New York Sports Clubs

Worst ever. Rip you off in fees then promise you a refund and you never get the refund. Got emails going as back as 2014 when the refund was promised and still have not received it. All I hear from them is that they are working on it. On top of them being crocks most of the machines dont work and ALL barbells are bent.

Not a bad gym at all. Not sure what people are expecting for $ 40 a month. Has everything you need. It is really crowded but I’ve never had to wait for a treadmill. Can’t speak for the classes but they look great. Wish the personal training was a little more affordable.

Uh where the f**k did all the classes go? Paying the pricy membership was worth it to me because of the classes but now there’s less classes, the few classes they do have are at odd hours (I work so I can’t be at the gym at 10am on a Tuesday for pilates) or if you do find a class it’s always full. So in other words if you’re thinking about joining this gym just remember that classes that fit you schedule and that you actually want to do are very hard to come by.

I have a few gym memberships and this by far is my favorite gym. When I first signed up I had the pleasure of doing so with Kevin, who was amazing ! He was very informative and welcoming. The manager Mike was also very nice. I always recommend friends to this location because it’s so clean and the staff is great.

I moved to Astoria about 6 months ago. I signed up for this location after my previous contract with another gym expired.
I was attracted by convenience of location, the jerk boxes, the several benches, and price of $ 35 with no contract (I paid for this location only).
It’s been a big disappointment.
The lack of respect members show each other, through their poor treatment of this gym, is unbelievable.
I rarely see other members clean up after themselves.
Expect plates dumbells, barbells, kettle bells, towels to be left everywhere.
The men’s room is an utter disaster. Never clean. Piss all over the toilet seats almost always.
Staff seems to have «what difference does it make» attitude. Frankly, I can’t blame ‘em!
The inconsiderate slobs and/​or d-​bags far outweigh members that show even the slightest bit of etiquette/​decency.
The only thing that I would blame management is lack of barbells and plates.
Why do you have so many bench press stations, jerk boxes and squat racks if there are always barbells missing?
Some things are worth more than saving a few bucks a month on membership.

This used to be a decent gym, especially compared to the Manhattan locations because it’s more spacious and not in a basement. However, in the last year or so, maybe because of the significant price reduction and/​or other reasons it has become extremely crowded. If you go in the early evening (around 7 pm) you need to be prepared to wait to do exercises like squats etc. Also I often struggle to find room to use free weights. While they have expanded in the various areas they offer, such as special crossfit like areas, TRX, etc, these also make the place feel more crowded. Another side effect of too many people is the smell.
While the price is now very low, I can only recommend this gym if you can get away with only going on off peak times.

This is a good gym compared to other gyms. A few remarks that need to be made.
The gym belongs to its members. Treat the place as if it was yours. If you use weights, put them away when you are done. Don’t leave your towels all over the place. Be polite to and respectful of others. Wipe the machines down after you are done sweating on them.
The employees for the most part are really very nice and friendly with the exception of one that is just plain lazy. (If I ask you to reserve a class for me as I am leaving the gym — JUST DO IT! Don’t tell me that I can do that on line. I know I can but if I am asking you then its for a good reason).
The equipment does need to be maintained better. You need a mechanic to walk around and fix what is broken. Members needs to go a little easier on the equipment. If something is broken, it should be reported and if its not fixed, then it should be reported yet again and again until it is fixed. The bottom line is that if we all care about our gym it will be a better gym for all of us to enjoy.
Most of the classes are good except there are not enough of them. Some of the instructors are mediocre and need to update their routines, maybe add some fresh music.
Granted the towels could be a bit softer but if you are not happy bring your own like I do. The shampoo, body soap and conditioner are always plentiful.
The sauna is a great place but only if the rules are followed. It says no footwear and I am pretty sure that means sneakers also. I also do not care to see your naked butt so cover up. If only with a towel, just cover up.
Bottom line is that for the price we pay for our membership we are still getting a good gym!!!

They fixed one of the Vending machines, and the elevator no longer smells like a possum died in it.
Up to 3 stars!

I’ve been training at this gym for over six years. In my 20 years of training I’ve been to some amazing gyms and some horrible gyms. I’m sad to say that this gym is increasingly becoming horrible, although it’s not as bad as a lot of other gyms.
Since the membership cost has been lowered, the gym is not only a lot more crowded, but it’s crowded now at off-​peaks times. While I have a gold pass and can train whenever I want, I’ve always found ~9:30pm to be the time when it is no longer crowded and I train on whatever machines and benches I need. This is no longer the case. I can arrive at as late as 10pm and the gym is still overflowing with people and you must fight for a bench or machine. And every gym has idiots, but now there are people who train here that try to claim multiple machines at once, which is really annoying. Or they leave stacks of weights on machines or leave equipment all over the place.
The people attending, however, is actually the smallest issue. The biggest issue, in my opinion, is the lack of equipment. Since this gym (appropriately) introduced the crossfit sections, there is a major lack of plates throughout the rest of the gym. The leg section needs to have an abundance of plates (45s) and lately plates are scarce in this section. I finally wait my turn to claim the squat machine, but then I have to scavenger around the gym to find 6 – 8 plates. This is very frustrating. (On a side note, I’m not sure why the leg press machine is only a couple of feet away from the water fountain. No one wants a crotch in their face when they’re trying to lift). There is also a lack of bars. Every bench should have a bar. But this is no longer the case. What’s the point in having 4 – 5 benches if there are only three bars? And why are dumbbells left all over the place throughout the gym? At times it’s almost impossible to find the pair of dumbbells you need. And how come every pully doesn’t have a clip at the end? All too often a pully opens up and I run to it to claim it and there’s no hook to connect the handle! Just as annoying – lately, a bunch of knobs to adjust the height of the seat on a machine are simply missing. Do you know how hard it is to pull out a sharp metal screw with your bare hand to try to adjust the seat? A gym is not the place you want to slice your hand open. Sometimes you can do this without cutting your fingers if you squeeze a towel around the screw. But that’s if you’re able to get a towel.
For some reason, this gym no longer provides towels on the towel racks. You must ask for them on your way in. The staff are extremely friendly and always willing to give you one or two towels, but the situation is still annoying. Mid-​workout you might need another towel and it’s simply a pain to go back upstairs and have to ask for another one. Sometimes they don’t have any towels, but I believe this is when there is a legitimate problem with a cleaning machine. This gym is also often out of paper towels in the bathroom. All too often I have to dry my hands on my shirt. And use shower soap instead of hand soap because they’re often out of that, too!
Again, despite my complaints, this isn’t the worst gym. But it’s getting there. I really hope management starts addressing some of these issues.
As this gym continues to get progressively worse I think I’ll continue to update my complaint…
Speaking of horrible clientele, today there were two young guys working out with no shirts on and sweating all over all the equipment. I don’t know what was more annoying – the sweat all over or the one guy continuously taking selfies in the mirror of his little arms.
The other day all three bench-​seats were taken by guys just sitting there. I had to politely ask one of them if I could use it (to actually do shoulder presses). However, the guy sitting next to me just sat there texting for the next ten minutes and didn’t do a single set (even as he occupied a pair a dumbbells). I looked over a little while later and he was still sitting there!
Yesterday, a newbie girl swiped a bar (45 lbs) from the squat rack and carried it into the crossfit section, leaving the leg section depleted of bars. When she put the bar down (that she could barely lift) she noticed there was already a bar next to her feet. She wound up putting a few lbs on each side, did like one half-​asses set, and then left the bar there with the weights on it (as people were looking all over for bars in the squat area). And we wonder where all the bars go!

The only thing I like about this gym are my wonderful spin instructors Ed, Sal, and Yvette! There is always a towel issue, a whole week and a half without towels due to some laundry machines being broken??? Also, spin bikes are always damaged the place looks like it’s falling apart in certain areas with ceiling roof squares missing. You have to sign up a week in advance for classes and most classes get closed out so early:(They run out of passes so often that sometimes it doesn’t even matter if you have a pass. I wouldn’t complain if I wasn’t paying 80 dollars a month for low class service:(I honestly am only at the gym due to my awesome instructors!

I’ve been a member of NYSC for about 2 years now and initially, the gym was all I really needed. They have done some updates with the gym and dropped the cost and now it’s over-​run. It is so crowded that I have to wait 20 minutes for a treadmill or elliptical some nights. There is almost no space to use free weights and there are only 2 sets of weights under 25lbs. I generally use 17.5’s and 22.5’s as a female and sometimes I can’t even find them. The facilities are dirty and no one cleans off equipment after they use it. I find I have to scrub and wipe down everything before I use it and then after I use it. Coupled with the obsessive selfie taking dudes and lack of weights, I am considering finding another gym.
Last night I took my first spin class and was soooo bored. The music was outdated and old and the instructor just STOOD at the front of the class, in his sweats checking his phone for when he should choppily switch to the next song on his playlist. Absolutely no energy or motivation. I suppose that’s all you can really expect for a free class, but really? The instructor just STOOD there! He didn’t sit on his bike ONCE OR even break a sweat. Needless to say, I will use a bike on my own rather than take a class again.

This has just turned into a disaster.
A year ago, NYSC slashed prices across the board, pursuant to a contract (and, laughably, the denial of TOWELS to certain members under certain conditions — because these sandpaper-​like towels are just so fucking nice, right?). What they’ve done with the profit from their expanded customer base is beyond me, because every location I go to is getting dirtier, more cramped, and more outdated by the week.
At least I’m paying less, now? Thing is, a $ 60 passport membership is STILL too much for the quality you’re getting from most facilities.
This gym has never been one of the nicer locations in the system, but it’s somehow getting worse. With the lower prices has come an influx of truly clueless, non-​serious people who demonstrate a Planet Fitness-​level understanding of gym etiquette. And I mean a massive influx of them — it’s become so unusably crowded at peak hours that people are stretching and lifting and doing pushups in the middle of walkways, on the main staircase, even in the locker rooms.
Employees are nowhere to be seen. Nobody is re-​racking weights, nobody is cleaning, nobody is doing anything unless they’re a trainer with a client. Pins disappear from machines, never to be replaced. Cables break, never to be fixed. Everything is coated in dust. System-​wide, the class reservation process seems to change its rules by the week.
I’m locked into paying for a little while longer, but when I’m out, I’m out for good — a new David Barton is opening up in Hell’s Kitchen that promises to be incredible, TMPL, and I snagged a very reasonable pre-​opening rate for it. When it comes to gyms, I think it’s worth paying premium and going out of my way on weekends to experience a clean, modern environment where the patrons are serious about working out and the management is serious about their jobs.

It’s been days now and still no towels! C’mon NYSC, I expected better of you. Towels are an essential part of participating at the gym and should always be available to everybody. No excuses. There have been recent increases in membership so you can find another facility to provide the towels. No need to be cheap about it because we pay enough to work out here. Why should we worry about towels? Also, those who are not given towels leave sweat all over the equipment and it gets pretty disgusting, regardless of the fact that sanitizers are all over the place. So, find another facility to provide the towels and let’s move on. Give more than you take and you’ll see things will change. You have enough staff standing around gossiping most of the time.
And no, I won’t provide my personal information to you in order for you to resolve this matter because it’s not necessary. Just fix it and all will be good.
Ok, I received word that the towels are on their way to the club. There really was a problem with the machines of the provider and a part needed to be replaced which needed to be shipped from out of state. This is a relief because I thought they were doing away with the towels for good, leaving us with nothing. And hopefully we can go back to the days when everyone got a towel because it was simply more hygienic that way; this new way of going about things at the gym is no good. We want to increase its caliber, not make it go down the tubes, the direction I foresee it going at this moment. But, I did not fall on deaf ears, someone did listen and I will keep advocating for the improvement of the gym, hence the bump up from one to three stars. More reviews in the future as I see how things turn out.
Latest update– New towels at the Astoria NYSC! Surely a step in the right direction.

Worst gym in Astoria, managers aren’t really helpful, and this gym will over charge you too for no reason. I was on a $ 20 membership and they charged me $ 80 for like 5 – 6 months and they take forever to give a refund back, let alone correspond with you. Rude. I rather spend that money at a gym like Equinox or even Club Fitness.

Coming from planet fitness, this place is like going from soggy wet fries to crispy waffle fries topped with melted cheese. I just signed up with a $ 60 annual fee and $ 35 a month with 2 months free, and already got my free personal training session with Will done and done. There’s so much more room here. They’ve got a whole slew of classes including cycling and two floors of weight machines and cardio machines. There’s also room to do free exercise and a rack of kettleballs, medicine balls, etc. Women’s locker room is kept clean and they have showers stocked with shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotion and hair blow dryer to use. The free towel service is a plus, and there’s wifi available. Ready to kick my ass into shape!

It’s an average gym, except that it gets way too crowded some evenings. When I lived in NY years ago I would come here and it wasn’t quite as packed, but since then they’ve signed on more members and removed some basic perks (like complimentary towels). Sometimes it’s well maintained, sometimes the free weights are literally scattered all over the floor – there’s not a large support staff. Depending on the day, I’d rate it 2 or 3 stars, but their customer service knocks it down to 1.
PUBLIC ADVISORY: This gym chain is running a pretty blatant scam on its members. I joined NYSC last year because I was told I would have unlimited guest passes and could bring a friend with me any time I went. I already had a gym membership in Manhattan but thought it would be nice for me and my partner to be able to come here together occasionally. At no point was I told that this was a promotion that would expire in November. My monthly rate is low, but I paid a fairly large initiation fee that I would forfeit if I cancel my membership. I might occasionally want to come here still, but I have very negative feelings about how this was handled. Oh, and if I decide to cancel my membership they are going to charge me a cancellation fee. This all seems a little calculated, doesn’t it?
Bottom line, don’t expect them to honor their promises when they sign you on. Approach with caution and expect to get less than what you paid for.

DON’T USE THIS GYM! IT’S ROBBERY!!! I just called to cancel my membership at this overpriced gym and was told that I have to pay another 30 days in order to cancel the membership. They said that if I call member services, they would be able to do something so I call and SHE COULDN’T DO ANYTHING FOR ME– NOT EVEN AS A COURTESY! With boutique gyms and other affordable gyms on the rise, New York Sports Club needs to start valuing loyalty (I’ve been a member since 2010) and do smart business.

Getting better. At times the staff actually puts equipment back and cleans. Management is more on top of things. But there are still times when you are tripping over the weight strewn about. Lawsuit waiting to happen.
I think is gross that cheaper memberships don’t include towel service. The result being people just leaving their sweat behind.

I transferred from the Great Neck branch to the Astoria branch, and it’s already been a strong improvement in many ways: more classes options available later into the evenings, open til midnight during weeknights, members don’t stand around chitchatting, and it’s overwhelmingly huge. Alex Grunis, one of the managers, was helpful in switching over my membership.
However, the no towel thing for Premier members still hugely irks me, and I was disappointed to find out that there is a sauna but no steam room at this branch (the GN branch has a steam room). Boo. Also, there are not enough water fountains… one on each floor is inconvenient when each floor is so large. They should add more. And last, there are a bunch of machines that are broken that remain unfixed. With a gym this popular, it’s inconvenient for members for them to continue to leave them broken.

UUGGGGGGGG!!! If I could give negative stars I would.
I made the moronic mistake and let someone convince me to switch from EQINOX to this horribly run gym due to location convenience and lower cost. My issue wasn’t so much the gym location itself (although, this is where I had my membership) but their customer service/​billing department. They have to be the most incompetent people I have ever encountered. Do they not get trained on how to do anything correctly??? I canceled my membership and SURPRISE! I was STILL CHARGED the following month $ 75…whole ordeal to get my money back. Next month, SURPRISE!!! Was charged AGAIN and this time for $ 150 for God knows what… MORONS!!! Call back AGAIN, idiot on phone says, «sorry, we mistakenly charged you.» Umm how, if the account is noted canceled??? «Sorry we will refund you.» Call back 3 days later… rep tells me, «no refund was ever processed.» OMMMMGGGGGG! I seriously cannot deal with businesses that do not have customer service skills and can’t seem to do basic 101 office duties. Please hire smarter people. Never again.