SW REC is in a tucked away location. It is a beautiful gym on the UF campus. The entrance makes you feel comfortable walking into go burn some calories. read more

See all

Nice gym! Lots of equipment and the lockers are clean and nice. Most of the weightlifting equipment is old and they have a bench shortage. The student receptionist at the front was really rude. I asked a question and her response was that she couldn't look into the future. In front of her supervisor no less! Working the counter is the best gig too. Maybe working here sucks but working out here is okay. Need more benches definitely and always busy. read more

This is undoubtedly the best gym on campus, and one of the best in the city, especially for the cost. With two different floors full of cardio machines, and indoor track, six full courts, and a full weight room, I find myself always going back to this gym. Upon walking in, there is a new smoothie cafe, which allow you to get some protein immediately following your workout. The gym is secured with handprint systems, which scans your hand for entrance. You will walk in to a large room of treadmills, ellipticals, etc. Further down, there is a small free weight area, which even has a couple of squat racks. Upstairs, there's another section of cardio, along with a jungle gym. Once you go through the hallway on the right, you will see one side full of personal and group training rooms. On the other side, there is four full courts, along with indoor rooms for tennis/walleyball. Along this hallways are over two hundred free lockers, and there are more in the locker room. I do think that the bathrooms could be more clean, but if you're really picky, use the bathrooms at the front, before you get your hand scanned! However, showers are only located in the bathroom inside. Afterwards, another hallways leads to the weight room, along with two more full courts. These are just the indoor facilities; there are four sand volleyball courts, along with fields surrounding the gym. The workers are all students that are eager to help spot you, or put your weights back. I've never had any problems with other gym-goers either. This gym does get quite busy at peak hours, such as after dinner time. This traffic is worse at the beginning of the semesters when new students check out the facility or new years resolutions are made. Moreover, they close at 1AM on weekdays and 10PM on weekends, making it hard to workout for those that are accustomed to 24/7 gyms. Overall, I've been going to SW Rec almost everyday for the past three years, and it does not compare to other gyms. read more

Great on campus recreation center for the University of Florida students. The rec center is located slightly further away from the main campus area, but has plenty of activities for students to get involved with. Inside there is no shortage of workout facilities. You can find a lot of cardio machines, free weights, working out with weight areas, studios for classes and lots of basketball courts! They also have a nice indoor track that can be used as well! Great campus rec center for UF student to use! read more

I'm giving Southwest Rec a 5 based on my pre-Covid experience. I loved this gym for 3 years before their policies made a major shift due to covid. The staff is always welcoming and they have plenty of equipment to use. The basketball court is new and people are very respectful there. You can check out basketballs, rackets, and weight lifting accessories. This was the best gym while I was a student! I wish I could continue to use this facility. read more

Southwest is a great addition to the UF student body (pun intended). I don't think we would have survived with just Student Rec alone. Overall, I think the best qualities about Southwest are the facilities and staff. The group fitness classes are my favorite! Most of the instructors are well trained and really work you out well. My personal favorite is Michelle. She is an awesome instructor for Vinyasa Yoga and Intervals & Yoga. The variety of classes is pretty expansive. Intervals & Yoga is my favorite class! You work your butt off for 45 minutes, then are treated with 15 minutes of relaxing Yoga to stretch out. It is the best of both worlds. The classes are scheduled at convenient times and there is also a wide variety to choose from. I would like for there to be less cycling, but it is trending right now so it is understandable. Southwest is equipped with so many sports courts, cardio machines, and even a running track! It is a beautiful facility and is always really clean. This is something that is really important to me. The only true con to the facility itself, is the weight room. I wish they had more machines. There is always a line for most machines, regardless of the time. They also do not have many different kinds of machines. They really need to update this. The parking is impossible. UF students were promised the Bledsoe Lot, where we could park for two hours max at anytime, but that only lasted a semester. With the parking restrictions, you only have a tiny window to actually use the gym and when you do, it is extremely packed. The best times to go are right before closing or right when they open. A lot of the personal fitness equipment (like the mats) need to be replaced. This gym is big and beautiful. It just needs a few updates to compete with the other gyms. It is really the people who work here and the group fitness classes that keep me coming back. (Maybe also because I pay for it with my tuition, so it feels free). Maybe UF should invest in another gym to meet the demands. For now, I guess this will do. read more

Southwest Recreation Center - Helpful info - Gyms Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Best gym in town! All the free weights and cardio equipment you could need. Could benefit from a pool / sauna / steam room. read more

Southwest Recreation Center - Gyms Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Southwest is a great gym but it doesn't open till 10am on the weekends, which is really frustrating especially for people that work on the weekends because I basically can't go to the gym on the weekends. I know other schools (FSU, USF etc..) open earlier on the weekends. Students aren't allowed in during summer unless they're taking summer classes which is frustrating for those of us who have internships or work in Gainesville during the summer. Overall it's pretty great though, I like the track upstairs a lot, and there's multiple cardio options besides treadmills and all the cardio machines are pretty high tec and what not. The only machine I really ever use is the hip an/adductor-pelvic thing and there's always a couple people weighting for it. It's nice there's a large # of specific free weights, however I think it could benefit in 2.5lbs increases in dumbbells - I know that's really specific but if I'm doing shoulder presses and I want to decrease weight for my last few sets I don't necessarily want to go down 5lbs per arm lol read more

50,000+ students & 1 real gym. It's a great gym if you don't mind waiting in line & fighting a crowd every time you want to work out.

Sadly, as a longtime client of Southwest and a UF alum, I will no longer be going to Southwest. The equipment is great, but I would not recommend paying for anything extra here. Dealing with the personal training office was disappointing and I ended up losing $200 because my sessions had been extended once (because when I had originally signed up they did not have enough trainers hired and so they provided an extension) and I wanted to transfer trainers. Eventually it all ended by me missing an email. This is because they ignored the new email address that I had placed on my training form the third time I had signed up for lessons, they sent an email informing me that my sessions had expired (?) and that I needed to take some kind of action to prevent me from losing my money. Now I'm out $200. I'd recommend staying with privately owned gyms should you want to pay for extra services. It's sad that they'd interact with a longtime client this way, and that they wanted to make a quick buck off of a student. read more

I absolutely LOVE this gym!! I've had a membership at LA Fitness before and have seen the size of YouFit (which is a more affordable option), but I have to say that this gym is state of the art. There are 4 basketball courts (where you can play on an intramural team), racquetball rooms, a huge weight room (with tons of machines, free weights, squatting racks and benching areas), an Olympic weightlifting section and many of treadmills and other cardio machines. Let's not forget the running track on the second floor, along with 3 classrooms for various classes like Zumba, interval training, yoga and a ton of other options. If you're looking for a personal trainer and assessments, Southwest gives a free assessment test and can provide personal trainers. This is the second gym on campus (the other being in the middle of campus but very small and not as many machines). Also, this gym closes at 1AM! I'm a night owl, so I love to go to the gym at night and it's great that this one opens so late. Right now, the gym is being renovated to add more performance type machines and equipment so look out for that! The reason I'm giving this gym 4 stars is because during the school year (fall and spring), it's soooo crowded. You have to wait to use a lot of the machines, especially the squatting and benching racks. When I go to the gym, I want to get in and out in about an hour to an hour and a half - while getting in a good workout. Sometimes, that's not possible at peak time (6-8PM). Another reason this gym is not perfect to me is the price you pay if not a student! I recently graduated and learned that the fee for a year to use this facility is around $400!!! How insane is that?!?! I'm not sure if I will get it or not because it's a little steep. Overall, I think that this gym truly has it all and is great for a gym junkie! Despite the price, I will say this is the best gym I've been to. If you're a student at UF, make sure to utilize this gem that you are paying for in your tuition! read more

This is a really beautiful and large gym. They have a lot of good equipment in the weight room, they have a cardio room with a section for mat work, basketball courts and a track upstairs. While they have all of this good equipment, I always find myself waiting for machines in the weight room no matter what time it is or how busy it is. They have some rooms to do group classes which are usually so fun and the people who teach the classes are great. They have everything from core, to yoga, hip hop fitness, cycling, you name it. I would definitely recommend taking a class here at Southwest, but I wouldn't recommend going just for the weight room, since it's really annoying having to wait around for whatever machine you're trying to use. They also just recently added Shake Smart which has really good smoothies and THAT I would recommend 10/10. read more

Get ready! Everyone is in better shape than you because they are 19! There are a ton of great classes, so between here and Student Rec it is hard not to find one to like and get a good workout. It can be hard to get in on it if you aren't by your computer at the 25 hr ahead of time sign up or if you don't have a decal and the bus isn't convenient during the day. Parking can kind of be hell around 5 once parking is lifted, so be aware. The gym has it all and it's in your tuition, so don't waste the opportunity. read more

I love being able to go here and work out. The location is very convenient with it's proximity to campus. There is a large weight room as well as a cardio room. I go and run on the elliptical and never have a problem getting one like at Student Rec. I also lime the indoor track that they have. I wish though that it was just a but bigger. I feel like I am just constantly running in circles when Ido decide to run on the track. There are a variety of group fitness classes that are available here as well. Some instructors are better than others but that all depends on personal preference. Overall this place is great to go workout at. There are many options too that I have not yet tried like the sand volleyball, basketball on one of their four courts, or badminton. I have been told that if you just ask at the equipment room it is possible to get them to set up a volleyball or badminton court for you. I haven't tried this but they will completely set it up and the have all the equipment available for you to use as well. Happy working out! read more

Pros: A massive and updated gym that is arguably the best in Gainesville. Free if you are a student taking classes. Tons of group fitness classes and individual regiments to meet all of your needs Cons: Horribly overcrowded, parking is a nightmare. Bottom Line: Make this gym work for you. As a student this is an absolute amenity you should take advantage of so if you work it into your schedule on a regular basis, figuring out what works for you, you will be sure to have a good time. If you're not a student look into some more affordable gyms that might suit your needs as it can be pricey for a membership. So there are a lot of great reviews of Southwest REC so I'll try to summarize some points that I agree with and avoid repetition. 1) Group Fitness Classes: Absolutely must try these! They range from everything from kickboxing to yoga and everything in between. The group classes with 30+ people are free as a student; however, more regular regimented classes with smaller sizes (8ish people) can cost around $100 for 10 classes. Classes are on a regular semester schedule and can be found at http://recsports.ufl.edu/classes/weekly-class-schedule Keep in mind that free class registration only opens 24 hours before the class begins. If there are no spots left you can always try arriving early and queuing up in case someone doesn't show up. Most times unless you are the first 5ish people in the queue (arriving 15mins or before) don't bother even trying. 2) Gym hours are from 5:30am-1am (Weekdays) (10am-10pm Weekends) Check for more exact times As a regular gym goer I have two options usually. Go before the morning rush (5:30-10am) or the late night (10pm-1am) on the weekdays. Other then these times you'll usually find the gym packed, getting progressively busier until it's nearly unusable in the afternoon to night when everyone is off class. If driving a car, I'd opt out for the early morning hours as you'll most likely have the gym to yourself and have an easy time finding a parking spot before decal rules kick in at 7:30am. If you have a scooter, you'll almost always be guaranteed parking which is a plus for me! I've gone to the gym during peak hours and I have to say it is not an enjoyable experience in the weight room. Since there's so many students, many of them don't know proper gym etiquette. So often I get some people just standing in front of me staring directly at me while they are waiting for the machine. Other times I have to tell a different person every minute or so how many sets I have before I'm done. It's unavoidable to an extent as someone else will swoop in and take a machine if you aren't vigilant, but it's certainly annoying to have someone breathing down my neck when going through my workout. 3) Equipment: Where Southwest really shines. You'll find everything from cardio, body weight exercise equipment, mats, and all sorts of strength/Resistance conditioning equipment available. Additionally if you play sports you can rent out equipment including racquets, sports balls, etc. 4) Take advantage of the fitness assessment. It's free for students and will let you have a better handle on your current metrics especially when setting future goals. All in all Southwest is a dream of a gym; I mean it has to be considering how absurdly high some of the additional charges are on our credit hours. Make sure to take a look around the facility even if you are a regular to discover something you might have not known before. read more

SW Rec is one of the gems of the University of Florida. When you graduate, you will say to yourself "Man, we were spoiled by SW Rec" because no gym has nearly enough equipment, great service, and amenities. It is free for UF students, so take advantage of it! The gym is pretty big and has state of the art equipment. The building has two floors full of cardio machines and an indoor track. If you travel further into the gym, there's a giant weight room with almost every machine possible and a bunch of basketball courts. The bathrooms are very clean and have showers, so you can squeeze a shower after your morning workout and head to class. SW Rec has a big parking lot and several bus stops. It is also located by the tennis courts, volleyball court, and several sport's fields. The staff is really nice and I've seen some of the staff give advice to new gym goers about what machines to try. The gym also has private classrooms where you can sign up online for cycling, total body, or Zumba classes. Also, they have lockers where you can keep your gym bag and other valuables. Recently, they opened a smoothie place in the gym lobby. They have literally thought of everything! Unfortunately, there are some cons to this wonderful gym. Even though they have an enormous parking lot, students usually wait until parking is lifted which isn't until later in the afternoon to bring their cars. In the late afternoon, the gym can get crowded. Sometimes they have a line outside of the weight room because it's at capacity. If you're not a student, you can buy a membership to SW. Personally, I think the membership is very expensive especially when you have other gyms in Gainesville that offer cheaper and longer memberships. read more

For a globo gym, it's decent. YES, it's way too crowded YES, parking requires a UF decal YES, the guy:girl ratio is 85% BUT There is an oly lifting area, they've got squat racks, rowing machines, lots of dumbbells, and decent flooring. They keep the facilities clean and for a UF student, it's free. Not a bad place overall! read more

The Powerlifting stations the person above mentioned are cool, theyre nifty, and theyre wastes of space. Really, it is a great idea, but no one is over there and I doubt it will take off. Put it in another room, please. I am taking down a star because of the new plates the place has added. They now have edged plates. Though this doesnt seem like a big deal, it makes for many, many core lifts dangerous. Round plates roll, sure, but they dont wobble when theyre on the ground, throwing off your center of gravity. I think they splurged on the shiny plates cuz theyre....new. And that shine you see on the plates? Thats grease. What the HELL are the plates greased for?! read more

Basically all what Chest R said, except now there are 2 powerlifting stations, "but" you have to be evaluated to use the stations (front squat, overhead squat, snatch, I think hang clean is one of them) Powerlifting stations are from 6-9 in the evening. So you cant always use them. read more

The basketball situation here is truly unique and amazing. It is why I go to SW. You can go most times during the day and find a pickup game with varying skill levels. The first court can sometimes be intimidating, but that is not the case on other courts. There is a game for every skill level. The weight room is truly sickening. Overrun with jock, fratty, douchebag guys. Go here to realize why UF is voted the #1 jock school in the nation. Don't go at peak hours because it gets totally overcrowded and is impossible to work out. If you are just going to do weights, it might be in your best interest to go to the O dome. Much less crowded (the equipment is older though). read more