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December 2023 by Samantha Bonelli
Great gym and pool! Staff are always helpful and welcoming.
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November 2023 by Juan Andres Falcon
I mostly want to share this review to address what I think are inaccuracies in other peoples' reviews. I've been working out for 4 years and recently moved to Cambridge and I can say this gym has all the equipment I need for every workout I do (the only thing they don't have is the lying leg curl but they have seated leg curl so just use that one). I like that it has a separate stretching room.Other reviews say that some of the rooms are loud but that's expected if you go to any gym. You can wear noise-cancelling headphones which really helps. Someone also mentioned they play the song Closing Time every day. Maybe that was true before but it's certainly not true now. Another review said that it gets crowded but to be honest this is the least crowded gym I've been to (I've worked out at very different times and it's still less crowded).Finally, I like that they have a boxing room and they also offer boxing classes. I can't recommend the pool because I don't swim and some reviews mention the schedule is crowded which is probably true.
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August 2023 by Elizabeth Owens
I was in Cambridge for two weeks on vacation, so I got a monthlong membership at the YMCA so I could maintain my regular training schedule. Here are a few thoughts as a "visiting member":*I appreciated the variety of workout areas and equipment at the Y. I train for powerlifting normally, and I needed a place that would have all the necessary equipment for the workouts my coach sent me. The Y had everything and then some.*The environment felt comfortable and like a safe place to work out. Nobody was aggressive or scary. Gym-goers were generally polite and considerate. Front desk staff were exceptionally friendly.*My only mild complaints were that the temperature and wi-fi connectivity could vary significantly from room to room. I appreciated the fans in the free-weights area and brought my own little fan as well. (Us Californians are kind of spoiled with our dry heat, though, so this is likely a personal issue!) And for the wi-fi, it was good to have access in some areas rather than none.The YMCA does a nice job of providing hospitality, a solid fitness environment, and flexibility to us out-of-town visitors. It can be hard to find good gyms that have all this and don't cost an arm and a leg.
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March 2023 by Mark Cerutti
Great weights setup for powerlifting, Olympic lifting, or bodybuilding. They took old racquetball courts and just filled them with power racks, barbells, and dumbbells. Cardio equipment is pretty busy at peak hours. Overall the best value gym in the area by far.
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February 2023 by larry i.
If you are visiting from another YMCA and coming to the Cambridge YMCA under the National Membership offered to New England YMCA members be sure to not only bring your drivers license but your paperwork from your home YMCA that includes your membership number, telephone number and any and all family membership documentation so you don't get turned away. Over the entry process I was asked for all the above. The front desk is more than happy to reject you on the spot. I was also asked to spell my name 4 times by two different front desk people. Even though I called Cambridge YMCA ahead and asked "what do I need to bring with me to access to the Cambridge YMCA", on arrival my drivers lic. was not enough to pass through the front desk attendants, who were more interested in dismissing me and rejecting my entry rather than assisting me. After I found my home YMCA managers telephone on my email I had to insist the Cambridge front desk person call, only then did Cambridge allow me access. But not before she told my home YMCA that I was upset. She also had to add to to this unpleasant experience that because I was granted access she would be notifying National Membership I had 1 less visitors entry. The facility is like doing a workout in The Smithsonian of athletic centers. The older heavy equipment areas are all underground, when a piece of equipment is out-of-order its parked in a corner or a hallway creating a junkyard of unusable equipment. As a firefighter I always look at exits and found most disabled or inoperable equipment blocking fire exits. In order to exit the maze of rooms at basement level or street level you must take the stairs or an elevator. There was plenty of soap in the dispensers which is a must have in an unclean gym environment. There was no sanitizing a piece of equipment after each use due to the lack of products or stations available. Larry I.
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February 2023 by Rambler Elk
I recently visited Cambridge YMCA and overall had a decent experience. The staff were friendly and welcoming, always ready to assist with any questions or concerns. The equipment was well-maintained and varied, providing ample options for a full-body workout.However, I was disappointed with the cleanliness of the locker rooms, specifically the sauna and steam room. The tiles and surfaces were not properly cleaned and had an unpleasant odor, and the sauna was not operating properly during my visit. This negatively impacted my overall experience.In conclusion, while the staff and equipment at Cambridge YMCA were great, the lack of attention to cleanliness in the locker rooms was a drawback. I hope that improvements will be made in this area to ensure a more enjoyable and hygienic experience for members in the future.
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January 2023 by Ben B.
Kind of conflicted on the 4 or 5 - for the price point this place is a 5. It's surprising how few good gyms that aren't a billion dollars or jam packed with sweaty students exist in the area. But by a general gym metric, this is more of a 4. The equipment isn't in the best shape, the basement is kind of dingy and sometimes the staff just doesn't have time to deal with you.But most of the time it's just a quality place. Decent classes, all the equipment you could need and it even has a sauna. Fair, the sauna is essentially a converted broom closet, but we're talking about a Y here, I'm just surprised it's not just actually a broom closet.I really found it impossible to find a place that had so much resources in one place, even at a higher price point. I'd imagine Cambridge would be chock full of uppity gym, but it isn't and the ones that are out there don't really hold a candle to what the Y has.
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January 2023 by Maryella Vitoria Lopes Costa
Front desk people are super nice and workouts are always fun.
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November 2022 by Kim Hetrick
Love this gym! Classes are great and offered at a variety of times. Staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. There should be equipment for any workout you want to do. My only complaint is that the hours are less than ideal compared to before the pandemic. I believe this gym used to open quite early and close late - now on the weekends it's only open 8-4 and it closes at 9pm on weekdays, for the same cost of membership as before.
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October 2022 by Zechariah Harris
Lots of character and plenty of good equipment. They recently changed their schedule and now close at 9pm M-Th which is very nice! Solid place to work out with a friendly staff.
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August 2022 by Charles Wyzanski
After the Harvard gyms effectively closed during the pandemic, I finally checked out the Cambridge Y. I am a veteran of too many sports clubs to name in Boston and Cambridge over the years. For someone now well beyond his prime (and likely others) this is the best! The exercise equipment is ample if not elaborate, the indoor rubber track undersized but easy on the knees, the pool while not the full 25 yards not too cold and most often with at least a lane available to share, the locker room and showers clean and ample, the staff invariably helpful and friendly, and the monthly cost, including a locker and two clean towels, very reasonable and the best around. I’m sure there are many classes and the like available, but I’m more than satisfied as is. I think so well of the place that I even make a modest charitable donation!
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August 2022 by Ishan Raval
Great experience snd highly recommended! The front desk staff helped me get setup in just a few minutes after giving a tour of facility. Gym machines are new and very well maintained. It can get a but crowded right after work hours but the size can surely handle it. The personal training staff is awesome as well. I got 4 classes from Chorobi Sagna and it was totally worth it. He helped me get better at my workout and also made a plan for me for next few months!
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August 2022 by Shivam
One of the best gyms in Cambridge, with ample space for a workout, a big cardio area, heated swimming pool. Going here for the last five months, the trainers are also good.A couple of feedbacks, the gym closes at 8:00 pm; I feel it’s early compared to other gyms around; also, on weekends, it gets closed at 3:00 pm, so I had to take two gym memberships if I have to hit the gym at late hours.Be prepared for hunting metered parking spaces. Overall a positive experience apart from the two stated sissies.
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July 2022 by Shivam Patwari
One of the best gyms in Cambridge, with ample space for a workout, a big cardio area, heated swimming pool. Going here for the last five months, the trainers are also good.A couple of feedbacks, the gym closes at 8:00 pm; I feel it’s early compared to other gyms around; also, on weekends, it gets closed at 3:00 pm, so I had to take two gym memberships if I have to hit the gym at late hours.Be prepared for hunting metered parking spaces. Overall a positive experience apart from the two stated sissies.
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May 2022 by Tyler Motes
I wanted to join here because of the pool and it’s very close to my house. I don’t feel save walking down to it now. Drugs are being sold between the Y’s location and the Post Office. I’ve been harassed and followed from that area. When I tried the gym, I also didn’t feel comfortable in the changing room and the pool schedule I learned, made it almost impossible to be able to use the pool. They also house homeless people and they use the showers. Which is what made me extremely uncomfortable in the locker rooms. I’m transgender, so safety in locker rooms is my number one concern when joining a gym. I wanted to use the pool, but it’s 100% not worth putting my safety at risk. Do yourself a favor and go to another gym!
