Hadn't been back here since before the pandemic, so I was amazed at the complete makeover and 100%…read moreimprovement of this place! Back then, they stupidly had a huge men's locker room on one floor, and a similarly huge boys' locker room on another floor---and I'm assuming, ditto for a women's and a girls' LR. In other words, huge waste of space, since all the actual workout space was crammed into a claustrophobic cellar space with low 8ft ceilings, and the equipment was pretty old and fairly rickety. NOW, however, they've combined the locker rooms and have a palatial high ceilinged 2nd floor workout space with excellent and all new equipment including something I had never seen in a Y before: Concept ski ergs! (Google it if you have no idea what I'm talking about.) Said equipment is not all that intelligently laid out, though---but compared to how it used to be, no complaints here! Locker room looks pretty much the same but the showers and restroom are nicely redone. Not so crazy about their cardio equipment, though. All their stationary bikes are the geriatric recumbent ones, with only one ancient Keiser on the floor. They have Precor treadmills and ellipticals that have nice big screens with the wonderful "interactive terrains" similar to Life Fitness's current models found at other Ys---but unlike the LF machines, these Precor machines' video screens are buggy as hell, constantly freezing up and having to be reset within 15 minutes of starting your workout! Also, the one and only (coed) sauna they have, while being brand new and beautiful, sitting right next to the pool, BUT---is uselessly weak. Even on the highest settings, it feels like it only gets to maybe 160F tops. Nothing like the Cambridge Y's sauna which is around a divine 200F, or the Malden Y and Waltham Y's saunas which are closer to a still-passable 180F. I suppose it's meant more for people who just want to dry out after swimming, not for anyone who wants to really SWEAT, which is the whole purpose of a sauna. A good thing about this Y is that it's one of the all too few that stays open until 9pm on Fridays. Sadly, on Saturdays and Sundays they close at a lousy 4pm, just like the Cambridge Y.

My family and I have enjoyed our membership at this YMCA for over a decade now. I've worked out in…read morethe gym, played in the men's basketball league, taken swimming lessons with both of my children, taken sports lessons with both of my children and we've all had great experiences. I can't imagine Melrose without the Melrose YMCA! As an aside to other yelp reviewers of this YMCA, I would encourage you to voice any misgivings you might have directly to the personnel. My experience at this YMCA is that the staff are receptive to any concerns and will work with their members to find an amicable solution.

I was here on a Sunday evening using ClassPass. It was fairly easy to book. It was very hard to…read morefind the gym on brattle street, it's an apartment like building that does require a code to get in. As the ClassPass confirmation did not come with instructions, I had a wait until someone who had access could let me in. There is the option to ring the door bell, but no one responded despite pressing the bell many times. While I waited a couple of people gave up and left. Thankfully someone who has access let me through. You then have to go upstairs. As soon as you enter you're hit with humidity and stuffiness. The gym definitely requires better ventilation. It was very busy. There was no one at the front desk to check me in. This was my first time at this location, but I'd been to another branch before so I knew someone is supposed to check me in, sign waivers, get shoes. While I navigated to the shoe area, I finally found someone that worked there. Got my waiver cleared. I was not given any intro or orientation, thankfully I was climbing with someone who knew what they were doing. Overall, neat to have a climbing gym in Harvard square. However horrible customer service, especially the lack of instructions. They do have a lot more area to climb than I expected and have communal chalk, some weights and a few cardio machines. I also heard from another member that they offer yoga classes.

Phenomenal bouldering, Location large number of problems of varying difficulty from beginner to…read moreexpert. Free chalk to use, gym, equipment, and cardio equipment. Parking is difficult to find but aside from that great location.

Boda Borg was so fun we went 2 nights in a row on vacation. Our group is usually fans of escape…read morerooms but this is that with MORE activity! Be ready to run, sweat, jump, crawl, and climb - I have bruises on my legs lol The rooms are really immersive - if you're in a jail themed room you can expect low lighting and crawlspaces. If you're in an army themed room you can expect to be speedy, climbing, or seeing flashing lights. The door colors tell you the level of physical activity so you can just do chill mental challenges if you wanted to. Two parts of each room - figure out the objective, and then actually complete it. If you fail you can exit the room and line up for it again (it goes quick) or go to another room. You can also ask a worker for hints. It gets hot in there quickly if you're doing physical activity challenges (some rooms are hotter and smellier than others) - but there are drinking fountains on the main level and fans blowing in the hallways. Make sure to wear comfortable activewear and shoes!

This was so incredibly fun! My friends and I were not expecting this, we love escape rooms but this…read moredefinitely was a bit more in line with a challenge course where it involves quick thinking and some physically demanding activities. I wish I was a kid doing this because I definitely would've been here all day. They also seem to have a lot of other cool activities in the area so highly recommend.

great gym, awesome atmosphere, love how much natural lighting there is. Music is loud and…read moremotivating with trending songs

My very own Iron Paradise!!!…read more Locally owned gym by two wonderful human beings (husband & wife) Tom & Maria Pereira. These two and they're wonderful staff deliver a very well rounded and diverse community while keeping it old school and focusing on fun & hard work. Have been a we since 2020 and Prolifters has become my second home, and the owners/staff my second family. A place of no judgment, no ridicule, no bad energy or bad blood. Just hard work, hardworking like minded people, dedication & good vibes all rolled into one awesome space with a whole lot of equipment for any/all workout or fitness styles. So come lift with us at Prolifters. "Your new life starts here." And by the way, did I mention that Maria is top 10 best in the world Olympian Figure competitor??!!

The pool itself is beautiful and well-maintained. It's a great spot to relax and hang out during…read morethe day on weekends. It has a nice atmosphere, and when you can get there, it's definitely a pleasant experience. That said, the hours are a major disappointment. Closing at 7pm -- even in the height of summer when it stays light until 9pm makes the expensive membership feel like a complete waste. If you work a standard schedule, it's nearly impossible to enjoy the pool on weekdays, and even on weekends, the early closing cuts short what could be the best part of a summer evening. For the price they charge, it's frustrating and feels like a rip-off. This place could be amazing if they simply extended their hours to match the season. Until then, it's hard to justify the cost.

Amazing staff who are incredibly knowledgeable and welcoming. It's a very special place.read more

Unbelievable facility! Took my 16m old twins here and they had a blast!! We will be signing up for…read morethe entire session! The owner and staff made me feel like I was apart of their family!

Well rounded gymnastics training academy with knowledgeable coaches. Supportive staff and…read morereasonable prices with amazing sibling and additional class per session discounts. Birthday parties, kids night out, holiday parties, family events, and competitions make this gym feel like a second home. The environment is comfortable and welcoming and the learning begins day one.

The staff and culture here is great. Wonderful experience for a first time climber. It could've…read morebeen a very intimidating experience, but they made it super accessible and pleasant. Will definitely be back.

Sorry for the length, just wanted to give a decently detailed review of the location and my…read morethoughts. Got back into climbing after about two years off. I am a 5.10 and V3 climber. I have experienced most gyms in the Boston area and other gyms in a few different states just to give my review context.. CRG Stoneham is a friendly gym with knowledgeable staff. I notice some of the staff came from a different gym that closed down which is great to see them in my local gym and able to ask them questions knowing they have experience. I don't feel any awkwardness if I talk to them or ask them some questions. They have always been willing to answer my questions or help me if needed. The space is modern and clean. I never feel like this place is dirty and gross despite it being a climbing gym which is nice. They sell small amounts of gear chalk, shirts, shoes and even ropes (which one colleague told me just have not been put out yet). This is great if you like buying stuff from a gym ( I personally don't but I did buy some swag like a hoodie and a T-Shirt). The gym itself is pretty large with two floors. The first floor mixed between top rope and lead climbing, which has roots for all levels and experience from straight vertical routes to overhang for lead. The variety of skill levels is nice for people who are not avid climbers or getting back to it. Do not let that fool you though there are plenty of experience routes that will be a good workout for the avid climbers searching for the indoor challenge. The bouldering area on the second floor has a good wall selection with plenty of space. Everything from slab and V0 to overhang V7 and up. I really like the variety that this whole space offers. Also there is a tension board training wall, and a hang board ladder system that provides a great training section and nice variety to just climbing routes. Again something for every skill level including a warm up/kids wall that is nice. They have a modest workout area, couple treadmills and cardio machines, two squat racks, dumbbells, hang-boards and other training equipment. I never have a problem using what I need in here because they have enough equipment for everyone. I can do a complete workout here that is not climbing related with all the equipment they have. The membership has some decent perks, free classes that are put on by the gym, a progression training from coaches (not sure if you pay extra for that or not but it is offered). One of my favorite parts is the employee belay. They are there a few days a week and will belay you if you do not have a partner. It does not cost money, granted you can not take up your entire session with this employee but the fact they offer this is amazing. Also you can pay 30 per hour and have an employee belay you if you would like. They also offer a adult team for the more competitive climbers for 85 monthly plus membership. With good come a few bad things. One being the website. I know not gym related specifically but I find some of the programs they offer hard to find on the site and I actually needed to email management to get the information (management got back to me within 24 hours which was great). As other reviewers have commented climbers with shoes walking around the bathroom. There is a sign on the bathroom door but it didn't seem to stop the people I have seen in there on a few different occasions so this is an issue and not a one time problem. The weekends are usually a little chaotic with some form of birthday party, which lead to kids sort of running around wild at times. I was doing some overhang work last week, when i feel off the wall I almost took out some little kid just running around the boulder area. My concerns is the kid will get hurt because I fall on them from any height. This does seem to happen quite a bit as other reviewers have commented and I tend to only notice this on weekends when there is a birthday or something. Not the worst thing but for me I would feel awful falling on some kid zooming around and hurt him or something. Closing thoughts: Definitely check this gym out if you are into climbing, plenty of gyms included in the membership including the Cambridge location which is bouldering only and geared toward more experience climbers but still awesome. Friendly staff and clean location. For 100 a month I feel like I get my money worth. Keep up the great work. If anyone read this far thanks. I do not write reviews often but really like this gym and the company so I wanted to give a shout out with an honest review. Keep up the good work CRG!!!

Clean 25 yd pool that wasn't too crowded. I went after work and didn't have to share with more…read morethan one person. Also, there's a very large diving well and separate kiddy pool so the lanes don't get full of aqua-joggers or families. Compared to some other local (non-university) pools, it's not quite as over-chlorinated or quite as warm, and definitely cleaner. Cheap entry by day, multiple-session card (I did the 10 entries for $40 which I think is budget-friendly) or gym membership - although I haven't checked out the gym yet. Only complaint is limited hours of lap availability and no AM lap swim during the winter session.

I am trying out several different masters swim programs in the Boston area and this is my second…read moreone I've tried. (See my other review for Quincy masters). So, I have to say, this one is just okay. You get a decent workout, but it's not HARD. And the reason why is not because of the workout itself, but it's because there are no SEND OFF times. Basically, the workout is, you do X amount of sets, but resting wise, you just do 10 or 20 second rests after each set. And so personally I'm not motivated to swim faster because I'm not trying to do anything on a specific time constraint. I find myself a little less focused to go faster without sendoffs. Also, the workout is pretty much the same each time- you start with a warmup, then 2 underwaters, and then the main set, and then an IM set, and the same kind of sprints where you try and do each 25 with zero breath or one, or whatever it is. It's not a bad workout, but I'm incredibly bored because I know it's the same each time. The main set changes each time, of course, but the sameness of structure makes it kinda boring. We get a decent amount of yardage in- anywhere between 2400-3200 per hour and 15 minute workout time. Practices are twice a week. As for the coach, Elyssa, she is a lovely woman. However, she doesn't quite have the enthusiasm I'm personally looking for. I want somebody to yell at me and give me critique. However, in her defense, she does have to coach 6 lanes of people so I understand it's not easy to give personal attention, so I don't blame her. But personality wise, I like a little more spunk in my coach. But everyone is there for different reasons so it's hard for a coach to be everything. The one thing that really bugs me is the staff that works there at the front desk- they are SO unfriendly, rude, impatient and clearly underpaid. They are CRANKY and they are the first people I see when I walk into that building so it makes me want to not be there. The pool is about a 10 minute walk to Harvard T stop (cut off across Harvard campus will save you ample time), so it's not terrible in terms of location. Oh, the pool itself really sucks. First of all, there are bulk heads that's separating the different sections of the pool so there's nothing to GRAB onto when you're doing two hand touches; it's completely awkward and irritating. Imagine finishing and doing two hand touches on a wall. Also, when you get into the pool, they have these blocks that are covered by orange covers that sorta get in the way and make it hard for you to get in- not to mention it is IMPOSSIBLE to get out because of the depth. You have to swim to the ladder to get out of the pool, because there is no way you can get out from the pool otherwise. It's kinda ridiculous. Cost wise, it's $105 for 20 sessions, so that's $5.25 per session, which is pretty cheap. I've looked into many other programs and this is probably the cheapest one. So pros: -Pretty good location if you're in Cambridge -Decent yardage of workout -Nice coach -Inexpensive Cons: -Sucky pool -Unfriendly front desk staff -No real send off times, just go at your own pace (which can be a pro if that's what you are looking for) - A bit dull (atmosphere, people, some of the workouts) If you are in Cambridge and are looking for twice a week workout for fitness, this is probably a good option for you.