Fitness First

This location was purchased by Gold’s Gym, but I worked out under both managements for the past year so the review applies to both, however the negative aspects are increasing since the Gold’s take-​over.
The positive is the location. The gym is within a block of my office and easily accessible.
Another positive is that the company (both Fitness First and Gold’s) offer corporate discounts and if you work in the area, you probably have a way to get your membership at a significant monthly discount.
The gym is small and the equipment fairly old (I would estimate at least 5 years). Although the machines are worn out, they are not broken as the gym seems to do maintenance on them from time to time (I wish they did it on a regular schedule). Unfortunately, when a machine breaks, it takes a loooong time to get it repaired.
Another negative the lack of uniformity in the equipment: there are several brands of the same machine, however, when you total them up there is an inadequate number of machines for any task. Example: only about a dozen treadmills and elliptical exercisers.
The weight machines are few and do not cover adequately the entire of muscle groups.
The free weights are few, the benches are close together and there is no gym personnel maintaining the area. Many customers do not bother to wipe the benches or re-​rack the weights, but there is no gym personnel to enforce the rules, or to straighten out the place.
Gold’s is pushing hard to sign up new members while the size of the gym is not increased, the old and tired machines are not upgraded, and the facility falls farther and farther behind the needs of the customer.
At traditional workout times, there is no way to get a machine without a lengthy wait. For the average housewife with no work obligations, it is probably OK, but for the rest of us, working stiffs, it is not adequate at all.
I, for one, am dropping my membership and do not recommend the place to anyone.

I’ve been a member of Fitness First Arlington since they opened up in the Fall of 2008. Now, they have been bought by Gold’s Gym. The review applies to both managements. My routine is Mon.-Fri. nights.
I get to the gym only to be turned back; gym closed at 6pm for employee Holiday Party on 12÷13÷13. And the bulls**t of Gold’s Gym takeover of Fitness First begins. Why can’t it be on a weekend? Poorly announced/​unannounced closure is one of the reasons I left Gold’s 4−5years ago in first place. It might be time for a new gym, again. But, I love being able to walk half a block to get there, that is the only saving grace. It’s a small gym which is fine except I don’t think they know when to stop taking in members who workout during prime time (6−8pm weekdays) so it gets ridiculously overcrowded. You’ll have to wait for machines and weights during that time. There are also some people that come in who workout together in squads of 3 and 4 people; they’d use one exercise equipment and tag-​team until they are done, then they do not re-​rack the weights; rude and no sense of gym etiquette.
The equipment is poorly maintained even after Gold’s Gym buying Fitness First.

This gym is conveniently located in an easily accessible location in Arlington. And it’s kept reasonably clean. These are the best things I have to say about it. And why I’m giving it 2 stars.
Most of the time the channels are not working on the TVs. As at least one other reviewer indicated, telling the front desk staff about stuff that doesn’t work is an exercise in futility, as they either don’t care or aren’t empowered to do anything about it – and if you get one with an attitude, they will tell you that you are always complaining, even when (by telling them what isn’t working so it might be fixed) you are effectively doing their job for them.
Finally, despite it’s map-​friendly location, its actual location – partially in the basement of a high-​rise and partially on the ground floor of such – is not ideal. Although there is an entrance within the building from the elevators and one from outside the building that is through the garage, they insist on keeping another entrance that opens DIRECTLY from the outside into the gym itself, open at all times. So, this means that (in the wintertime) every time someone opens the door, it blows freezing air right onto sweaty people walking by after their workouts (what a great way to increase your chance of getting sick!!!) and (in summer) the hot, humid air from outside compromises the already weak performance of the air conditioning system.

This gym is poorly run that is all I can say. The machines are not maintained. Less than a ¹⁄₃ of the machines have functional a/​v systems. When you register your complaint with the front desk they yawn and say, «Yes, we know it’s not working.» The classes are overcrowded and the hygiene of the mats is terrible. The lines for classes are very long. There is no towel service in the locker rooms. I cannot in good conscience recommend a gym where the equipment is all broken, old, and not kept up. The personal trainer I had was an ill-​trained 23 year old who caused me injury that took a year to rehabilitate. The place needs a major facelift and retraining of staff.

I’ve been going to this gym in Clarendon for about 6 months. Prior to that I went to Fitness First at Seven Corners for about 1.5 years. I go around 9 a.m., after the morning crowd. I usually have the gym almost to myself. There are no classes at that time, but I am free to use workout room however I please – bands, barbells, steps etc. I like the cardio room and hop around at my pleasure from one machine to the other, same for the weight room at that hour.
The best for me are the parking attendants who are friendly and nice. They follow up about when I’m coming next and make my visit pleasant which helps my commitment to fitness. I wish the front desk people were as friendly, but no matter.

So Gold’s takes over Fitness First. If I had wanted to be a Gold’s member I would have joined Gold’s. I call to cancel and get the Gold’s poor customer service. I ask to cancel my membership. They tell me I need to come in to cancel. REALLY! You have the account number and all the information, but I have to come in. It is easier to call the bank and block the charge on the credit card. Gold’s sucks. Always has, probably always will.

Fitness First just got bought by Golds Gym. Not sure how much this is going to change everything. Best part about this is the price. I pay 27 a month currently.
Gets crowded from 6 – 8 at night just like every other gym. Classes are included and instructors are fine.

Love this gym. My office is in the building so its perfect for lunch time work outs. The fitness class room is also empty during the day except 12 — 1 so it is easy to set up circuit work outs in there. They also have a ton of cross functional equipment. If you go frequently the staff will remember you by name, which is a nice touch!

SCAM!!! FRAUD!!! FORGERY!!! $ 59 Groupon cost me HUNDREDS $$$!
I purchased a 1-​month trial + 3 personal training sessions through Groupon. I called to set up my PT sessions, and they had 4 employees call me back within 2 hours, some calling twice. Their incessant calls resulted in them telling me I had to pay a setup fee but it would count as a 2^nd month (no setup fee was required per the Groupon). Since I was moving out of state soon, I had to bring in my lease so I could get this short-​term plan. The front desk person looked at the copy I brought but declined to keep it. I specifically asked if I would ever be charged again, and they said no.
Fitness First stole my payment information and has been withdrawing money every month. This is a secondary account that I transferred my money out of, so I have been hit with overdraft and bounced payment fees. 20 times in writing I have told them I do not and did not authorize any payments.
Then they sent me a FABRICATED contract! Incorrect and incomplete info, and a TERRIBLY forged signature. However, I still submitted the cancellation docs they were requiring and Proof of Move, etc. Yet they still charge me.
And it is not even just one consistent charge a month. They sometimes withdrawal multiple times a month, sporadic amounts on varying dates. I had to pay to change my bank account, cancel all existing payments and cards, and cancel all outstanding checks. Yet they still charge that account!!! And now I must pay for bounced payment fees because there is no money in that account!
What was supposed to be a $ 59 Groupon has now cost me hundreds of dollars they’ve stolen from me, in addition to hundreds of dollars of bank fees! They’ve asked for my driver’s license to prove that the signature is forged; everything they ask for I’ve given to them, yet they have been charging me for 8 months. **This is being taken up with the police now.**
And don’t let me forget… when I scheduled my personal training session w/​the head of trainers, she confirmed our meeting time and then never showed!!! No explanation! Never heard from her again!

Horrible gym. It’s always overcrowded, you can never get into the classes unless you get there at least 30 minutes ahead of time. I canceled my membership when I moved to California and they continuously bill me monthly even after calling about this prior.

Great gym. Cheap monthly rate, cheap personal training packages, good selection of equipment and group fitness classes, free parking.
I wish it were a little bigger so it could accommodate a second group fitness room (it has a cycling room and one that has Zumba/​yoga/​body sculpting classes), and I REALLY wish all of those Crossfit nerds would have a room to themselves so they would stop taking over everyone else’s space. I’m also still campaigning for a Monday morning (6:00 AM) yoga class.
All of that being said, this is still a fantastic deal and a good gym. I’m not leaving any time soon!

Good: Good amount of equipment that is functional, free parking, low monthly dues, you can use all the gyms in the DMV area at no additional cost, sales stuff is upfront with fees etc, not overly crowded if you go during off peak hours
Negative: Drinking fountains have no pressure (takes 3 minutes to fill a water bottle), parking lot is VERY tight, no closet to hang coats that I know of, some requisite gym douchebags (if you don’t see any then you are him).
Definitely a younger crowd than Gold’s Gym. I used to belong to the Arlington Gold’s but I changed to FF because it had better rates as well as a location in Tyson’s that is walkable from my place of employment. They need to get more weight plates and some of the accessories on the cable weight section are in dire need of replacement.
Note: This is reviewing the weight training side only. I’ve never gone to the cardio side but I am assuming it would be fine. I have heard that it can get more crowded over there though.

I’ve been a member of Fitness First for about two years. I started at the club in Alexandria, but after trying Arlington, I never went back. The entire club has high ceilings which is great for airflow and sunlight.
The staff is super friendly! Each time I walk in, someone from the personal training staff says hi to me by name. I use a trainer, Will, once a week. He is very energetic and really pushes me. I’ve made so much progress — I went to the beach last week, and got a lot of compliments regarding the muscle tone in my arms and legs. Something I’m sure wouldn’t have happened working out on my own.
I also attend about 5 aerobics classes a week. My favorites are Zumba and Boot Camp, but I also take Body Pump, Body Step, and sometimes Kickboxing. It’s an awesome way to get 50 minutes of cardio and/​or weights.
I’ve been a member of Gold’s Gym, LifeTime Fitness, and Fitness 19, and Fitness First is my favorite, especially for the affordable monthly membership fee.

Pros
+ Free Parking
+ Doesn’t get over crowded
Cons
+ The equipment is LAUGHABLE
+ 12 month contract? seriously?
+ Sign up fee

For the price, yes, it’s a great deal. It especially helps that all the classes offered are included. My pet peeves are with the customer service. I almost feel as if I’m a bother to those behind the front desk when I say «hi» or «good night». I’m not expecting much, but most of those behind the front desk would rather ignore you as if you’re in the way.
I have been taking the spinning classes for a few months now, and while it’s a great workout — reserving your bike in advance of class is archaic and not very fool-​proof. You must call in after 12 for a night class and after 7p. m for a morning class. They simply write your name on a sign up list, but it’s not attached to your card swipe, so they don’t really know who’s showing up and who isn’t. Additionally, the instructors seem to be more interested in getting their own workout in than correcting poor form. I’ve seen too many beginners, too shy to speak up, suffer because the instructors don’t bother to step in and help them.
Regardless, you get what you pay for, so for $ 29/​month you get just enough to keep you satisfied. However, great customer service can go a long way and is free!

I’ve belonged to a number of gyms in my time and I can say that Fitness First is the least expensive.
So, in order to make any money, I guess, they’ve got to make it up on volume. And do they! I like to take classes – yoga, lifting, or pilates, usually – and they are invariably crowded or plain full. And the patrons tend to be very uncool in that they pull crap like stealing your weight set-​up for BodyPump if you, say, have to dash off to the locker room to grab your weight gloves before class starts. The members are just not really friendly, period: they don’t reply to the pilates lady when she says hello, the yoga instructor asks folks to turn on the light on their way out and everyone ignores him, it’s just a weird place.
As a woman, the general standoffish-​ness of the population is rather nice when you’re in the freeweight room since nobody comes up and tells you about how you should be lifting, as some people «helpfully» do at some other gyms. But, again, it’s really crowded in the evenings and weekends and it’s pretty cramped back there in general. And it feels even smaller when you have one of those people who fancy themselves as Russian weightlifters who drop their bars with a jarring BOOM. Alas. Every place has these creatures.
Fortunately, they have several locations, some of which are less compact and less populated, so if it works out for you, you can hit up one of the other Fitness Firsts, which are all open to you on your $ 20/​month (or whatever they’re charging now) membership.
The limited interaction I’ve had with the management staff here has been okay. They’re friendlier than the members and they’re way better than the obnoxious wench who staffs the Alexandria branch. I’ve been meaning to do my trainer session for the year I’ve been a member, but the ones I’ve observed in action seem all right.
The locker rooms aren’t in bad shape but, again, they’re small and everyone’s in close proximity so it’s awkward while you’re trying to change. They could probably do a little more spot maintenance, but they aren’t totally disgusting.
In sum, it’s not really anything special and I wouldn’t go out of my way to join here, but if you’re trying to not to spend a lot of money and aren’t looking for the most pleasant/​luxurious work out space, this is your place.

Overall, a good gym for the money. I pay $ 29 a month, which is a fraction of what you’ll pay at other clubs. Now don’t expect all the bells and whistles, but you can expect a good solid gym for the price. I can’t speak for the personal training, but I’ve heard experiences depend on the trainer you’re assigned.
The good: Cost, location, free parking, decent selection of equipment
The bad: Cardio equipment is a bit run down — HR monitors and TV’s mostly don’t work and some machines break down a lot; gym etiquette seems to be non-​existent here — people will often use machines for over an hour, even though 30 minute limits are posted and meatheads will hog certain areas of the weight room.
Good to know: Go during your lunch hour or during off-​peak times, which is especially true for classes. I often see lines around the gym for people trying to get into evening classes.

First, it’s very, very, very tough to go wrong with $ 19.95 month-​to-​month. Mind you, there’s an upfront charge to get that offer, but for $ 20 for perpetuity, I figured it was worth it. And there’s free parking (though I wish they’d figure out a way to get rid of the daily-​sticker nonsense and save a few trees).
Really, I should rank this gym with at least 3-​stars for that price alone. Equipment is fine and relatively well maintained. And it’s not that big a deal to have to bring your own gym towel (though not having towels in the gym means some of the nastier types don’t wipe down equipment, leaving their sweat behind for the next user).
Two major complaints, followed by a minor issue that spurred this review.
1) Crowded. Given the price, it’s pretty much mass chaos during peak times at this gym.
2) Chaos. I shouldn’t have to look throughout the gym for the needed weights. The plates aren’t stacked neatly and the dumbbells are all over the place. Want a 45lbs dumbbell? Look next to the 75lbs. It might be paired with the 15 pounder, as well. It doesn’t matter what time of day you show up, it’s always this way.
Lastly, and this is entirely on me for believing a snake oil salesman, but don’t believe the sales staff when they tell you that «we don’t ever charge the yearly facility fee.» In the grand scheme of the $ 19.95 per month, another $ 60 over the year still isn’t entirely too much. It’s just too bad that their sales folks seem to think they need to lie/​exaggerate to get people to sign contracts.

This review will only be of interest to someone looking to do Crossfit wods (Work Out of the Day) at a box.
I come from a local Crossfit gym but had to stop because the $ 200 CF monthly fee was not compatible with some new child care costs. In looking around in the Ballston-​Courthouse (Arlington) area, I checked out multiple gyms (Golds, YMCA, Sport & Health, etc). I was on the search for a gym that allowed me to keep up w/​the CF wods .
Fitness First was the only facility that had equipment and a logical layout for this type of activity. They have kettle bells, box jumps (highest one is 42″), a climbing rope, equipment for weighted pull ups, muscle up rings, Olympic style lifting platforms w/​rubber bumper plates (but no 15 lb plates), assorted weights of wall balls (w/​10′ wall targets), sand bags, Concept 2 rowers and a multiple pull up bar area. The Manager (John) also indicated that they have other CF equipment that even my local CF gym did not even have. The CF equipment is grouped together to allow one to transition quickly from one activity to another without interruption, important if you are timing the various wods.
After about a month at the gym I discovered a second more private wod area located across from the main check in desk. At first I had thought it was a meeting room that some people work out in when not in use but I had never really looked in the room. Much to my surprise there was a space with a lot of the same equipment in the other room but more private, more room and it had a timer. The only downside is that the room is for the personal trainers until 8:00 pm but after that it opens up to everyone.
Also ample free covered parking is a good thing. I would give this place 4.5 stars if I could.

I’ve been a member of Fitness First for three years joining originally in Alexandria. The other facilities are decent, but Arlington Courthouse is by far the nicest and cleanest facility in the chain.
They have the newest state-​of-​the-​art equipment. There never seems to be a wait for anything. What I like best is that it’s very clean, including the locker room which I use frequently to shower and take a break in the steam room.
You can’t be the price at about $ 32 per month, and they have a special Fit Rewards program where you can even earn a free month now and then.
Excellent value for the money, I highly recommend Fitness First!!!