Windward YMCA

So many awesome people at the YMCA. The YMCA is like family!!! From Kalihi to Kailua… Love it!!!
There is do many different workouts to choose from…
Insanity, Ripped, Strength & Toning, Fit & Silver, swimming, Hot Hula & Zumba!!! & they offer childcare & children’s programs too!!! Something for everyone!

I’ve been a member of the YMCA for at least 5 years. Even when I moved to Los Angeles, I just transferred my membership to YMCA La Canada Flintridge and then back to YMCA Island Wide once I moved back to Kailua. I began my membership at YMCA Nuuanu, which I loved and then signed up for the Island Wide membership so that I could go to both the Windward YMCA and the Nuuanu location after moving from Nuuanu to Kailua. The Windward YMCA is smaller than the Nuuanu YMCA, which at first was a little disappointing and I had an adjustment period. But the Windward YMCA grew on me and I almost never go to the Nuuanu YMCA anymore. Since it’s a much smaller Y, my partner and I really got to know the people who make the Y such a welcoming place. We’ve made so many great friends here. As an unexpected side benefit, since it’s very homey, people are always giving out awesome tasting mangos, watermelons, avocados etc. from their yards after class. The staff has always been friendly and will frequently go out of their way to help us when we need it. The Y has really made us feel like we are part of a community. My husband takes the Tae Kwon Do class, which is included in the monthly/​annual membership fee — this is a bargain! There are a lot of different classes to keep you busy. I also love their huge heated salt water pool. I’m not sure everyone knows about this, but it’s a great deal for families. They have a day care center where you can drop off your kid for a couple of hours while you exercise and that’s included in the membership. Oh and the setting couldn’t be more peaceful and special. There’s a beautiful ancient Hawaiian Heiau in the back.

Thank heaven that for its ONE fitness facility, Kailua has the Y! I’ve been a member for the past three years, and during that time significant upgrades have been made to the facility and equipment, going from a three star facility to a solid four stars in my book. As a non-​profit, community-​oriented organization, working out at the Y is a much different experience from other fitness facilities. The people who come here seem unpretentious, helpful, and friendly.
Although it is small, this YMCA branch has a fair amount of cardio machines, weight machines, free weights, and assorted equipment (resistance bands/​tubes, medicine balls, Bosu balls, mats, foam rolls, etc.) It also has a large common room (used for keiki Summer Fun and a few exercise classes), a group exercise room, and a pool. There is a shower and changing area by the pool but no locker room – only a handful of beat-​up old day lockers near the front desk. (They seriously need to upgrade those babies!) Child care is also available while you work out.
There is a nice variety of exercise classes offered each day of the week, including yoga, Pilates, «boot camp,» Zumba, martial arts, hula, ukulele, and much more. The Silver Sneakers classes are formatted not only for seniors but are open to anyone, including those with disabilities or injuries. The group exercise schedule is posted at
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Since it’s the only game in town, this location is busy all day long. The parking lot is usually full by mid-​morning, so you may have to wait for a space or park down the street and walk over (the church next door allows limited parking in its lot after 10:00am). If you need help at the front desk, there is often a wait since there’s only one person handling everything.
My favorite feature of this location is the personal training service. I’ve worked with a couple of different trainers and have been extremely happy. The folks here are friendly, helpful, and they genuinely care. Whether you want guidance three days a week or a single session, they will offer great ideas and advice.
The Kailua Y is situated in the middle of a residential area just off the Pali Highway near Kalaniana’olé (a couple of blocks from Castle Medical Center and the 7-​Eleven.) Hours are M-​F 6:00am-9:00pm; Sat 6:30am-6:00pm, Sun 10:00am-6:00pm. Closed holidays.
Unilocal 365 Challenge #196

My wife and I came sooo close to starting a year membership here. Had the checkbook and everything.
Lazy staff of three twentysomethings said «We can’t start a membership today because we forgot the key to the drawer.»
They didn’t seem to care.
That’s like $ 1200 of lost revenue for them. I guess YMCA is so big they don’t need to worry about money. I wonder what else they forget on a day-​to-​day basis.
Wife and I took an unguided tour as the lazy threesome were unwilling to show us the facility.
Strange multi purpose room has jocks with large medicine balls grunting about.
Treadmill room looks like modern equipment with TVs on the elliptical machines. This takes couch potato-​ing to the next level.
There was a yoga vinyasa class going on. Teacher wasn’t even watching the students. She was just doing her own practice and students be damned if they can’t keep up. She didn’t notice her injured student in the back. Teacher’s makeup and lululemon outfit looked great, however. I’m sure the injured student appreciated it.
Soon after our «tour» we went to a Kaneohe fitness center and purchased a membership there for half the price.
Thanks for the savings!

The only thing about this gym that works for me is that it is convienant for me. But it is so so small. I also cannot stand that when i come in at 8am and go on the bike, the darn straps are never attached. I have to find them, touch the dirty pedals… ugh. the night shift or morning person should make sure equipment is ready to roll. Very limited machines as well. Too crowded and not enough choices. I thought they were going to expand… guess i was mistaken. Also the showers are so far away. not very convienant. I prefer going to nuuanu.

This review has been a long time coming. I used to work out at this gym about 5 years ago. The staff was awesome and the location is amazing. If I ever get enough money, I will donate a portion of it to this gym. I miss it!

Why, oh why did I spend SO many years at 24 Hour Fitness when I could have been coming here?
The Y has great, new machines (many with built in tv’s, making my cardio go oh-​so-​much-​faster), a POOL, childcare (even though I don’t use that as I don’t have kids), a POOL, isn’t crowded, and it has a POOL. Did I mention that already?
Seriously, I’ve only been a member here for a week, but I’m über-​impressed already. For about the same price as 24-​Hour (less if you have a family), you get a lot more — and no crowds or pretentious people meandering around pretending to work out.
Score.

I prefer the YMCA over 24 hour fitness because it caters to families. When comparing the prices of what I used to pay at 24, it’s pretty similar. What I did not like about 24 was how crowded it got. At the YMCA, I have never had to wait for a machine and although the group classes fill up, if you arrive early enough it’ll guarantee you a spot in front of the mirror. The only downside to the Kailua YMCA, locker rooms are far from the workout area, behind the pool to be exact.

I recently just started going to the YMCA in Kailua. My first impression was that the building and facility looks extremly run down. The office is dumpy with wires all hanging from the ceiling. The womens bathroom isn’t the cleanest restroom, and I dislike how the bathroom windows are open — so that anyone in the front of the building could potentially see in. There are no locker rooms but there are lockers you can use while you are there. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The exercise equipment room is very small. So if you are claustrophobic at all you won’t like going here. I prefer going around noonish when there aren’t that many people there. Some of the equipment is older but still fairly clean– and its nice to be able to watch tv while on the bike etc.. Overall, I like going there because it is close to where I live, the people are very friendly and the membership price is reasonable. I took a body-​sculpt class with Sue and it was a lot of fun.

This was my old gym and I loved going there. It is small and clean, and the members are polite and respectful. I especially liked their precor machines. Being a member of the YMCA for over 8 years now, I prefer going to Y’s, rather than the other high profile gyms. Just remember, this Y is situated in the middle of a neighborhood and little kids do play/​ride bikes in all over the area.