Fitness First

Exactly what I needed. Clean and almost never crowded. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. They have a wide variety of equipment that is fairly new. There are two floors and you can park for free after 6pm in the lot to the right of it. Very happy with this gym.

This gym has a lot of equipment, but is not worth the hassle of the aggressive sales team. Random incorrect charges appear and are difficult to fix. The gym claims you can cancel whenever as you move, but does not fulfill then tries to add cancellation charges and continue charging your account. Basically the gym is not managed well and you will likely regret joining this gym and not one of the many other similarly priced gyms close to this one.

DO NOT JOIN THIS GYM. It is the worst decision I have ever made. Run as fast as you can from them. They are definitely a scam. When you sign up everything is fine and they are nice when you tell them you want to cancel they just become rude!!! Worst customer service ever. I won’t recommend this gym to anyone. Please stay away and save yourself!!!

This place is great. The staff is always friendly and courteous even though I have never expressed interest in purchasing personal training. The gym has pretty much everything you could ask for as well as being empty a lot of the time. I guess the only negative is the parking situation but there is parking in the back and it would be ridiculous to fault such a small establishment for not purchasing a parking lot’s worth of space in downtown Bethesda.

Fitness First used to be a wonderful club. Not anymore… It is not clean and the equipment is not kept up.
The steps in the group exercise room downstairs are old and dirty. Members have asked they be replaced. Just a handful were replaced. The rest of them are still the old, warped ones, not the best for our knees in the body step classes.
The audio equipment has been defective for months and, although both members and instructors have told the people at the front desk multiple times, it has not been replaced yet. We feel sorry for the instructors who have to ’ guess’ the music when they teach classes and for us who scramble keeping up with it.
A few months ago the Tuesday, 5:30 pm class, that used to be a great, popular and very well attended class, was replaced with ‘Insanity’. Members have been very unhappy with this change… Not because it is too difficult, the class before was more difficult, but because it is not what we need. There are no more than 6 – 8 people taking the current class as compared to the one before that was packed. We have addressed this issue many, many times with the club manager and the person in charge of the aerobics program. No change or response. Our concerns have been ignored. Recently, a group of club members wrote a petition to the club owner. Still no change because he delegated the decision to the club manager. Shouldn’t we have a say? Aren’t we, the club members, the ones who pay to support the club and get the services we need? We are so disappointed that we may drop the membership although we are constantly reminded to bring new members.
I really regret this situation because some instructors are great: Penny, Steve and others. However, I feel disrespected and ignored. Are you thinking of becoming a member? Think twice, then go to another one. Club membership is cheap but not cheap enough for the club’s state of disarray. Disappointed in Bethesda.

I love this gym for a few reasons. First, the membership at $ 30 bucks is the cheapest I’ve seen in Bethesda. Second, the staff is friendly. Third, the gym is not pretentious. I chose this place mainly for the location and the price, though it’s a small place with nothing fancy. I usually attend the Body Pump and yoga classes, though I’ve tried most of them. Only cons: small space. However, I hear they will be expanding soon.
BTW I did not think that the locker rooms were dirty, though they are small (but so is the rest of the gym).

Great gym. I’ve never had to wait for a treadmill or elliptical and the Pilates classes are addictive. The gym rarely closes, even in snow storms! The owner is very friendly and remembers your name.
The women’s locker room always smells awful though. I think it’s because there’s no ventilation, but I wish something could be done to keep it a little fresher.
I highly recommend this place. You can’t beat their price for the services and machines they offer.

Kind staff, clean facility, and a wide range of classes. Besides some tough parking, there is always some way to get there. Definitely worth the price!

This gym is totally sufficient if you’re just trying to get in an hour on a cardio machine. There are always machines available, the front desk staff is pleasant, etc.
I have 2 complaints:
1. The locker room creeps me out. It’s tiny for the number or people trying to get in and out. It’s also always kind of dirty.
2. News on practically every TV; if you don’t want to watch fox news, you’ll just have to settle for CNN because there are TVs on every surface you might want to rest your eyes on.

I really do love this gym and I’ve been a member for a very long time and I don’t plan on switching, but something needs to change. My main issue is with the parking. There are 5 spaces allocated to GYM members in the side lot. My main issue here is with the fact that the trainers park in the spaces, when they in fact can use any other space in that lot and pay for it themselves. I waited for 20 minutes while a trainer was sitting in his car and waved me on. I didn’t leave until I got a space. I left today and saw the same trainer laid back in his car after leaving to do what seemed to be errands. Once again, I was pulling out today and another trainer took my spot. I’m tired of it and something needs to be done about this.

I joined this gym about a month ago, it is a great gym for the price. My favorite thing about the gym is the free group classes! It makes working out less of a chore and more enjoyable.

Good price, decent facilities, overall mostly straightforward.
My one complaint would be the member agreement doesn’t quite match what you’d expect in terms of costs. I was surprised by the annual fee, as well as the fact that the «first month free» was free in the sense that the unexpected charge for that month was to be applied to the 30 day period after cancellation. Funny thing, this wouldn’t have been annoying if it were more prominently disclosed. But aside from that, it’s a fine gym.

This gym is definitely the best priced gym in Bethesda, and having been to other gyms in the area, the staff is way better here. Juan in particular is AWESOME! Instead of constantly emailing and calling me when I expressed interest in joining like other gyms, Juan never pushed me or tried to «sell» me. He clearly explained what I would get for my money at FF and once i joined, he signed me up for a free personal training session, and has since done a few personal training sessions with me. I’m always totally wiped after the personal training strength/​cardio sessions but feel SO good about my workout… I would definitely recommend him to anyone!

Run as fast as you can away. I would give negative stars!!! I cancelled 12 MONTHS ago. They have still been charging me! They won’t give it back!!! They are a scam. They will close when the building is sold. DO NOT JOIN! LEAVE if you are a member now. Make sure you get it in writing that you have left. Do not trust them.

I was interning in DC and living with family friends in Bethesda. I signed up for what I thought was a month to month membership that I could cancel when I needed to move home. Turns out their intake staff essentially lied to me and signed me up for a year long contract, interminable except in the case of death or something close. About as hard to drop as student loan debt.
Besides their despicable contract policies, the place is small, often overcrowded, and has old/​rusting equipment. I would give this a ZERO rating if possible. The relatively cheap monthly rate is money not well spent. Pay a little more for a nicer gym and i guarantee you will be a lot happier.

AWFUL billing team. I received a message today from a billing rep who says I owe $ 121 when I was dealing with erronous charges from Fitness First trying to charge me during a «hold» period. I am not paying a past due amount for a gym membership I did not use, that I requested be cancelled when it was pushed to a «hold» by the manager after a job loss AND a move. I should I have to pay anything under the circumstances and this is simply unacceptable customer service. DON’T JOIN — rip off.

It’s been about 6 months, so I thought I would refresh my review. We’re now past the New Year’s rush, and the crowds have returned to normal levels (read: 60−70% full, even at peak weekday, after-​work hours). Everything in the original review stands, but I’d also add a few more notes:
EQUIPMENT: They’ve done a good job replacing some of the free weights, adding a new preacher curl bench, and painting the interior. On the other hand, much of the equipment is starting to show it’s age. The thing about old equipment is that, in a lot of cases, people end up abusing it more («who cares?» attitude), accelerating the decay. I would hate to see this gym go down that path.
CROWD: Empty on weekends, esp. Sundays. Feels like a private club. Great for circuits.
STAFF: Very good at keeping the machines running and areas clean, as well as putting in repair orders. (How many times has the downstairs corner mirror by the squat rack been broken, repaired, and broken again? I lost count, but they always are quick to fix it.)
TRAINERS: I don’t personally have one, but they seem dedicated, knowledgeable, and to have a lot of regular clients.
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I’m a new member and thought I would take the time to share my opinion for the first few weeks:
PRICE: It’s definitely a «you get what you pay for» deal: its more economical than every other Bethesda-​area gym, but FF lacks both basic and nice-​to-​have equipment. Like eucalyptus-​scented towels? Go elsewhere. Like machines, free weights, and classes? They’re here.
LAYOUT: Cardio area and spin room are on the entry level; free weights, benches, (small) abs area and class are on bottom level along with locker rooms. Bottom level is not as dungeon-​like as some basement gyms. It’s well-​lit and generally inviting. Free wifi is a plus and is accessible everywhere.
CROWD: Never seen the place more than 75% full (Monday PM), and it’s usually pretty bare (less than 50%). You will not be intimidated by the average level of fitness – this isn’t a meathead gym, and there doesn’t seem to be any gym rats. 3 – 4 trainers work the floor and/​or have clients. This is not a ‘social gym” – most people actually go to work out, though you’ll see the occasional huddle of folks whose priority is talking. Everyone is courteous, hygienic, and friendly (staff included). ⁶⁰⁄₄₀ women to men mix overall at the times I go (weekday evenings and mid-​day weekends). Equal numbers of 20, 30, and 40+ –year olds.
EQUIPMENT: It has most of the basics and some extras. I’m taking away a star because ALL the free weights are badly beat up and there are no EZ bars, only straight bars. Machines in the basement are worn, but still functional. (It seems they are well-​maintained, but definitely nearing the end of their lifecycle. If they are still there in a year, I won’t be.) There’s a very surprising and disappointing absence of some key pieces of equipment (chest machines, especially) – and it’s not a lack of space in the basement. Time for a refresh, FF! At the same time, oddly, FF has recently invested in (or were promotionally given) a few high-​end machines on the top floor that I’ve never seen people on. I’d like to see FF spend 2012 – 13 money on free weights downstairs than more flashy, empty things up top.
PARKING: The significant draw-​back is a lack of a dedicated lot. (Welcome to Bethesda.) I usually parks after-​hours across the street at Wells Fargo. You can chance it at CVS, but I wouldn’t advise it. Street parking is occasionally available. You may want to budget meter parking into the cost of membership as it may add a few $ /​day.
RANT: Kiddie care is in the back, and too many parents feel it’s a good idea to let their kid (s) run all over the gym to/​from their room. Gyms have got to be the LEAST safe place for kids, but, nightly, there are 5-​year olds running around the gym while their parents half-​heartedly ask them to stop from across the room.

This is a no frills place. For the price, this can’t be beat – it is about ¹⁄₃ the cost of most gyms in the area.
I also liked that when I signed up, years ago, that it was not high pressure, long term commitment environment. I remember that at Washington Sport and Health it was impossible to get to the bottom line from some sales guy with a giant gold watch.
The best part about FF is the diversity and quantity of classes. There is spin every day, and at a variety of times. There is also body pump, yoga, palates, etc. The cardio area has enough equipment for all but the busiest times, and the weight area is smaller than many would like but serviceable. I have used the baby-​sitting a few times, mostly for my nephews. It was fine.
There is parking on the other side of Wisconsin at a metered lot. The mistake people make is trying to park on Wisconsin, which is limited and has many hours where you are not permitted to park, or they try the small lot on Woodmont. Both are difficult, but if you cross to the other side of busy Wisconsin there is a big lot that always has space. (But I ride my bike 90% of the time since it seems silly to drive to exercise.)

This is an excellent gym and I am extremely pleased by how much of a bargain it is. I have yet to find another gym that even comes close to being under $ 30 a month, and that’s not just for a short-​term deal, either. My boyfriend and I both go at least five times a week, and we rarely have to wait more than 10 minutes for a machine. Even when we do have to wait, which is only around 6:00 on weekdays and therefore an obvious time for them to be busy, I just go downstairs and lift weights for a while.
I don’t know what other gyms everyone else has used before this, but to me they have an extremely diverse set of equipment that amounts to everything I could ever need. Plus, a large proportion of the treadmills and ellipticals have individual TVs, which is nice because I’m not always stuck watching the football game on 3 out of the 12 wall TVs. I hear they also have good classes from friends, but I haven’t taken them so I can’t speak to that.
The staff is extremely friendly and they do a great job trying to treat their community with respect and support. I have never felt intimidated or out of place in this gym, as they cultivate a very local and community-​oriented atmosphere. My sole major complaint is probably the trainers, because I had an awkward and uncomfortable experience on my fitness consultation that I did not really appreciate. But that’s an easy thing to avoid, and other than that, I have never had anything but good experiences with them. I highly recommend them as a business and have already brought three of my friends over to joining the gym. Great work, Fitness First!

If I ran a gym, it would be called Fitness Fifth (but if Gossip Girl’s on, Fitness Sixth). I am not a bouncy-​ponytailed, perky-​butt gymgoer by any means. But occasionally, after a string of happy hours, gluttonous Unilocal UYEs, or holiday potlucks, I start to feel guilty. I look down in the shower to make sure I can still see my feet. I feel bad about lying to my mother about exercising. Then it’s off to the double F!
I had a trainer once. His name was Dennis. His biceps were the size of my head. He had a fun Boston accent and taught me all sorts of moves to minimize thigh fat and tighten my abs. Unfortunately: (a. these moves looked ridiculous when performed in the center of a room full of men grunting on machines, and (b. I skipped a session, felt bad and didn’t return for months. The next time I saw Dennis, I was next door at Saphire Café. He was picking up a salad to go, and I was having a three-​way with a cheeseburger and fries. Awwwwkwaaaard.
But I digress. Dennis knew his stuff, and was easy on the eyes. Double F is EXTREMELY reasonable with their pricing. The facilities are clean. The staff is courteous. When I do decide to grace the gym with my sweatpantsed presence, getting an elliptical or treadmill is no biggie. The best part, though, is the built-​in TV screens. I once ran three miles without even realizing it because I was caught up in watching Aladdin on the Disney Channel.
You can’t put a price on huffing your way through A Whole New World, people.