For a small town gym, VAC offers classes for different folks with different needs, along with machines and weight-lifting spaces for lifters. Excellent trainers and friendly staff. A hometown gym. read more

Thank you to the VAC for offering such an amazing facility and at a reasonable price! The addition of the cold plunge is great! The gym is always clean and staff is wonderful! read more

Made a complaint about treadmill belts skipping, which they continue to do. 5 of the 7 treadmills are obviously incredibly old and worn out (along with several other machines), with rust and broken wires hanging out of them (and the 2 decent ones are always occupied). The owner blew me off and then, when pressed, told me to go buy my own treadmill. Beyond the insulting response, this is an obvious safety and health hazard, and an owner who simply doesn't care since there are limited gym options on the island. I sincerely hope, for the rest of the friendly staff and the safety of clients, that they replace their dangerous machines. read more

See all

For the near 20 years we've been on the island this club has been a great resource for our family. We appreciate the fair monthly rates and the safe space it offers for our children and other island family's. On an island with nothing for teens to do this club offers a great opportunity for them to better their health and socialize a bit. In the last couple years it has really been great to see how our youth are gaining successes because of this club. We are lucky to have you and are grateful!! Thanks! read more

Nick really cares about his business and we are fortunate to have a gym like this on the island. Plus the trainers are super nice. Can't believe the whining on some of these reviews. read more

Living on an island, one does not expect Bally's or 24-Hour Fitness. To be honest, when I heard there was a gym, I expected to find that gym from the Rocky Balboa movie. You know, something with a dingy smell, a few pieces of old/broke down equipment, and surly attendants? What a pleasant surprise to discover that the V.A.C. is a seriously legitimate gym experience with many extras that make for a variety of workout tastes and a great community experience. Hours are surprisingly good. Open very early and they don't close until 10pm, except on weekends. This is a big deal when you head out and drive through an island where everything else is closed by that time. They are open year-round, except for a week in the summer for maintenance and a few holidays. Attendants are mostly high-school age kids. They are relaxed and friendly. If you need a tour or to ask a serious question, however, they will often refer you to Dayna, who is the super-awesome guru that makes the place hum. There are basically 3 separate rooms with standard workout equipment. One is strictly cardio with treadmills, sitting/standing stationary bikes, a StairMaster, a few ellipticals and a couple other machines. The second has a few more treadmills and about a dozen standard weight machines. The last one has free-weights and a dozen other weight machines. There is a racquetball court that doubles as a basketball half-court, available by reservation (fairly good availability). I noticed a small sauna for those who go in for that sort of thing. Personal trainers are available for an extra fee. They also advertise a massage therapist (by appointment) who works upstairs in a side-room and offers pretty good rates. Restrooms are modest, but clean with all the basics needed. You'll find a few dozen lockers (never had a problem getting one), a shower area, toilets and a place to wash up. It's a little small, but traffic is rarely an issue. The extras are what really rocks about this place... There is a heated/salt-water swimming pool with a bevy of classes offered, as well as designated times for adult/lap swim. I recently took a swim class, taught by Dayna (same as above). I haven't swam that much since I was a teenager and left breathing easier than when I came in. She is really detail-oriented, gives you easy drills, and finds every little adjustment you need to improve your form. There is also a hot tub to unwind in, which is not especially hot so you can relax comfortably for as long as you need. My other favorite thing about the V.A.C. are the community classes, particularly the ones for yoga. I've tried all 3 instructors, who each have their own style from what I would call "nuts-and-bolts" to "holistic". My favorite is hands-down Nicole, who teaches Tuesday mornings and has a patient/positive/detailed teaching style, great mix CDs, and comes up with the coolest variations on standard poses. When you go to the pool or community classes, it really is a feeling of community. At the chain gyms, you'll see all the folks trying intensely to look like the commercial they saw on TV. I have nothing against them... I was probably one of these types too when I went there years ago and did my power-yoga classes. At the V.A.C. though, you'll see kids coming in with their parents or senior citizens coming in to make sure they stay healthy and enjoy life. Also cool about the community room is a huge supply of items needed for the classes, including yoga mats, bosu balls, and all those little foam thingys that make those poses easier. There are some out there who will no doubt long for the chain-style gyms and find the presence of youngsters or older folks distracting. I've never found that to be the case. I simply put on my iPhone music, get into my workout, and fall into my zen-world. When I do participate in a pool or community class, the presence of people who know each other or seeing kids at the end of a previous class giggling and jumping over-and-over into their parents arms is heartwarming. My only real critique of V.A.C. is slightly higher prices charged than for chain gyms. However, when I take into account the availability of all the things mentioned above that other gyms don't offer without upgraded memberships, found on an island where I didn't expect to find much of a gym to begin with, I think it is a pretty good deal. Oh, and I kind of laughed when I saw other reviews from years back. Maybe the place was different back then... or maybe the "surly" folks I expected to find behind the counter were, in fact, the customers who aren't serious (or maybe too serious) about working out and instead like to take shots at the gym. :D read more

Really weird layout, including a new "circuit room" occupying an ex racket ball room. There is never a time where all the machines are occupied and generally its quiet and easy to do your own thing. Look its Vashon. If you want a "24 hour fitness" experience go off island, but here on Vashon you get what you get. Aka, lots of character, not much shiney or new, and lots of heart and care. Get over it. read more

I love this gym! Nick does a great job managing and the trainers are excellent.

I've been a member for about 8 years. It's not the ultimate, but it's very good. 20y pool with ample lap swim availability and aqua aerobics, full circuit of Nautilus-like equipment, free weights, cardio machines (please get all your ellipticals repaired!), classes included in your membership. They do a deep clean regularly. The room for classes is also filled with mats, bands and balls one can use independently. There is racquetball (and lessons) as well. I do NOT like the smell of funky locker rooms, and unfortunately that never seems to go away. After swimming I hit the pool area shower and soap down at home, forgoing the locker room showers. Although clean, it's pretty funky smelling and the bleach poured on doesn't help. Again, not perfect but pretty darn good. read more

If they ever managed to get rid of the smell, and updated, well, everything, then this place still wouldn't be worth the outrageous initiation fee and high monthly fees. But it's been the way it is forever, and will continue to be, because it's Vashon, and the competition is equally sub-par, so there's never any reason to improve anything. read more

If you like stepping over poopy-pants toddlers to get to your locker, then this place is ideal for you. More of a daycare than a gym. Great sauna...the only place toddlers don't go there. read more

I've been going to the Vashon Athletic Club for four years on a regular basis, and I do mean regular. Nick bought the club two years ago and has spent considerable time and money incrementally upgrading the rooms and bettering the atmosphere. I would like to see more room and better changing rooms, but suspect that's in the future. read more

Ok...since nick has bought this place it is a pleasure to go there and work out! He takes such pride and the place is spotless. Nice equipment ,maintained very well, everything works. I work out at 24 Fitness in Seattle as well and it's a dump compared to this place I love it here and I enjoy working out here and Nick is great. read more

I love this gym because you can tell there is a lot of love and care that goes into running it. Since the island is short of spaces to work out in, the small place has to allowed for all different age groups and interests and for the most part I think they do a great job. I would like to see someday an additional building so they can branch out. read more

The BEST Water Walking and Water Aerobics in Western Washington! Better than Physical Therapy. Love it! read more

For quaint and quiet Vashon this gym is really above par, it has everything you need in a gym and then some, All of the core equipment can be found including diverse free weights/ weight machines and cardio equipment. An aerobics room, class offerings, pool, sauna, racquetball court and Jacuzzi! What more could you ask for? As for as my qualms with this gym there are a few small ones. The front desk staff are not as friendly as they used to be and could leave towels out for members, as a paying towel service member it gets annoying asking for a towel every single time I decide to work out. Also the water fountain in front has really low pressure and it seems the locker rooms could use more thorough and frequent cleanings. I hear this is in the process of being remedied though. This gym is not far off from being 5 Star. No it's not as big and diverse as LA fitness but it also is not as busy and filled with much more respectful people :). Plus you never have to wait for equipment which let's be honest is truly the most important factor in a gym at least to me. I fully recommend it, you will find the high initiation fee and monthly rates are well worth it once you give this gem of an establishment a chance. read more

Disregard PfionaB's lame review of VAC. Most of her reviews on Yelp that are related to Vashon are negative and rude. Perhaps she/it missed the memo about promoting, rather than slamming local businesses? The yoga classes taught at VAC are more professional and spiritual than you will find at most 'yoga centers.' I'm guessing that during the mediation period she/it saw something in herself that made her/it feel yucky? The pool is super handy at VAC, especially in the winter. The weight room is more than adequate, there are plenty of eliptical machines and treadmills, and the remodel of the locker rooms is superb! While the gym has some quirks it works. If you want a sterile gym experience head to one of the franchise gyms in Seattle. read more

I find the staff friendly and I personally appreciate the fact that there are no TVs and no piped in music. I go to work out and so the fact that the place is not a glamorous health club is OK with me. For the most part, the equipment is kept up and works and everyone does seem to clean the machines after use. My only complaint is that they do not manage the loud music from boom boxes the young studs bring in with them to the weight room. I would like to do my weights without rap music thank you very much. read more

My number one complaint and the reason I stopped going is that they took the one and only squash court on all of Vashon Island and put machines in it. Machines that appear to be redundant to other machines in the space. But guess what? The squash court is not redundant. It is not a racquetball court, and you cannot play squash on the racquetball court-(which btw serves both as a racquetball court and a basketball court)-they are different in size.There had been a group of avid squash players, and even a "team" that hosted other towns' teams at times over the years. These folks had round robin morning play going for decades. A regular thing. I played at night as often as I could. So they take away the one really fantastic thing about the VAC--the fact that one could usually get the court right away or without much wait. And let me underscore--literally there is NO OTHER court on the island. I cannot describe how sad that is for those of us who play and who use squash as our main sport and aerobic workout all through the 9-month winter. That just really really was a bummer of a move. Otherwise, I share the feelings of some of the other reviewers, both that the layout is odd, and the locker rooms too small and often the floor is grungy, and the sauna quite often has a thick smell to it, and the first-come-first-take-over-the-sonic-space policy is not great, but also that these owners have done what they could to make a few improvements. I'm sure they would have preferred to raze it to the ground and start over but that would not be affordable. Warts and all, f they would return the court for its intended use, they would likely see all of us squash players grateful to be back there. read more

Great gym... The worst guy behind the counter... Tall, blonde, rude, young and stupid...get off your phone and help your customers... Please get rid of him! read more

VAC pool is the only covered pool on the island. It is small and shallow but a necessity. Our kids swim on the Seals swim team and we spend a lot of time in the VAC. The Seals is a great team with wonderful coaches!! The team has been a great experience for our kids and they couldn't do it without the covered pool at the VAC. Over the years we have used our membership to take VAC classes, swim and use the equipment. read more

We've been members for 17 years and have never experienced poopy pant toddlers nor rude members or employees. There are some time slots where younger kids use the pool but its nice to see that they are getting exercise and learning how to swim instead of becoming addicted to TV or computer games. If Ned saw dirty diapers in club it must have been in the mens room (shame on dad) and and he should have said something instead of just complaining. Anywhere and anytime you liable to run into people having a bad day (or life) but, we have more often than not received large doses of encouragement from fellow members. Also I always wipe off the equipment before AND after exercise as it makes good sanitary practice. So instead of Yelping out complaints we are sending a "shout out" to Kevin and fellow members. read more

Vashon Island isn't populated enough to support the kind of club one has access to in Seattle, and many families use it so yes, there are kids. The locker rooms are small. HOWEVER - they just installed all new machines. Everything. Stationary bikes, treadmills, weight machines are all new as of the end of '11. I go there almost every day and I've witnessed the rules enforced fairly thoroughly but politely. It's not flashly. It's Vashon. Works for me. read more

I love Vashon Athletic Club. It's a true community gym (I hate big commercial gyms and there isn't one here anyway!). It really feels like the best of Vashon to me. It's got everything you need whether you're into weightlifting, cardio, yoga, racquetball, or swimming. They have a complete free weight setup including two power racks, which is sometimes hard to find, and I'm a barbell guy so that makes me very happy. Everyone is really nice and the place looks great after a recent remodel. I've met a lot of cool people here, too. It's a very friendly atmosphere. They have offerings for all ages, from kids' swimming lessons to fitness for seniors. I work out here multiple times per week and always enjoy it. I bring my kids to open swim often. I love the atrium-enclosed pool that lets you enjoy the feeling of being outdoors all year. And, there are very good trainers available to help you with whatever type of fitness you are into. I feel like out of all the things I spend my money on every month, this is the place that gives me the most value. read more