So we’re always ranting about how much we fear getting fat. Ironically, if you’re reading this, you are or want to be someone who works 90-hour weeks. So sooner or later, like everyone in this godforsaken city, you will join (and quit) and join a gym. And yes, there are other places to get this kind of information, but if you’re like us, you need DETAIL, not just some blurb. So we are taking it upon ourselves to reviews the better chains in the city… all for you.

NEW YORK HEALTH & RACQUET CLUB

Locations: 9 in Manhattan

Service: Staff are across-the-board friendly and accommodating, but they will give you the hard, hard sell here.

Luxury: This ranges from club to club. Most (if not all) have steam rooms, saunas, jacuzzis, etc, which are a must for true relaxation. The best and most spacious ones are probably the one downtown, on Whitehall, the 23rd street one, off 6th Avenue, and the one at 56th Street. The one at Cooper Square is the most Equinox-y of them all. Some locations can be quite dumpy.

Clientele: Again, depends on the club. Young professional types abound here (as well as plenty of logo’d tote baggers), but you don’t have much glamour going on. NYHRCers are there to work out, in the moderate and half-hearted way that they do. And while there’s plenty of sly eyeing going on, it’s among people wearing regular shorts and t-shirts, not Under Armour. You’ll also encounter a fair share of crazy Euro women who are super into fitness, which contributes to the ordinary feel. Classes: Standard mix of yoga, cardio (step, dance), cycling and core. Quirky offerings include Urban Rebounding, aka bouncing around on a trampoline.

Of Note: There is a pair of squash courts in the 50th Street location and racquetball courts at the 56th St. one. Pools in every location, although they range in size from club to club, which can be both a good and bad thing. The larger pools are more “serious,” therefore more crowded with hardcore types. The tiny pool at 45th, on the other hand, remains fairly quiet. The largest pools are at 23rd Street – 55 feet, and 50th St – 50 feet. If you’re a serious swimmer, you probably want to join clubs with 75’ or collegiate size pools with 6-7 lanes, i.e. the Vanderbilt, McBurney YMCA, or Equinox’s new location in Time Warner Center.
BankersBall’s take on Sports Club LA and Equinox, coming soon…