On the road again...

[massingUP]

Hey all,

I thought it might be useful to compile a list of worthwhile gyms that various folks have visited while travelling -- a place to go when your'e gonna be on the road and need to find a good place to lift.

Feel free to add to the list!

-- James

[massingUP]

So, I was just in Baltimore for a conference and I was staying at the Marriot Waterfront in the area called the Inner Harbour. And while I was there I checked out the Gold's Gym in the Harbour area, which is a pretty fucking amazing gym.

Gold's Gym At the Power Plant
601 E Pratt St {} {}
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-576-7771

The interesting thing about the gym is that it's located in a massive old Victorian brick powerplant -- a huge building that looms over the harbour that has been recently renovated. The gym itself is really good -- great hammer-strength equipment and huge ceilings, nice locker-room, etc -- but the building is worth the visit.

For more info, check ing out http://www.aolcityguide.com/baltimor...uquery=&skip=0

And enjoy!

-- James

[wbhunk]

That's a GREAT idea, James. I've just moved into a new position with a lot more travel, and could use some "local insight" on finding good gyms.

Will be in the Norfolk, VA area in two weeks for almost two weeks.

[brent]

I second WB's opinion. As soon as I have more time to post, I will link to Glam's "Calling all Brents" thread where I rate most 24 Hour Fitness gyms in Las Vegas. I will also list my opinion on most of Portland's.

I can't speak for recent events, because I've been out of the area for nearly 3 years, but the Gold's Gym in Herndon, VA was marvelous, some pretty big guys worked out there too and owned by a beef master himself.

Herndon, VA is 20 miles northwest of Washington DC in the "Dulles Technology Corridor" along the Rt. 267 expressway and Dulles airport access toll road (can you say 12 lanes of parking lot ). So anybody doing tech stuff in the DC area will find themselves there eventually.

[Mdlftr]

Great idea for a thread, Massing!

The Gold's Gym at Balston Common ( a metro stop in Northern VA near DC. (Nearer than Herndon, and on the metro line in VA)) has the usual very good Gold's equipment (Hammer strength, lots of free weights) and is supposed to be very 'gay friendly'. [ I've not worked out there, but I've been told it is by people who have.]

The Gold's gym in Arlington, VA is o.k. Somewhat crowded and the visitor's fees seem somewhat high ($15.00/day) since they only accept Gold's members from their immediate local group in the Greater DC area. This may not be true for out-of-town visitors--they may get a free pass? I believe there are a fair amount of military types that work out here, especially at lunch, since Arlington/Rosslyn is heavily populated with military/civilian companies and government agencies.


Gold's gym in Silver Spring on Rte 29 is great. Brand new facility after a major expansion and remodeling in 2003. Some big guys lift in the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. time frame. Lots of good equipment--Hammerstrength, free weights. It even has a separate section for the women. They can go into a completely separate part of the gym from the guys and exercise without fear of being chatted up or hassled. I like it because it keeps the space cadets out of the regular section and allows plenty of room for folks to work out. It also has a 'spinning' room, and a room for aerobics/private ab work on the mats/ball when classes are not in session. I've belonged for many years! (I may not quite look like it,but I am bigger and more toned and muscular! .... )

In DC itself, there is the Sport and Health clubs chain. There is one above Dupont Circle, among other city locations. Can't say much about them, as I've never been inside, but they are conveniently located throughout the city and much frequented by the Yupster crowd.

My two 'Michelin Guide' cents,

Mdlftr

[brent]

I've tried, and talked about many of the 24 Hour Fitness clubs in the Las Vegas valley here. I'm sure I'll add clubs to the list in the future.

[ethernet_jock]

I would be willing to add:

Bally Total Fitness - Englewood II
Near Santa Fe and Hampden Ave.
Englewood, Colorado

new club, new equipment (I love those hexagonal weight things with the grips on them), pretty cool staff, and lots of big bodies that behave with good manners. I never got "friendly" with anyone there in the year that I went - but everyone was always polite and people would rotate in/out with you between sets on a piece of equipment if it was popular without argument and usually with great grace. They keep their stuff working well and their bathrooms/lockerroms, etc... immaculate. It's no doubt - when one of the equipment maintenance guys is one of the most shredded tall lean guys I've seen in my entire life!



Anyhow - wish I had more to contribute but from all aspects of comparisons to other clubs I've heard about - this is a good hit for Denver. The other BTFs in Denver tend to be more "gay hangouts" or "housewife stairsteppers" than real workout places.

[brutE GoLdeN 06]

check out http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler57.htm

and i was wondering if any 1 knew if headstand leg raises would get u a 6 pack?

[hulkmuscle]

If anyone's in the tech industry and travels to the Silicon Valley area, there are three terrific Golds Gyms in the San Jose/Milpitas area.

There's a hardcore but crowded one near downtown San Jose. The one I liked best was the Santa Clara branch, right off the highway 101 on Meridian. Someone told me it used to be managed or owned by Scott Wilson (I used to think he was the hottest thing since Mike Mentzer)? Never too crowded, friendly but serious crowd. Wide variety of equipment too; I tried a lot of machines I'd never used before.

There's a fourth Gold's near the airport, but it's small and has limited hours, so I passed on that one.

Since I was in San Jose for a couple weeks on business, they gave me a very good deal, and I was able to use any Gold's in the area.

[hulkmuscle]

If anyone's ever in the Silcon Valley area, there are three terrific Gold's Gyms in the San Jose area.

There's a hardcore but crowded one near downtown San Jose. The one I liked best was the Santa Clara branch, right off the highway 101 on Meridian. Someone told me it used to be managed or owned by Scott Wilson (I used to think he was the hottest thing since Mike Mentzer)? Never too crowded, friendly but serious crowd. Wide variety of equipment too; I tried a lot of machines I'd never used before.

There's a fourth Gold's near the airport, but it's small and has limited hours, so I passed on that one.

Since I was in San Jose for a couple weeks on business, they gave me a very good deal, and I was able to use any Gold's in the area.

[hulkmuscle]

Just got back from a business trip to Hartford, CT. Stayed at the Goodwin on Asylum Street (hmmm...wonder why they called it that) ...very nice landmarked building, good sized rooms, well-taken care of, and best of all, I didn't have to pay for it. :-)

The hotel gym was minimal, but they at least had a decent station for benching, pulldowns/pushdowns and delt presses, and it wasn't an antiquated Universal piece of shit. Enough dumbbells to do a decent job (most hotel gyms won't even allow that).

There's a Y near the hotel (I'm told hotel guests can use the pool for free), but the hotel staff (including one ex-bodybuilding-headed doorman) said it's not that great, but I'd probably like it since I look serious. If I'm ever sent back to Hartford, I'll check it out and report back.

[jerseyflex]

i have been in every state except alaska and maine and did most of my travelling while in the midst of my hardest of hard core training. i could write on this topic for days but let me hit the highlights:

1. Xtreme fitness near Tampa (in the gay area known as Hyde Park): 24 hr gym. Repetrope has some muscle videos filmed there. go late at night and muscle guys train shirtless. (to me thats a sign of a good hardcore gym when muscle guys go shirtless and the management leaves them alone)

2. Metroflex - same neighborhood - also in repetrope videos - not 24hrs and not to be confused with hardcore (spelled capital H-A-R-D core!!) gym Metroflex near Dallas. The one in Dallas is where 300 lb+ mass monster freaks (were talkin NPC level) go - its geared towards the hardcore competitor. havent been yet but dream to. Branch Warren trains there.

3. The Mecca - Golds in Venice. This blew me away. I thought i was walking into a lion's den and that people would be cold and aloof. Precisely the opposite. Ive never had so much fun in a gym. stayed almost 4 hours couldnt believe how friendly the people were and of course how intense everyone trained. (195 pound woman - fairly ripped - doing incline bench with 80 lb dumbbells). Didnt train in the weight pit out on the beach (was a bit too pale) but will some day soon.

4. Quads Gym Chicago (theres more than one, I went to the one on the north side in "boys' town"). lots of great bodies. friendly. clean. cant say enough good things.

5. San Fran / Bay area: Golds in the Castro and a place called Valencia Street Muscle and Fitness ....plus a hardcore gym owned by BBs that is 24/7 365 days a year on the south west corner of town - Daly City...dont know the name, never been but heard nothing but good things

6. "Giant's Gym" near Portland (Oregon) out by the airport. Went at 5 am on a saturday morning (the whole east coast out to west coast time change jet lag thing) and was the only one in there. 24 hr gym great equipment - old warehouse type space with high ceilings ....bet its good. my workout was below average (again the whole jet lag issue) but thats no fault of the gym....cardio equipment sucked but lots of weights and machines (sign of a hardcore gym)

7. golds gym Madison WI. Ok, dont know wwhat kind of BB scene it has it may be too "health clubby" but this was something else. its in a huge bldg all to itself and could easily have been a massive dance club with a bunch of weightlifting equipment thrown in. It had a friggin dee-jay booth!

8. Gold's gym Misoula MT near the university. any gym near a college campus is good.....18-21 year old muscle is great motivation for a workout!!!!!

9. Ahhh Vegas. Hear its the new frontier of bodybuilding. This awesome perfectly built guy from my gym lives out there in the winter and talks about the gold's on flamingo rd. ive seen clips of BB's profiled on ESPN's American Muscle Magazine (remember that show?) training there. havent been yet but im sure its good.

10. Gold's - Market St - St Louis. seemed like it was just getting started when i was there (just before 9-11) ....lots of potential. great space (in a converted loft area). couple of well built guys who approached me and complimented various body parts......always help inject some energy into your workout!!! ;o)

I have been to over 75 gyms around the U.S. and in i have found that in general you can not go wrong with the 24 hr gyms that are not a part of a major chain (ie "24hr fitness") - in old warehouses or converted bldgs - near the "alternative" part of town

anyone know of any gyms like you see in the magazines and used to see on ESPN American Muscle that have outdoor lifting areas (almost by nature they have to be out in the south west because of the humidity out here in the east that rusts weights and bars)

one time ESPN A.M.M. showed Chris Rademacher and Travis Wojicik training (shirtless of course) outside....I think it was a Powerhouse in Southern Cal. somewhere. I called every P'house in southern Cal and no one knew what I was talking about.

post a state / city and ill tell you if i have trained there......

happy lifting!

[jerseyflex]

...South Beach Ironworks!!!

have not been but seen it in muscle videos, on American Muscle, and hey, 2 words: South Beach

[ethernet_jock]

you volunteered your vast database of experience so...

anything you can recollect from a visit to Denver?



Thanks!

[jerseyflex]

unfortunately all of my trips through Denver were a mad rush to get out I-70 to the slopes. (im a huge fan of "the summit" - a-basin, breck, keystone, copper....all of them) only once did i hang out for two days in town (did some heavy drinking one night in Lo Do so hitting the Gym was out of the question) and a quick jaunt up to Boulder. However, I know of some folks so let me ask around.


Holy crap I wish I lived out there. Ive always wanted to work for EAS and use that gym they have in their corp. offices (is it still in Golden?)

[ethernet_jock]

Originally Posted by jerseyflex

unfortunately all of my trips through Denver were a mad rush to get out I-70 to the slopes. (im a huge fan of "the summit" - a-basin, breck, keystone, copper....all of them) only once did i hang out for two days in town (did some heavy drinking one night in Lo Do so hitting the Gym was out of the question) and a quick jaunt up to Boulder. However, I know of some folks so let me ask around.


Holy crap I wish I lived out there. Ive always wanted to work for EAS and use that gym they have in their corp. offices (is it still in Golden?)

I love Denver - grew up in Boulder.... and I'll never leave if I can help it. To answer your question - I understand that it IS indeed... and better than ever.

I nearly got a job last fall working the construction management division at the Denver HQ of the Oshmans/Gart Sports/Sports Authority company (also based in Denver) and was VERY looking-forward to working out in their 'executive gym'. Unfortunately it didn't pan out... but a nice thought anyway. Denver is obviously a very athletic town with a lot of muscle around...

Thanks!

[traveller]

Originally Posted by hulkmuscle

If anyone's ever in the Silcon Valley area, there are three terrific Gold's Gyms in the San Jose area.

There's a hardcore but crowded one near downtown San Jose. The one I liked best was the Santa Clara branch, right off the highway 101 on Meridian. Someone told me it used to be managed or owned by Scott Wilson (I used to think he was the hottest thing since Mike Mentzer)? Never too crowded, friendly but serious crowd. Wide variety of equipment too; I tried a lot of machines I'd never used before.

I'm not sure which gym you're describing because there's a Santa Clara Gold's Gym near Hwy 101 and Great America Parkway, and there used to be a San Jose Gold's near Hwy 280 and Meridian. The gym located on Meridian has been closed for a few years now.

Originally Posted by hulkmuscle

There's a fourth Gold's near the airport, but it's small and has limited hours, so I passed on that one.

Since I was in San Jose for a couple weeks on business, they gave me a very good deal, and I was able to use any Gold's in the area.

The Gold's Gym at Skyport (near the San Jose airport) also closed in the past year or so. The remaining Gold's Gyms that are owned/managed by the McCall Group (which is run by Jerry McCall, a bodybuilder who competed in the 1980's) are in Campbell, Santa Clara, Mountain View and San Jose (Bernal Road).

traveller

[hulkmuscle]

It's the Santa Clara Gold's, 1900 Duane Ave (which is a little sideroad overlooking the 101), off Montague/San Tomas.

The crowded one near downtown is the one on Monterey. I liked the Santa Clara branch better because it was less crowded, and overall had a less claustrophobic feel.

[traveller]

I spent 7 days on the cruise ship Summit from Seward, AK down to Vancouver, BC. Before departing on my cruise I had my doubts about the onboard gym since the Celebrity web site didn't show any weightlifting equipment; the pictures showed only cardio equipment. I was relieved to find about 12 weight machines (I think they were Flex Fitness or something similar), several elliptic cardio machines, upright and recumbent bikes. I, however, was disappointed to find plastic free weights that are really only useful for the cardio pump classes, and dumbbells that only went up to 50 lbs. Overall, the gym allowed guests to have a decent workout although I was tempted to work out at the local gyms in the cities that the cruise ship visited. I hope to try that the next time I go on a cruise ship.

There weren't any bodybuilders onboard that I noticed. :^( There were a few muscular runner types, and one former powerlifter type who has long since gone to pot. There were several jock types who for the most part weren't that muscular.

Off the cruise ship in Vancouver, I worked out at the Pantheon Gym a short walk away from my hotel. The gym has two levels. The top level (on the 2nd floor) had most of the machines, dumbbells, cardio equipment, lockers and gym shop. The free weights and the basketball court were in the lower level 3 or 4 flights down. I liked the equipment and some of the gym patrons. I noticed only one competition-level bodybuilder and his tall buff friend hanging out at the juice bar, but I didn't see them workout during the 2 hrs. I was there. Down in the lower-level free weight area I watched a guy about 5'11" or 6' pose between sets. I enjoyed watching him do front lat spread, side chest and ab poses. He wasn't ready for competition (weak triceps, no calves and weak chest) but he was still hunky and seemed to be a very nice person. He helped spot me a few times when I benchpressed. On a side note, I heard that the Olympic Gym has big monsters, but I didn't have a chance to work out there.

While in Vancouver I got a massage from a bodybuilder massage therapist named J., who never competed. Since I need to go to sleep now, I'll leave that story for another day.

traveller