Energy Fitness

I was there today and this gym has closed.

I went on their website to find membership prices, but there aren’t any on there. So I call to find out and the girl on the phone tells me they’re «in the process of moving locations» so she doesn’t have any of the prices. So I say okay, where are you moving to? And she says «Um I don’t know. you can call back in a couple weeks and see». What? How does the person answering phones have no information on the place she is working at? I’ll be taking my business elsewhere.

Have called three days in a row to cancel my membership and no one has answered. Not what it used to be.

About a year ago I decided to try this gym out with a special deal I saw on Groupon, I went for a week or so as a trial. Later on I ended up getting an annual membership with them. Initially I thought this gym was great, it was clean, nice trainers, and nice people. Well fast-​forward… Their equipment is always broken! On March 14^th around 5pm I went to the gym and I was using the hack squat machine. I did my first set and I made sure the latch was locked in place before standing up to take a break. On my second set as I wedged myself in, the latch suddenly unlocked and the corner edge of the footplate came straight down to my chest and I fell backwards. Two men came to see if I was okay and made sure I was able to stand up. I tried to control my breathing for a few minutes. I knew I wasn’t okay. One of the male witnesses that was talking to me told me not to use the machine because he thought it was broken. Something similar happened to him a few days prior. I felt my chest full of pressure and my breathing was very shallow. I went and talked to the front desk receptionist. She was nonchalant about the accident; she didn’t even go check out the machine or put a sign on it. She just sat in her chair with her phone in hand. She just told me she would text the manager and leave a note. I went home and iced down my chest and took the rest of the night off in bed. I wasn’t able to fully control my breathing all night. The next day when I saw bruising on my chest and I was still not feeling well, I decided I needed to get checked out and went to urgent care.
The front desk at the urgent care told me that my insurance may or may not cover the medical bill since it was considered an «accident» that occurred at the gym. She told me to contact the gym to make sure they had liability coverage just incase my health insurance didn’t cover it, so I wouldn’t be left with a huge bill to pay out of pocket.
When I called the gym I was only given then email to the owner and was told to write up a report about the incident and email it. I emailed a detailed report to the owner, and all he wrote back was «Thank you for the report we have a specialist coming out Friday to evaluate the machine. We will be getting back in touch with you shortly.» Uhm what about me???
I got my statement from my health insurance and thankfully they covered the urgent care visit and the X-​Ray. The portion that was not covered was my co-​pay for the doctor visit and my medication. I wanted OUT of this gym and this mess. Also, that same afternoon of the accident, upon check in to the gym the young lady at the desk told me I only had 9 days left for my contract to end. I called my contract provider and was told that was false, that I still had until August of 2015 till my contract expires and that if I wanted to cancel that I would have to pay an $ 80 early termination fee. I emailed the owner politely trying to work things out with the out of pocket expenses and/​or canceling my contract without penalty. I never got a response and it’s been 2 months already. I am no longer comfortable exercising with broken gym machinery that could possibly injure me again in the future. This is in fact not a very professional atmosphere. If you own a gym, you should be very cautious about your machinery, especially if there is an injury involved. This is just a warning to consumers out there. Other reviews to this gym have similar things to say about broken gym equipment.

So I decided to check out Uptown Energy, and it was… interesting. Before I started this little adventure, I used to think a gym’s ambiance didn’t matter. I mean, the weight stills weigh the same right? But I think, as I tour all the gyms in Dallas, I’m starting to get picky. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by the likes of Equinox and Lifetime Athletic. But I’ve started to understand how a gym’s ambiance can affect my mood, and thus affect my workout.
Uptown Energy’s feel is kind of like the Mockingbird location of Trophy fitness, but larger. It kind of feels a little dark, like you’re working out in your mom’s basement. They have really cool art on the walls, mostly provided by members who workout there. I was told noon was when the meatheads come out, and I saw some guys who take it seriously there. Though no one was as big as the dudes at Gold’s or LA Fitness.
Facilities/​Layout
The guy said they all have the latest equipment, but if their rowing erg is any indication they have really old equipment. When I warmed up on the rower it felt practically medieval, with the chain clanking and it just felt… rough. They only have one squat rack (booo) and they didn’t have bumper plates, though when I brought it up the guy said they were getting some. The bench racks were also not the best. They are the kind that rest the bar way over your head so when you lift off your arms are in a vulnerable and awkward position. The racks also have, and I cannot overstate how much this annoys me, only three pegs on each side for holding weights. That means you have only three pegs for holding 5, 10, 25, 35, and 45 pound plates. All the juggling of the plates turned out to be a workout in of itself. The dumb bells go up to 150#, so that is really nice.
Group Classes
I was really interested in a 30 minute class the website listed as «dynamic stretching». Sprinting twice a week while lifting three times a week is starting to wear me down some, so I’m really interested in the regenerative/​relaxing classes. Unfortunately, this was not the case. When I showed up it was explained to me that the stretching is actually just a 15 minute portion of a boot camp class. Since I was sprinting later that day I really didn’t want to do a boot camp class. The instructor tried to get me to join, but I was a little pissed and yeah, felt like going home.
So it seems all their classes are the high intensity stuff. It’s not my cup of tea, but if you’re into that kind of thing then they have that option here.
Locker rooms
Real basic, but they had nice shower stalls. Nothing really else was noteworthy, everything was clean. I liked the TVs, that was a nice touch.

I’ve been a member of many gyms over the years, but this one has been my favorite. It isn’t big, but it is extremely reasonable price wise. It is spotlessly clean… always…and it offers everything I need. Plus you get towel service and garage parking. Sometimes size isn’t everything!!!

Great gym and very nice staff. Karen at the smoothie bar is a charmer. Tyler is a great trainer as are all the guys and girl.

Hello Unilocal family! My experience at this gym is awesone. Great staff outstanding location to really get in conditions. You just need to stay focus and be consistent and you will get your results.

I went to this gym out of convenience. I would say 50% of the time I was greeted or acknowledged and the other ½ I wasn’t. The desk doesn’t have people sitting at it at all times, so sometimes it was really clear people were just walking in that aren’t members, some of the people that walked in made me feel uneasy/​unsafe.
I wasn’t impressed with the classes, they were the exact same every week.
People were fine, no one ever bothered me. Machines were usually broken, but they got the job done when they were working.
I slightly felt like they didn’t accept you if you weren’t there everyday for 2 hours, which I found disappointing and non-​motivating.
I haven’t signed up for another gym, I am trying studio classes such as barre & yoga which are way more efficient. From what I hear, they almost have a completely new staff– which could be a good thing.

In the almost 3 years I’ve been going to this gym, strictly out of convenience, nothing has changed! The air conditioning unit has been literally leaking for 3 years, the cardio machines are always broken and the staff is interesting. Last week when I was grabbing my keys to leave two staff members were talking about getting high… I mean really??! You’re in a gym, get a clue! I’ve heard tons of rumors about steroid use and other shady activities. The owner doesn’t have an ounce of a clue of how to run a business. My membership expires in a month and I’m definitely switching to LA Fitness.

Ive been to most of the gyms in uptown and this is by far my favorite. Its a no nonsense gym. You can expect to go in, workout, and not be bothered (or for some of us girls, be hit on). It doesn’t feel like you’re going to the bar as LA and Golds does, where the girls wear full makeup and have their hair done as if their going out and guys take up the free weight mirrors to flex their muscles and stare at themselves. I love Ron Taylors boot camp on Monday and Wednesday. He’s tough but knows what he’s talking about. Unlike traditional boot camp classes, Ron takes his class out of the gym to the parking lot ramps, the dart station stairs, etc. Its a great workout. Best of all he keeps an eye on everyone in the class! He monitors everyones limits and makes sure they aren’t pushing themselves too hard or cutting themselves short. Kelly’s spin class is classic. Ive never laughed so hard in a spin class while sweating my tail off. The music she plays is great and entertaining. It’ll take your mind off the fact that you’re sweating and working your tail off on the bike. Kelly and Ron are some of the trainers here that what make the gym what it is (there are a few others). They’re all so friendly and truly care about helping the people around them. If you’re looking for a good gym where you can actually go to get a good workout then this is the one for you.
My only complaints are that the cardio equipment is a bit outdated. Often times there will be 2 – 3 machines out of service and they never seem to be in a rush to fix them. Also it would be nice if they did a better job cleaning and disinfecting. Its one thing to clean the top of the machine but what about down the sides where there’s old sweat marks dried up from millions of uses???

This is a great gym if you use a trainer. The classes are ok but very limited. The staff is friendly and remember your name.

The upside is that this gym doesn’t seem too crowded and seems to have pretty nice equipment. When I first walked in I noticed that the ceiling was dripping. Our tour guide was a little heavy handed selling me on their Zumba classes and assuming that I wouldn’t be interested in flipping tires because I’m a girl, which I found off-​putting. I thought the gym seemed vaguely grimy when I worked out on Friday, and sure enough, by Tuesday I was full-​blown sick. I’m glad I only got the trial, because I will not be setting foot inside again.

Energy Fitness is the complete package, if you’re looking for a gym. I’m telling you, even if you’re content with your current membership, give them a try. I signed up a year ago, this month, and the gym is just as clean, the staff just as friendly, and the machines just as great as the day I signed up.
Like classes? Energy Fitness has ‘em. I’m not into them as much, but my girlfriend loves them. They have every type of class you can want and at all different times of the day. Need a little direction/​help? The trainers there are unparalleled. Ryan is her trainer and he has a knack for making the weight just fall off. Trust me. We both definitely recommend him!
Towel service is included, the bathrooms /​showers are very nice and very clean, and the machines are smooth. Plus, every free weight you can want. I can’t praise this place enough. Do what I did, and away from your big retail memberships and come to a place where they know who you are when you walk in the door. And ask for Ryan! He’ll definitely take care of you.

Walking distance from my place. Good equipment. Friendly staff. Free classes. Cleanliness. This gym is just convenient for me. I have no complaints. i dig it.

This is my gym for good and I joined after checking it out with a $ 30 for 2 months deal on Groupon. Keep looking out of these deals through the coupon sites because Uptown is almost always running a promotion with one of them. Now that I’m a member, I’m locked into a higher price (~$ 40/​month). I’m a little peeved that with the amount of deals they do through coupon sites, I end up paying more than someone who can just keep purchasing groupon deals and pay $ 15 a month.
Anyway, with that said, I will keep coming to Uptown because I really like the environment and people here. This gym is definitely small compared to others. It has about 20 treadmills, 3 stairclimbers, half a dozen elliptical machines, a rower, 4 stationary bikes. They have two free weight sections and a section for weight machines. Off to one side is a small exercise class room where I take spin class with Kelly. She always makes the class very fun, and you never have to fight for a bike. She makes sure you’re getting a great workout. The Zumba class with Nick is also fun, but the exercise room is sooo tiny that it gets crowded in there fast. Their locker facilities are always kept clean, and I’ve used the showers on occasions, which are private and also clean.
If you’re looking for a laidback personal workout experience I suggest Uptown Energy. Everyone is so nice and after awhile, it really does become like you’re amongst a circle of friends, even if you aren’t a gym rat.

Not bad for the price the only problem I really have was when I asked about their cancellation policy I was told all you had to do was come in a tell them you want to cancel. No fee or anything just very easy. When I wanted to cancel I walked in and was told I have to fill out a cancellation form and MAIL IT IN CERTIFIED! Yeah had to go to the post office wait in line and pay 5.75. I don’t understand why I couldn’t have filled the form out there and handed it in? Also sometime the people who work there can be rude.

Thanks to a stress fracture, I had to give up running for a while. What ensued was a frantic search for cross-​training opportunities beyond my normal yoga routine. This was one of my finds via LivingSocial: I wanted to check out their fitness classes.
Awkward moment to kick it off: checking their online schedule at work, and being asked why there’s a half-​naked chiseled figure occupying half my screen. A more subtle website would be nice … :P
The Extreme Abs class makes your abs ache. But there’s no stretching or counter-​balancing moves during the 15-​minute session which, my limited anatomy knowledge says, isn’t the most effective way to go. Plus all the moves only target a small region of your core. The Power Yoga class didn’t feel very empowering, and pales in comparison to specialized yoga studios (… wow I’m spoiled!). If you consider yourself fit, the Boot Camp class might not offer enough challenge: my heart rate went up a little, but I wasn’t craving for a water break, and wasn’t sore the next day. (though my broken foot cursed me for jogging those laps, oops)
To be fair, the staff is friendly & inviting. There’s plenty of equipment and it’s not too crowded during peak hours. A solid, no frills place if you’re looking to work out on your own.

I have been a member for 3 ½ years. This is a nice gym where everybody knows everybody. It’s a fun place and that’s because the personal trainers are sweet and friendly whether you are their client or not. Because of them I am always motivated to keep working out and keep coming back. I would say these personal trainers are the most entertaining in Dallas because they are so flat out funny, as well as caring and good at their jobs.

Solid gym. Nothing fancy. Unpretentious for neighborhood. Good equipment & personal trainers.
Good location in Uptown (West Village), but with more convenient parking than most of the neighborhood.
Prices are good, with occasional ridiculous specials (it’s been as low as $ 10/​month in the past!!). Classes such as yoga, pilates, & spin.
Might rate a 4 star if was open later and had more «extras,» but that’s not what it’s about here.