-​at-​home mama so having the option to work out with my kid nearby AND have some alone time was a no-​brainer.
The facility itself is awesome, the other reviews cover that pretty extensively. It’s 5 floors of fabulous fitness and everything you could possibly need is available.
I spend most of my time on the elliptical and in Cycle class. Nearly all of the machines on the 4^th floor have built in TV’s so you can zone out during a workout, I find it very effective distraction. The cycle class on a whole is great, there’s a different instructor each day. I tend to base my attendance on whose teaching since they all of different playlist and not all of them are great.
My baby is only 13 months old and nonverbal so I’ve been unable to get her take of the childcare experience. From what I can see, they seem adequately staffed, the spaces are clean and the kids seem happy. Tours to prospective members are available so feel free to check it ou!

Beware of this YMCA, especially if you just need a short term membership. They are not upfront about their pricing and so a 2 month membership could end up costing you more than $ 125 per month for one person

This place is fantastic. The main reason I joined was simply because it was within walking distance of work. I normally lift weights on MWF and do cardio on TTH.
This place is a fantastic place for me.
It is true that the floor is dominated by the sheer number of cardio machines, but there are enough free weight stations for my needs during my lunch hour 12:30 — 1:30. There use to be 2 squat racks, but since July 1^st, they now have 3. So while I used to have to wait for a squat rack about 40% of the time, this will likely make a wait non-​existent. The 3 bench racks have never been all full during my time there.
The staff is friendly and the place is clean.
Again, I only go during lunch so I can’t say much about how crowded it gets or the advantages of the 2 hour free parking in the attached garage.

If you frequently lift free weights, then the Downtown Y might not be your best bet — it’s spacious, but there are like, 4 too many rows of treadmills.
2 squat racks, 3 bench racks, 2 incline bench racks, dumbbells, straight bars, curl bars… and that’s about it. There are 2 (assisted) Smith machines and a couple of machines that use plates, but the space is definitely geared toward cardio enthusiasts (treadmills, stationary bikes, a couple of rowing machines).
That being said, I actually really like coming to this Y — it’s conveniently just down the street from my office, so it’s hard to beat a morning workout at a gym with shower facilities before heading into work.
One of my favorite things about the Y is the indoor track (10 laps = 1 mile). It’s on its own floor and oversees the basketball/​volleyball/​racquetball courts and the cardio/​lifting area, perfect for people watching! I promise I’m not a creeper — it just makes running so much more interesting than staring straight ahead on a treadmill.
In addition to what I’ve mentioned, there is a whole smörgåsbord of classes, including swimming, spinning, lifting, TRX, Zumba, and yoga. You’re bound to find something you’ll enjoy with what they have to offer.
Parking is kind of a nightmare during peak hours, but from 5−8am and 5−8pm you can park in the adjacent lot across the street on Travis. Parking in their garage is free for up to 2 hours.
If you’re still undecided on whether or not this is the gym for you, take a tour during peak hours (before work, lunch, after work) to see if you can handle how hectic this place can be (spoiler alert, I can’t). Regardless, I still happily come to the Downtown Y since it provides everything I need at a really competitive price.

I love this gym… I used to hate gyms and exercise because I am by far not a gym rat… I joined 24 hour fitness in midtown several years ago and did not last long… I decided to give YMCA a chance because I needed a place to include cardio in weekly routine… I was surprised this gym is extremely clean and I have never had to wait for a machine… I leave work at 4:30pm Monday through Friday and in the peak times and have never had issues with parking or finding a machine to get in a good work out… The design of the building is well thought out so this place has a good flow with a lot of options… It may be somewhat pricey for a monthly membership but the cleanliness and the friendly staff are worth what you pay for…

This gym is great! It’s huge, spacious, and clean. The parking is a little troublesome at first but once you realize you have to hold your parking card down further away from the scanner, it works fine! Cycling class with Sara is awesome! I wish I could take this class everyday!

Been a member for a few months. Overall like the gym. Really clean and nice, good amount of bikes and ellipticals. Personally I feel there are too many treadmills and not enough space to lift weights. When it gets busy it’s really hard to find a spot to lift. Thankfully they have a women’s center and I can escape there, but it’s small. Classes are really great, there are so many and teachers have been ver good. Parking is an absolute nightmare when I go at 5:30, only because there is so much traffic in the area and it takes a while.
I will say I find it extremely annoying and weird that I was told while on the stationary bike that I had to get off my cell phone. Supposedly talking on your phone at the gym disturbs others… Yet the people who work at the gym are allowed to be right next to my machine and carry on a convo loudly with another patron about random stuff for 10 minutes. So talking on your phone is gonna distract all the people with their headphones in listening to music and watching tv? Oh okay… Sorry YMCA but that is WHACK. I’m at work all day and can’t use my phone and now I’m paying you $ 40 a month and your telling me I can’t quietly chat on my phone while working out on a stationary bike?. It’s NOT a library it’s a gym.

I love everything about this gym except that the women’s workout room is ALWAYS too hot and if you turn the fans on, the employees come and turn them back off because they are cold. It’s hard to get a good workout when it’s miserably hot. If it wasn’t for that issue I would have given 5 stars. Management needs to correct this issue.

Tellepson is a very wonderful gym. The layout is nice and is always clean (from what I notice). I do feel as that pool area lately (Dec-​Jan and these past few days) have been a hit or miss for me. I’m never sure when it will be open. I do understand that maintenance has to be done and things happen unexpectedly. I have worked out in the evening before and have gone into the sauna at 9:30 getting kicked out by 9:40. a Life guard would tell me that they need to clean and get out by 10… This bothered me so much that it just made me not like the Y a little more. If you close at 10, close at 10. Don’t kick people out 20 minutes before closing or at least have a sign or e-​mail people that they must be out by 9:40.
Also, while I was the only person in the women’s center doing my workout, 2 «trainers» or employees who were only about 15−20ft away would stare quickly at my pants and one says to the other «Do you see that?» and the other says «yeah» and they both laugh. I felt self conscious and walked into the locker room realizing that when I squatted, my pants were ever so slightly see through. I am grateful to know now, but do not appreciate how they made me feel in the WOMEN’S CENTER… Come on ladies…

I’ve been a member for about a month, and let me tell you: I. LOVE. THIS. PLACE.
Seriously though, I wish I had gotten a membership to the Y when I moved to Montrose 2 years ago. The 5-​story facility is clean and spacious, and their staff is friendly. Parking in the attached garage is free (as long as you’re there for less than 2 hours). They also have an additional lot that you can use in evenings and on weekends. Membership includes classes and access to all Houston-​area YMCAs. They have a wide variety of classes and hold them throughout the day (in mornings, around lunch time, and then after work).
I’ve attended two classes thus far (mat pilates and TRX pilates), and the instructors have been friendly and willing to provide guidance. Another plus: the classes also weren’t uncomfortably packed! In the mat pilates class, you still had space to move around. I plan on checking out additional classes, including yoga, cycling, and barre.
As for the price. The young adult (under 30) membership fee is VERY affordable (it’s $ 38)! To be honest, if I’m still in Houston in a few years (when I turn 30), I’ll probably still keep my membership because I think it’s worth the value.

I’m obsessed! The gym is 4 floors, very spacious, staff is friendly, you never have to wait on equipment, and extremely clean! I play basketball, lift weights, go to nightclub cardio, and use the sauna.(i’m fo sho getting my moneys worth :)
The group classes are amazing! Extremely professional and nothing like your typical gym classes. They actually feel like the actual expensive classes you would pay for outside of a gym. I have done the barre and nightclub cardio classes. I use to pay for define classes, but no more!
Oh they also have a food bar if you’re in bind :)