Wicker Park Fitness

Great staff and I really like this gym. The thing I just hate is that people here do not clean their machines off. Sometimes during a 30 minute period I will see typically around 3 people not wiping down their machines. This happens a couple times EVERY NIGHT. Not cool. So gross. I get it, you worked hard, you sweat all over, you are so tired you can’t do anything else. Well. Do one more thing. Wipe off your machine cause you are disgusting! And if you leave a Lake Michigan sized pool of sweat on the bike seat that is just totally disgusting for the next person so be decent & WIPE. Even if you just get on it for 5 – 10 minutes. I think quite a few people go to the gym to look good so remember — you look anything but attractive when you are being a gross freak.
Anyway, I love working out here but I always clean my machine before I hop on because I know what has been there before me.

Very small and too crowded, wish it was 24 hours. I don’t like going to gyms that are too crowded or have limits on cardio machines (30 minutes limit during peak hours). Other than that they do have good customer service but wish the gym was larger.

I hate to even review WPF because I would hate for more people to come and take my treadmill or stair master spot! But I’m all about sharing is caring so I decided to stop being selfish and tell you how amazing WPF is.
I found WPF 2 years ago when I was doing the whole long distance thing with my bf. I was on a fitness kick and couldn’t think of missing 4 days of working out while visiting. I also didn’t know what to do since I didn’t want to pay for a full fledged membership somewhere when I was only going to be coming a few days once a month. I contacted them through their website and heard back from Ted Risk. They were able to get me a deal and allowed me to keep on top of my workout goals.
Fast forward 2 years and here I am living in Chicago in Wicker Park and desperate to get that fitness thing going again. There was no doubt in my mind that once I got my motivation to join a gym, it wouldn’t be anywhere else except for WPF. I have been going almost everyday and I have yet to have to wait for a machine. Granted, I do have a little bit different hours as I work in retail, but even by 6:30 it’s been no problem to get my workout in.
I can’t wait to try out the classes and possibly a couple personal trainer sessions– I always see their trainers working with clients and it seems like a great way to change up my workout a bit.
Keep up the great work!

Love this gym, but love leaving it even more!
I have been working out at WPF for 1.5 years now and I continue to go even though I now live a 20-​minute walk away in Ukrainian Village. I usually hate working out and I only do it to stay fit and refreshed (and let’s be real, so I can eat more), but this is as good as it gets for someone who doesn’t live for the gym life and wants to get in and out as soon as possible. Don’t get me wrong though, I definitely get a good and invigorating workout here. Much better than I could get running around my block. The machines are great and individual TVs always work.
I shopped around a lot in the Wicker Park vicinity for a well-​located, affordable gym, and I am still confident I made the best choice. Yes, it’s tiny, but I’ve noticed everyone is incredibly accommodating considering we all experience at one point or another a crowded gym floor when all you want to do is get those 100 crunches in to finish off a workout and GTFO. People slide over for you and are super careful not to injure anyone with a flying weight or limb. It’s only bad Monday-​Thursday after work though. You come in on a weekday afternoon and a whole row of treadmills will be all yours.
A few more plusses: locker rooms and showers are always clean (I noticed not many people shower here, but whenever I do, I never feel the least bit grossed out), employees are kind and non-​meathead-​ish/​they don’t judge you for dropping by 1 – 2 times a week at best, the late hours are great, and the class schedule is accommodating. Classes are reliably intense, but that’s a good thing. I only wish they had spinning classes. All in all, great place, cozy space, perfect bang for your buck. And the best part is, no monthly payments! I absolutely love having my gym bills paid for the next year.
And now that I’ve delayed going to the gym long enough by writing this, I’m off to WPF!

Pros: Friendly staff, super clean place for a very affordable price. Clean towels, clean locker rooms, state of the art equipment.
Cons: SO SMALL!!! Unless you’re okay with doing abs in small corners, tripping over other members, this isn’t the right place for you. Their weekend hours aren’t the greatest either, I wish they could stay open late every day! Sometimes I can’t get a full workout because there aren’t enough machines available.

This gym gives you everything you need for a pretty reasonable price. Its not going to blow you away with frills or pamper you but its what you need to get the job done. Don’t worry about their «specials»; one version or other other same sale has been running since I signed up last year, but you should definitely sign up. it can get a little full around 6pm week days but even then you usually don’t have to wait if you’ve got a couple of options.

I’ve been a member of Wicker Park Fitness since 2013 and work out there several times a week, so here are some observations:
First, the positives: WPF is an incredibly affordable gym that has just about everything you could want or need. Seriously, I researched and toured some of the other options in the area, and everything else was literally twice as expensive. This gym has wall-​to-​wall machines and free weights and wall-​to-​wall mirrors, which is nice so you can easily watch your form and make sure you’re not in anyone’s way. The staff is very friendly, and the clientele is much like the neighborhood: mostly 20s and 30s. I haven’t seen a whole lot of mingling among gym-​goers, but I’ve never seen any issues, either. Everyone pretty much keeps to themselves and is fairly considerate of one another. So I’d say the DQ (douche quotient) is fairly low, if that matters to you.
The downsides? The gym is relatively small, so if you’re someone who can only work out on weekdays after work, you’ll need to be patient and get a little creative in terms of getting your workout in. My schedule allows me to go in the mid-​afternoon a lot, but I’ve been there a few times in the early evening, and that’s when a simple trip to the water fountain requires walking through a maze of humanity. If you’re incredibly shy or afraid of people, this could be an issue for you.
As far as cleanliness goes, this gym gets top marks. Almost every time I go, there’s at least one staff member wiping or mopping down something, usually for hours on end. I will say that I’ve been turned off by one male trainer who never washes his hands after using the restroom, but that’s also just the way of the world. Most guys don’t wash their hands after using the restroom, ladies (gross, but true). In my opinion, if you’re going to be touching clients as you show them proper form and technique, you should be washing your hands after taking a crap, especially during flu season. But like I said, I think the gym overall is extremely clean, and I’m someone who washes my hands several times during a workout anyway.
Overall, WPF is a nice, clean, friendly neighborhood gym. I’d recommend it — especially for the price — and will continue to be a member as long as I live in the area.

Been going here for almost a year now. As many of the reviews state, it’s small. There is only one power rack, so if you’re a lifter you may need to readjust your lifting schedule if you squat and deadlift a lot. Things get especially tight when there is a class going on and everyone who wants to stretch and do abs gets pushed to the front, or when a trainer decides to set up CrossFit stations for their clients, but it’s not that big a deal.
That said, it’s still one of the best gyms in the city. The equipment is always working, the gym is always clean, and the staff are always great. Most importantly, the rates are without question the best in the city. I renewed at the discounted rate up front, and on average I paid about $ 27 a month. It’s a very laid back place, they even don’t mind if you use chalk as long as you don’t throw it all over the place.
The hours are also unbeatable, the fact that they are open until midnight means I can wait out rush hour if I can’t get there during the day. And the later weekend hours mean I don’t have to adjust my day to get to the gym before it closes.
So yes, it’s small, but the tradeoffs regarding the staff, maintenance, rates, and hours make it well worth it.

I’m super glad I joined Wicker Park Fitness.
As an ex-​XSport member, I was looking for a smaller, less meathead, and friendlier gym to join when I moved from Lakeview to West Town. Sure, the ²⁴⁄₇ availability of XSport was always convenient, but it just wasn’t worth not looking forward to gymming it on a daily basis. (See my previous review about XSport… and the other 281 239 932.)
Back to WPF: as other reviewers have stated, it’s small (and therefore doesn’t have a lot of room for a ton of equipment) and the place gets pretty packed during peak hours (what gym doesn’t, though?) – those are the only drawbacks I see, which are minor for me.
The staff is extremely friendly and not at all salesy, I actually have never waited to use a cardio machine (I think their current treadmill count is either 8 or 10, same for ellipticals, and 2 stairmasters), their studio is perfect for ab work and cool-​down stretching when there’s not a class going on, the locker room is always clean, and the price… just, the price. I can’t vouch for the group fitness options, since I have yet to attend a class, but the schedule looks varied and fun.
Extra perks: when you sign on with WPF, you can also visit Southport Fitness (a little bigger than WPF) and Logan Square Fitness (haven’t yet been); treadmills are in front of large windows that are perfect for people watching (make your workout go by really quickly, depending on the volume of pedestrians), and I have yet to encounter a meathead situation.

They’re getting a sister gym in Logan square! So excited about this. Love this gym. Everything I need.

Honestly– I haven’t even been to the gym yet– yeah, true story, but hear me out, Unilocal.
I was on the fence about 1– rejoining a gym in general and 2– joining WPF due to the size. I had the normal concerns– will there be enough space? is it going to be too packed? etc. etc.-
I sent an email inquiry, half expecting to either not hear back at all, or hear back in a few days with a super generic response. To my surprise, however, not only did i hear back like ASAP, I got a message with detailed information and you could tell it was actually sent by a human! That human was Ted Risk.
Ted was so helpful, answered all of my questions and even extended to me a deal that had just expired over the weekend.
So– while I’m hoping for the best with the actual GOING to the club (according to the reviews however, I think I’ll be OK!), Ted was fantastic to work with– got me all set up super quickly and even made me laugh. :) (Stay Gold, Ted)
Now I have to get myself out the door and actually work out *gasp*- I wonder if Ted can help me with that too?
Thanks so much for the friendly customer service!

This is a good no frills gym. The machines are all in good working order & they have everything I need for a complete workout. The front desk people are friendly and not pretentious, which is something I really appreciate in a gym. They have done a good job of keeping the floors pretty clean– even with all the snow, slush and salt constantly being tracked in.
Two complaints:
1) People (fellow gym goers) don’t seem to be too diligent about wiping things down– mostly in the weight area and the mats where people do abs. Perhaps an extra bottle of cleaner and some paper towels in the classroom would be a good way to prompt people to wipe their sweat off the foam mats.
2) There is no sauna. I knew that when I signed up but now it’s freezing and I want a sauna.
All in all, I am very happy here and glad I chose WPF.

Nice gym with good deals. I enjoyed working out there while briefly living in Chicago. The staff was always friendly and they offered free apples. Had all the equipment I needed (treadmill, stairstepper, elliptical, free weights, and various weight machines). I’m gonna miss that place!

I’ve been a member of this gym since January. And it’s pretty awesome.
1.) Price in this area CANNOT BE BEAT.
2.) I’m usually a morning gym girl, and the group ex class offered at 6:00AM (Bosu Body Blast) taught by Jaime is seriously THE BEST. He’s totally a can of butt-​whuppin and will make you look awesome in six weeks. He’s amazing.
3.) It’s true, the facility is spare, But if you’re a poor 20-​something like me, then who cares? I don’t need a spa or a pool. I need a treadmill (these one’s even have TVs on them and you can hook up your iPod), some free weights, and a few machines.
4.) Don’t Go between 5:00 and 8:00 PM. It gets crazy, because everyone gets off of work and heads to the gym and you’ll have to wait to use anything. It’s obnoxious, but understandable. This is a super young area, and my peers don’t tend to be early birds like me.
BOTTOM LINE: If you’re an early-​bird fitness nut on a budget, sign up. And come see Jaime Monday/​Wednesday at 6:00 AM. I’ll be the red head in the back of the class, sweating my butt off and trying to breathe.

I love this gym!
My boyfriend and I recently moved to the Wicker Park area so we were scoping out the neighborhood for a new gym. We came across Wicker Park Fitness and decided to stop in for a tour. It was around 6:30 so I was expecting the place to be packed but it wasn’t which was a good sign off the bat. There were about 15 people there at that time and we were told it doesn’t get much more packed than that. We were coming from a bigger and well known gym and on a lot of days it would be packed and we’d be waiting around for the next available machine or weight. Not here though!
It’s asmall gym but it has all of the basic weights and machines that we need. They have classes which are included in your membership. What I didn’t really like was that you had to pay upfront for the year membership with no option to pay monthly. It ended up working out pretty well though. It was supposed to be $ 399 for a 12 month membership and no contract or enrollment fees. However, since we signed up as a couple. the guy dropped it down to $ 369 and threw in another month free. Once you break it all down, it comes out to $ 28 per month for 13 months. What a phenomenal deal!
We’ve been going for a couple of weeks now and we’ve had no problems whatsoever! The staff is super friendly, the classes are never booked, we don’t have to wait for machines or weights, and you get a free apple every time you come in!
If you’re looking for good neighborhood gym and you’re not looking for all the bells and whistles of the larger gyms, this is your place!

I’ve been going to WPF for about 3 years (off and on). I won’t give it a 5 because it’s obviously more of a «bare bones» type gym. However, they have all the machines I need and they offer classes which I really should try more often. The staff is absolutely awesome. I forget hair ties a lot and they always have a supply for me… maybe that’s standard at gyms? I’m not sure, but it makes me feel special so don’t tell me if it is! If you want a gym that gives you the most bang for your buck– definitely try it out. You won’t have a swimming pool, steam room, or a state of the art locker room… but whatever. It’s like $ 30-​ish a month when you break it down, so I really don’t care. Plus, they always have a fresh supply of free apples!
Give ‘em a shot: D

Joined this gym a few months ago and I’m really enjoying it here. It is one of the cheapest memberships in the area, includes fitness classes, and the staff is very friendly and supportive.
However… The workout room doesn’t seem very clean… I have never seen the yoga mats wiped down or the sweaty-guy-next-to-me’s sweat get wiped up off the floor. It sort of smells in there and the space is very tiny. But considering I shower after working out anyways, its something I guess I will put up with considering the value in membership and its right next door.
(Also, I wish there were morning classes offered Thursdays and Fridays.)
Free apples!

This is my perfect gym.
I love the staff here. It is never too crowded. And the membership fees are really cheap compared to many gyms in the city.

I’ve been a member for a couple months now and I really like it. I’d say it’s more of a 4.5
I mainly go for the classes. I just find doing gym classes very efficient. For my not so enthusiastic days I’ll do yogalates and pilates. and when I want to have my ass kicked I opt for bootcamp and hardcore. I try to do boot camp .5 then pilates on monday nights, but sometimes I’m too dead from boot camp cuz Eileen (or Jaime? subs sometimes) makes it really tough. They are no joke.
I guess it’s small, but it doesn’t really matter unless you go during peak hours.
I’ve been told a sister gym on southport opened and our memberships are good there too, but I haven’t explored it yet. I heard it’s really nice though! and they are always running specials so I think for the price its great, esp now with two locations.
The guys that work the desk are always nice. And being able to have an apple on the way out is sweet too.

I remember when I first moved to the area during the winter of 2008. I always saw this foggy window and thought something crazy was going on that I needed to witness or be a part of, LOL!!!
I moved right around the corner from this place and once they had a 6 month deal for $ 200 during the Do Division festival, I had no choice but to give it a try. I really liked the facility as everything was obviously new and as everyone else has already stated the staff is very nice. The only problem I had with this place was that it is very small and it is just not enough cardio equipment to go around during peak hours and they are not open 24 hours. The best times to go are usually on the weekends and in the mornings on weekdays. Anytime after 7PM is good also. As you walk out after your workout, you can treat yourself to a free apple.
My membership was up for renewal in early December, but i did not renew because it was just too much for a small gym that did not have a lot of the equipment I need to work out. This is a good place for the residents of Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village, but they need to find a way to expand or maybe scout out a bigger location.