This facility and the employees are fantastic. I dropped by for a swim while in town, and Jolson made me feel welcome and was a great help. He also greeted everyone coming in to work out by name. Definitely a level of caring and service that you don't see every day! The pool was full at 5:30am but it was no problem to lane split. It was clean, a good temperature, and not overly chlorinated- the trifecta. Great experience. read more

I was visiting from New York, the staff made me feel right at home. The embarcardo location was so clean and open.. I worked out for 2 hours, I wanted to stay. There was so much to do, spinning, swimming, basketball and yoga. I look forward to coming back. Thank You for a great experience. read more

Let me tell you about the adult swim lessons here... I took adult swim level 2. The instructor didn't show up for the first class and then *quit her job* in the middle of the fifth class. So of course they offered a refund, right? No chance. I called to ask for a refund and the swim director at the time refused - instead he would offer me two free lessons. I showed up for the first lesson and he just started yelling at me and walked away in disgust. He told me I "needed to learn how to breathe." Yes, I do. That's why I was taking the class. I put this out of my mind for a while, but I finally asked the membership director for a refund. Took a while, but finally the new swim director told me no refund, but I could re-take adult swim level 2 for free. For some reason I keep wanting to give these guys another chance, so I did. Adult swim level 2 actually went pretty well. I learned how to breathe. I made huge strides in my swimming. The only disappointment was that they kept telling us we'd swim in the lap pool (the class is held in the tiny activity pool) and when we'd show up, they'd tell us that other swimmers had priority over us. Nonetheless, the instructor pushed me to sign up for level 3 (ultimate goal: swim 40 lengths in half an hour), so I did. Then I found out that the first guy who yelled at me was teaching the class. I asked for a refund and what did they say? Why don't you take private lessons? I said ok. What the hell is wrong with me? I show up for my first lesson and I have to split a lane with some ridiculously awful swimmer. Dude crashed into me numerous times and knocked me into the wall. I asked the instructor why I didn't have my own lane...He said I needed to come at a different time of day when the pool was less busy. Funny...He only offered me one time slot when we scheduled the class. Anyways, now he still owes me $70 and he's not returning my emails. This place is a disaster - if you're going to take their swim classes, you should know what you're getting into. PS - this is my experience. If you don't like my experience, well, there's not much you can do, short of getting the staff to be nicer. read more

Once upon a time, there was a girl who hated working out, but was also unhappy with the way her body was starting to look because her metabolism had slowed down. Finally, she grudgingly accepted the fact that she needed to work out if she wanted to continue eating whatever she wanted AND be able to fit into her college wardrobe again. Crash diets just weren't cutting it anymore, and she knew that one day, she would have to get over her hatred for gyms, a place rumored to have skinny, lululemon-clad women and spray-tanned Ken dolls who looked like they belonged on The Jersey Shore. And then her life changed when she set foot in the Embarcadero YMCA. No one cared that she was only wearing Old Navy gym shorts (which rock, by the way) and wasn't a size 2. She immediately felt okay with walking around all sweaty and gross on the main floor, and she didn't feel like people were judging her as she used the stationary bike for 30 minutes and then limped off because she wasn't used to working out for so long. The above is a true story. I, Vicky L., am now a gym junkie. I've been happily working out for an hour every day, and it feels absolutely amazing to see the results. Combine that with friendly people (an elderly gentleman watched with amusement today while I was on the rowing machine), friendly staff, great community programs, plenty of equipment and machines, and amazing views of the bay, the Embarcadero YMCA deserves every single one of these 5 shiny stars. My next step, after my muscles are used to getting a beating, will be to sign up for a group fitness class. Bootcamp used to be something that appeared only in nightmares, but now, it's a reasonable goal. Oh, and it hurts sooooo good. read more

Decent swimming pool, with fair lane etiquette observation. [No losing a good workout opportunity while stuck behind stubborn single speed swimmers who refuse to find their appropriate lane, or move over when someone is behind them - much like Taurus drivers on hwy 101, land of the single speed freeway.] Somewhat too chlorinated for my taste. [Workout doesn't feel quite so healthy when I'm horribly congested all evening afterwards.] Not crazy about the low ceilings. [I think now I'm just being picky.] Locker-rooms are excellent: clean, free towels everywhere, and lots of room. [No bumping bottoms here!] Treadmill area is stunning. [View of the bay, inspiring one to run, no, fly on those treadmills.] They took excellent care of my husband when he sustained an injury during basketball. [Of course, he stubbornly refused to follow their advice & go to the ER. Cabbing it home instead, showing up a bloody mess, saying, "I just wanted to see you." Great. Very sweet, but next time baby, just go to the ER when someone recommends it. I promise I'll meet you there instantaneously.] Convenient, downtown location. [You can Muni, and even *gasp* consistently find metered parking.] That is all I know. Definitely worth checking out if you work downtown. read more

There's a lot to talk about when you talk about this YMCA. Firstly, let's get the important part out of the way: this place is huge. You can do just about everything you want in this gym as they have it all. A pool, classes that are included with your membership fee and a rooftop. A rooftop! I have been coming here for a year and I still haven't even been there. Yoga, HIIT and lap swimming. You want it? The YMCA has it. Let's talk about what the YMCA isn't: It's not Equinox. It's not a fancy sports gym. It's a community center that is open to all patrons and reaches out to ask-risk kids, kids of parents and is available for people of all speeds. If that's something that's going to bother you, this isn't the gym for you. Which is fine. Some people get really bothered by kids running through the lockerroom being loud after work. Which is also fine. But there's so much that's available here that you kind of have to let that stuff roll off your back. And with a reasonable fee (about $65 a month) you get a lot of options for not a ton of money. In addition, and something that really appeals to me, they don't run specials here: you pay the same no matter when you join. So there's no huge influx of people in January who just get in the way. But let's focus on the spin classes. Here's a rundown of the classes I've taken and my impression of the instructor for each one. Sunday Bill 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. I like Bill, even if I can very rarely get up in time for his classes on Sunday mornings. Originally from Germany, you're going to get a lot of Euro-trance and techno music that really gets your mornings started well. Bill is really focused on form. Monday Tone 12:00 - 12:50 p.m. This, and his class on Tuesdays at the same time, are the hardest classes of the week. He's brutal. But you will come out of this class feeling challenged, exhausted and stronger. Antonio will often try to challenge the people in his class by letting one guy and one girl lead a session (alternating between climbing and sprinting) -- don't be the person who doesn't let anyone rest when you're leading the session. Have some heart! Connie 5:30 - 6:25 p.m. This is a good class if you're new to spinning. They aren't as challenging, but she will go over form at the beginning of every class so it's a good start if you've never done a class. As you might expect, it's one of the more crowded classes during the week because it's folks' first night back after the weekend. I've never seen it too crowded to get a bike, but you won't often get the bike you usually use. Tuesday Maria 5:30 - 6:25 p.m. Another good starter-level class. Maria will do a lot of repeated sets where she sets one course (three minutes climb, sprint, etc.) followed by doing it again. Sometimes she'll do that twice, or three times, in a class. It can get a little boring. Wednesday Sean 6:30 - 7:30 a.m. Sean is a sadistic bastard. In the best possible sense of the word. Jonathan 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. This is the only evening class on Wednesday nights and is usually well-attended. Jonathan will usually do a very strenuous, challenging class that is a lot of up and down in the seat. Once a month, there will be a 90-minute class in this spot, but often people will bail after 60 minutes. Thursday Rebecca 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Rebecca is fairly new to the set up, and the class was not my favorite. There was a lot of long sets (three minutes of climbing with nothing else, as an example) and she didn't give a lot of heads up when changes were coming. Marty 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marty has a loyal following, but this class if often not crowded. If you really like someone driving and yelling a lot for you to up your cadence or energy, then this is the class for you. I didn't really enjoy it, but you should go to the class you like. Friday Mike 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. This is one of my favorite classes of the week. Mike doesn't use a microphone because he's yelling loudly enough for everyone to hear you. You're going to feel as though you really worked hard and that happy hour cocktail you have after this class. Saturday Kathy 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. A challenging class, but often sparsely attended as you might imagine. A lot of climbing in this class, but it's a good excuse to go to the Ferry Building farmer's market if you can manage to get here in time. I really like the spin classes here and you can almost always get a spot in the class, even if you show up right before the class starts. You can sign up for a specific bike up to 30 minutes before class, and that's important -- the bikes aren't the greatest and they're not consistent in terms of how they track the watts and calories burned, so you're going to want to try and get the same bike every time. Not because one is better than the other, but because you want to make sure and be able to measure your progress/effort from one class to another.* * - just don't take the one of the far left next to the fan. That's mine! read more

I really do love the mission of the YMCA. I've worked at more than one. This one, however, disappoints me. Perhaps it's because I've now tried another gym for half the price (I blame the Y's pool- which I never used). Perhaps it's because said other gym is cleaner, has more equipment, more comfortable equipment, and properly labeled weight stacks. Perhaps it's because they have ankle cuffs, something I requested but only saw once. Perhaps because although it gets crowded, there is not a bunch of lame teenagers loitering around equipment without actually using it (I blame the Y for that). Perhaps it's because there is nary a dust bunny anywhere, or the disgusting bald man who hasn't washed his gym clothes since the Clinton administration, who feels the need to raise his arms at any given moment and demonstrate just how badly he needs a shower. Granted, that man wasn't exactly the Y's fault, but...yuck. I think the Y overall does a lot of great things, but this particular one needs an upgrade. read more

I've been a happy gym member at this YMCA location for a few years. The things that keep me paying the monthly membership fee for this place are the convenient location to my work and, more importantly, the friendly, casual, and relaxed feeling to the place. To echo Maria D.'s review, the community of people who use this facility come from all walks of life, and everyone just does their thing. There are no egos on display. You can work out on recently upgraded equipment, stretch out on comfy mats, play pick-up basketball- even book a massage- and not feel like you are taking up someone else's precious time. Love it! The weekly schedule of classes, run by energetic and knowledgeable staff, has enough variety (in terms of time and activity) to please any fitness-minded person. The women's locker room is always kept clean, and the new hair dryers rock. Yay! The only reason I'm giving this place the A-OK is... the pool. Man. Let me explain. The water treatment for the both the lap pool is very harsh on my skin, which, as a person who threw herself into the deep end of a pool at age 3 and has loved being in the water ever since, is a major disappointment. I cannot swim in it. My skin turns blotchy and red after only a few minutes in the water. Luckily, a retreat to the sauna more than makes up for the acid bath experience of the pool. If this place could treat the water differently, I would be an even happier gym member! read more

I like the facilities, the pool (although I am ambivelant of using a pool that billions of other people use), the locker room is great, the staff is great, the location is great, equipment good - maybe very good. Why am I giving it only four stars then? Warning, the following is a rant, and may be considered homophobic by some. Continue reading at your own risk. Little did I know that my YMCA gym membership came with a complementary introduction to gay locker room culture. Not being gay, I find the benefit unwelcome. I recently joined the Embarcadero YMCA, one block from my employment. It becomes very apparent that there is a sizable gay population that uses the facilities. It's not like I went around asking people their sexual orientation or anything. I didn't have to. Leering stares, shower trolls, steam room exhibitionism and a sign that reads something like, "Sexual activity will not be tolerated," have made it clear. Its not like the gym is located in the Castro. Its freaking by the Embarcadero business district. I don't feel comfortable walking around naked, even in a gym. I especially don't feel comfortable making my way to the shower. I've been watched, and followed into the shower area. But, apparently, others are not so shy. People walk around and otherwise linger without clothes, for no apparent reason. When I do have to undress, I have repeatedly found myself being stared at. In my opinion, his type of behavior is sexual harassment. I find especially annoying the set of lockers from which there is a direct line of vision into the shower area. read more

The pick up basketball is mediocre at best. The 1 star review is their policy created for the new America where when you win you have to treat losers like they won too. I have played bball in every well known large city in the country and never have I ever heard about a rule that says when you win 3 games you go to the bottom of the list. I pay a whopping $75 which is more than way better gyms just so I can play ball. Not only that but this might very well be the only gym left that adults play and everyone really plays shirts and skins. Like really. Like people can't remember 4 people to pass it to. Like really? Grow up. I won't really review the workout rooms even this they are crowded in rooms that look like an apartment with low ceilings. read more

Embarcadero YMCA - Absolutely made for children. - Gyms Near Me - San Francisco, California

I sincerely enjoy YMCA facilities. It's never super super crowded like the 24 hour fitness stories I always hear about. This Embarcadero location is one of my favorites in the city, mostly because it's spacious and clean. WEIGHTS The 3rd floor studio has nicer dumbbells and more weight variance. Just be sure to return them here if you take it out of the room. Weight machines and barbells are plentiful. RUNNING There's a stamp near the front desk you can use if you're going for an outdoor run so you don't have to check in with your membership card again. CYCLING There's a ton of spinning classes here and there's usually plenty of open cycling machines. YOGA Ehh, this location isn't that great for yoga classes. I'd recommend Stonestown YMCA for this. POOL There's a handful of water fitness classes as well as open pool hours for swimming. read more

I have been to multiple YMCAs in the city and this one is by far my favor. Clean facility, great location, nice people. The first floor is reception area. Second floor is lockers and swimming pool. Third floor is group exercise and gym. At other place you stuck with a plain wall when you're jogging. However, at here, their treadmills and some of the elliptical machines have a nice view of the pier! You can see people walking, the cyclists, the cars, etc. This particular YMCA provides towers too (FYI some YMCAs do not). There's towels on the first floor reception area and that's for people planning to swim (2nd fl). If you're going to the 3rd floor for the equipments, don't get the towels from here. There are smaller towels on the 3rd floor. Happy with what they provide here. Looking to come back more often. read more

This is a FANTASTIC GYM! The facility is in great shape - high end all the way! TVs on bikes, treadmills, cardio equipment and weight circuit machines which record your weight and reps. Diverse and fun classes like Les Mill's Body Pump and Body Combat with instructors with a special sense of enthusiasm and pride. Other great additions include free Kinesis training and TRX. For anyone up for it there's a killer boot camp as well. A spacious and serene yoga and Pilates studio with a range of multi-level classes. State of the art spin cycling studio with a day long schedule, bikes that record all aspects of your training that you can download to a USB drive. Group rides are offered to members on weekends. The indoor pool is a generous size for the city with respectful swimmers. The locker rooms are clean and spacious. Best of all: THIS PLACE IS NOT PRETENTIOUS!!! Come to work out! Play! Or just relax and get centered. But you can be yourself and get your work out on. No judgement. Best gym I've ever been to in SF! read more

I LOVE this gym so much - it's the best gym I've ever been to in my life. First of all, the location and view are impeccable - YMCA has a piece of land in one of the best parts of the city right next to the bay. It's sunny most of the time and you get a full on view of the Bay Bridge and Embarcadero while working out on your elliptical or treadmill. The atmosphere is A+ and truly unbeatable, contrasting sharply with the "view" (or lack thereof) that you get at any other gym. Secondly the people are so friendly and helpful. The gym has a distinct non-corporate feel where people are genuinely looking to help one another out. The front desk staff always welcomes you and will frequently greet you by first name. The gym is also very rarely packed from my experience and is just so great. There are also tons of amenities - a pool, dry and steam sauna, and hard to find machines. They also offer classes too! read more

This review is for the swim class at the Embarcadero YMCA. Colby is an excellent teacher. Former Olympic contenders have tried to teach me to swim and no one has been able break me of my bad self-taught swim techniques. Before taking Colby's class i would say that my "style" could best be described as "sperm," meaning I wiggled around in the water without using my arms. He is very patient, breaks down each stroke, and is always cheerful. I am grateful that now I can do a passable backstroke, a crawl that is in progress, and a spastic rendition of the breaststroke that I feel confident will eventually become recognizable as the breaststroke and not be mistaken for me having a seizure in the water. (He's a good teacher but not a magician. I definitely need to practice breaststroke more). I wish I hadn't waited so long to take lessons. My only complaint about the session I took was that it was very crowded. I wish they would have cut off the number of students at seven per class. read more

I went there because my YMCA is closed for maintenance. First the good: it's much bigger. It has much more updated equipment and more choices. The women's locker room is huge. OK, now the bad: it's super crowded. There's very little space to do anything besides the machines. It's as if they're discouraging you from leaving the machines. Even the weight lifting area is tiny. Unlike Chinatown, there's no place to do squats or lunges. I always felt like I was in someone's way. I never got into a groove. And waaay too many hipsters. I like being around real people of all ages, not just the young, beautiful ones. Glad this isn't my normal gym. I'll be happy to go back to Chinatown. read more

I just broke up with the YMCA. It's something I'd been thinking about for awhile... dirty towels, dated machines, high fees, and unfriendly staff are a few of my issues with the Y. But it was close to home and I always loved the view of the bay from the elliptical machines. But today I finally cancelled. A "senior staff" member came at me quite aggressively regarding their no cell phones in the locker room policy. I wasn't on the phone - just checking my texts. If she had politely asked me to put my phone away I would have had no problem. Instead she pulled a power trip and was quite rude. We got into a yelling match and after she said 'normally we'd kick you out for swearing' I told her don't bother, I'm canceling my membership. Now. I don't want to get my workout therapy at a place that can reduce me to tears. Bye bye Y - I'm joining Crunch. read more

Oh yay! I want to be the 100th review for the Y. And the added bonus is that I also get to be the 50th 5 star review too. :-D I love the Embarcadero YMCA. Prices are great. Staff is super friendly. I feel very comfortable sweating as much as I want to and wearing the ugliest workout clothes I own. People come there to work out, not to be seen. It is very refreshing. read more

I stopped by for the first time this weekend to take a Zumba class with a few friends. Luckily we were using a guest pass so the class was gratis. Unfortunately I was late to the class because the staff at the front desk lack simple communication skills. One staff had no information regarding my guest pass so made me fill out a registration form. Once I was nearly finished, he made it very clear that he "usually [doesn't] do this type of thing" (calling upstairs to get approval for a guest pass). Before calling, someone else at the front desk said he had my pass and was waiting for me. The Zumba class unfortunately was also not what I was expecting. I can't say for sure if it was the instructor's style or if Zumba is simply not for me. Or both. The facilities are clean and accommodate a large group of people. read more

I love to stay at the Y-M-C-A... I love to stay at the Y-M-C-A- Hey! For many years, I believed gyms to be foul, indoor sweathouses that charged you an arm and a leg to do things that you could easily do outside in the fresh air. Well, gone are the days of eating Cool Ranch Doritos, hamburgers, fries, and coke- that was just lunch. Now I'm striving to be healthy. The Embarcadero Y is great. If you can't be outside, you might as well have a view of it while you're on your treadmill. The tech geek in me loved the cycling machines with t.v./internet access. Yelp while you sweat? Also, the weight machines have a keypad where you can enter your personal code and it keeps track of your past workout. That's motivation! Pools, hot tubs, and classes. This is definitely not the YMCA that I grew up with. read more

Wonderful, un-pretentious, well-maintained gym. I really recommend this place if you are not a typical gym goer or if you are a serious gym rat who wants a no-nonsense place that is not trying to be a spa. There are all kinds of people working out here from the super fit who jack the elliptical resistance up to 20 to the chubby (moi) to the old Chinese guys killing it on the weight machines. Everyone just does their thing. And you can't beat the view of the Bay Bridge on the 3rd floor. Last, since I always have the hungries after my workouts, I appreciate their vending machines filled with healthier snacks like string cheese, jerky, almonds, Clif Bars, etc. It really makes you feel extra virtuous as you walk out. read more

YMCA stands for Young Men's Christian Association, but it could just as easily stand for Old Russian Woman's Orthodox Association or Young Blind Buddhist Association. In my particular case it would be the Thirtyish Queer Agnostic Association. I've belonged to many gyms in my lifetime and none comes close to the Embarcadero Y. The place has a spectacular spirit of enthusiasm, inclusiveness and most importantly community. As a kid growing up in the Southern California suburbs I may have had the word "community" on a 5th grade vocabulary test and seen it on ominous real estate advertisements as in "Come buy a giant beige house in our master planned community"; but I never truly understood its power until recently. I joined the Embarcadero Y less than a year ago and began as a garden variety member. Since then I've gone through their volunteer group exercise instructor program and now teach my own weekly group strength class, as well as filling in on occasion for other instructors. Through their certification and mentorship program I am now learning to teach group cycling as well. I also joined their triathlon club and completed my first triathlon (Yeah me!). This is not to mention all the hellish workdays that have been saved by 40 minutes on the elliptical trainer with the ocean wind blowing on my sweaty face, looking out over the Embarcadero hoping to spot a sea lion. Along the way I've made friends that are way better then any six pack abs or ripped biceps a girl could have (not that you can't have both). You don't have to be a fitness nutcase like me to love the Y. People of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, ages and fitness levels come together to get sweaty here. There are also lots of community benefiting programs going on all the time, like the high school for troubled students and summer camps for kids. The Y has enough love (and groovy fitness opportunities) for everyone. So I've discovered a community is a place where you give and get, where you feel comfortable and where they will miss you (at least for a little while) if you're gone. The Y is all of the above and I recommend it to everyone who cares about the fitness of their body and soul. read more

Will not return to Embarcadero YMCA. I selected this spot for it's proximity to work. After getting a shoulder injury I requested a leave of absence and the gym agreed to a 90day grace on membership. My rehab went slightly over this mark and I was auto-charged for a month even though I could not use the gym. When requesting assistance with a refund, I was reminded what poor customer service looks like. Unfortunately they were unwilling to consider my ask (more symbolic than financial). The result is they secured a month of revenue. And I closed my account the next day. My business is now with SF Fitness where there's better value & attention to service. It's comforting to know quality alternatives exist. read more

Sent excellent for friendly staffs remember Ried front desk person is very responsible of taking care of members report of leakage in faucets and helped slot if orientation of new members read more

My past exercising involved running so all of this gym stuff is new to me. There's a lot to like about this gym. 1.) How often can you be at a gym conversing to a fellow gym member about football and after your workout see the same member rummaging through trash at a muni stop. Only at a YMCA! 2.) They have an iron! I don't even have that. I would like mouthwash and cue tips but an iron is convenient since I stuff my clothes in a small bag. Downside like most gyms is if you come during peak hours you'll be waiting. I gave up going in the evening and now show up at 7 and all the weights are available. read more

Ok so I feel a little bad giving a non-profit a one star. However, I have to say avoid this YMCA like athlete's foot. First off it is only worth going to if you Swim or play basketball and you are under 25. Once you turn 26 they jack up the monthly rate to something like $70. At that amount I would expect ALOT more. The computerized equipment is cool, you can track all of your workouts online and even add stuff that you do outside the gym (running, biking etc.) The lockeroom is pretty gross, the towels are minute. I'm not fat just 6'3" and I could barely wrap a towel around myself. I finally dropped my membership after I had my credit cards JACKED straight from my locked locker!!! Someone stole it and the went to Union Square to buy $800 in sunglasses and then tried to get some stuff from Walmart. Anyways, you shouldn't have to worry about your stuff in the locker room. Yes there are signs posted, but I have been a member of other gyms and NEVER had anything stolen. read more

I cannot say enough great things about the swimming classes here. I finished the level 2 and am finishing the level 3 class and have absolutely enjoyed them. The classes are $90 for members and $120 for non-members for a six week 1-hour long course. The instructors are great at breaking down the mechanics of each stroke and doing various drills to build up our technique and increase efficiency of swimming. Colby, the aquatics director is awesome and is great with working with adults. Mike was also very good for the Level 2 class. In just a couple of months I've gone from not being able to swim at all to now being able to swim across a 25 meter pool with relative ease using front crawl, back stroke, or breast stroke. The pools is nicely heated with 5 different lanes and a separate activity pool. Locker room is clean and well kept. Don't forget to bring your own lock. read more

I'm excited to rejoin the YMCA (there is a Sept promotion on the initiation fee too so this is great timing to join). I used to be a member as a college student (very fee friendly for when you are under 26) and moved back to SF recently. I had the chance to try it out as a guest last week (went for a swim and i didnt have any skin problems like another reviewer) and I just took my first lunch time workout class- Kinesis which was really fun and tough. I appreciate the diversity of people who use the YMCA and I think the staff has been very friendly. I have been a member of Equinox and while amenities are all nice, it felt soulless. The YMCA succeeds at making the place a community through the variety of classes and opportunities to interact with members and staff. Also, the YMCA has way more classes than Equinox at every time of the day. read more

I just went through a pretty intense break up... with 24 hour fitness. Who know how I got there to begin with - but like most first relationships we weren't going anywhere great. Returning to the YMCA is like a dream come true. l've found my match in gym membership marriage. I'm never bored - because there at 25+ classes to chose from. I can relax when things are tense in either a steam room or a sauna. I don't have to schlep around my own towels or worry about the cleanliness of theirs (they always smell like the perfect balance of detergent and bleach... mmmm). I'm always greeted with a smile. The Y just makes me feel like one million bucks. read more

Took adult level 2 classes to incorporate some swimming into my workout routine - and I thought that I'd need some practice beyond the class to swim regular laps. I was wrong - after 4 classes I started going to the gym to swim. I am one of the least flexible, uncoordinated people I know but through Colby's patient, articulate, and laid back instruction I can look fairly respectable in the pool with three different strokes. I definitely recommend the Embarcadero Y classes - they are reasonably priced (for Y members and non-members, alike) - and although I only took one level, Colby teaches them all - so its a safe bet they are all quality. read more

For the pool- 3.5 stars. Rest of the gym is good too. Likes: -- those great big windows, letting sun into the pool -- people pretty much follow the lane speeds- nice touch to have the fast lane in the middle and the slower lanes on either side. -- people are pretty hip on lane swimming -- excellent location- I can get in a good workout early in the evening. Not so great: -- a little strong on the chlorine -- sometimes it gets muy crowded- like up to 5 people/lane -- swimmers who take themselves a little too seriously -- people tend to keep to themselves -- that jacuzzi has more chemicals in it than a pool supply store- I'm sure my trunks will melt. You know how you eat yogurt after taking a series of antibiotics? Can't hurt to do that after a dip here. Seriously. read more

I spent a week in early May of 2012 and went three times to this YMCA to swim. The indoor 25-meter pool had five lanes. The first time I was warmly welcomed by a lifeguard named Robert, who let me that know when there were two people in a lane, they split, and when there were three or more, the swimmers circle swam. This was really a surprise to me, as at my home YMCA (in downtown Seattle), the lifeguards would not bother to explain this to people, even after a collision ("They'll just have to figure it out then, since we've already posted the rules."). On the whole, the lifeguards seemed friendlier, more respectful, and more helpful compared to what I had been previously accustomed. I would have expected the S.F. YMCA to be more impersonal and bureaucratic, not less. It's nice to see staff take initiative! On the next floor is the weight and machine room. Here there were more Nautilus-type machines than in Seattle. But the stretching room was very small, and as I learned later on, the studio rooms on the top floor were locked when there were no scheduled classes. The spacious locker room was kept very clean. The staff were all very friendly, and a trainer spent 20 impromptu minutes showing me how to use a BOSU ball. On the whole, this YMCA was a nice change and compared not unfavorably with the Seattle YMCA. If I lived in San Francisco, this is the gym that I would go to. read more

There is one thing that really separates the YMCA from other gyms - they are widely regarded as a well-run and effective community-oriented non-profit. Do you ever have a month or two where you blow off your workouts? I do, and it's nice to know my membership dollars are going to a good cause and not just to a bunch of corporate shareholders. Beyond that, the strongest aspect of the Y is classes. I am a big fan of the hip-hop dance classes, but there are plenty of others taught by volunteer instructors for free. Also, they have a triathlon training program that beats the hell out of Team in Training. There is a lot more schedule flexibility, the coaches are good, the participants seem more down to earth, and best of all, you don't have to hit up your friends and relatives for donations (you do have to pay a sign-up fee of a couple hundred bucks, but it's worth it). Gets four stars only because they have one basketball/volleyball court that is tiny and perpetually occupied. And the pickup basketball there tends to suck on account of rough play. read more

My rule of writing reviews for only 5 stars has to be broken. The Fitness Director just finished telling me that the 4 yoga instructors that will be attentive to my prenancy needs "all do not have children. and i can honestly say that only 1 or 2 of my instructors have children." Is this supposed to keep feeling comfortable about being "the only pregnant woman (I) have spoken to about these issues." Saaeda and Athena - you still get my 5 stars. And Dylan who was so friendly when I called two months ago trying to find a place for my "wellness." This Y has NO prenatal classes offered. I am cancelling my membership (after 2 new months membership). The Director wanted to keep me on the phone just to continue making his points! No thanks, I'll take my membership dues elsewhere. read more

This was my first experience with a swimming class, but I will say it was one of the best classes of any kind that I've taken. Colby is patient, encouraging, and really insightful when helping figure out what you're doing wrong and suggesting what you can be doing better. I went from flailing around like a wounded animal to comfortably cruising up and down the lanes in just a few weeks. I definitely recommend swim lessons with Colby to anyone who wants to learn how to swim better, or just looking for a new, surprisingly fun way to get some exercise. read more

I've been accused of a lot of things, from being too serious to driving the greater bamboo lemur to become critically endangered by trying to catch them all so I can reenact the Battle of Waterloo with them so to make recreation of one of the most bloody and horrific episodes in human history with cute endangered lemurs! IRONY!!!! One thing that they can't accuse me of is never working out (or at least looking like I'm working out) because I signed up for a gym membership here and I very glad I did because now I have more girls on my arms than monkeys in a barrel (if someone took the time to stuff some monkeys into a barrel (and make sure that none got out in the mean time (and figuring they could find enough monkeys and the right barrel to do so (.....you know what let's just go with 23, I have more girls hanging from my arm than 23)))). After I got a good routine set up I metaphorically packed my bags to move to PUMPVILLE which is a great metaphorical place to live with beautiful people and great schools....WHERE YOU CAN FIND METAPHORICAL NERDS TO BEAT UP!!! But not everything about the gym is metaphorical, they provide literal results. I have the Embarcadero YMCA to thank for pumping me up and allowing me to push nerds into lockers with the force of ten men. After 5 months there, I feel I have more energy and I don't get as tired anymore from grabbing the glasses from some nerd's face and breaking them. Plus I feel way more motivated to go to the beach and kick sand in some nerd's face and take his girlfriend. The facilities are decent and they have some cool features like an electronic system that monitors your weight training, keeps a record, and tells you what to do. It's sort of like electronic computer personal trainer, which is great because I think it's everything that a personal trainer should be: efficient, emotionless, and has the possibility of rising up and destroying mankind. The system was very effective for me and kept me going on a routine with gradual increase in weight, and being kept on track is in my opinion the most important part of training, because if weight training is anything like training lemurs then you know how hard it is to keep them focused on assaulting the French artillery. The best part is that there's trainers that get you started with a routine and don't push purchasing personal training on you like a drug dealer pushing one if his drug mules on you to hold you down before attempting to run you over with his drug mobile. In conclusion the price is higher than 24 hr fitness or other big chains but it goes to a good cause and the facilities are top notch without staff trying to sell you protein shakes that may or not be made of people. Highly recommend, five stars for the avoided cannibalism alone. read more

This review is for Alaa, who works at the front desk in the evening. Alaa is an exceptional, kind, empathetic, funny, energetic, detail-oriented, razor-sharp-witted, VERY helpful human being. I'm always excited to see Alaa, because I know I will receive the exact right information if I have any questions, and will share some laughs, leaving the building (or beginning my workout), with a goofy smile on my face. Thank you Alaa!!!! read more

Everything about this YMCA is welcoming. The people look like real people. Not tan Barbie dolls and ken dolls. They just look like real people who are there to get into shape. Same with the people who work there. Everyone is really motivating and they have this great program called Fit Links that is free when you join. It's like you have a coach with you every time your working out. Oh and its clean!! AND they have to most excellent view of the Bay. And a sun roof you can tan on. 5 stars for building strong kids, strong families and strong communities. 5 stars for the YMCA! read more

Excellent gym and very reasonably priced. The Embarcadero Y is awesome! Top notch weight and cardio along with a lap pool that has open lanes even during peak hours. Parking is a pain. . .but that is what you get with the downtown location. read more

I cannot say enough good things about this YMCA! My husband and I have been going to the adult swim classes for the last 8 weeks. I had almost given up on the thought of ever been able to swim but Mike is an excellent coach , thanks to him we are so excited about the pool and not scared at all. We were taught proper breathing techniques, free stroke, backstroke and lots more in Level 1&2. The staff is great and always friendly. there are plenty of towels and lockers. I really like the treadmill and bodypump class as well!Great views of bay bridge read more