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Jun 2

Wicker Park Fitness – 17 Photos & 88 Reviews – Trainers …

Fitness Comments Off on Wicker Park Fitness – 17 Photos & 88 Reviews – Trainers …

88

WPF has crappy facilities. Every time it rains, the ceilings leak, there's not enough room so you're constantly bumping into people or having to navigate tight spaces, and it's overheated. So why four stars? Jaime, Matine, Terri, and Fotini. They lead fantastic classes. Fotini does yoga sculpt Tuesday mornings at 9 AM. It is not light, girly yoga. You're planking until your arms feel like they're going to fall off. You're squatting and lunging until your glutes could trigger a fire alarm. She also throws in mountain climbers, pushups, burpees, bicycle crunches, high knees, jumping jacks, and tricep dips, all while incorporating Vinyasa yoga. The first 20 minutes in her class feel like 50 it's so hard, but it's the best way to start off the morning. I wish she taught yoga sculpt more often. Matine's 10 AM Sunday bootcamp makes me feel like vomiting. You start off by running on the treadmill for 7 to 8 minutes. Then, you do 10 exercises of about a minute each for four or five rounds: burpees, kettlebell swings, medicine ball slams (lots and lots of them), Romanian deadlifts, lunges, plank rows, battle ropes, you name it. I always feel great during this class because Matine does a good job of keeping it high energy and fun no matter how much I want to collapse. Terri, who instructs the Thursday 10 AM bootcamp, looks like Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She is very cute and little. Guys probably think she's a fairy princess come to life. Do not fooled by appearances; she is a taskmaster. Every part of you will burn in this class. She likes using resistance bands a lot and she likes doing several rounds of exercises with them--in between rounds, you run full speed on the treadmill for 2 minutes no matter if your legs feel like jelly from all those squat shoulder presses she had you do. But thanks to her, I can go from 8.5 to 10.0 on the treadmill for sprints. Lastly, Jaime. I call him Tiny Dancer (because he's actually a professional dancer). Tiny Dancer is a little sadist. Tiny Dancer is my favorite instructor at WPF. His classes are always packed because no one will have you sweat more. The gym should expand just to accommodate the demand for his classes alone. Twenty minutes with Jaime has me sweating more than running 10 miles. No joke. Dudes don't often take his Wednesday evening Bangin' Body class because they see mostly chicks working out to Beyonc, Backstreet Boys, and R. Kelly. I get it. They'd rather bench press and be among men staring stonily at the wall, not in the girls' class with club hits blaring. But occasionally, I'll see a dude (a fit one, mind you) come in all confident, thinking the class will be a cakewalk. In the middle of the workout, same dude will be grunting and groaning with a shocked look on his face because he has received a rude awakening from Tiny Dancer. Dancers, you see, practice for hours and can tolerate insane amounts of pain doing the same movements over and over again. They use every muscle in their bodies. That's why they make excellent trainers. One time, Jaime had us do 100 squats, 100 lunges, 100 pushups, 100 shoulder presses, 100 chest flys, 100 tricep dips, and God knows a hundred of what else in A SINGLE CLASS. He's a great fan of jump squats, jump lunges, dive bombers, side planks, and anything else that will create a pit of dread in your stomach. Some exercises are so hard I laugh or shake my head as he demonstrates them, but I try them anyway. Tiny Dancer's classes are so goddamn hard and agonizing, but they're so effective. You feel a real sense of accomplishment when you finish. During nights when my ambition exceeds my good sense, I take his abs class after Bangin' Body. At least you're on the floor the whole time, thank God. Jaime also offers two Saturday morning bootcamps. The 11 AM class is crazy packed to the point where you nearly kick someone. The 9 AM class is slightly less jammed. Either way, after one class, my butt was sore until Friday--that's the kind of pain Tiny Dancer inflicts and that's why I keep coming back. Dudes, I dare you to take Tiny Dancer's classes. Your asses will be handed to you. WPF, stop having Jaime go to the lame Southport branch. Keep him in WP where he belongs.

Good luck trying to get a refund after you move. They will just make up rules about freezing your account and how that counts against your balance even when you just renewed your membership and had months left on it. They will simply add up all the time they froze it since you ever started, regardless if you just paid, and tell you that "you get nothing". Not to mention that they don't have good showers or enough equipment during peak times. Be careful with these folks, they are friendly until you actually need something from them.

It's a great neighborhood gym with a variety of machines and weights. I usually just stick to the squat rack for most of my workout. The times I go usually aren't busy so that's a plus! I enjoy taking classes, too, and from the ones I've taken they are pretty kick ass. I just took Monday night yoga and it was great! They should add more classes. I'd like to see more variety. The people at the desk are really sweet, too!

This is my first and last year as a member. I wish I had opted for the monthly option so I could have cancelled it sooner. What I find most troubling is how little attention is payed to maintenence and daily dealings. Paper towels are not refilled, antibacterial spray is frequently unavailable, treadmills are not serviced frequently, etc. What i found most frustrating is how the staff sitting at the front desk simply let any non memberwalk in. A homeless youth was disturbing patrons workouts and no effort was made to redirect him!! I really wish I had looked into all of these small things before signing up for my membership here. I will not be returning next year.

Great staff and I really like this gym. The thing I just hate is that people here do not clean their machines off. Sometimes during a 30 minute period I will see typically around 3 people not wiping down their machines. This happens a couple times EVERY NIGHT. Not cool. So gross. I get it, you worked hard, you sweat all over, you are so tired you can't do anything else. Well. Do one more thing. Wipe off your machine cause you are disgusting! And if you leave a Lake Michigan sized pool of sweat on the bike seat that is just totally disgusting for the next person so be decent & WIPE. Even if you just get on it for 5-10 minutes. I think quite a few people go to the gym to look good so remember - you look anything but attractive when you are being a gross freak. Anyway, I love working out here but I always clean my machine before I hop on because I know what has been there before me.

I hate to even review WPF because I would hate for more people to come and take my treadmill or stair master spot! But I'm all about sharing is caring so I decided to stop being selfish and tell you how amazing WPF is. I found WPF 2 years ago when I was doing the whole long distance thing with my bf. I was on a fitness kick and couldn't think of missing 4 days of working out while visiting. I also didn't know what to do since I didn't want to pay for a full fledged membership somewhere when I was only going to be coming a few days once a month. I contacted them through their website and heard back from Ted Risk. They were able to get me a deal and allowed me to keep on top of my workout goals. Fast forward 2 years and here I am living in Chicago in Wicker Park and desperate to get that fitness thing going again. There was no doubt in my mind that once I got my motivation to join a gym, it wouldn't be anywhere else except for WPF. I have been going almost everyday and I have yet to have to wait for a machine. Granted, I do have a little bit different hours as I work in retail, but even by 6:30 it's been no problem to get my workout in. I can't wait to try out the classes and possibly a couple personal trainer sessions- I always see their trainers working with clients and it seems like a great way to change up my workout a bit. Keep up the great work!!

Love this gym, but love leaving it even more! I have been working out at WPF for 1.5 years now and I continue to go even though I now live a 20-minute walk away in Ukrainian Village. I usually hate working out and I only do it to stay fit and refreshed (and let's be real, so I can eat more), but this is as good as it gets for someone who doesn't live for the gym life and wants to get in and out as soon as possible. Don't get me wrong though, I definitely get a good and invigorating workout here. Much better than I could get running around my block. The machines are great and individual TVs always work. I shopped around a lot in the Wicker Park vicinity for a well-located, affordable gym, and I am still confident I made the best choice. Yes, it's tiny, but I've noticed everyone is incredibly accommodating considering we all experience at one point or another a crowded gym floor when all you want to do is get those 100 crunches in to finish off a workout and GTFO. People slide over for you and are super careful not to injure anyone with a flying weight or limb. It's only bad Monday-Thursday after work though. You come in on a weekday afternoon and a whole row of treadmills will be all yours. A few more plusses: locker rooms and showers are always clean (I noticed not many people shower here, but whenever I do, I never feel the least bit grossed out), employees are kind and non-meathead-ish/they don't judge you for dropping by 1-2 times a week at best, the late hours are great, and the class schedule is accommodating. Classes are reliably intense, but that's a good thing. I only wish they had spinning classes. All in all, great place, cozy space, perfect bang for your buck. And the best part is, no monthly payments! I absolutely love having my gym bills paid for the next year. And now that I've delayed going to the gym long enough by writing this, I'm off to WPF!

I'm super glad I joined Wicker Park Fitness. As an ex-XSport member, I was looking for a smaller, less meathead, and friendlier gym to join when I moved from Lakeview to West Town. Sure, the 24/7 availability of XSport was always convenient, but it just wasn't worth not looking forward to gymming it on a daily basis. (See my previous review about XSport...and the other 281239932.) Back to WPF: as other reviewers have stated, it's small (and therefore doesn't have a lot of room for a ton of equipment) and the place gets pretty packed during peak hours (what gym doesn't, though?)--those are the only drawbacks I see, which are minor for me. The staff is extremely friendly and not at all salesy, I actually have never waited to use a cardio machine (I think their current treadmill count is either 8 or 10, same for ellipticals, and 2 stairmasters), their studio is perfect for ab work and cool-down stretching when there's not a class going on, the locker room is always clean, and the price...just, the price. I can't vouch for the group fitness options, since I have yet to attend a class, but the schedule looks varied and fun. Extra perks: when you sign on with WPF, you can also visit Southport Fitness (a little bigger than WPF) and Logan Square Fitness (haven't yet been); treadmills are in front of large windows that are perfect for people watching (make your workout go by really quickly, depending on the volume of pedestrians), and I have yet to encounter a meathead situation.

I joined WPF at the new year, and overall I think it's completely adequate for general workouts. Plenty of cardio equipment (I hear it gets crowded, but I'm a weekday-morning goer), all of the requisite weight machines, and just enough space to cram in some free weight benches. Unfortunately, as others have said, this gym is far too small. There is just enough space to fit everything in, but you will feel the coziness. I've noticed there is an open storefront next to them now, I would hope that the owners look into expanding into it. The price cannot be beat - I joined up for 10 months at $30 a month; in my opinion that is fantastic! There is a cooler with sports drinks and water, as well as some protein bars for sale. I believe bottles of water are $1.00, everything else is between $3.00-5.00. I do have a couple requests/complaints: - Whenever there are more than 3 or 4 people using the cardio equipment, the entire gym turns into a sauna. This is completely unacceptable - you would think that with a space this small, it would not be cost prohibitive to adequately ventilate... - Both the hand- and body towels are made of some sort of cotton-sandpaper hybrid. Also, unless your waist is about 28 inches, the body towels are too small to actually cover you up in the locker room. Also - an afterthought: I'm not an apple guy, but I noticed other reviews praising the "apples on the counter daily". I've been here almost daily since the beginning of January, and I haven't seen any apples yet; this practice may have been discontinued.

Very small and too crowded, wish it was 24 hours. I don't like going to gyms that are too crowded or have limits on cardio machines (30 minutes limit during peak hours). Other than that they do have good customer service but wish the gym was larger.

I've been a member of Wicker Park Fitness since 2013 and work out there several times a week, so here are some observations: First, the positives: WPF is an incredibly affordable gym that has just about everything you could want or need. Seriously, I researched and toured some of the other options in the area, and everything else was literally twice as expensive. This gym has wall-to-wall machines and free weights and wall-to-wall mirrors, which is nice so you can easily watch your form and make sure you're not in anyone's way. The staff is very friendly, and the clientele is much like the neighborhood: mostly 20s and 30s. I haven't seen a whole lot of mingling among gym-goers, but I've never seen any issues, either. Everyone pretty much keeps to themselves and is fairly considerate of one another. So I'd say the DQ (douche quotient) is fairly low, if that matters to you. The downsides? The gym is relatively small, so if you're someone who can only work out on weekdays after work, you'll need to be patient and get a little creative in terms of getting your workout in. My schedule allows me to go in the mid-afternoon a lot, but I've been there a few times in the early evening, and that's when a simple trip to the water fountain requires walking through a maze of humanity. If you're incredibly shy or afraid of people, this could be an issue for you. As far as cleanliness goes, this gym gets top marks. Almost every time I go, there's at least one staff member wiping or mopping down something, usually for hours on end. I will say that I've been turned off by one male trainer who never washes his hands after using the restroom, but that's also just the way of the world. Most guys don't wash their hands after using the restroom, ladies (gross, but true). In my opinion, if you're going to be touching clients as you show them proper form and technique, you should be washing your hands after taking a crap, especially during flu season. But like I said, I think the gym overall is extremely clean, and I'm someone who washes my hands several times during a workout anyway. Overall, WPF is a nice, clean, friendly neighborhood gym. I'd recommend it - especially for the price - and will continue to be a member as long as I live in the area.

Pros: Friendly staff, super clean place for a very affordable price. Clean towels, clean locker rooms, state of the art equipment. Cons: SO SMALL!!! Unless you're okay with doing abs in small corners, tripping over other members, this isn't the right place for you. Their weekend hours aren't the greatest either, I wish they could stay open late every day! Sometimes I can't get a full workout because there aren't enough machines available.

I signed up due to the variety of classes that they offered. I have attended quite a few classes and was not a big fan only because the class size was so small (3 people on average). Joanna, one of their class teachers was great and seemed to pay attention to bracing and injury prevention. The yoga teacher was not that great, she kept on yelling out pose names and having tried yoga once before the class left me confused.

Honestly- I haven't even been to the gym yet- yeah, true story, but hear me out, Yelp. I was on the fence about 1- rejoining a gym in general and 2- joining WPF due to the size. I had the normal concerns- will there be enough space? is it going to be too packed? etc. etc.- I sent an email inquiry, half expecting to either not hear back at all, or hear back in a few days with a super generic response. To my surprise, however, not only did i hear back like ASAP, I got a message with detailed information and you could tell it was actually sent by a human! That human was Ted Risk. Ted was so helpful, answered all of my questions and even extended to me a deal that had just expired over the weekend. So- while I'm hoping for the best with the actual GOING to the club (according to the reviews however, I think I'll be OK!), Ted was fantastic to work with- got me all set up super quickly and even made me laugh. 🙂 (Stay Gold, Ted) Now I have to get myself out the door and actually work out *gasp*- I wonder if Ted can help me with that too? Thanks so much for the friendly customer service!

They're getting a sister gym in Logan square! So excited about this. Love this gym. Everything I need.

This is a good no frills gym. The machines are all in good working order & they have everything I need for a complete workout. The front desk people are friendly and not pretentious, which is something I really appreciate in a gym. They have done a good job of keeping the floors pretty clean- even with all the snow, slush and salt constantly being tracked in. Two complaints: 1) People (fellow gym goers) don't seem to be too diligent about wiping things down- mostly in the weight area and the mats where people do abs. Perhaps an extra bottle of cleaner and some paper towels in the classroom would be a good way to prompt people to wipe their sweat off the foam mats. 2) There is no sauna. I knew that when I signed up but now it's freezing and I want a sauna. All in all, I am very happy here and glad I chose WPF.

I've been a member of this gym since January. And it's pretty awesome. 1.) Price in this area CANNOT BE BEAT. 2.) I'm usually a morning gym girl, and the group ex class offered at 6:00AM (Bosu Body Blast) taught by Jaime is seriously THE BEST. He's totally a can of butt-whuppin and will make you look awesome in six weeks. He's amazing. 3.) It's true, the facility is spare, But if you're a poor 20-something like me, then who cares? I don't need a spa or a pool. I need a treadmill (these one's even have TVs on them and you can hook up your iPod), some free weights, and a few machines. 4.) Don't Go between 5:00 and 8:00 PM. It gets crazy, because everyone gets off of work and heads to the gym and you'll have to wait to use anything. It's obnoxious, but understandable. This is a super young area, and my peers don't tend to be early birds like me. BOTTOM LINE: If you're an early-bird fitness nut on a budget, sign up. And come see Jaime Monday/Wednesday at 6:00 AM. I'll be the red head in the back of the class, sweating my butt off and trying to breathe.

I've been going to WPF for about 3 years (off and on). I won't give it a 5 because it's obviously more of a "bare bones" type gym. However, they have all the machines I need and they offer classes which I really should try more often. The staff is absolutely awesome. I forget hair ties a lot and they always have a supply for me...maybe that's standard at gyms? I'm not sure, but it makes me feel special so don't tell me if it is! If you want a gym that gives you the most bang for your buck- definitely try it out. You won't have a swimming pool, steam room, or a state of the art locker room...but whatever. It's like $30-ish a month when you break it down, so I really don't care. Plus, they always have a fresh supply of free apples! Give 'em a shot 😀

Been going here for almost a year now. As many of the reviews state, it's small. There is only one power rack, so if you're a lifter you may need to readjust your lifting schedule if you squat and deadlift a lot. Things get especially tight when there is a class going on and everyone who wants to stretch and do abs gets pushed to the front, or when a trainer decides to set up CrossFit stations for their clients, but it's not that big a deal. That said, it's still one of the best gyms in the city. The equipment is always working, the gym is always clean, and the staff are always great. Most importantly, the rates are without question the best in the city. I renewed at the discounted rate up front, and on average I paid about $27 a month. It's a very laid back place, they even don't mind if you use chalk as long as you don't throw it all over the place. The hours are also unbeatable, the fact that they are open until midnight means I can wait out rush hour if I can't get there during the day. And the later weekend hours mean I don't have to adjust my day to get to the gym before it closes. So yes, it's small, but the tradeoffs regarding the staff, maintenance, rates, and hours make it well worth it.

Joined this gym a few months ago and I'm really enjoying it here. It is one of the cheapest memberships in the area, includes fitness classes, and the staff is very friendly and supportive. However.... The workout room doesn't seem very clean... I have never seen the yoga mats wiped down or the sweaty-guy-next-to-me's sweat get wiped up off the floor. It sort of smells in there and the space is very tiny. But considering I shower after working out anyways, its something I guess I will put up with considering the value in membership and its right next door. (Also, I wish there were morning classes offered Thursdays and Fridays.) Free apples!

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Wicker Park Fitness - 17 Photos & 88 Reviews - Trainers ...

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