Gateway Village YMCA

Joined the gym a month ago and it’s definitely not an easy thing to do. It is tough starting a new regiment. I certainly do not enjoy walking out of the gym with muscle soreness and walking funny. Then again, I never joined a gym before. That’s why I prefer going to the group sessions. It has been a struggle keeping the momentum with going to the Gateway Village YMCA and it’s even wilder when you live so close by. What is the saying? No Pain No Gain.
So here are a few tips when joining the YMCA in Charlotte.
Once you join you get access to all of the other YMCA facilities. Here at Gateway Village they are closed on Sundays and there is no pool.
Schedule a health assessment after you join. Staff member ready to help you with your exercise routine by providing tip and pointers on where to begin.
The Gateway Village YMCA is well maintained and clean. Exercise machines are up to date and they recently got new machines. Will definitely check them out.

Fantastic location, everyone is super nice and the equipment is pretty new. The ladies locker room is cavernous with little side rooms for personal training and various nutritional council rooms. Downstairs is the classroom where you can participate in free classes. The location is awesome for me, I know a lot of folks go to Dowd cause it’s huge and has a pool but if you just want to run on the treadmill or squeeze in a quick free weight workout, this place can’t be beat.

This gym is bright, modern, and clean, the staff is friendly and helpful, and they offer a nice variety of group exercise classes (including CrossFit). It’s the perfect place to get in a quick workout on your own or try a class.
The Gateway Village YMCA is small but I’ve never seen it overly crowded. Cardio machines and weights are on the main level with the locker rooms; the group exercise rooms are downstairs.
Check the website for parking information (I walk there but there’s a free lot [with access code] in the evenings and they validate up to 2 hours in the garage).

Try the new Crossfit classes with Coach Steffie! You will get your money’s worth and then some. I see her almost 4 times a week and I’m fittest I’ve ever been in my life! The Y is clean, lots of equipment, showers are super clean and kept well. Huge locker room. Hardly ever crowded.

The Harris location is primarily where my wife and I work out, but I couldn’t help but review gateway YMCA first! And for good reason.
Although Harris Y is bigger, has a basketball court (which I love), and a ton of other things that I love (pools, indoor/​outdoor track, spin classes, various free classes) I’m partial to gateway. My buddies and I work out there once or twice a week during our lunch hour and I’ve got nothing but great things to say about the place.
First off, it’s always clean. The staff is super friendly and helpful if you need anything. The equipment is new and always kept in good shape. I cannot remember ever seeing any out of order machines. And my friends and I have been going basically every week for about a year.
The best part is that it’s never too crowded. There are always more than enough cardio machines so you don’t have to settle for your 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th choice. And the weight area is lively, but not super busy.
*although I would like to note that I only go there mid-​day/​lunch time on weekdays. Around 12 – 2:30 I cannot say that it’s never crowded early morning or early evening.*
Parking might be an issue. I have a parking pass in the area and just walk, so I’m not familiar with specific parking for gateway YMCA. Just a heads up! Definitely recommend.

I love the Gateway Village Y. The staff are very friendly and do a great job keeping the facility clean. Unlike some of the other Y’s in the area, Gateway is typically not super crowded. Its a great place to go to take group exercise classes.
Be sure to look up the parking codes on their branch website so you can park in the parking lot right beside the Y after 4:30 each weeknight. Otherwise you have to park in the parking deck up the street.

Besides being super convenient to get to, the Gateway Y is clean and the staff is very friendly!
My husband and I had been going to the Dowd since we got our membership, and although I like the Dowd, it was getting more and more crowded– having to show up for a class 30 minutes before its starts isn’t always feasible! The Gateway always has plenty of class space– most classes I’ve attended have had less than 6 people, which is so great!
All the equipment is very new and clean and you can always find a machine without any wait time– and never have a problem getting a bike for Spin (even showing up 5 minutes before).
This is now our go to Y during the week!

This is a really great gym! It’s very well maintained and always clean, the equipment is in good shape, and you just can’t say no to towel service. The staff and instructors are tremendously nice and helpful, and the crowd is laid back without the «strutting» that you can see at other gyms. I never see it packed or desolate, so there’s always a good atmosphere of activity without having to stand around waiting on equipment.

I am biased of this gym because I live directly across the street and can walk here but I think the Gateway Y is a great gym. Compared to other gyms in the Charlotte area, this one is VERY clean and spread out. The equipment was just updated about a month ago so everything is very new and simple. The staff is SO friendly, even more so than any other Y I have been to. Each time I walk in the door or exit, I turn down my music on my iPod to say Hello or Goodbye to the staff at the front desk because they always make an effort to speak to me. And I truly appreciate that. I have also spoken to a couple of the trainers several times, including Victor, who is always very smiley and helpful if I need it. Bonus: If I am not in a conversational mood, the staff just smiles instead of bothering me while I am trying to get my workout on. I’m sure some of you have experienced the flirty male trainers who want to stop you mid workout to chat. Ugh.
This location is a little smaller than the main Y’s but it has plenty of room to move around as all of the machines and cardio equipment are located on the main level. The lower level houses the fitness classrooms so if you never take one, then you will never see them. No people to watch you while you look like an idiot doing Zumba or yoga stretches. ;)
The locker rooms are clean and organized and also offer a sauna and steam room!
The member base of this gym is sometimes sort of blah. A ton of the BofA workers work out here after work or on their lunch break so there sometimes isn’t a lot of variety or excitement. but that’s not why we go to a gym is it?! If you don’t mind, getting in and out to do some work, this gym has great equipment, staff and location.

I worked out here for about a month and a half when I was working in Charlotte. The locker rooms and the equipment are all very clean, and you always have a fresh towel available to you. The staff that work here are super nice, friendly, and are always willing to lend a hand. I like this Y better than the other ones around Charlotte mostly because it’s not always super crowded and you almost never have to wait to use a machine. I really like the classes– especially spin — I forgot her name but my lady (she was pregnant at the time) was always motivating and kept me going! It’s a nice cozy little gym that is very convenient if you live within walking distance. Parking is readily available too if you aren’t.

I have been a member of GWV Y since it originally opened. The staff is amazing, the location is amazing and the facility is one of the best maintained fitness centers in Charlotte.
My favorite classes are Kickboxing, Cycle, Athletic Conditioning and Zumba. Note: I recently started taking Zumba at GWVY and the sessions have been great.
The KB instructor is simply amazing. The class and all of the participants are like a family. The great thing about the Y also is that we often get together after a great class… and go to some of the best restaurants (see my reviews) in the downtown area.
In addition to the great facility, the GWV Y does amazing things for the community and offers great opportunities to volunteer!
I highly recommend the GWV Y for total mind, body and spirit!!!
****I miss my KB instructor but have really enjoyed taking the occasional Turbo Kick class. The structure and queuing is different… but can provide a good workout.

By far, the best YMCA in the Central City area. Why? One reason is definitely the parking. This Y actually has a lot YMCAers can use that’s right by the gym that’s easily access throughout the day. As a result, getting in and out of this YMCA takes significantly less time than other gyms. It also is much much less crowded than the Dowd or Uptown/​Childress Klein YMCA, likely because it has no pool or gym. This YMCA also has great group exercise classes. Meredith’s Turbokick class is really incredible and, for me, sets the bar for all other aerobic classes at other Ys. The room for the spinning classes is a little dingy, but it is private and generally has good instructors. My only complaint is that this gym doesn’t have more exercise classes because the facility here, while small, is much more pleasant than at the other YMCAs. It is also a little more difficult to get to from Uptown than the Childress Klein YMCA, which is a shame because I would much rather work out here. Instead, it tends to be a better before and after work gym. Also, it isn’t usually open on Sunday, which is unfortunate.
Also, because this gym is so close to Johnson and Wales, there tends to be a lot of younger folks here. I like that (makes me work-​out harder), but it could be a turn-​off to some other folks.

I would usually give a place like this 3 stars because it is small and does not offer amenities such as towel service as provided by their sister center (DOWD). That being said, this Y is located in a fabulous spot. From a personal perspective it is literally almost across the street from where I live. Even if you can’t walk here, there are two different parking lots you can use. However, the one located on the side street only allows gym members to use it after 5 PM, and you will have to get the gate code in advance.
What I really like about this place is the customer service. The employees are RIGHT there when you walk in. I always get a warm greeting. When I first started, I received a tour of the gym and a consultation. This included my weigh-​in, all my measurements taken and a discussion of my goals. Any time I work out I could ask someone to retake my measurements and I can use the scale freely at anytime. They also offer personal fitness training options (pay service) and they have a nice variety of free group classes that can be taken from open to close!
Because this has more of an «express gym» feel to it, all of the cardio and weightlifting equipment is within close proximity. But hey, who ever said a lil’ eye candy every hurt?

Within walking distance of my place a nice… albeit small Y compared to others in the queen city… it. they…get the job done when it comes to getting my workout on!
Staff are great, classes are too, though they are tiny compared to Dowd or the Downtown location, but great when I went there.

In comparison to the other nearby YMCAs (Dowd, Childress) Gateway is a bit dwarfed. However, as Tm has pointed out, if you’re looking for a quick, no fuss workout, this is a perfect place to go. Expect a fair amount of cardio equipment and a decent share of weighlifting machines — all clean and in good working order. You’ll also find a small selection of benches and hand weights and a small area to stretch.
While I haven’t made it to a class here as of yet, it’s mainly because the Dowd is closer to my house. Parking can also be a bit difficult, so take heed of the restrictions & meter rules around here! If I’m in the area and need to fit in a fast, efficient workout, the Gateway Y is a great option!

The Gateway YMCA, like so many things in the Gateway area, takes all the hassle and bustle out of your workout experience. While I normally go to the Dowd YMCA because it has a full basketball court and pool, the Gateway Y is great for a quick, simply work-​out at any time.
The Gateway Y has about 30 treadmills, 15 bikes, and 10 other cardio machines, all stationed in front of TVs. It also has an adequate amount of weightlifting equipment. There are two locker rooms, a stretching area, one or two «class» rooms, and that’s about it. And really, that’s all you need. Everything’s clean, everything’s new and nice; it’s a perfect space for a workout without too many frills – or even the added distraction of running into everyone you know in Charlotte.
It’s gets kinda crowded from 5 – 7 pm (after work hours), but it’s never too bad, and it’s certainly much thinner during the morning and later evening hours. The Y offers quite a few classes, most of which are pretty awesome if that’s your thing.
I go because it’s close and it’s easy.