I went into this gym last week with a guest pass. I thought I would just be able to work out and do a trial run but I got roped into the sales pitch for at least 20 minutes. During that time the rep was very pushy and kept trying to get me to weigh myself and do the body fat analyzer, which I’m sure is a tactic to shame people into buying a membership (as a young woman this made me especially uncomfortable). When on the tour I noticed everyone was between the ages of 20 and 30, which leads me to believe that the rep was serious when he had said they have a specific type of clientele ("you won't see any 100 year olds here"). There was even a sign in the women's bathroom warning of the dangers of steroids use. After I finished my workout (which the rep had actually said was short) I was brought once again to the desk where the rep offered me a "deal" but refused to tell me what it was unless I signed up first. The facilities were as nice as any other gym but any good thoughts I had of the machines and setup were eclipsed by my stressful experience, and actually discouraged me from ever returning (even though I was in an LA Fitness back home with none of these problems). Beware, this is the Globo Gym of Naples. I work out at the gym to be healthy and happy, not to feel antagonized because I haven’t achieved 5% body fat.

Very nice gym - typical LA Fitness. I usually go and swim at all gyms, so of course, I went swimming at this LA Fitness. The pool area is pretty nice, well lit, and very open (plus hot tub). The water temperature was perfect for swimming laps, although the air temperature in the pool area is pretty warm. The only problem is that there are no flags at the pool so you really need to watch out when you are swimming backstroke or just kicking on your back. Also, the pool is 25 m. long! The showers are a little bit messy, but they do clean the area pretty often.

The club has nice equipment which is generally in good working order. I wish there were some way that management could discourage members from sitting on machines texting and talking on their cell phones while others are waiting to use the machines. There tends to be too much socializing while on the machines rather than working out which frustrates people who have busy schedules and want to get their workouts finished. But what really bothers me are the slobs who leave the sinks dirty after shaving, etc. Nothing more disgusting than watching a nude male shaving with his private parts hanging over the sink. Apparently these people have never been in the military where that type of behavior would earn a good ass kicking.

The club is well equipped with pleasant front desk reception employees. The membership cost value is very good. Staff within the gym area itself are generally nonexistent other than trainers and they show zero interest in anything other than working with their clients. It is not unusual to see trash on the floor. This typically consists of paper towels, empty bottles etc. that were discarded by teenagers (of all ages), with expectations their mothers would be picking up after them. I have never seen a staff member (other than the janitor), pickup any trash. This extends to weigh equipment left in common walkways. These represent tripping and potential litigation hazards for LA Fitness. If there is a manager (and I go 3 times a week), I have never seen him or her. Having an engaged manager could certainly result in improving the usability and quality of the facility. For example, I have never witnessed a single LA Fitness employee take any action to see that gym etiquette standards are complied with. That responsibility is apparently left to the televisions that periodically remind customers of what they should have learned at home or in preschool. The televisions primary purpose seems to be hawking commercial products. It might be beneficial to have a few signs on or near the equipment reminding members of club rules. Regardless of how busy the gym is it is not unusual at all to see customers sitting at equipment texting, reading e-books, resting, conversing etc. Some also like to place their towel or water bottle on one seat, while they workout on another piece of equipment. This allows them to monopolize two machines simultaneously. Again, I have never seen any gym employee or trainer address these issues. Last but not least, the hygenic standards of some customers leaves something to be desired. Though most are considerate of other members, it is not uncommon to see some members sweating profusely and going from one machine to the next leaving pools of perspiration in their wake. Nasty. Again, I have never seen any LA Fitness employee address this. Apparently, LA Fitness corporate policy is to ignore these problems as it might offend a member and cause them to quit. Perhaps so, but what is really lost? If in fact this is management policy, it ignores the members that quit because they can no longer tolerate the customers that abuse/ignore their membership privileges. I wonder if management has ever conducted any surveys to determine why people quit.

Would someone from the health department pay a visit to LA Fitness on Golden Gate Parkway for a health inspection? As a member, this past week has broken the straw on the camel’s back. Four days without toilets and shower stall drains backing up. Today, Friday, toilets and drains working but NO hot water! I think the only thing those folks would understand is either a health code violation report or a NDN investigation. For a national company this is a disgrace.