Big Sky

I joined this gym last month. Very clean gym. Friendly staff. I don’t have kids so I don’t know how the child care is, but it is available. It’s open late (ish) which is nice for when I stay late at work and can still make it over. What I do really love is the TVs in the cardio equipment and the WiFi. Listening to music doesn’t eat my data now and the TVs make the cardio bearable. It could use a more organized weight area in the squat section. My first impression was that I had to walk around and find weights to use. First world problem I guess.

I’m a fan! Joined late last year and have had a great experience so far. The personal trainers are great and extremely helpful. Plus the classes are fun and get you moving!

Great staff. Been to all their clubs. Obviously ownership puts money back into their clubs. Equipment and facilities are first rate. Great deal for membership rates compared to other gyms in their areas

You pay for what you get.
They make giving them $ very easy: forgot your towel to shower? add it to your no pockets account. Want someone to watch your kid? want a group class or trainer*? Add an extra couple hundred $ to your already $ 35/​month plan, oh but, «your plan could cost less», just sign another 2 year contract … what if you travel for business? they won’t freeze your payments …
Sorry, I don’t doubt that Big Sky has qualified staff but, I’ve been to gyms that are free or $ 10/​month that offer higher quality equipment, personal training, nutrition and no contracts.
The personal training is not worth the $. I paid the extra $ 175/​month just to find out that the newer trainer was providing tryout sessions for free. I was paired with older ladies that did not have the same workout caliber as me and I ended up gaining 5 lbs and not learning a thing. Granted, I only did this for 12 weeks and I could have been more diligent, but, I’ve had better learning and workout experiences for far less $$$.
Pros:
Clean
Free Classes*
Shakebar
Tanning
Good restrooms that provide shampoo/​conditioner and hairdryers
Childcare
Cons:
Contracts
No Wifi
Crowded
Very little workout space
Small parking lot
Outdated equipment
Overpriced
(Pet peeve: no good magazines and magazine racks are not in all cardio areas)

Hey, you can lift weights or destroy your eyes watching tv while running or biking.
The trainers suck, don’t care if you lose weight or exercise proper technique, and the atmosphere is whisper quiet. Normally I wouldn’t care because if I do cardio I just turn off the tv, pop on music and go, but the last time I was here was particularly annoying.
1. I like to workout hard. I don’t grunt or scream, but I utilize the equipment they lay out. They put out battle ropes, so I used them. They put out med balls, so I used them.
2. I had 2 trainers and 3 members come up to me during my workout to tell me to be quiet and stop making noise. When you’re a gym, specifically one that offers equipment that in order to use properly requires you throwing or moving it violently, you should NEVER complain when you see a client working hard and using it properly.
3. The trainers, before and after complaining to me, went back to teaching their clients how to do exercises with improper form, their clients didn’t sweat the entire workout, and the trainer wasn’t even watching them ¾ of the time!
I’m not sure how you’re supposed to do business as a gym, but I believe you should make sure if someone’s paying you $ 400+ a month to get them in shape; you make them work hard and pay FULL attention to them so they don’t hurt themselves.
It’s unfortunate that I, as a member, know more than these jerks. And, while some may call me a jerk for making noise, remember that I was working hard. If these members were actually working out and the trainers actually training, there wouldn’t be these problems. Maybe they should go back to watching tv as they walk.

I have been a member for over four years and it’s it by far the best gym that I have ever been to. The staff is welcoming and helpful, the instructors are awesome and the members are very friendly.
I am currently working with a trainer, Susan Allen in group training. I have been doing this program for one year and have lost body fat, inches and unwanted pounds! I also take classes all week long and love them all. I mostly attend the morning classes, but have also taken the evening classes as well.
I also love the variety of equipment and the layout of the gym. The locker rooms are clean and spacious and it it my home away from home!

I’ve been a member of the Simsbury Big Sky for two years, and I absolutely love it. I’ve been working with Dan Lee, a personal trainer there, and have lost 62 pounds!
What I love most about this particular gym/​Big Sky branch is that it is not too close to any college or universities, so you don’t get the big meat heads grunting & yelling & throwing weights around or the sorority girls on the ellipticals with makeup on, hardly working out because they are about 80 pounds anyway.
At this branch, people are real. It’s high schoolers training for sports, moms & dads getting in shape, a couple of serious regulars… and everyone is supportive. No one is judgemental or there to «show off». People are just there to work out, and that’s that – exactly what a gym should be.
There is a wide variety and large number of machines, although when the 9 to 5ers get there it gets rather crowded. I haven’t done any of the classes, but coworkers of mine have, and they loved them! They have a full smoothie/​shake bar, supplements, and protein bars for sale. The locker rooms are really nice, and I actually don’t mind showering there because they clearly keep up maintenance and cleaning. They also have a tanning bed and child care.
Overall, a great gym with a GREAT staff, and great community of people looking to get in shape & stay in shape!