I don't know how I can sue. But I will. These people are scammers. They won't like you that you're signing a two year contract. When you think you're just signing up for the gym like any other gym you're not. Then when you tell them you want to leave you have to pay $100. When you're no where close to make that payment they send you to collections. And that is when you see who they are. And there don't care personally. I even brought a friend with me to join. I feel so bad now for what she's going through. Especially she has an autoimmune disease. Now she has swift collection calling. They are just horrible human beings. read more

Went very well for me. I'm not local and visiting in the area at the moment. Ben hooked me up and made me feel right at home. He was able to get me in no problem and the process was very smooth. I travel a lot and workout at many many gyms. I can say that this gym especially around the area is in top shape, it's clean and I will be back everyime. Thanks Ben! read more

Don't get me wrong the people that work here are kind and great, and the gym is clean, BUT this is just another big ABC Fitness Cooperation that is predatory with the contracts and misleading. I tried for nearly two weeks to get into contact with someone besides a behind the desk worker and I was unable to do so. Just another big cooperation being greedy!! B read more

If you're considering joining this gym -- don't. I'll start with the one positive: the facility looks clean. Unfortunately, that's where the perks end. The sales tactics and membership contracts are confusing and misleading, and it's almost impossible to get a straight answer about cancellation or billing. The staff are often dismissive and rude, and the environment feels unwelcoming -- especially if you don't fit their narrow idea of what a "gym person" should look like. The lack of diversity among trainers is also hard to ignore, and it shows in how disconnected many of the classes feel. Most of the group classes are run by people who clearly don't care, offering little energy or guidance. The equipment is outdated, often brought in secondhand from other gyms and passed off as "new." What's even worse is the way management treats their staff -- it's common knowledge that employees are unhappy, turnover is high, and there are ongoing issues with workplace behavior and fairness. It's not surprising that when leadership disrespects its team, that attitude spills over into how members are treated. There are plenty of gyms out there that actually care about their members and their employees. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere. read more

Was touring gym's in the area and decided to try Beat Fitness. When I arrived, the gym was very clean and the staff were super friendly and helpful. Definitely consider checking them out! read more

Best Fitness Schenectady - Gyms Near Me - Schenectady, New York

My sister recommended the yoga class- awesome front desk staff and a great spot to visit when in Schenectady- thanks!

Great staff, good time to get a workout in or start a routine. The holiday season especially!

I joined Best Fitness 2 weeks ago and I have found that it is a decent gym, and though I loved it at first but I will be trying a different gym. Pros: -The classes are pretty challenging and varied, including the BFITT, which I really liked. You can get a decent blend of cardio and strength training. - The manager, Nicole, is great and she is a former nurse, which is a bonus when it comes to knowledge of health/nutrition. -The app allows you to view the class schedule and sign up ahead of time. Cons: -I join gyms SOLELY for the classes, so if there is an issue with them, it is especially glaring for me. The class instructors don't seem to care about the people there, particularly new people. In the past, instructors would typically walk around to check body mechanics of the members after demonstrating the workout, help anyone who needed help with correct form, and then resume the workout. Here, they can't seem to be bothered to help new people. During the Tues. morning BodyTone class I was struggling with taking the weight off of the deadlift dumbell/bar, plus she was going too fast and not allowing for everyone to get ready first. She didn't even offer to help, nor did she acknowledge me at all the whole session. I was so irritated by this I just left my equipment out afterward. Didn't even bother to put it back. Like, why even have a live instructor? Why not just play a Taebo video? On another occasion, Taylor, the BFITT instructor, asked me to move from a station because there was too many people there, despite the fact that I was one of the first people over there. She seemed to be picking on me because I was new. I overlooked this, but the BodyTone situation was the last straw. -2 year contract. Be careful to read your contract and try before you buy, because it is a $100 buyout if you don't want to stay 2 years. None of the gyms I've ever been to in the past required a 2-year commitment. Thankfully, I made up my mind before the 30-day trial expired. Overall, the gym has a lot to offer, but does need improvement, and is not for me at this time. I'm gonna go date Retro and see if it works out. read more

I love the yoga, barre & pilates classes. Personal training is too expensive. BFITT class seemed confusing & the instructor didn't explain what to do very clearly. one suggestion is that there be 10-15 min between classes so the floor can be cleaned. otherwise a nice club, kept up and friendly staff read more

I recently moved to Schenectady and I was contemplating between going to Planet Fitness (which is my home gym) or Best Fitness (which is where my cousin goes). She told me I had to check it out, so I did! Can I just say how amaaazzing Best Fitness is? I absolutely LOVE this gym. Kwame gave me a tour of the gym, they have a room for JUST cardio, with tons of treadmills, bikes, and stair steppers, among several other machines I don't know the name of :p they have a huge weight lifting area, and a private room in the front of the gym with leg & arm machines for a quick workout. I was SOLD when Kwame showed me the studio where all of their fitness classes take place. And they have a separate room for spin class! I've been a member for 3 weeks and I've done spin & body pump so far- love them both! The trainers kick my ass! I love it!! They have tanning & a sauna room which is always a plus. And they have a daycare for the mamas (my cousin) who need a babysitter when going to the gym. SO convenient! I also love how they have an app for IPhone (and android?) where you can look up the different fitness classes happening throughout the entire week and you can enroll in whatever classes you want! (The spin classes fill up quick- so I always enroll early so my seat is reserved) I took away 1 star because the parking is terrrrrible here... Wish they could add more parking somehow but the parking lot is just way too small for the shopping mall as a whole. ALSO- would love to see them add massage chairs like they have at planet fitness! read more

Update: Eric the manager replied to this review, called, and approached me in person ensuring he spoke to me instead of just doing one thing, checking the block and waiting again. This was done within 12 hours of my review. this is an even faster response than a much bigger gym in toga which was still quick by responding within 48 hours. This makes me happy because this is my home away-from-home and I don't want to find another. Mask situation updated. They do still provide disposable masks but I literally just caught them when their staples order was back ordered and they were going to purchase locally so the window was hours not days and they sell their BF masks at cost as an option if you don't want the disposable one or you just want a BF mask. They are also going to be working with staff and members to ensure we are all safe and to ensure our gym doesn't close! The gym is my only social activity and it is my medicine. I've stopped taking several medications all thanks to diet and consistent workouts at the gym. I'm sure I'm not the only one who struggled when the gym was closed. This gym has great members and a great vibe so I am confident things will improve and my update reflects that I hope. I also want to add that the gym is thoroughly cleaned by several personal on a daily basis. Depending on when you go you may not see them in action like that but it is happening and it is being done to COVID standards. PROS: * Without a doubt the best thing they have going for them is the staff and that includes every department. They are all fantastic and if there was someone who wasn't I would make a note of it. * Smart Layout. Many gyms just have me baffled by their layout, but theirs flows well * Good lighting. Some gyms are too dark to see or so bright you need sunglasses * Good Equipment. Most of the equipment is in great conditions. There are some ripped pads on curl machines, but they tend to be expedient with when equipment completely fails * Can where our dues are going in terms of funds being reinvested for maintenance or new equipment * They pay attention to the smaller things in most situations such as painting the foyer since people mark up the walls with their bikes * Bikes are still allowed to be placed in the foyer despite idiots marking up the walls (some of us care more about our bikes than cars) * The trainers seem to have very good classes and personal training sessions (good energy). "Situational Awareness" is a military term where you are always watching everything. I don't critique the trainers per say, but none have done anything that caused a red flag to go off and that's very rare. OPPORTUNITIES: * Barbell safety clips. -ALL FIXED-They already purchased a set of the new ones which you can sign out at the front desk (which is how it should be done). * Equipment (balls, rollers, bands etc) keeps disappearing but later reappearing days later (but this has seemed to improve as of late) * SPOT CHECKING. This is for everything. There is a hand sanitizing station that didn't work for weeks and I asked 5 separate people about this. Turns out that it either needs a new battery or is broken. Doing nothing isn't a good decision. Fix it or just take it down. * Spot checking cardio machines. This is common issue but many of the heart monitors don't work--this is actually a real pain! This is something to work on, not have 100% operation all the time (or just make sure the stair climbers are good lol). My credentials/background to write this long-winded review:Degree in Sports Nutrition & Fitness//Personal Trainer for over 20 years (was ISSA certified and very familiar with all ACE material as well)//Group Master Fitness Trainer responsible for the planning and execution of the fitness program for over 100 people//Manager of a gym smaller and a gym larger than Best Fitness//Consulting work on two larger gyms (gym layout, equipment selection, marketing, app development, training Standard Operating Procedure [SOP], customer service SOP, SEO//visited 35 gym brands in 10 countries. read more

So, I filed a complaint with the NYS Attorney General about Best Fitness and them charging me for an extra month of personal training. They have refused to negotiate or refund my money. So, Best Fitness you are a company with bad policies that screw your customers. Do not sign up with them. If you've ever had the same issue, please reach out to the attorney general offices. With enough complaints they will review their policies and force them to make refunds. Also, so you know. I paid $172 a month for 4 weeks of 30 minutes of personal training. Wanna know how much the trainer got? 40 bucks. $10 for every session and he wasn't paid for prep time. read more

This is by far the most corrupt gym out there, They continuously over charge and come up with new charges every month. I cancelled my membership with them and they went on to charge more than $100 more after my membership was closed. I spoke with a very rude and condescending man by the name of Ben Rigucci and his so called manager Mark, in which both had no care to settle the situation and refund the dues I didn't owe, both were rude as it gets. I advise to stay far away from this gym if you value customer service and honesty! A report was filed with the BBB and I WILL see my money back.. as for Ben and Mark, they should be terminated if the company knows what's best for them read more

I didn't always enjoy this establishment I had gone to sign up at albany one and was met with aggressive sales. I had signed up for another gym in the area and was liking it but not loving it. A friend of mine was going to this location and told me management here was more friendly and helpful. I can't believe the difference between this place and Madison has been life changing. He is okay with me asking him quick questions even when he's not working. He's very kind and he's actually educated in fitness you can tell he knows what he's doing. If this gym didn't have such a awesome manager I don't think I'd be here. Since joining I've talked many of my friends and colleagues into joining. All as impressed after meeting with madison as the next!! read more

I have been into fitness for about seven years now. I have tried a wide variety of workout styles and classes. I recently joined Best and have poured into the BFitt 60 classes. I have found the training to be outstanding with coaches really watching form and pushing me to my limit. Loving it!! read more

Spacious, and has ample weight machines, treadmills and free weights to use for your workouts!

Owners cannot be trusted. I joined over 10 years ago and locked in a rate for life. Last year, they discontinued the well attended group fitness classes (yoga, pilates) and started charging for their new Hot Yoga and Barre classes. This week, I got a letter indicating they were raising my monthly rate. Unless I produce the 10+ year old contract, they are raising my rate. Local staff is great. Corporate is greedy and couldn't care less about the members. read more

This place is a scam. Don't sign up with this gym. I cancelled my membership 6 years ago and they continued to charge my card. When I finally cancelled the card they called debt collectors and requested I payed the months my card had been cancelled on top of having taken money from me for 6 years after I cancelled my membership! They claimed I never cancelled my membership which I did! And reading the reviews now I can see I am not the only one they have done this to. They are not honest and are using every method to take money from their members, do not support businesses like this. read more

This is a great facility to work out and has all of the equipment you could ask for. That said how much I liked the gym was completely overshadowed by the experience of canceling my membership. It's a long frustrating story that spans several months. Never got a clear answer on anything and ended up spending several hours on hold and hundreds of dollars in payments for a gym I was no longer using. The staff was dismissive and it took forever just to find out the gym itself doesn't even handle cancelations and you have to go through ABC Financial and go through their whole process of cancelation separately. The whole experience was such a hassle that was handled with a serious lack of of professionalism. It's a great place to work out but not worth your time and money in the event you need to switch gyms. read more

Really weird. I called Sunday, March 18, 2018, 3:38pm and spoke to a man in membership. I simply asked if they do month-to-motnh and he said yes. I said what is the cost. He said he cannot tell me I must take a 14 day free membership and he will discuss it only then. I asked again can you at least give me a ball-park are we talking $50 or $75 a month and he said he cannot answer it and will only tell me after I take the 14 day free membership. WTH? For me, that's no way to run a business, tell potential companies a basic idea of the price of your services. When you refuse it makes me feel like you maybe you're hiding something. So I will go to a gym that is more transparent in prices. read more

Terrible billing policies & unsympathetic staff. Had to cancel before contract was up because of a disabling medical development.  Unbeknownst to me my signed medical excuse (which they require) had been lost in the mail and they never got it (I don't blame them for this).  When I realized I was still being billed I contacted staff, explained the situation, and they said they would take care of it.  So I thought the issue was resolved, but 3 months later I was still being billed.  I hoped that management would be understanding of the situation, especially since an employee misled me, but nope.  There's "nothing they can do".  It takes 30 days for a simple cancellation to go through too,  increasing the chance you will have to pay for an extra month after you cancel.  They're like robots.  I would not recommend this place nor would I renew membership at Best Fitness in the future even if you paid me. read more

By far one of the best gyms in the capital region. Great customer service and friendly workers with a great environment to work out. The options of machines and equipment to use our vast and they follow Covid guidelines to make a safe environment in these times of a pandemic. read more

I signed up for personal training with a trainer at best fitness on 4/15/2010. Since starting my training session with the personal trainer until providing the personal trainer with notice that I would no longer be training, I never once received an email notification prior to the training sessions I set up. Ironically, after providing the personal trainer with notice, I received an email notification on July 9th, 2012 for an upcoming training session, to which I immediately responded to the email notification alerting Best Fitness that I would no longer be training with a personal trainer. I then notified my bank of my concerns and followed up with Best Fitness to cancel my training contract at the front desk. From July 2012 until February, 2013 I did not receive any notifications, any messages, nor any phone calls from Best Fitness stating that I was still being charged for personal training sessions that I was not attending. As far as I was concerned at this point, my personal training contract was completed and successfully canceled. They now claim that they do not have my signed cancellation on file and they have continued charging me and have taken me to debt collectors. To me this type of practice needs to be looked at. In my opinion, they are dishonest and looking to exploit consumers. For what its worth, I think Consumers need to be aware and from my experience I would let others know that please DO NOT SIGN ANY PERSONAL TRAINING WITH BEST FITNESS. read more

One star because the facility is really nice but it is not worth all of the hoops you have to go through to leave. I am no longer in the area and signing up for a membership here is like signing your soul away. It's nearly impossible to cancel without paying $100. So for the past two months I have been paying $20 for a gym that I am not even able to attend. read more

I stopped by Best Fitness when looking for a gym to join while I'm on a long-term assignment here. The facility is great and the staff is really helpful / friendly. My favorite class is the CXWork. read more

I have been a member at Best Fitness for about four years now, and it is honestly the BEST gym I have ever been to! They have everything you could possibly need. The gym floor is HUGE with tons of open space - especially since the renovations. It is bright and colorful and always well maintained. There is always a cleaning person scrubbing a floor or washing the mirrors. I never have to wait to use a piece of equipment. They just added a functional training area, complete with a TRX station, kettle bells, stretch of turf and a weighted sled - all out in the open for anyone to use. It's not locked up like at other gyms I've visited. They also have a whole army of trainers that are willing to help you out if you need it. The standard membership is only $20 a month, but they even hooked me up with a discount when I signed up my wife and daughter. Now I only pay $15 a month. My wife enjoys taking the group classes like Zumba and body pump and she doesn't have to pay extra for them. The staff there even let them come workout for free for a couple weeks before they joined to make sure they liked everything. The gym does have an extra "enhancement fee" that is once per year, but at least I can see it being put to good use with all of the new equipment and renovations. read more

Where to start! The gym is clean, tidy and recently updated. Staff is not only friendly but personable! Front desk staff pride themselves on learning your name. I have tried a handful of gyms in the area and nothing has compared. For a reasonable price you get unlimited BFITT classes, access to the 3 local gyms, hot yoga and barre class, Zumba, etc. Speaking of BFITT... best group classes in this area, hands down. The combination of strength training and cardio/conditioning is perfect. I've tried HIWB, Vent E3 training, etc. and nothing compares. I've had friends and family who were just visiting for a weekend take a BFITT class with me and they agree they're the best classes they've taken anywhere. A lot of other group training classes do not require their trainers to be certified. Not Best Fitness. The cherry on top is Ryan Taylor. Best group fitness trainer in the Capital Region. He knows everyone who takes his classes. And I'm not referring to name only. He knows their personal limitations and modifications, as well as knowing when to push them harder because he knows their POTENTIAL. I'm super proud to be part of the Best Fitness family! read more

I have been a member of this gym for appr. 2.5 years.I am 63 years old. My specific problem is their $60.00 per hour fee for signing up for a personal trainer. This results in a $256 monthly rate or $1,536 total for 1 hour a week for the minimim 6 month period. I requested a fee and duration reduction in order to pursue help with a medical problem I am having with no success. I ended up discussing this with the gym manager whose position was the rate is non-negoitable. Period. It's interesting my wife and daughter are also members. We are talking a 3 month period here. If successful I would either not need personal trainer involvement or if I did I would extend the service. My opinion is some kind of compromise could have been reached if the gym manager could have been more compassionate versus just being a bottom line beaurecrat. read more

I had an issue that I was told could not be taken care of. I sent an email to corporate and received a call from Eric and the issue was resolved immediately and he was very friendly. So far all issues that I have had have been taken care of. The gym is clean and the staff is friendly. read more

I've been a member of Best Fitness in Schenectady for 15+ years with relatively no complaints other than it can get crowded. But today I can't begin to describe the disappointment and CLEAR disregard for clients that Best Fitness demonstrates. This particular location had an equipment room with over 30 machines that was located away from the main floor, and well used by many clients including myself. The advantage was it was an area for people who do not lift free weights, admire themselves in the mirrors, pose for selfies and make a social occasion out of a gym visit. Today when I went I was shocked to see the equipment room had been nearly emptied of equipment. I was told the room would now be used for FITT classes and the equipment was GONE. The staff to say the least was dismissive and irritated by my reaction and could care less... the worst customer service ever. One staff member without blinking an eye offered to cancel my membership. As I stood there two other members came in and said they are also cancelling their membership and going to Crunch Fitness. I will be joining them. read more

I have the same complaint as most of the other 1 star reviews listed on this site. If I could give a zero for rating that would be highlighted. If you decide to join, beware of the membership director Jason, he is very arrogant and will argue with the customer and go as far as insulting them. This business does not allow cash for payment on any services, I understand auto withdrawal for membership but beware of hidden fees. Yes, it might be in the contract but when joining they lead you to believe you are paying a set price but keep an eye on your payment account because you never know when your account will be hit with a fee (something called an enhancement fee to better the gym for your year contract). If you cancel the same month as the enhancement fee is taken out you lose it plus they take out another month of membership. I am suppose to pay 25.99 a month but for two months of membership I have now paid $100.98. Plus I noticed on the cancellation form I signed, they are charging me extra to cancel as well. Jason told me to be proactive and I should know about the enhancement fee coming out of my account (a year ago I signed for this and was not ever told about this fee). I simply suggested that it would have been nice to have received an email notifying me of this charge. Again Jason told me that it is up to me to know my financial obligations. I'm not sure about most of you reading this but all my financial responsibilities allow me to sign up for an email to alert me of a payment coming soon. Because I wasn't alerted I was charged insufficient funds. I let it go but after today all I can do is inform you to beware of this poor financial business structure. I am now heading to the BBB to make my dissatisfaction with membership and management known. I do have to say that the front desk staff and personal trainers will go above and beyond to help meet your goals but management and membership obviously doesn't know you join a fitness establishment to relieve stress! read more

I have not been happy with Best Fitness for a while. I called to quit my membership and was told I had to stop in to do so (which didn't really make sense to me). A few weeks go by - I'm busy, my kid plays sports, my husband is sick) so I go in and am NOW told that there's a 30 day notice clause in my Contract. The one I signed 3 or 4 years ago. And they can't do anything about the fact that next months membership fee PLUS the annual fee will HAVE to be paid. I think it's QUITE deceptive to not give this information out to someone calling for that express reason. It's not that great a gym either - staff members chat with each other and avoid as much eye contact as possible, and an hour long personal training session turned into 30 minutes with a clearly disinterested personal trainer. read more

Best Fitness in Schenectady is clean, has a lot of machines to use and the staff are great! They are friendly and eager to help when needed. I enjoy going there to exercise and I always look forward going there. read more

I've been a member for several years. Great facility, great equipment, and excellent trainers. My trainer is Kory Macaulay and he's a true pro. I've consistently increased strength while trimming down to a 32 inch waist. Thanks Kory! read more

I have been a client at Best Fitness for years, and a personal training client for nearly two years. The gym itself is clean, the staff courteous and friendly. Our personal trainer Kory, trains my whole family. He is both professional, friendly and knowledgeable. However, I believe the most important trait a personal trainer can have is to be personable. Kory connects with his clients providing a comfort and strong support to improve ones physical well being. You never feel judged, or uncomfortable around him and that immediately clears the way towards progress. Kory certainly goes above and beyond a simple hour of training, he has clients consider all the factors connected with their health and helps encourage better lifestyles both in and outside of the gym. I have always recommended him to others and will continue to do so. read more

I signed up for the free trial and was a put off that they have a policy to not feed the kid's in their kid's club. Because I have a 4 month old, I had to interrupt my workout several times to make sure my baby wasn't crying, due to wanting a bottle. I also asked a kid's club staff member if they are required to get flu shots and she looked at me strangely and said, "no." Lastly, a staff member reprimanded my husband for speaking " Spanish" on his phone in the kid's club and falsely accused my husband of "swearing in front of kid's." My husband speaks Portuguese and was on the phone with his sister, who was telling him the health status of his father's heart surgery. When we asked the staff member if he spoke Portuguese, he said, "no," but continued to reprimand him and told him to " follow club policies." I also witnessed a kid's club staff member reprimand a 2 year old for putting a toy basket on his head, like a hat. I guess they don't allow imaginative play in their kid's club. This gym is repulsive. read more

Don't sign any contracts with this gym unless you are certain you will be around for two years. They won't let you out of a contract even if you move! About the gym itself; not very clean, and usually crowded. read more

I have always been on the fence about joining any gym. I did a trial period at both Planet Fitness and Best Fitness and hands down Best Fitness was much better. The equipment is good, the lock room is clean and they have plenty of classes that fit my schedule. Most importantly staff is very attentive and there to work with you, especially Amy !! read more

75-80% of the people using the exercise machines do not wipe off their sweat after use. No one seems to care about this. This is not good.. read more

One of the best gyms I've ever been too. The staff is friendly, the gym is always clean. Plus they have so many different pieces of equipment my workout is never boring. Highly recommend this gym, hands down best gym in the capital district! read more