New York Sports Clubs

I have been a member of NYSC since 2001 and consider myself an avid fitness person. Bottom line, for the price, NYSC Cobble Hill is one of the better NYSC locations in NYC and it has virtually all the equipment one needs (rowers, bands, kettlebells, ropes, etc) and gym goers and staff are friendly. There are negatives including overcrowding and cleanliness but positives outweigh negatives especially given the price. Note I am on the $ 19.95/month plan (no towels, no classes, 1 gym only) but have been told that plan has been discontinued. The lowest priced plan is now $ 29.95/month.
Positives:
–they have all the new equipment folks use today including: concept 2 rowers (2), assault bikes (2), TRX (5), bosu balls, kettlebells, boxes, medicine balls, bands, power ropes, sleds, pilates ring, PVC pipe, rings, foam rollers. They even recently installed a Rig (cross-​fit)
–staff is friendly; gym goers are generally friendly — it has the feel of a neighborhood gym
–Flatscreen TVs recently installed in weight rooms
–WiFi
–they have babysitting, tennis courts and squash courts but I cannot opine as I have not used
Negatives
–weight machines are old but they seem to be phasing them out; they do have plenty of machines and ellipticals/​treadmills
–overcrowding on weeknights after work and weekend mornings
–locker rooms are not the cleanest
Recommendation:
–if you go to the gym often and live in the neighborhood, I recommend the $ 29.95/month plan which is great value. If you only use machines, I would recommend signing up across the street at Blink Fitness which is $ 20/​month and brand new. However, they don’t have any of the equipment I mentioned above, which I think is the key differentiating advantage this NYSC has. You could also sign up at Equinox but that’s another pricing level

Horrible experience. So disorganized. They didn’t charge me for two months and then started overcharging each month to make up for their mistake.
A few months in they changed the pricing without notice.
They charged me for a year after I cancelled and will not refund my money.
My advice is that if you do sign up, do not give them account information. Pay month to month, and do not trust them with any of your financial information.
The front desk people are great– the company is awful.
DO NOT EVER GIVE THEM A VOIDED CHECK. THEY WILL DIP INTO YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT WITHOUT CONSENT, AND CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL POLICE ARE INVOLVED.

I joined in Dec 2015 because the Y was charging $ 71 and here its $ 30!!! but here’s the problem. This location is VERY small and highly over subscribed– the mens locker room is tiny and it is always busy to get changed, you have to rush to get in and out=PITA! the locker room is also dirty and smells bad, the showers also smell bad, many lockers are broken, the sauna room fits 3 guys and is always full, the last time I went they had NO towels and when I left they still had no towels… I showered and left wet. They have way too many weight machines and the express line is now blocking the mens locker room entrance!!! so you have to walk all the way down the express line WTF! The cardio machines are really dirty, no one uses hygiene wipes, I am afraid of picking up something bad from this place, I ALWAYS wear flip flops here. I am seriously considering joining equinox and paying for a good place to workout. The Y was better, it was always clean, always had plenty of towels, has a pool, steam room and sauna, was never this dirty and the locker rooms are huge. And is just around the corner. So this place is cheap… that’s it THE ONLY REASON TO GO HERE!!!

Great club… management is helpful with any issues that come up… staff is helpful and responsive… awesome squash courts and tennis.

This gym was super disappointing for a number of reasons:
1. They mess up payments. All. the. time. I requested a membership freeze for the months of October and November, and October 1^st I was billed the monthly fee. I called and they told me I cannot be refunded (awesome), but they will charge me the freeze fee for the next 3 months to make up for it as my membership fee. November rolls around and I get the freeze fee of the wrong membership type, which is more expensive. I eventually decided to just cancel because at this rate, NYSC owes me around $ 20 and I had only been a member since June. No thanks.
2. $ 19.99 per month, sure, sounds great… just don’t count on getting a towel. Yes. They charge $ 2 per towel if you get the basic membership. I’ve been employed by different gyms for years and a towel is ALWAYS a basic amenity that comes with a membership. It’s just unsanitary to not provide one. You can tell by skimping on towels that they’re just trying to cut corners. PS — this was not mentioned to me when I joined, nor was I given a tour of the facility.
3. The employees are less than professional. I told a front desk attendant that there was an old man literally changing his clothes in the stretching area, and he just shrugged and laughed it off instead of checking the situation out. The instructors are sort of wacky… I took a Zumba class which was dreadfully boring and the teacher couldn’t stop checking herself out in the mirror, and a spin class where all the instructor did was scream and make us do sprint intervals. When I cancelled my membership, the manager seemed so weirdly offended and didn’t remind me that I’d be charged $ 30 to cancel.
4. If you don’t mind getting stared down by men every time you go to the squat rack (good luck getting a chance to even use it) then maybe join this gym. I was once using the rack and a group of men were standing around exchanging photos of women’s bodies, commenting on them, and making crude remarks. There is a group of men there that goes to the gym regularly and is usually engaging in this type of behavior… gross.
In other words, if you want a quality, clean, professional gym experience, I advise you to look elsewhere!

DO NOT GIVE THEM your credit card number.
I joined the NYSC because I needed to drop a few pounds, which I did in the year I was a member, using the small weight training circuit, and the eliptical machines. It was annoying to be bugged by one of the trainers every time I was there to take a personal class, because I really did not want to, and he never got the message.
It would be good if they had a sanitizing station in the weight section, like they do in the cardio areas — wiping down sweaty machines is a great way to avoid gym-​borne staph bugs.
BUT the kicker came after a year, when I assumed my 12-​month membership had expired (and I no longer wanted to be a member). READ THE OTHER REVIEWS ABOUT THIS:
I suddenly realized that they had kept charging my credit card. Sure, there was fine print. Very very very fine print. But instead of just canceling my membership when I called them, they refused, flat out. It took me three months to get my membership canceled and refunded with no penalties and no damage to my credit score. There was never anyone at a head office that one could talk to, and it was down to a DAILY email exchange or phone call with the manager at the gym, who did his best, but his hands were tied by the NYSC System (bad bad system). It was a terrible experience.
NYSC is set up to take payment from you even after you no longer want to be member. I doubt highly that this is legal.
[Update: Join Bling, right across the road. No monthly commitment. Pay. As. You. Go.]

I’ve been a NY Sports member since 1987. No more towels in in bathroom, need to reserve classes, front desk won’t give you 2 class tickets even if they are back to back so I wind up being late to the second class. Bathrooms are no longer clean AND the prices for court time just went up, even off peak WTF??? I’m paying more than most (passport membership) and even with my teachers discount twice what new members pay.
FYI front desk staff– I love you guys and get that your just following the rules.

By mistake, I gave an negative review to this gym. The manager was kind enough to contact me to make sure I was satisfied with their service.

It was clean. The staff was friendly and actually had a personality with a sincere greeting. It was not crowded, even after work hours in the «peak time» The women’s locker room is set up kind of weird. But that’s the worst thing I could say about it.

This is my favorite gym, but I honestly only come because of the employees. After long and hard days in NYC, it’s nice coming to a gym where I’m always greeted with either a hug or a hello and then I can relax and enjoy my workout.
I’ve been coming here for two years. I miss Tommy working as one of the managers, but I’m so glad Missel, Jose, and Quiana still work here. If you meet them, be kind! They’re great people.
Facility-​wise, there’s almost always an open machine.
Schedule-​wise– They’re mostly open until 11, so that was my original deal breaker. Their being open so late truly helps.
Cleanliness– I know Quiana works hard and tries to clean every machine. So, if members don’t, she really tries. She shouldn’t have to, though! If you go to that gym, be kind! Help take care of that place.
Sauna– that’s the only thing that makes me deduct a star. I’ve been paying for two years. No matter how many times management has complained to get it fixed, it still does not work.
So, 4 stars. For the staff, specifically the evening crew, 5. Thank you for maintaining an environment where I can relax and feel at home.

I have had a great experience at the Cobble Hill NYSC. I am happy to see they have been investing in upgrading the club and am pleased with the new renovations. My trainer Rolando Santin has worked with me closely for 18 months now and I have dramatically improved my strength, agillity, flexibility, and endurance during that time. I look forward to continuing to work with him and making more gains in the future.

Love this gym. Every1 is friendly. They make me comfortable. And the trainers are the best. I she much results.

I want to thank NYSC so much for making their great deal known the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill. It has been so awesome to see what a great deal you are offering on my way to the Dodge YMCA when I look at your flyers that have made their way from hundreds of car windshields to the streets and sidewalks. You have shown so much respect for our community. I will be sure to recommend your gym to friends in the area.

The equipment is great, and the space is nice — good light, etc.
Their management are not super-​organized, though:
NEVER agree to the personal-​training packages — if you want personal training, just pay for it on a per-​class basis. The packages trigger payments even if you have to cancel or re-​schedule, and your trainer doesn’t get paid anything for cancelations, either. ALSO, when I tried to change my frequency from 4/​month to once a month, they charged a bogus $ 50 service fee. A lot of small details like this were never explained when I initially signed up — and who reads all the fine print?
They’re currently double-​charging me for my membership, and I anticipate that righting this mistake is going to be a miserable experience.
Stupid. Other than the people running it, though, it’s a great gym.

I originally joined the New York Sports Clubs at a neighboring location, Brooklyn Heights. I do like this gym a bit more, because there are more machines. I like the variety of machines, especially the one for the abs. I don’t play tennis or squash, but it’s great to have access to indoor courts if I ever choose to learn either sport. I just appreciate the layout a bit more at this location. The bathroom stalls in the ladies’ locker room is a bit too tight for my preference. I love the adjustment to the water fountain for water bottles, definitely more forward-​thinking. Hoping to take a fitness class in the future.

For nearly four years I’ve been part of this gym. I consider myself low maintenance so I manage the crowding and improvise when equipment is out of order and overlooked the smell of sewage in the locker room. Today’s incident with roaches crashing my sauna session may have just been the end. This place needs a time out and serious renovation.

I don’t get what all the complaints are. I’ve been to many NYSCs throughout the City and I really like this one in terms of layout and light.
The club is definitely clean enough (the floors are sometimes not as clean as one would hope esp in inclement weather and some dust in the corners behind equipment, etc.) — there are no odors. I would love to SMELL what the complainers are smelling just to know what they are talking about, but I’m stupified with this comment.
I’m a daily morning person 5 weekdays. The gym is not crowded at this time — although the only class that needs to be signed up for because it’s so well liked is the 9:30 spin class with Elgin — he’s GREAT — everyone loves him. BUT he has a 10:30 class right afterward that does not need signup — you can always find a seat.
The towel issue. First — they have this new membership for $ 19.95 a month that is limited in scope and doesn’t include towels or pre-​signing up for classes. THAT is why there is a new towel policy. They are no longer up for grabs. When you check in you can get your towels, AND they now have the LARGER towels — not just hand towels. How can you not make it through a workout and a shower with 3 larger towels? That is a mystery to me.
The people at the front desk are really nice, they always let me sign up for my next day’s class so I don’t have to go on line. They meet and greet, for me that’s more than enough. The instructors are for the most part very good, some better than others of course. The machines — if you can’t find enough machines to work your body, you may want to equip a spare room in your house and skip a gym altogether!
There are still some people that are pigs and don’t clean up after themselves, but that’s the case wherever you go — if you can’t tolerate occasionl a**holes, then you should really stay home.
And to all those people who are too lazy to put your towels in the MANY bins all over the gym — YOU are creating a problem for others. There are obviously not enough staff members to run around after all you like they’re your mother picking up your dirty socks. Get with the program or GET OUT!

Like most people I’m writing a review about Nysc Cobble hill to both complain and to warn.
Firstly, I’ve been going here for 2 year or longer. I want to like this gym. But in the context of most Nysc’s this is a dirtier less maintained location than others. I’ll be canceling this month.
Pros
*nice neighborhood crowd
*personal trainers (don’t use them) but seem friendly and considerate.
*there’s one girl at the front desk who is always nice and upbeat
Cons
*cleaning and managerial staff strike me as really lazy and despondent.
*SERIOUS lack of floor space. it’s ironic or just ridiculous to go to a gym and not find any space to do a push up
*frequently out of paper towels in the men’s locker room. how? and occasionally soap.
*frequently out of tissues all over the gym.
*you now receive one towel when you come in. so i need to ask for another towel to shower?
*small annexed room for legs. one power rack one one squat rack. smells.
*small eq goes missing, bumper plates ab roll out. takes months/​longer to replace.
*dirty locker rooms even during off peak hours. gone in at 4pm and towels everywhere
*roof leaks when it rains
*crowding, crowding, crowding. now they’ve rolled out a 19.99/month deal… fuck that.
*recently the sauna is off/​not working at all.

The primary attraction for me of this NYSC outpost is the squash courts, a rare find in a semi-​affordable NYC gym. Unfortunately, there’s heavy competition for court time between the frequent youth classes and the other players.
So beyond that… this place is kind of a mess. It’s cramped and the layout is weird, with little pockets of space/​equipment hidden around the first floor. The equipment is a bit aged, true, but the bigger problem is that there’s basically no one working on the floor. I went to work out one weekday in the early afternoon, and the free weights area looked like a clothing section at TJ Maxx — half the weights were on the floor, the other half were totally out of order, no dumbbell was anywhere near its mate, and there were weights missing. I found myself wondering how this could have happened in a few hours of opening… and then realized the craziness may have been accumulating for days, because no one seemed to be out there to clean/​organize.
The cardio area upstairs is small, and the equipment is older and breaking down (though they’ve installed television systems on everything). There’s very little open floor space to stretch and so forth.
I’m glad to know my membership gets me into here to use the courts, but I’ll mostly use the other outposts for my normal workouts.

Finally quit. NYSC is shady, dishonest, lazy, and greedy. I tried contacting them to let them know how unhappy I was with the fact that I kept going to a certain group exercise class, and that class was either cancelled, delayed, or switched with an entirely different class. I didn’t even argue when they charged me for the final month of my membership. My boyfriend tried to cancel 3 times but apparently you have to not have a normal 9 – 5 job to do this (since that is the only time you can cancel). He tried calling, and they literally REFUSED to cancel his membership. Is he supposed to take a personal day to cancel his gym membership? This place is insane. Conditions have worsened (tvs dont work, sauna shut down by health code). Avoid avoid avoid.
Side note — Kate and Eric are AMAZING yoga teachers. Love those guys, and will miss their classes a whole lot.