Frenchie’s Gym

Lot of history and character here. Use at your own risk.

Old school neighborhood gym that needs to stay open forever! This is the kind of business that needs our support. Plus it is just a pretty damn cool place. If you want to feel hardcore, go here.

Frenchie’s is a no frills, old-​fashioned, iron mecca. This is THE place to go if you’re a self-​motivated lifter who is looking for an gym that has all of the essentials and none of the fluff. The location in South Williamsburg could not be better and the price (which hovers around $ 20 per month) is unbeatable. The clientele are all local and know one another. As long as you are friendly, you will quickly become one of the gang and you might even pick up a little bit of Spanish along the way. Ultimately, this gym is a dying breed and a local treasure. Highly recommended.

An old fashioned body building gym, no bs. They should put a barbell from here in the library of congress

When you enter 5 stars on here, it says «Whoohoo! As good as it gets!»
That’s pretty damned accurate. Frenchie’s, for those of you looking to actually work out, is as good as it gets. Here’s why:
1) No frills. That means people are really coming to work out. Therefore, not a bunch of people trying to pick each other up, or talk on their phone. This leads to the kind of place where you can really just get your workout on, uninterrupted.
2) That said, it’s a very open and friendly place. You’re gonna get called «Papi» (if you’re a guy) if you keep coming there. You’ll get fist bumps and a smile from the guys, when you come in, whether you’re ripped or skinny or fat. You come in, and you’re family.
3) Frenchie. He’s what makes NYC what we all wistfully think of NYC as. He’s going to razz you, gently. And you better show him you can smile through it. If you do, he’ll treat you like one of his own kids. Then you get to hear all of his stories — from his days as a wrestler, to the history of his town in Puerto Rico, to how he used to get custom suits made nearby. I literally spend 30 minutes post-​workout, talking with him.
Looking back, I can’t believe I nearly visited another gym, before Frenchie’s. I can’t imagine how awful it would have been at the other place. I’m glad I checked out Frenchie’s first, and signed up upon walking in. It really is as good as it gets.

Sweet old school gym with cool guys and a lot of character. Definitely motivating to lift in the environment were people come to put in work, lift heavy and get big.

Old school body building gym, don’t know much about the community here in NY but this definitely seems like a gym Arnold would train in. Friendly people and big guys!

You want towel service? A sauna? Maybe a spin class? You’ve come to the wrong place. I was recently displaced when my Mid City Gym closed it’s 49^th Street location in Manhattan. I started looking for a new gym (not feeling the new 42^nd St. spot), but was unable to find anything «old-​school». Everything out there now seems to have this «fitness club» vibe that I can’t get into. I go to the gym to lift and work out hard. I’m not there for a fashion show. I’m not there to pick up. And I’m certainly not there to take up space while talking on my cell phone.
Anyway, after searching around, I found Frenchie’s. Now mind you, I live in the Bronx. But Frenchie’s is only a couple of stops away from my job in Manhattan, and since I usually work out after work, this was perfect. Frenchie asked me what he could do for me. I told him I’d like to work out at his gym. He said «what you see is what you get». Well, I liked what I saw. The weights are old and heavy. The equipment looks like cold war surplus from behind the iron curtain. Surprisingly, everything works. Although the price was definitely a selling point, it wasn’t the deciding factor. I could have worked out at Blink Fitness for about the same amount and have more locations to choose from. But there’s something about this place that motivates you. You can «Feel the Power» like the awning out front says.
The crowd is mixed… everything from Hasidim, Mexican, Hipsters, you name it, and everyone doing their thing. I love it. These types of gyms are another part of Americana that is going the way of the drive-​in theater. You just don’t see them anymore. It’s good to see that Frenchie’s is still standing strong after all these years. No frills. No sales pitch. No commitment. Pay up front. Get a membership card. Start working out. Simple. I love it.

I live in Williamsburg and was looking for the best place to sign up for a gym membership. I weighed several options, taking into account the cost, commitment, location and equipment/​amenities. In the end, I walked away from the search with a Frenchie’s membership and here is why:
I looked online and found the following:
— Planet Fitness — 10 bucks a month, great gym but too far for me compared to my other options (I’d have to take the subway)
— Retro Fitness — 20 bucks a month+, close by, but apparently it’s nearly impossible to cancel your membership/​shady business practices
— Frenchie’s Gym — 30 bucks a month on month to month (no commitment costs or downpayment), close by, great equipment and very close! Frenchie was also such a cool old man! STRAIGHTFORWARD AND NO RISK. I LIKE.
— Soma Health Club — 60 – 80 bucks a month, super nice staff, super nice equipment, super close, and nice amenities/​towel/​sauna etc. But I’m not rich, and I prefer to use my own shower anyways! I don’t need to pay an extra 30 – 50 bucks a month just to use a public shower.
So in the end, I went with Frenchie’s Gym… and it’s been such a worthy investment.
Besides Frenchie himself, the other people there are also pretty awesome — they mind their own business, get their workout done, and there is no douchiness/​craziness what-​so-​ever.
Treadmills, stairmaster, machines, curl-​up stations, free weights and full length mirrors. What more do you need?
Frenchie’s Gym is just down to earth, authentic and genuine.
Their equipment is well maintained and clean too.
I am a fan.
Caveats — Sundays are 5 dollars each person, Saturdays they only open from 9am-​2pm, they don’t open in the mornings (starts at 10 and ends at 9pm). But I’ll be there as much as I can since it’s so close, and hopefully every day of the week.

This place is amazing, I decided to try it out after Planet Fitness demanded a blank check from me so they could have my account number and ABA routing number. No way, paying with a credit card protects the consumer from shady gyms. Then I tried Green Fitness and they wanted over $ 100/​month to workout in a tiny uncomfortable space. The managers didn’t even speak English as a first language. My next stop was at Crunch fitness, apparently they hired two people to sit at the front desk, have all the doors open, but the gym isn’t open. They also have no idea when they’re going to officially open, but an update is coming soon. From there I went directly over to Frenchie’s and after handing him $ 30 for the month and getting a card I started working out. Literally, the best gym in Williamsburg in terms of pure workout and ease.
First off, Frenchie is kinda awesome. He kinda speaks like an old school Italian, like what you’d imagine Rocky speaking like if he opened a gym after Rocky V. He hangs out at the desk and from time to time will walk around and shoot the shit with the lifters. This place is what is called a man’s gym. You won’t find cute girls chatting with each other while going 5mph on an elliptical, you’ll find a bunch of people working out hard to get in shape.
I kinda thought this place would be filled with hipsters, but when I went at noon the place only had a few people working out. I realized after starting that all of the machines and weights were actually pretty well maintained. I’ve seen machines that were prettier, but definitely not better maintained then here. Every single thing worked, even the cardio machines.
The only downside is that there isn’t a shower in the place, though there is a locker room and toilet so all in all, at this price I can just shower at home. Another caveat, not bad just kinda odd to me, was that he had a Top 40 station playing. I can definitely workout to some «Stay the Night,» but not what I’d expect hardcore body builders to listen to. All in all, this place is great if you know what you’re doing in the gym, and trust me ladies, I definitely know what I’m doing.

Used to workout here when I lived in Williamsburg and definitely miss the place.
For starters, Frenchie is the old man that runs the place. Pretty cool guy all things considered, and no hassle, no frills (that is a plus considering the d*cks you get at Crunch and Equinox). Gym was insanely cheap, $ 5 a visit or something like $ 30 a month. Frenchie then gives you some sort of membership ID and writes your name down in the book. I’m pretty sure he really has no idea of whose paid and who hasn’t, but I liked the guy, and felt bad, and always paid on time. It’s just that kind of place. Plus, Frenchie is hilarious — a few times i’ve came in and he’s been passed out at his desk. Sometimes he also walks around the gym and points out if your form is bad and if you are lifting girly weights he shakes his head. Classic.
Everything about this place is old school, from the owner to the equipment. The dumbbells no longer clearly identify what weight they are, but you’ll figure it out soon enough. There are two speakers that blast the Latin 97.9 FM radio all day, but that’s not a problem either. Pumping up to Daddy Yankee can be quite fun. Be warned that there is no AC in the gym either — just a few rusty fans but I actually enjoyed that as I worked up quite a sweat in the summer. Also, on that note, bring your own towel if you go here! Pretty sure some of the pads on the equipment are from the 70s and you dont want to put her head on there unless it’s on a towel.
Same as above to the «cardio» equipment — this consists of pretty much 2 treadmills with some fat women always on them. This gym is definitely focused on the freeweights, barbells and machines.
Anyway, it’s a great gym if you dont need much and are looking for something retro, classic and hassle-​free. It was a bit weird being the only white hipster guy in there (mostly latin, mexican and african americans), but I guess in one way, being the only hipster kind of made it more hipster, dont ya think?

A real piece of Brooklyn history. Frenchie (the owner) is as authentic as it gets. I love his no nonsense philosophy because it works. The gym is basic but its also only about $ 30 to $ 40 dollars a month. If you are on a budget and want to get fit, this is the place. The best part is the equipment is never over crowded. All you really need is a treadmill and some free weights to get in amazing shape.

Old school gym, with everything you’ll need to get shredded and then some. This place has history and character and is probably the coolest gym i’ve ever been to. If you’re looking for a cardio kickboxing class, pretentious personal trainers and obnoxious dance music keep looking. But If you’re looking for a great gym at only $ 30 a month with no fees, this is the place.