Very disappointing experience this last Saturday. The lifeguard on duty immediately approached my friend and I upon entering the pool area and questioned my swimsuit, incorrectly determining that it was not a swimsuit but rather athletic wear. I informed him it is indeed actual swimwear but he reiterated his claim and said that a bathing suit needed to be won under the shorts. I asked why I would be required to wear a bathing suit under my bathing suit. His response was because what I was wearing was not a bathing suit. I told him several times "this is literally a bathing suit" to which he responded "no, it isn't." He finally said he would allow it "this time" but that in the future I would not be allowed in the pool without proper swimwear. I was on the verge of becoming upset so I let it go. My friend and I used the pool and left. When I went to my car to leave I decided to retrieve the online order history for the suit I was wearing, went back inside and showed him. His response was that the information I provided confirmed they were "bike shorts" not swimwear. I clarified that they are bike short "style" swim bottoms. But he continued to disagree. It was obvious I was getting nowhere with him so I went to the front desk and spoke with an employee who agreed with me that my suit was in fact swimwear, and then advised me to "just come when he's not working". Considering the fact that this location will soon be the only one with a pool, and membership is over $500 a year (44.99/month) I shouldn't have to come only at certain times to avoid a lifeguard who is unfamiliar with women's swimwear. I also didn't pay $120 for a bathing suit to have to wear another suit under it. What a disappointing experience. read more

LA Fitness - One to be proud of!! - Gyms Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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While in the club, Kelly the membership representative was very helpful. She took the time to put the LA app on my phone. This allowed me to check-in without using my telephone number. Kelly was friendly and willing to help. She's an asset to your business, read more

Went here with my sister. friendly staff. Nice place to workout. Clean and quiet. really locked in.

Not a thing they lie cheat and steal your money . Also there equipment is old and outdated for what they are charging. Stay away

In between the 2 gym shutdowns I came back here a few times. They were not great about enforcing proper mask wearing. If I were them I'd have an employee walk around the gym every 20 min to identify people not behaving as public health officials require. I'd have different employees do it and perhaps even have someone not it a gym shirt. I'd also escort members out who are repeat offenders. Members shouldn't have to police each other. Also - rotate the machines in use so they don't break down as often. Update 53 2021 read more

Very Helpful, Kysean gives a welcoming experience everytime we enter the gym and is knowledgeable as well.

I wanted to write a quick review because I haven't had a chance to call and report this man at the front desk because he was following me out. He asked me if I "had taken his picture" because I noticed he was rifling through my bag that I had left in my locker but had not locked it. I kept watching him go through numerous lockers that were left unlocked and was so disgusted with his behavior. Thank God I didn't keep any valuables in my bag in the locker! read more

LA Fitness - Man going through lockers and when asked, stated that he was looking for his "brother's belongings." - Gyms Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I had intended to give this 4-stars, but I've had a disappointing morning. And the trash can was gone. Okay, backing up. Last April I joined a Medicare Advantage program (WellCare) because 1) it partners with all my doctors and 2) it was a means of getting Silver Sneakers. I wanted to get going 2 or 3 times a week to a gym, but couldn't afford it on my own. Silver Sneakers is available through Medicare Advantage programs, most if not all. It was July or August before I got around to going to a gym. With Silver Sneakers, you can go to most any gym, any time it's open. You can go to The Y one day and Fitness 19 the next. No restrictions. But it was mid-summer or so by the time I'd stopped procrastinating. I started with the LA Fitness downtown on Delaware because that is closest to home. But the pool there was not conveniently accessible for me. Late September or early October, I finally went to LA Fitness on Elmwood. And there I have been going once or twice, sometimes thrice a week. End of December, I began using the pool once a week. Fine, you math majors, so I've been to the pool three times in all, today being the third time. But today I got to the gym at the wrong time to use the pool. Say what? Having tried twice to find a routine that would work (motivate) me, this was going to be my last option: At home I put my suit on under my clothes, It didn't feel too funny, so I went to the gym. The other two times I'd gone, I took my swimwear and towel and flip-flops in a carry-on, did my machines first -- there are 6 I use, sometimes 7 -- then changed for the pool. There are no changing rooms. And the 5-stall bathroom has only one handicap stall, which is large enough for changing clothes. None of the shower stalls -- 6 or 8 of those -- have a seat. While it is great that so many gyms accommodate Silver Sneakers users, many of us need to sit down in order to dress and undress, or vice versa. Thus, I hoped that wearing my suit to the gym on pool days, would minimize the difficulties accompanying this activity. Perhaps I should have taken the missing trash can as an omen, but I never made the connection. After removing my outer clothing in the locker room, I went to the shower and wet down so that the water temp would feel fine. I never found out. As soon as I entered the pool area, the lifeguard on the opposite shore was making all kinds of hand signals. I waved back and kept heading toward the steps into the pool. Finally he yells WAIT. I waited as he walked around the pool. He comes up to me saying it is break time. "Break?" I asked. He then explains the previous break schedules and the changes that were made last month. First I ever heard any of this. Apparently I'd never gotten there at the wrong time before. After I arrived back home, I checked it out and the New York State Teachers Union began representing lifeguards in 2009. The Elmwood LA Fitness is not a diving pool; it's deepest point is 4 feet 6 inches. The gym is adults only. I thought it was nice that they had a lifeguard, but really only need someone on hand to haul a person out of the water if they faint or something. Also no one should go swimming alone, and often there is only one person in the water. But breaks? Why can't some staff member cover for the lifeguard for 30 minutes? If a pool has to be closed so the lifeguard can go pee, then the facility is understaffed. My opinion. Okay, I have gotten more involved than I'd intended. Summing up: When I went into the gym this morning, I went to toss my Tim Horton's bag (Omelet Bites, so there!) in the trash receptacle just outside the front door. Not there. At the desk I asked and was told it has been taken away and, no, it won't be back. THEN i went and learned I couldn't use the pool. I did use the sauna. And I did, after changing into my street clothes (brought underwear, yes, and a plastic bag for what I thought would be a wetter suit), use 4 of my 6 machines. But I was bummed. On my way to the car, I noticed (for the first time) the amount of litter on the grassy areas. Wow. Is everyone sore about the missing trash can? read more

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Been going for a year. They need more squat racks. I can never find one that's open. Their pool is permanently closed too. Space isn't being utilized right. Such a shame because the location and juice bar are great. Time to find another gym read more

This club has been disappointing of late. The staff is always friendly, but the management of the location is pretty poor. There are a number of machines without labels meaning you have no idea what weight you're lifting. Just to illustrate the maintenance of the place, for the past 4 months two of the four doors to even enter the gym have been unusable and "scheduled for maintenance". read more

LA Fitness - Gyms Near Me - Buffalo, New York

If i could give this place 0 stars I would. They are the most mismanaged gym I have ever been with. I cancelled my gym membership two days after signing up because they brought me into the gym and attempted to get me to sign up for more stuff costing money and it was evident they serve a certain population. So I decided wasn't a good fit and within two days of signing up. Here we are a month a half later and they granted me a partial refund. I don't even have access to the gym pass, nor have I used any service. DONT GO HERE. THE MANAGER IS NEVER AVAILABLE. THEY"VE ALWAYS STEPPED OUT OR ON LUNCH OR NOT AT THE GYM. Also don't email them, I think they all go into a spam box because no one will answer those either. read more

I have been going to this LA Fitness for a few years now and unfortunately it keeps getting worse and the price keeps getting higher. Equipment, especially anything with cables, get broken and take days, maybe weeks, to get repaired. Benches at times missing cushions for days to get repaired. At this gym there is also a terrible smell by all the free weights, smells of water damage or mold almost. I don't mind a busy gym, it's the city, it's 5 pm, most people are working all day then headed to the gym. What bothers me is the price compared to the quality here. Unfortunately not too many options for gyms in that area. read more

Buffalo has a serious shortage of good gyms and I'd love for a better chain to come in and take over. Until then, if you happen to be thinking about going to this LA Fitness here's some things you need to know: - There's a shortage of water coolers (one in the main gym area and two in the cardio area) all of which have terrible water pressure and are filthy. - It gets VERY crowded so you may not be able to do the things you've come to do. - Everything is old and the elliptical machines are SO OLD that you'd need an adapter for your adapter to listen to the TVs. Unless your phone happens to be ten years old. - The smoothie bar sells mostly junkie fake healthy stuff. - There are only two small stretching area. - LA Fitness has very scam like pricing so be careful when signing up. Think of it as a barely sufficient gym you use while you're looking for something better. read more

LA Fitness - Handy if you have an iPhone Zero. Totally useless otherwise. - Gyms Near Me - Buffalo, New York

DO NOT USE THIS GYM I was very upfront with this company that I needed a gym for just one month while visiting from out of town. My only option was to pay the $50 sign up and then another $50 for the month. I asked them to immediately cancel the membership so I wouldn't be charged for another month. They said they couldn't do that because it would annul the sign up; I had to wait. Them they tried to charge me another $50 mid-month (they refunded when I complained). Then, when I tried to cancel at the end of the month, they told me nobody on duty was authorized to cancel (including the "general manager"!). They promised to call me the next day to take care of it. I clearly explained that I was leaving town, so I could not come back and we'd have to cancel over the phone. I was told this would be no problem. The next day, I get the call, and I'm told the only way to cancel without coming in is to mail in a paper cancellation form, found by logging on to the website! Why can't I cancel directly on the website?? And it has to be the website (which I never used) not the app. After searching through their obfuscated website for 15 minutes, I finally found the form to print out. This is evil, dark pattern behavior; it should be illegal. This company does not operate with integrity and you should not do business with them. read more

Just an update....four months later called to see if I could do a week pass and was told yes. Went in and even after using three employees to hit a combined IQ of 85 they were all very confused as to what a week or day pass is. Honestly this gym is a total s&@t show. The staff is so rude and honestly barely functional. read more

Staples of a healthy life: sleep, nice food, gym and a cat that keeps the stress away. Also, lots of oysters. In all seriousness though, I'm one of those crazy people that needs their work out/gym time to feel sane. I'm also quite picky about a gym and ever since graduating UB (which has an amazing gym on North Campus with an Olympic-size swimming pool), I've been looking for a nice gym that's closer to downtown with a pool. I was super psyched when LA Fitness announced they were opening in Buffalo and was one of the first people to sign up. I've been going to this gym for the last year now and I am not disappointed. It's pricey ($30-40/mo), but the amenities are worth it. A pool, jacuzzi (which I don't think is gross and go in all the time), sauna, tons of treadmills, weight equipment, a basketball court and a handful of classes (which I've yet to try) are just some of the perks. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I've never found any issue with the A/C and have never experienced any over-crowding. I'm also surprised that despite the pool only having 3 lanes, I don't end up having to share a lane very often and I don't think I've ever had to wait to swim in this pool. I suppose not too many people use it? Maybe I shouldn't even write about it..but I can't stop! There's no deep end in the pool and the entire thing is about 4ft deep, but it works well for swimming laps (standard 25yard distance one way) and I'm able to do a flip-kick without a problem despite its shallowness. There's an employee in a chair in the corner at the pool at all times and I'm not really sure if they're supposed to be a lifeguard or what, but they just sit in the back and keep their head down, mostly texting or reading the whole time. Sometimes I fear that if I have a stroke or hit my head and knock myself out in this pool, no one would even notice. That's my only problem with the pool. I have received a call or two from their sales guys trying to setup a "free personal fitness assessment" which is their way of trying to sell me their personal trainer packages, but I've never shown any interest and they've backed off. I like doing my own thing without any interruptions. The few phone calls I received never annoyed me too much and I understand and appreciate that their sales team is so motivated (sales are the life force of any business!). Their treadmill machines have hookups to iPods/iPhones and can even charge your device while you work out. You can also hook up NetFlix/videos from your phone and play it on the treadmill TV, which is a nifty technology that I myself have never taken advantage of, but I can see it being pretty useful. They also have lock-protected lockers that you can use (for free) to store keys, wallet, cell phone. Just don't forget the combination you set! Their locker room has the standard larger-size lockers (where you'd have to bring your own lock) for your clothes, shoes, etc, but I've never locked it and so far have never had my underwear stolen (thank god). The showers in the locker room seem fairly well cleaned and have soap dispensers in them, which I use far too often to clean myself with. The sauna's are pretty nice as well and kept as a high temperature, but I haven't indulged one in quite a while. All in all, it's a pretty sweet and comfortable gym. I've been coming here almost every day for the last year and love it. Really happy that LA Fitness opened up! read more

Fun, friendly, informative staff. Free weights are orderly and all machines are in very good condition. Lots of variety and layout is optimal for a workout read more

Ah, to escape the clanging weights of dropped bars by lunkheads. This gym is decent for the size, but there are some machines that only exist in the training area that's reserved for gym trainers - the rowing machines and TRX, for example. If you ask nicely and it's not too busy you can use them, as was the case tonight, but it's not a guarantee. I kinda hate that some features are reserved for if you pay more on top of the already steep gym prices. The pool is small but has been clean every time I go. With only three lanes it can fill up very quickly, so I'd plan to go on off hours if you want to swim. Perhaps it's the layout that makes me also not rate this as high. Most of the clanging equipment is underneath the raised cardio second level, which seems to increase rather than deaden the sound of dropped weights. The second level doesn't extend all the way to the wall, so if you want a quiet elliptical away from prying eyes, you will not find it here, as you will be readily visible from both the front and back of the gym. read more

The men's bathrooms are always dirty, without toilet paper and have a bad smell. The parking lot at night without any lighting. Managers are never willing to do anything. They waste a lot of time just in stupid conversations and nonsense. read more

I was in the parking lot and just witnessed one of the managers run out trying to fight a regular guy and threatening him and for a female going to a gym this did not feel like a safe at all.. he assumed I was with the guy bc I was parked next to him and he was saying bad things to me too.... Idk what kind of management this is but it's not a good one obviously. I felt very very unsafe read more

I've been going to this gym and this location for over 2 years now and have been more than satisfied with the location the staff and the equipment and how the gym is taken care of and have always felt that the price was fair for what is offered but recently the decision to add volleyball on Monday,Tuesday,Friday at this location is making me and a bunch of my friends who often go to la fitness solely to play basketball consider canceling out membership in protest. As someone who lives in the buffalo there are realistically three locations that I can go to and play basketball using my la fitness membership and one of those is under remolding so two currently. Take someone that's works a job and works 9-5 or 10-4 or any variation of a 9-5 who has the la fitness membership bc it offers a basketball court which separates itself from its competitors it's the only reason a lot of us have the membership is to play basketball. They can only play two days outa the week bc nobody goes on the weekends and the la fitness basketball community is vass and constantly expanding I don't understand why you hurt one of your loyal biggest communities for another much smaller new community it doesn't make sense and I will not pay another dollar until this location comes to a better alternative . read more

Pro: the pool. The pool and whirlpool were great and this was really the selling point that made me join. The previous gym that I belonged to also had a pool. But they had so many classes scheduled in it, that it was barely available when I could use it. The pool at LA Fitness had a much better schedule, was kept at a good temperature, and the area was always clean. Con: no towels and no hair dryers. So on top of my regular gym stuff, I'm toting all of that which requires bringing home a wet towel and bathing suit and leaving with my hair wet if I don't want to also pack a hairdryer. Pro: free fitness classes like yoga Con: a phone app that is basically useless because the one great thing that it *could* be used for but isn't is to announce when classes have been canceled which happened several times throughout my 5 or 6 months of being an active member. Pro: A large variety of machines, an entire spinning room, and a large dedicated area for free weights. Cons: really old, often in disrepair rowing machines which happen to be my favorite piece of equipment. But also: a serious lack of sanitation stations. The previous gym that I belonged to had spray bottles and washcloths at every unit. Here, there are 2 or 3 sanitizer and paper towel stations per floor, so possibly nowhere near the equipment you are using. And seeing as how you can observe people not wiping down the equipment after use, it becomes necessary to do it yourself both before and after using the equipment which may or may not be anywhere near a sanitizing station. Either that, or BYO sanitizing wipes, along with your towel for the pool and hair dryer. No longer a member. read more

Love this location. The staff is friendly & the gym is very clean. Very open and spacious; has a good variety of machines and free weight area. Locker room is spotless; The lap pool is very clean & heated. If I could give 10 stars, I would. I Definitely recommend this location. read more

Joined over a year ago. I go to several different locations around Western New York. I definitely have zero love for this gym, but it's near where I live and I need regular sauna use in my life. Didn't have the best first impression when joining. They claim they offer free X amount of days pass-- basically how it works: You bring in the pass. State you just want to visit. They take you over to the sales desk and pretty much won't give you a pass unless you sign up for membership. I went with my boyfriend who is visually more fit looking than I am. The lady was completely focused on targeting me about weight loss goals and commenting how much muscle my boyfriend had. Completely unnecessary. We even toured the facility where she kept making me "try out" machines. I felt like I was being talked down to. This gym ain't my first rodeo. Customers of this gym appear to be huge slobs. Nothing is ever reracked, used paper towels are everywhere, free weights are all over, empty water bottles litter the floors. I never see people clean off machines after they're done using them, but they have no issue sitting on them for several minutes using their phones or just chit chatting. When I go to the gym, it's to actually work out. It's a commercial gym, so you can't expect everyone there to take it seriously. Another group that doesn't take exercise seriously: the trainers. When I first signed up I kept receiving phone call after phone call to sign up with a trainer. They wouldn't take no for an answer so a new person started leaving me voicemails. Eventually they gassed out and haven't gotten one in some time. I see trainers there texting, not paying attention, and certainly not correcting when someone is doing an improper technique. They don't get paid much so I'd assume their education isn't that deep. There's a decent variety of machines and free weights on the first floor. Upper floor as cardio such as rower, step master, treadmills, and ellipticals. There are stairs as well as elevator to get to upper level. Basketball court. Pool. Dance/stretch/class room. There used to be punching bags, but recently got rid of them. There is a separate personal training area, but most people use it to take videos of one another. There's a TRX and battle ropes only in that area. Locker room has been more clean lately than in the past. I go to this gym pretty much to enjoy the sauna after so that's the biggest compliment about the place I'll give. Parking lot is pretty big and never have trouble finding a spot. There's free WiFi. There's a shake bar but very expensive. read more

Deserving of a solid three stars, nothing more, nothing less and here's why. First, the place isn't cheap, which I like, because it keeps the young kids out who are just looking to mess around and scope out chicks. They run "deals" often. In my experience, "deals" mean a discount price for a certain occasion or person. $99 down and $30 a month doesn't seem like a deal to me. No money down and $30 yeah that's a deal. Anyways, the trainer that sealed the deal with me is no longer here but he was awesome. He gave me a tour of the gym when I first started and told me how to use any equipment I had questions about. He was very knowledgable about various workout routines and made me feel really comfortable exercising here. The first few days after I signed up he would come over and high five me as I was working out. Who doesn't love a little positive reinforcement? Again, he is gone unfortunately. Onto the equipment. There are one or two machines downstairs that have been broken for the month I've been a member here and have yet to be fixed. Not a huge deal because they usually have at least two of each machine. I think that's awesome because some people like to spend more time than others on each machine and nobody likes to be rushed. They have the best ab machines too. There is a pool which I haven't used yet, mainly because it's practically in the lobby of the gym. Everyone walking in the front door can see you swimming and the people at the front desk are plopped right in front of the pool. No privacy!!! There is a section for free weights that I haven't entered into yet. It's a little intimidating because everyone on "THAT SIDE" of the gym knows what they are doing and I don't.....YET. They have a basketball court which is awesome, nice big locker rooms with a sauna and clean showers. There is a smoothie bar which has endless amounts of flavors. A little overpriced in my opinion. Here's where I run into a few problems with this gym. They make it really difficult to get a guest pass for someone. I had my sister come by and thought it would be easy to let her use the gym for a few days. They tried to charge her $15 a day. Are you kidding? I was told when I signed up that I was allowed to bring guests. I argued this a little bit and finally had to sit down with one of the workers to get her a guest pass. It was such a process. They needed all of this information about her and then did everything they could to try and convince her to join. My second issue: cardio machines. Yes, I love that they are upstairs, away from the chaos. I love that they face away from each other so nobody is staring at you from behind when you're working out. I love how many machines there are, I have never had to wait for one. Things I don't love. They have chargers on each elliptical but they are only for the iPhone 4 or earlier versions. I'm paying enough per month for them to get with the times. Also, a majority of the water bottle holders are completely broken so when you place your water in the little holder it completely falls through the bottom. Seems like an easy fix that would go a long long way. Also, the channels! Oh man they are minimal. There are only six channels that actually work and they consist of two sports channels, abc, hgtv, disney and one other that I have no interest in. Horrible. Some of the televisions don't even turn on. My last complaint....this one is a BIGGIE. Why aren't there any lights in the parking lot? This can't be legal. If I workout at night, I leave and it is pitch black. Dangerous for a myriad of reasons. I can't even imagine how many falls are going to occur come winter. This has got to change. Not safe!! read more

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Great gym, but try to cancel. These guys will sit with you and sign you up for $300/month personal training, but can't cancel your membership. You need to physically mail a piece of paper to corporate. They know that not everyone will do this. I have a herniated disc, and I planned to cancel and come back when I was better, but now, I never will. Shady. Never again. read more

For workout purposes, it has mostly everything. You'll find that it gets crowded during peak rush times (after work, primarily), like most gyms and the January 1st crew. I've taken a few classes and they have always been great. I find that people don't put back weights and there isn't a lot of free space to work away from the racks and benches, especially if the fitness room has a class. If you can get in for $19.99 a month, it's well worth that value, but I wouldn't pay more. I've had a few personal trainers at previous gyms so I bought, well was coerced into buying a few sessions here. I was never impressed by my sessions, and I'd say that it was pretty boiler plate in terms of training. It's kept very clean, and the staff who cleans the locker rooms are great. read more

I've been coming here for two years plus now and there's days I dislike this club and days I appreciate it, guess it just depends on the day and time I come in to workout. Pros: 1. There's a pool, sauna, whirlpool, showers, lockers, plenty of machines, weights, cycling, boxing bag, basketball court plus, it's fully equipped. Double the free weights & machines compared to surrounding gyms. 2. Never a long wait to use a machine upstairs or downstairs. 3. Smoothies available in Juice Bar. 4. Babysitting services. 5. Better Customer Service than Fitness 360 around the corner. Cons: 1. Nothing organic in the Juice Bar. You can write 100% All Natural a million times over and it's still not organic. Wish they'd add at least one item like organic milk or organic almond milk. 2. On Member Appreciation Day the gym is packed and they have a local DJ spinning a mix of old school and new beats which I find particularly annoying and redundant as I each everyone walks around squeezing their headsets into their ears so they don't have to listen. They also sometimes put food out, like nachos from Moe's and if you're on the stair-master upstairs like I usually am, you can watch people lift weights and they stick they're disgusting fingers in the bowl to grab a chip or the cleaning person. Yes, I've seen this and it makes me gag. 3. I've complained a few times about the lights being out in the parking lot. I've been told that management knows and yet, the lights remain off. I don't feel safe. They should put up a sign that someone is available to escort anyone to their vehicles if needed. 4. This facility was on the News because people were breaking into the lockers and stealing wallets. I also know a girl who had her car broken into and was robbed of some important items. 5. If you come during peak times you will usually find a machine/weights available but women... beware going into the sauna because they're are always some young girls in there throwing water bottles at each other or acting rude and obnoxious in some manner. 6. Sometimes the trash is over flowing or the paper towels are empty and women's restrooms are filthy. 7. Horrible weekend hours! Gym is only open until 8pm on the weekends and the child care open until 12pm. 8. Check-in when you walk in is slow and there is sometimes a long line even with two staffers working the desk. Wish they would use the key tag scanner more often. I come here to workout though... Get in, get out is my model. I'm happy here for the most part even though I wrote more cons than pros. read more

ask how to cancel before you join!!! i'm getting th run around on how to canceling my memerbship. you walk in and join but you cant walk in and cancel......... this company is bullshit!!! dont join read more

The dirtiest gym I have ever been to.. the gym, locker room, and sauna look like they haven't been deep cleaned in years. The sauna has mold and water stains on the ground and benches, broken wood and exposed nails, empty water bottles on the ground along with left gym clothes that have been there for weeks on end. The lockers in the mens locker room are so filthy I couldn't even put my stuff in any of them. Crumbs inside them, dirt, some of the locks are even broke off half of the lockers so I couldn't put my lock on if I wanted to. The equipment is very outdated and needs to be replaced. Ripped open cushions, missing pieces. The workers just stand around up front talking amongst themselves and don't care about the quality of the gym. Would not reccomend this gym at ALL! read more

Good luck if they even answer the phone. Not enough employees to do anything. How could it possibly be sanitary if they can't answer the phone's read more

I recently received a new health insurance benefit that allows me to use $250 a year towards a gym membership, exercise studio, etc. In my process of looking for a local workout facility that would meet my needs, I visited your Elmwood Location in Buffalo, NY. I was attracted to LA Fitness because of the pool, free weights, weight machines, and studio fitness classes. Upon arrival to this location I was greeted by a young women who simply asked why I was there. After explaining that I wanted to tour the facility and was considering joining, she gave me a pre-checked informational questionnaire regarding my personal information, health, and exercise background. Immediately, I was concerned by the pre-checked personal information regarding myself as "never been to a gym", that I have a "sedentary lifestyle", etc. A sales representative quickly approached me and brought me to her desk to discuss membership. She immediately started asking many personal questions regarding my health, mental health, sports injury status, lifestyle, etc. I became defensive and felt the need to "sell myself as good enough to be a member at LA Fitness" to a woman whom I had never met and knows nothing about my life. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, between exercise and diet, have always been something I value highly. I was always involved in physical fitness; as a child, participating in many recreational sports, as teenager, as a high school cross country, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, and basketball athlete, as a collegiate athlete, a cross country runner, and as a professional, as a lifeguard, swim instructor, sports team coach, and in my personal life, exploring yoga studios, cycling and spin, outdoor activities, studio fitness classes, gyms, etc. After listing some of the ways I have worked out in the past, I felt judged by the sales representative because I have never been a member at LA Fitness. Honestly, your membership prices and amenities do not come close to what the YMCA of Buffalo Niagara has to offer, but I digress. After surviving the initial investigation by your membership representative, I went on to tour the facility, the sales women treated me as if I had never seen a treadmill, weight lifting equipment, or a spin bike in my life. If this wasn't embarrassing and degrading enough, she challenged me to get on a spin bike, and "try it out". I politely declined, but she insisted, and gave me incorrect information on spin bike seat positions. At this point, I was ready to run out the door, but I didn't want to be rude. She then brought me back to her desk, where she explained the membership prices. At first she quoted me higher prices than quoted online, as if to test my price knowledge on your memberships. After I stated I was not ready to become a member today and that I needed to think it over, she became rude and defensive. She was pressuring me into signing up, and made me feel even more unwelcome and uncomfortable. I quickly left, and the entire experience left me frustrated. I have received weekly phone calls since. I honestly hope that my experience was one in a million and that others don't have to go through this. While I am a seasoned athlete and self confident, my experience left me feeling like LA Fitness is just a marketing ploy to gain my monthly membership dues and that everyday people are not welcomed there. I do not wish this experience on anyone, and it pains me to believe that others seeking a healthier lifestyle have been treated this poorly by your company. I hope this sheds some light on your poor marketing tactics and subpar customer service. read more

I'm extremely disappointed with this gym. They went ahead and restricted the plyometrics area without notice. You are no longer permitted to use an entire area of the gym if you do not have a trainer. I was a pro Olympic athlete for 8 years, I don't need a trainer. the front desk staff never has a clue what's going on. sometimes it takes weeks for machines to be serviced or they're never fixed at all. I canceled my membership. I'll go next door to catalyst where they have proper bumper plates. read more

When this gym first opened, I left it a 4 star review saying that it was the best gym in Buffalo. Correction: It has the most equipment of any gym in Buffalo. Certainly not the best. Beef 1:When I first signed, I was told that they planned on keeping the memberships lower creating more of an exclusive club. NOT. I was the sucker who payed the obscene initiation fee naively thinking that everybody was jumping through the same ring I was. Of course they lowered their initiation fee to zero and are handing out memberships like candy. Everybody and their mother now belongs there and the place is a zoo. You would think once there became no room to do a jumping jack, they would stop giving away memberships but no, they are on every corner handing out memberships like they are going out of style. So annoying. Beef 2: The only thing worse than a gym packed with 1,000 people at a time, is a gym packed with 1,000 people at a time that refuses to turn on the Air Conditioning. It is so damn hot at all times, especially on the second floor cardio area. They have a million fans on their 70 ft ceiling that would never be able to sufficiently cool a gym that size. During the summer, you would think a gym would be cold to give people relief from the heat. And the smell of 1,000 people working out is atrocious. Imagine trying to breathe on a treadmill with 999 other people sweating their stank out around you, and how the stench molds in to one giant smell of dump. Brutal. Beef 3: They don't clean the damn place. They do have a janitor that goes around and cleans almost every time I'm there but it is not enough to accommodate the 1,000 people in and out of the gym every hour. The weights are never put back to their proper place. Their isn't sanitizer at every paper towel station. The locker rooms went from country club to walmart. I feel they hired too many Kings (personal trainers who don't do shit to help) and not enough Pawns (maintenance people) I'm scared of how this gym is going to look in 5 years. Why I'm not giving it a 1 star rating: 1: They do offer a lot of classes, like spinning, which is an awesome alternative workout. My girlfriend likes the boot camp classes as well. 2. It still does have more equipment than any other gym in buffalo. 3. Locations. I've been to the Transit location in which my 3 Beefs really don't apply. The problem is, I live very close to the North Buffalo gym. I have heard that they are opening another gym near the Niagara Falls blvd area in which I will be taking my business too. Please, N. Buffalo L.A. Fitness, get your act together. read more

Gym is big with a lot of equipment, however it seems overcrowded most of the time. The bathrooms don't get cleaned enough. The paper towel rolls are quite often empty. All around the gym weights will usually be all over the floor or left on the machines for you to have to take off before starting your set. I only still go to this gym because it's near my house. read more

Beware if you need to cancel your membership for any reason - the managers at this (Elmwood) location will refuse to follow the company policy listed on the website about bringing in a printed cancellation letter to process your request. Instead, they will be rude and condescending, say they don't care about what the website provides as a cancellation process and advise you to send a letter via certified mail to cancel. Now, as much as I'd love to pay more money to cancel a gym membership that I no longer need, I had to politely decline that opportunity and insist 3 more times for an in-person cancellation, which they finally granted and could have granted at first request. OK, on to the gym: plenty of cardio and fitness machines means there is a rarely a time you need to wait to get your workout on, but maybe bring gloves because the disinfectant is generally empty and the equipment tends to have a slightly sticky feel. If you are looking for a sauna, I'll hand it to them that they have one. Again, the cleanliness was my concern, as every time I considered using it there were paper towels crumpled on the floor and someone's wet towel just hanging out growing funky. To be honest, I would have just kindly canceled after a mediocre 6 month stint and left without complaint if both of the management staff I was speaking with had not been so rude and unhelpful, but hey, motivation, right? read more

The unique thing about a gym membership, in my opinion at least is that the "experience" is really based upon our level of comfort and respect with the facility and other members. In the circumstance of the gym you will get what you put into it, with results (i.e. fitness) and your other membership relations. The number one place that this can start would be with being courteous and respectful to the other members working around you. Everyone there may be "in the zone" or intensely in the routine but we each need to take a moment when we are done with our set to wipe down the machine and seat with sanitizer, ensure we have left the area how we would like it, clean with no wrappers, bottles or paper towels lying around and setting the machines back to 0 or the lightest weight possible. The same can be said for any common/sitting area and the locker rooms. Excessive use of your phone for talking, music or selfies should be done respectfully of the other members around you; the areas should be clean as possible. The gym is a strange little community and if you wouldn't want to walk into a mess why would the person after you want to either? That being said it is obvious that LA Fitness is a business, each of their facility are very similar in layouts and their teams are set into SALES mode. If they can sell you into something bigger, better and MORE EXPENSIVE they will, anyway they can and they will do it aggressively. If you are feeling weak of heart or mind the day of your appointment reschedule, do not allow them to pressure you into a sale because you will be stuck into a contract for a year. The Elmwood location has gone through some staff changes since I started early 2014 and based upon some of the conversations with my (former) trainer who left because of his unhappiness with them I assume that is pretty rampant with the employees. Some may stick it out because it's a job, it gives them the best hours or the perks, besides from him I have never had an in-depth conversation with anyone else on staff but have seen my fair share of faces come and go. For the most part the staff at this location puts little effort into being friendly and service providers. The registration counter is poorly covered at times and with only two computers with check-ins any problem that may arise by undertrained staff will hold up your efforts into checking in. A self-service/speed check-in area would be nice, I'd even be willing to deal with a gate for that. Other than that if you are not being a sold a service they will leave you alone and although the trainers are "on site to assist and guide" with questions as needed they are often busy with a member and when not are not on the floor. This may be because they are almost commission paid and are not getting paid when they are not in a training session with someone. Since my trainer has left for a better opportunity my experience has gone nothing but downhill, upon his leaving he requested we use the app to find and pick a new trainer for this site and "try them out" to find the best fit but being a trainer short the other trainers were so booked it was hard to "test them out". Since then I have stuck with the new trainer I got and with it being over a month with him I have not a new program to follow and without that guidance and structure I also have lost my motivation to be diligent in going. Twice now I have been canceled, first time he was sick and no one from the gym bothered to call me and advise me, I showed up and sat around the trainers' station for 15 minutes before another trainer "suddenly remembered" he had to tell me and the second time I got a call from the gym the same day as the appointment and was offered a reschedule but on the selected date and time the trainer never showed up. I've looked into canceling the program once and was told I could not, now I am being directed to the corporate office and will take any other complain avenues I have to cancel the training program. After calling the National Service Center I was told I will have to either "workout the rest of the program" OR "pay half of the remaining balance" and "buyout", needless to say I'll be filing complaints with the BBB and NY Attorney General. If you are looking to sign up for a trainer or any other contract with this company be careful, you will be getting into a contract that does not allow you the option to leave "early", wither it be financial or service reasons. ( my previous update was not properly listed as an update - sorry) read more

Update: canceled my membership. It mostly had to do with my schedule getting too busy than it being worth the $.. But the way the staff treated me when I came in made me happy that I was canceling. Again, they hardly acknowledged me and couldn't care less that I was canceling (very surprised by this-- most gyms I've been to at least want to know the reason you're quitting? I would have been happy to tell her, too). If I were able to go here regularly, the sauna, nifty cardio equipment, and free classes would maybe make it worth it. But, the less than classy, dirty, unfriendly atmosphere I encountered every time I was in there certainly didn't encourage me to keep throwing dollars at them when I can barely make it in. $30 / month adds up, you guys. PS- I can't believe they've managed to buy out the BAC!? I've already heard the same types of complaints about those locations too! I'm just FLABBERGASTED that they haven't shown an ounce of interest in, you know, improving their customer service skills and hiring people that actually smile and say "hello!" Staff that are proactive with the garbage emptying / sanitizer filling tasks. Goodbye, LA Fitness. I will miss your sauna and my 4 pm elliptical date with Dr Oz, but... Yeah, that's about it. read more

I spent a lot of time evaluating gyms in the area, and then woke up one Saturday and said "screw it, I'll pick whichever one is the closest." LA Fitness more than met that requirement. Less than a mile from my office, and less than three from my house, it is extremely conveniently located. Luckily it also happens to be a very clean and welcoming environment. When you are wildly out of shape (which I can assure you I am) it can be intimidating to start at a new gym. I haven't ever felt uncomfortable here, which is nice. Usually I try to work out in the early mornings and I've never had to wait for anything. It does get a little busy in the post-work hours, but still nothing too bad. The pool is frequently empty or close to empty. After swimming I did feel like I'd never get the chlorine out of my skin but after a few months I stopped smelling it. No towels, you have to bring your own, which is kind of a bummer but not the end of the world. One thing that is disappointing is the TV channel selection on the cardio machines. I might have just been spoiled by NYSC's wide range of cable channels, but if I forget to charge my phone I can pretty much forget cardio because local news just doesn't do it for me. The price isn't terrible. Initiation was $49 with $29.95/month for a month-to-month with no long-term contract. I'm sure that better rates could be negotiated (they dropped the initiation in half when I had reservations) but for what you get I feel like it's pretty reasonable. There is also a basketball court, dedicated spinning room, and separate room for classes (that is available to be used whenever it's empty), if any of that floats your boat. Personal training is wildly overpriced, but after the initial "fitness assessment" I haven't gotten the hard sell, so I can't complain. read more

Was rather surprised when visiting to consider joining. Staff not friendly at desk, nor the was the women who arrived later to give a pitch. Strange set-up all the way around. Apparently, they are not affiliated with other LA fitness or Esporta's Gyms ? The place gave me a bad vibe from the start. Looking at Catalyst, and some private gyms now. Be Careful here. read more