First, let me say 3 things:
One. I know no gym is perfect.
Two: The Natatorium is a fitness center, not a hard core gym.
Three: I’m only paying a city resident price of $31, so I understand I can’t expect perfection.
The facility is breathtaking inside and out. The city of Cuyahoga Falls is and should be very proud.
The staff is perfect. Everyone was very helpful explaining the facility to me, and today when I asked a question about weight room etiquette.
The weight room is, I’m sorry to say this, embarrassing. I realize the city doesn’t want it to be a muscle gym, but that isn’t the point. There is only one squat rack, and another on Smith Machine. There is no seated, standing, or donkey calf raise machine? How is that possible? The dumbbell sizes were adequate, but I thought the rubber dumbbells were a little fem.
The weight room is very cramped. There is nowhere near enough room for all the benches, so people have to work around each other.
There are zero extra bars. So, when I do deadlifts (12 sets), I have to take a bar from a bench and go to the side with it. Actually, not having an area for deadlifts is very disappointing. The lack of extra bars is crazy. After deadlifts, I kept the bar for barbell curls and forearm work. Imagine how annoyed those needing the bar must have been (I asked permission to use first). The weight room layout is strange. Next to the heavy lifting, are a series of machines (lame in my opinion) that people use as rehab or pansie lifting/shaping. Again, I understand this is necessary in a fitness center, but I feel they should have separate place for light lifting. It lessens intimidation for them and would open up much needed space for the big boys.
The cardio area is fantastic: There are bikes, ellipticals, high end treadmills. There seem to be no problem getting a treadmill during the week. On Sunday, however, given the late opening, it is difficult to get and 30 time limit is enforced (understandably).
Members: completely different from early weekday to weekend. I’ll focus first on the weekday crowd. At 5:30, it was a great mix. I LOVED working out with jacked monsters. They motivate me. There were hot women who were lifting for real, not the typical, tee-hee, high rep, no weight, female workout. Also, typical in a facility like this, there were quite a few retired people. They really motivate me, too.
As I’m painfully shy, socially awkward, I have had zero contact with any member in 4 days. I look down, away to avoid any and all eye contact. The only person who talked to me asked if I was a runner (new Asics, Nike top, 2 Live Strong was a giveaway).
On the weekend, the clowns were out. Countless guys with sleeveless shirts that had no business being sleeveless. Dudes endlessly small talking, clogging up the changing area in the locker room. Clowns throwing down with women as they worked out…every possible social faux-pas.
I’m sure I will stick with the very early morning weekday crowd.
I’m very excited about my new gym, the great price, and cool people.
