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    Laurel Athletic Club

    5.0 (1 review)

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    5 years ago

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    Iron Vault

    Iron Vault

    1.3(3 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    Horrible customer service.. or should I say LACK THERE OF! I came on a Sunday morning at 8 am…read morebecause google said they open at 8 am. I pre-messaged them on instagram asking what the procedure was to get a guest pass / day pass but they left me on read. That should have been the firs red flag. Anyway, I went in planning on just doing everything in person at 8 am. I took my preworkout & was excited to workout! Get to the door.. that SAYS open at 8 am ......... & then a member let me know that staff doesn't come into until 9 am & I can't come in without signing a waiver with them first........... So at this point, I'm beyond pissed. Have your hours updated, it's not that hard. Or at the VERY least respond to DMs informing people or have something on your website that clearly states how the day pass process works & that you can not come in at the POSTED TIMES. (Ridiculous)

    Very big Pros, and very Big Cons at this gym…read more PROS: Equipment CONS: Price, management, and policies There's an amazing selection of quality equipment, all from Arsenal Strength. Not many other gyms will make the investment into actually having such high quality machines, although Iron Vault's cardio selection is lacking (but then again, cardio is not really a draw for Iron Vault's ideal customer). Iron Vault also has a great sense of community, although it feels very clique-y during certain hours wherein the majority of regulars come in. It feels like IV also chooses to hire from within the community it's established, which is a great concept in theory, and very important to building a strong community. However, this unfortunately means the majority of staff comes across as having no customer-facing experience whatsoever working in such positions. Sometimes it feels as if the staff is simply putting in the bare minimum to get what I assume to be a employee-priced discount on membership. On any given day during the staffed hours, I wouldn't be surprised to see the staff on duty getting a workout in rather than being present at the desk. The television selection is great, as it mostly has either CrossFit, Strongman, or any other strength-focused sports on all of the many screens, yet for some reason there were times when it was also kept on a channel that solely played Fear Factor. I don't mind the show, but it's a little off-putting when trying to get a workout in. The $100 per month price tag isn't too off-putting, but I would expect either more attentive staff, more bathroom space, or even locker-rooms to justify it. You'd get more amenities at literally any other gym in the area (even the budget gyms), or you could get an entirely better experience at an Equinox for just $200 total. I recently moved away from South Norwalk, and could no longer maintain my membership at IV. If you cancel your membership at any time during the month, your membership is terminated immediately, despite paying for the full month in advance. They do not prorate your membership in this situation, nor do they just revoke access at the end of the month. Overall, if you like a gym with quality equipment and machines, a decently sized turf/stretching/plyo area, and prefer to workout in the early mornings, this is a great choice. However, if you plan on coming in any time after 2:00pm, be prepared to have long wait times on equipment and to be inundated with high-schoolers, with staff either sitting at the front desk scrolling on their phones, or working out themselves and taking up equipment during the busiest time of day.

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    Iron Vault
    Iron Vault
    Iron Vault

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    Orangetheory Fitness

    Orangetheory Fitness

    4.2(38 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    I'll give them this: It's an efficient workout. But damn, they sure make you feel like a cog in the…read morefitness-for-profit-not-wellness machine. Describing OTF as an impersonal exercise experience is an understatement. "Coach" is what they call the hour-long session facilitators which is pretty funny because they are just human stop watches who are programed to regurgitate platitudes about working hard and reaching goals to the blasting soundtrack of medlied synthesized remixes of synthesized remixes of occasionally recognizable pop radio tunes. There is one in particular at the Norwalk store (and it IS a store) who sounds like Lady Gaga as a state fair auctioneer. She is truly insufferable. There are a couple who let their humanity escape during the 3-minute stretching activity that wraps up each session. If you have even the hint of an injury, STAY AWAY. It is clear that the workouts are generated by corporate teams (I suspect they include more marketer and shrinks than fitness gurus) in some headquarter office. Lip service is paid to obvious modifications such as push-ups from your knees instead of toes, but the "coaches" simply do not have time to address anyone's individual needs. They often have three separate groups working on activities that are measured in increments of seconds. Each class accommodates 25 participants. There is no cushion between sessions. They run about a dozen classes per weekday. The full price is $30 per session but discounts for volume purchases and monthly subscriptions are available. I bought a package of 30 sessions on a whim, and it felt like a ball and chain until I used them up. No matter what you hear from OTF enthusiasts who distinguish themselves by driving around town with OTF car magnets, there is NOTHING fun about this workout. Expect to spend 20-30 minutes on a treadmill facing a wall, up to 20 minutes on a rower staring at the asses of the 12 people on treadmills, and the balance of your session (except for the aforementioned 3 minute "stretch") doing "floor work" which often involves dumbbells and no guidance other than an GIF on a computer monitor. Leave your headphones at home since "coaches" will be shouting time increments at you over the music throughout the entire workout. Oh. Right. The Orange part. You earn "splat" points when your heart rate exceeds 83%. This shows up in orange or red on the monitors that display each participants' heart rate monitor activity. Oh yeah, you have to buy a $99 OTF heart rate monitor to participate. No other brand will do. The goal is to earn at least 12 "splat" points during your 60 minute workout. But seriously, you don't need OTF to earn "splat" points. You can exercise anywhere with any old heart rate monitor and a phone app to produce the same (and much more pleasant) experience without the high price tag and the gimmicky name. Try to stay above the 83% range for 25% of a one-hour workout and you have a DIY OTF workout. Plus, you get to listen to your own music, revel in your own thoughts and maybe even spend a little time outdoors! As a person who is fascinated by the science of efficiency, I have to admit that I admire the organization. But don't be fooled for one second: Orange Theory Fitness was not designed to support fitness, it was designed to support Orange Theory. OTF participants, as the Phil Elliott character says in the end of the movie North Dallas Forty, are "the equipment." If that works for you, go for it. It felt super icky to me.

    I guess I'm not that new anymore so I'll update my review with my experience over the last few…read moremonths. OTF in general is a great workout and I've had a good experience at the Norwalk location. I personally have an issue with getting bored with routine and repetition so that is where OTF has really helped me; no two workouts are the same and you never know what to expect on that day. The coaches in Norwalk are great and are very motivational/supportive. Though it is rather expensive, I do feel like it's been worth it for me.

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    Orangetheory Fitness - #KeepBurning

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    Orangetheory Fitness
    Orangetheory Fitness

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    Laurel Athletic Club - gyms - Updated June 2026

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