Gold’s Gym

Update: For legacy Gold’s customers, they tried a promotion to add Redwood City to your existing membership for $ 10 more a month. Not really a great value since that pushes it to $ 39.95 a month. For $ 49 a month you can get a 24-​Hour all-​access membership which is an overall better value. That being said, Crunch (née Gold’s) is still a fantastic, top-​notch location, just not as much of a value anymore.
They’ve also started some pretty heavy cross-​promotion inside the gym. You’re bombarded by ads to visit different web sites to sign up for additional «freemium» services like one that helps you track your fitness progress. It’s sorta like being in a big iPod of a gym. «Ooo! Buy this! Oooo! Try this! Oooo we’re promoting this now!»
Meh. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but this location is just so nice and SO convenient to where I work and live.

Just posted this on the «Crunch» review board as well, but thought it should also be placed here, considering they are one in the same…
I signed up for this gym back when it was Gold’s and before it had even opened. Needless to say, everything about it has gone down hill in recent years.
Sometime within the last year (back when it was Gold’s), I got a postcard stating that my monthly dues were going up so they could limit the amount of members and reduce overcrowding etc. I then flipped on the TV to find them running commericals trying to drum up new business??? Something about that does not make sense.
This gym is way overcrowded during peak hours (you have to wait for machines) and often times the equipment is broken and waiting for repair. In the past 5 — 6 years I have been a member, I have only seen a handful of new machines come through the door.
My husband recently talked to the new Crunch staff in regards to the dues and got some vague answers about how they couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t raise rates. He then asked if the increase in rates would help buy new equipment and received more vague answers.
I physically went in yesterday to cancel my membership and was handed a card with a phone number and shooed out of the way. I called the number this morning and spent the next 7 minutes of my life trying to cancel the membership. They even attempted to try and convince me to transfer the membership to someone else in my family. I think I had to state «just cancel the membership» about 7 or 8 times before she finally conceeded.
The only good thing that happened was I got the cancellation confirmation email quickly. (FYI, they do require a 30 day cancellation period — apparently I paid my last month’s dues when I signed up so I won’t be charged for yet one more month)…

NOT CLOSED! NOT CLOSED! NOT CLOSED!
This gym was purchased by the «Crunch» chain and is now a Crunch.
They don’t seem to have changed anything.
Still 5 stars in my book.
Art

I used to like this gym but I really don’t like that I can’t go to other gold’s gym anymore. Further more, they let go one of my favorite fitness instructors, Bo. Now I don’t know what other classes to take. BTW, the new zumba teacher sucks!!! I can’t even stand ½ hr. Bo’s class is fun, even though it is overpacked. The new gal, boooooring! She keep on asking us are we having fun, only a few ppl responds. LOL! She needs to ask again and ppl are giving her coutesy claps!
I might really leave crunch. We will see…

I don’t know what all the complaints are all about — yes, this previously Gold’s gym was recently sold to Crunch and yes, Crunch’s monthly dues are astronomical — $ 95 if you want access to all the gym vs $ 31 that I used to pay at 24 Hours (as is their sign-​up fees of $ 249. Seriously?).
But I walked in this afternoon and let me start by saying I am the worst negotiator, unlike my mom, and I have (1) no patience and (2) too much pride when it comes to haggling. I didn’t have to do any. They let me have the membership for $ 29.95 a month and no sign-​up fees.
$ 29.95 a month for a nice gym with towel service, two studios, one spin studio, and loads and loads of new equipment is a fair price to pay and certainly is an upgrade from the shitty old Parkmoor 24 Hour Fitness gym with its old equipment and questionably shady characters as patrons that put me off gyms for the last three years.
So before everyone starts crying and wailing about the fact that this is Golds no more, hit up one of the sales people and hear them out. No negotiating necessary.

Clean
Nice staff
Good price
Nice balance of cardio and weight lifting equipment
Whole foods is near.
One problem, they need to make the men and women locker room more distinct becuase so many men have nearly walked in the womens dressing room.

Thank you Gold’s Gym. You have really whipped me into shape.
Joined the gym December 09 and almost 6 months later I can see a big difference. I’m probably in the best shape I’ve been in since High School.
Not only is this one of the cleanest gyms I’ve gone to the teachers are incredible! I’ve taken up pilates and spin here at Golds and I’m loving it. Can you believe I actually enjoy going to the gym now?
Mary and Nora are both wonderful pilates instructors. Each are very different in how they teach pilates but you’ll benefit from taking both. Thanks to Mary and Nora I’ve slimmed down and worked with muscles I never knew existed.
Sara, Bara, Lucas and Kevin are some of the spin instructors I’ve gone to. They are all great! High intensity the whole hour and they will really push and motivate you to keep at it. Great hour of intense cardio that I recommend for everyone to try!
Gold’s gym San Mateo has the whole package. Great staff, teachers and equipment. Most importantly they keep everything CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN! That’s all you can ask for when working out with tons of sweaty people.

The San Mateo location is on the same street as a cute apartment community, a Whole Foods, and office buildings. There are two one way streets to get in and out of the gym with a faux river in between. The street screams upscale.
Inside the gym is dark. The lower level has a bunch of cardio equipment, the top level is where all the weight machines live (as well as a stretching area and more cardio).
They seem to be really picky about how you work out. I’m a total newbie at this working out thing. My friend showed me how to use a few machines. The owner climbed up the stairs and told the two of us that it’s not ok for my friend to show me how to work out. I reasoned that this was to encourage paying their personal trainers, but I wasn’t able to grasp the idea that friends can’t help out friends.

2010 New Year’s Resolution: Get Fit
This is more a birthday present to myself in 2010.
If it wasn’t for Golds and their awesome group classes, this wouldn’t be possible. The wifey and I enjoy two things at this Gold’s:
— Les Mills Programs (see:
) because of the great instructors: Alex K (see:
) and Jozi L. (who was recently replaced with Orna S.). We miss ya Jozi! The Body Pump Classes are great resistance workouts that change from release to release, with new music and different routines.
— The Cardio Kickboxing class with Erik Wahlberg. This class is great for its consistency. The one thing that has changed over the last year is the number of people attending the class. It’s been increasing week over week because of all these darned people with their New Year Resolutions!!!
Tip: Get there early! Kickbox classes available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
The gym has other group classes such as Spinning, Capoiera, and Hip-​Hop. Yoga studio available on the second floor. All the heavy lifting and resistance training also happens on the second floor.
For those with OCD, this gym is relatively clean. The staff do a great job at keeping the place neat and tidy.
Get Fit! Stay Healthy and Strong in 2010 and beyond ! ! !
See The GOLD LIST:

The gym is okay, the service is fine, but really what I was impressed about was my trainer (Amanda) who did an excellent job. This place can get rather crowded and honestly, it is kind of rough on the pocket. I’m also kind of afraid of how the cancellation went (it’s been a month later after I cancelled and somehow still got billed for the last month even though I paid the last month upfront).

I was a member here from when they first opened until 2008. The times when it’s most crowded are predictable– mid morning and 5 – 8 pm. Still, when it was time to start gym membership again, the only reason I joined 24 Super Sport instead of Gold’s is because they’re open 24 hours per day, and Gold’s closes at midnight.
If you go during the summer mid day or during peak hours, expect to have people hovering around your cardio machine while they wait for one to open up. It can get crowded.
One complaint is that the cleaning people will clean cardio machines right next to yours even when you are working out. I am sensitive to fumes so it really irritates me (my lungs) when they do that. I do appreciate clean machines, but not to the point of having cleaning solution sprayed less than 3 feet away when I’m breathing heavily.

I joined the San Mateo Gold’s Gym about 6 months ago and it’s just great. It’s clean, the staff is friendly and the classes are great.
The classes are the real selling point of the gym. My favorite instructor is Bo. He teaches Zumba and Hip-​Hop. Both classes are high energy and lots of fun. Angilee’s Hip-​Hop class is also great. I found the best way to get results quickly is their Body Pump class, Jozi and Alex are my personal favorites.
The price range is reasonable and on scale with the rest of the gyms in the neighborhood, although Golds gives you more bang-​for-​your-​buck. There is also plenty of parking, since it’s in a shopping center with other retail stores. This is a great gym to join, I’ve lost about 15 pounds since I joined and have more muscle and tone as well. I would definitely recommend it.

I’ve been a member of gold’s san mateo since the first day they opened. I have to say overall it’s a great gym… clean, nice/​good selection of equipment, friendly staff & trainers, etc. However, it is super crowded!: (
The main reason I am writing this review is to just say how much I love spin w/​Rachel! You have never taken her, you must! i’ve been taking spin for a looong time and she is by far one of the best teachers I have ever had! If you do decide to take her class, be ready to get your ass kicked though!
Great gym, great classes, just too many people!

Only a few reviews deserve a fabulous update and since I can’t seem to stop raving about this gym, here’s one more!
Last Friday, I took Douglas’s Samba Class and may I say something here?
It was another home run!!!
As a brand new Samba Novice, I didn’t know what to expect. A little scared, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to keep up and even though I am not new to «dance» per se, you just never know when trying-​out an entirely new dance style (i.e., Samba or Zumba), class or instructor.
Douglas is an AMAZING Samba dancer and teacher! His lines are absolutely beautiful and I would love to be able to Samba like him! His technique, form and execution are FIERCE!
Douglas’s choreo and class had me sweating up a storm (an absolute must for a great dance class, run, or solid cardio work-​out)!
If you’re open to checking-​out something challenging or new, Douglas’s Samba Class on Fridays and Bo’s Zumba Class on Tuesdays are Must-Try’s!

I have been a member here for over 2 years. This facility is modern, machines are up to date, and usually very clean. Every time I go there, I see the staff wiping the machines or mopping the floors. This location has two floors. The first floor contains the locker rooms, spinning room, group fitness room, treadmills, ellipticals, and stationery bikes. The second floor is bigger and contains the yoga studio, treadmills, all the free weights and weight machines. There is also an area with mats to stretch.
A few months ago I started exploring their classes. One of my current favorites is ‘Les Mills Bodypump’.
All the Bodypump instructors are good but my favorite instructors are Karin and Alex. Even though Karin’s class was packed the first time I participated she walked over and introduced herself. Alex is also a great instructor because he brings tons of energy to the class.
My membership is $ 32 per month and I feel that it is the best $ 32 I spend every month. The best part is I can work out in any of this franchise’s facilities from SF to Redwood City. They also have a single club option which is $ 29 per month.

Have you ever tried to kill a FLY with something other than a fly swatter?
Not the fastest nor the cleanest way, but it sure was fun. And you didn’t even realize that you burned calories in the process.
When I was a kid, I used a rolled-​up magazine, torched it with an aerosol can, and even captured a fly with a jar. Each time my eyeballs got a good work out, tracking where that annoying fly will land next.
x I x
Results = /​I \ = Dead fly
/​\
Same principles apply when working out in the gym. Get fit in a short period of time if you know how to isolate your muscles during your routines. There are fun ways that makes your time FLY. You really don’t need to stay in the gym for a few hours, unless you work there!
I am not a gym FLY, but I like this gym because the facility is spacious and clean. Great selection of machines. No long waits. Gym and locker room doesn’t smell gross.
A yoga/​pilates studio and weight machines are upstairs, while spin class and cardio machines/​treadmills are downstairs. I like the free-​motion and squat racks. In one corner upstairs, I stretch out on the mats and use the BOSU fitness equipment.
Unlike 24 Hour Fitness, each treadmill have a mini TV screen, where you can plug in your earphones on the various music channels. There is even a few large flat screen TVs for news and sports. You will appreciate the towel service, as well.
Get your cardio, yoga and aerobic work out here. Try to find your local Gold’s Gym to sign up for a week trial for FREE. See if you feel comfortable with the local members and staff. Sometimes it is hit and miss, depending on time and day. Monthly membership is under $ 30/​mo. And enrollment is now $ 0.
At this location, there is a mix of young and middle age and a good balance of males and females. Who knows, you may meet a FLYGIRL!
There are also knowledgeable personal trainers who can advise you how to exercise, showing you the proper form for each machine. You can easily mess up your back or strain your muscles by doing it incorrectly. Look at each package closely before signing on the dotted line. Watch out for the sales pitch and close.
This gym is near Whole Foods and the 101 Freeway.
The downer is NO POOL. You won’t find Michael Phelps here.
Wouldn’t you rather work out in this gym than swatting flies as a source of fun and exercise?

I’m giving this 5 stars out of my experience with gyms overall. And I know gyms, I guess because I’m a gym slut? I’m safe though, don’t worry. I wipe things down when I’m done with them.
Yet again we delve into the past… I started lifting weights at the tender age of 16, when I was one of 2 girls in my high school’s weight training class. Our «teachers» were the football and the wrestling coaches, so I basically only learned the big bad buff guy stuff– bench press, deadlifts, squats, crunches, military press… and maybe a few others that I can’t remember. It’s been like 10 years. When I first started, I couldn’t even lift the bench press bar. I had to start out with the curl bar, all 25 pounds of it. Back then I was the same height but about 35 pounds lighter, basically a walking skeleton with blond hair. By the end of my senior year, I think I could 1RM: 60 on bench, 215 on deadlift, and maybe 90 on squats. This was before the inevitable injuries I would obtain from various stupid/​drunk/​fall in my driveway episodes.
Later on in my years, I became a personal trainer, which I think is a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I got to know a TON of different exercises for each body part and how to do them properly, and a curse because I know so many different exercises that it’s hard to keep my workout fresh. I tend to bore myself, and often think of getting a trainer. Or maybe it’s because I like getting told what to do.
ANYWAY, what I love love love about Golds is all the equipment and the classes that they offer. When I was a member, they had a cardio striptease which was actually fun. I didn’t really consider it to be a workout, but as I HATE doing cardio with a passion, it kept things fresh. They also have a plethora of both cardio and weight equipment– my faves like hammerstrength, freemotion, plus plenty of dumbbells, squat racks, and just regular old weight machines.
I also found the staff to be somewhat sullen at times, but as I’m not a chatty cathy at the gym anyway, it didn’t bother me that much. I absolutely ABHOR when people talk my ear off when I’m trying to get my workout in. Can’t they see that I OBVIOUSLY need as much weight training time as possible to pack on the muscles? I also would be hesitant to get a trainer there without some serious research, as at least one I saw looked bored every single time he had a client, and another did NOT re-​rack the weights after a client was on a piece of equipment. HUGE pet peeve of mine. I’m sure there are trainers there who are good, but as I paid little attention to much other than a) my workout and b) avoiding a guy I went out with once who was the most boring person on the planet, I didn’t scope out the others.
For the size and the price, I would definitely recommend.

Spoiled… that’s what I thought when I walked in and looked around this Gold’s Gym. I was with a friend on a guest pass and was impressed byt the sleek lay-​out. It’s a beautiful gym, very well kept with new uniform machines and up-​to-​date interior design that includes slate, chrome, glass and large projector television everywhere. It almost felt weird sweating inside this pristine environment but, I was able to get over it and enjoy my work-​out. What can I say, I’m used to smelly gyms I guess.
There are a couple of things that keep me from joining… 1) They close before 10pm on the weekends… I think 8pm one night and 9pm the other, that sucks. 2) I can join for a good monthly rate and use all peninsula Gold’s but then if I want to use one in S. Bay, I have to pay a fee each time I go? No way! LoL
Still, the gym was nice. I did have to wait for an elliptical to free-​up… but since the elections were going on the million TV’s, it wasn’t so bad.
Might see ya there (as a guest).

I’ve been going to 24hr fitness for a couple years and got sick of the poor facilities. I’ve been at Gold’s for 6 months so far. Here are the differences I’ve noticed:
1) Gold’s has 3 classrooms, so you can do yoga, cardio, or spin, while 24hr San mateo has only one class at a time.
2) tkb classes are comparable but tkb is a bit more energetic at 24hr due to the trainers. Boxing training and capoeira classes at Gold’s are much better workouts. Gold’s classes have enough equipment (jump ropes, medicine balls, weights) available for all attendees.
3) Gold’s has lots of weekend classes extending into the early afternoon for lazy bastards like me who sleep in nursing a hangover. 24hr recently cancelled all the Sunday classes.
4) The air conditioning system at Gold’s works — even when the classes are full and it’s raining outside. At 24hr the AC sucks so the place turns into a swamp at the first hint of rain.
5) Gold’s has tissues, paper towels, plastic bags, and spray bottles available in case you want to wipe stuff down or clean up. 24hr made a token attempt to put up towel dispensers, which are invariably empty if you need them to wipe down equipment. Mats and equipment at Gold’s do not smell funky (yet). At 24hr mats smell like microwave pizza.
6) No pool or sauna at Gold’s, and the steam room is tiny.
7) Gold’s has plenty of parking even at peak times.
8) Towel service is available for a few bucks extra at Gold’s, and it’s usually easy to find lockers.
9) I have yet to hear the Pussycat Dolls «loosen up my buttons» song at Gold’s.

First of all… THERE IS A NEW GOLD’S GYM in REDWOOD CITY!!!
Okay, I don’t know why this is NOT being advertised nor is it on their website? I heard one of the fitness instructors mention to another employee, «Oh, it looks like a lot of people are starting to go to the new gym…»
I had to research where this was. There are no flyers. There were only two stories/​links when I Googled it!!! WHAT? No, please advertise the NEW gym!!! LoL! According to an article I found, the new gym opened on January 1^st, 2007!!!
I live and work in San Mateo, and if people on the southern end of the Peninsula only knew there was a NEW gym… CLOSER to them… then that would help with the congestion at the gym in San Mateo. The San Mateo gym gets super packed, so hopefully with the opening of the new gym in RWC, all the folks from Oracle and all the other tech companies in Redwood Shores and all the guys who work in San Carlos head over to the RWC gym! Please! LoL!
Anyway, I like this gym. I think they should offer more body sculpting classes. They offer some classes with hand weights, but is combined with high intensity cardio. I rather use the elliptical, treadmill and spinning class for cardio, so it would be nice to have a class strictly focussed on light weights and calisthenics with light weights (squats/​lunges/​etc). 24HR in the City offers a lot of these sculpting classes, and I am surprised that they don’t at Gold’s.