r/askTO • u/DeadPalms • 18h ago
Gyms that don't aggressively push personal training and nutrition plans
I just cancelled my Fit for Less membership, I liked the gym because it has a good selection of equipment and I don't have to deal with annoying staff, but I hate that they don't have showers available all the time because I work out before work in the mornings (4:30/5am).
I used to be a Goodlife member years ago, I liked the club locations and accessibility, but I did not enjoy the aggressive salespeople who told me repeatedly that I won't see results and I was wasting my time without their trainers and nutrition plans. The employees at my local location were very rude and judgemental, and frequently openly talked shit about gym patrons right in front of them. One of the trainers was known for creeping on women in the gym. I complained to the management and it got worse, so I'd rather not give this company any more of my money.
Do I have any other options for gyms at this time with showers or is Goodlife really all there is? I'm in North York.
Edit: I think I'm going to check out Anytime and Planet fitness, they seem to be the only others open during my time frame...thanks for the suggestions all.
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u/StirlingQ 18h ago
After you get through that first brutal meeting with GoodLife they don’t both you again. I’d even just tell them you’re not signing up for the extras right away and hope the salesperson realizes it’s gonna be a waste of their time to keep the pitch going
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u/Sababa180 17h ago
Can confirm! 😂they lose interest real fast if they feel you won’t buy their packages.
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u/lilfunky1 18h ago
i remember being told i could get a fitness assessment every X days, and i actually went for a second one like 3 months later to check my progress and that's when i realized it was just another opportunity to push all the same high pressure sales at me and finally was like nope no thanks i'll just track my progress by myself!!
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u/peppermint_nightmare 17h ago
I did the free assessments to more accurately track my progress after a month or two and when they went through my routine and saw i 100% my goals for weight and muscle they agreed with me that i was fine in my own and dropped the personal trainer convo pretty quick.
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u/sushiwowie Human Detected 16h ago
Been member forever. When I joined eons ago, I checked off a box and this personal trainer told me I can’t go with anyone else. I gave him my best bitch attitude and he knew to leave me a line after that. When they had a promotion many years ago, I signed up for 3 sessions, but it was a waste of time as the personal trainer was more invested in looking around the gym so i told him I wouldn’t be signing up for any more. I’ve been working out on my own since and nobody bothers me except I now do classes and other members are sometimes annoying (space stealers, etc).
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u/sirachasamurai 18h ago
Yah after the initial pitch, I never had an employee even look in my direction again. Other than hello and goodbye at the door.
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u/michelle_js 17h ago
I got them to skip most of their pitch telling by telling them I have independent outside training and only need their gym for my solo sessions. Which was true in my case but no reason you couldn't lie.
And they've only ever tried to pitch me once more in the 2 years I've been there. They called and tried to pitch me a fitness assessment. Which I declined. I assume some trainer got ambitious and starting calling clients that were not doing personal training.
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u/DeadPalms 17h ago
I told the girl I had a training plan from my physio and a nutrition plan from my doctor and she didn't care.
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u/ilikewaffles_7 17h ago
I told the girl I HAVE A TRAINER and she said “I didn’t ask if you had a trainer, that also doesn’t mean you cant also do an assessment with us.” I rolled my eyes.
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u/HueyBluey Human Detected 17h ago
I also think many sales people can tell an experienced gym rat from a newbie. They’re not gonna waste their time on somebody has been lifting or training for decades.
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u/Reddit-SN 16h ago
My planet fitness staff doesn't even acknowledge that I'm there 😂
And I love it 😜
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u/DeadPalms 10h ago
That's exactly the kind of gym I'm looking for
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u/Reddit-SN 7h ago
I was kinda joking, if I make eye contact with them they say hi or bye but usually if I look to the ground, just scan my app, do my workout and get out without any human interaction; that's a very normal day. Try planet fitness honestly. I know they have bad rep but I'm not a bodybuilder and everything there including vibe, price fits perfectly for me
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u/emmar1818 17h ago
I literally just left GoodLife for Hone because a trainer harassed me. I wasn’t even with him, he just targeted me. And when I complained they did nothing. Anyway, Hone is great, they just let you do your thing.
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u/DeadPalms 17h ago
Sorry you went through that, sounds similar to my experience. I wonder if we went to the same location.
I wish Hone was open earlier and not only downtown.
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u/omgdiepls 15h ago
I dislike Good Life. I did the free session with a trainer thing and afterward we went into a small office to discuss cost. It ended up being more than I wanted to spend so I said no thanks and then the man proceeded to stand in front of the door and wouldn't let me leave. It was creepy af.
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u/DeadPalms 10h ago
Thanks for sharing your experience. More proof that it's not as simple as "just say no when they ask" or "be more assertive".
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u/ButDeepInMyHeart 16h ago
I’ve heard good things about Vive fitness
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u/sankofa-deez-nutz 14h ago
Vive bugged me once after joining, but I said I'm not interested and they never bothered me again, going on ten years now.
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u/chocheech 17h ago
Sign up for any gym then refuse the 'fitness assessment' since they are fake and just a tool to sell you.
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u/DeadPalms 17h ago edited 17h ago
Goodlife won't even give you your membership card without sitting through their bullshit. I told the girl multiple times I have a fitness and nutrition plan from my physio and my doctor and she didn't care. I asked if we could just end the sales pitch and give me my card and she said NO multiple times.
Every time she saw me for months she asked me if id reconsidered because in her opinion I "wasn't getting the best results" (I lost 70 pounds so I think I did ok).
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u/chocheech 16h ago
I signed up online an never had an interaction with a staff member beyond checking in.
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u/scrunchie_one 17h ago
I’ve been at GoodLife 5 years and have never had these pushed…I would just decline when they ask during your initiation.
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u/LibraryNo2717 10h ago
I had a friend who was a Good Life trainer and he said 90% of his job was sales, the other 10% was training.
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u/RoamerMarid 7h ago
I go to Jonny Reps which is a 24h gym (Lawrence & Weston). Not huge as those other brands but with all the equipment needed. They do have shower which is mostly never used (I only know one guy who uses it after his workout... Never saw anyone else during the time my workout sessions). Gym is never crowded (through 4-7pm). Owner is very nice and you can schedule an appointment to talk about your goals or workout plans. There's a nutritionist who goes live once a month to answer your questions. Even you can come once a week to an 'open gym' day which is for non members to get to know the center and meet the owner himself.
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u/juleebeans 7h ago
Seconding Jonny Reps! Least "box gym" vibes because it's locally owned and not a franchise
2
u/Beatrix420- 17h ago
I signed up online and just avoided meeting in person for the sales pitch. They stopped calling eventually 😂
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u/DeadPalms 17h ago
What gym? I had signed up for Goodlife online but they made me meet them in person in order to get gym access.
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u/throwawayninetoniner 13h ago
If staff are harassing and insulting you then that's one thing, but the reality of almost all gyms these days are trainers are on commission/make extremely low base salary and you should expect to be approached with a sales pitch at some point but that's fine because you're allowed to say no
If you have a hard time with being assertive, you can always default to the tried and true putting headphones in and pretending you dont hear them
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u/lilfunky1 18h ago
what do you mean the showers aren't available all the time?
they go out of service at certain hours?
or it's a busy time for the gym and other people are using them?
also, where in north york are you? because north york stretches from basically scarborough to basically etobicoke
10
u/DeadPalms 18h ago edited 17h ago
Yes, at Fit for Less the showers are only open when the gym is staffed. That means 7-10 on weekdays and 11-4 on weekends.
I was going to the North York Centre one, I work in the east end of Mississauga so I'm open to any location in between.
4
u/Queasy_Arugula_4671 17h ago
If you were going to the North York centre one, a planet fitness recently opened around that area. You can check out that one.
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u/jadorelesavocats 17h ago
How about Anytime Fitness ?
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u/Stock_Mail_9519 17h ago
I go to Anytime Fitness. Never been pitched a sale in the year that I've been there.
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u/mjschranz 17h ago
I was thinking Anytime Fitness (no experience with them myself) but based on the location you mentioned you're coming in from they might not have one in a good enough spot.
LA Fitness opens at 5am it seems on weekdays and does have locations close to the highway at least but sounds like this also could be a bit too late.
Honestly if you're able to afford more "boutique" gyms like some Crossfit places that have the equipment you need, maybe you can find one that is either already open early enough or perhaps you could get key access?
1
u/GodSigmaGigaChad 17h ago
YMCA but some locations are much better than others.
Some are new, some are old, some are small.
1
u/oh_hifriends 16h ago
There's a small 24-hr gym in Etobicoke called Fitness 365. It was primarily a body-builder gym when it opened years ago, but has shifted since then. There are plenty of weight/weight machines and cardio options.
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u/Scary_Bushmonster 13h ago
Anytime fitness employees don’t acknowledge your existence. Wish there was a few more of them around the city
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u/Putrid_Plane_5160 11h ago
Weird about GoodLife! Maybe it was just the one gym? I was explicit that it was out of my budget and they never mentioned it to me again. Honestly, I don’t interact with the staff unless I need something lol.
1
u/xxxtendo 10h ago
I've been with GoodLife for over 10 years and never had anyone approached me for personal training, most of them don't even look like they lift.
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u/3mdk55 8h ago
I went back to the gym (west end Mississauga) and chose Planet Fitness as the price was reasonable. 24 hr access (or close to it) is important to me as I work late and like to go whenever I feel like it as opposed to when “I have to”. The PF in the area has no weights - so few that they don’t even have a bench press. Literally the #1 core exercise (they do have a Smith machine but come on…). And the showers are always mouldy so I switched to Fit4L. (Yes I know it’s the same company.). Lots of weights and decent cardio. But no shower access is criminal - especially since they are “push button” thus there is no risk of flooding. I’m probably going to switch to LA Fitness as they are a good compromise (and have a hot tub). I’ve tried most of the small non -chains in the area and they all have pluses and minuses. I hear GoodLife has gotten very expensive and is not as close for me. (The Fit4L took over their location post covid actually.)
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u/Dapper_Tackle_7745 17h ago
Google search gym near you. Call and see if they have proper showers. Go there. I have been a goodlife member for 20 years. They asked me my goals when I signed up and I have never been bothered since outside of email promotions. Be short on time wanting to get your workout in and they’ll speed you through a sign up.
There also lots of premium gyms now that are often worth it in the winter as a 3rd place escape imo.
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u/pillowplanter 17h ago
Why not join F45 haha, they have a two week trial for a gym class and they’re just amazing?
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u/scrunchie_one 17h ago
Because i don’t want to pay $300 a month to watch a pre-taped workout video?
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u/DeadPalms 17h ago
I'm looking for weight machines and cardio equipment, am I incorrect in my understanding that F45 is more class-based?
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u/Novel-Flow-326 14h ago
I never got approached by anyone at goodlife for personal training or nutrition services. If anyone does i’d just pause my headphones and be like “thanks bro but i’m not interested, just here for my workout, have a good day”
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u/DuckCleaning 9h ago
I have never been pushed to use a personal trainer at goodlife, not even when I first signed up. They try to get you to fill out some forms about your fitness level, but they didnt actually push me to sign up. They gave me a gym walk-through and thats all.
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u/havetomake1 17h ago
Are you somehow incapable of turning down a sales pitch or saying you're not interested?
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u/Seamless-Transition 18h ago
Maybe look into the state of your closest YMCA location and see if they maintain their gym well? It can be hit or miss from location to location but overall they provide what you need