Good classes and instructors and staff are really nice. The rooms aren't very clean. The bathrooms are so gross! The same stall in the women's room has been out of order in months and the toilet paper stands are often broken. They have two locations. The one in kendall square is a lot less busy. read more

Great gym, but they will scam you when you try to cancel! Fill out a form to cancel my gym membership since I was moving away from gym. They said it never went through. Refused to give me a refund even when I contacted the same day I was charged. Don't leave the gym until you have proof you cancelled or they will rip you off. Horrible experience, why can't they just play nice with customers. I always recommended this gym to locals but I guess that wouldn't help anymore. Had to go to credit card company to dispute charges. read more

Awesome gym!! Well equipped weight room and super friendly and awesome staff. Haven't spotted any meatheads yet. Wins all around!

Just wanna express my gratitude to the new boxing instructor Lionel! I'm so fortunate and grateful to be trained by a real fighter in a fitness gym! His HIIT/fight fit classes are superb! So well designed and oriented to the boxing training. His techniques and skills are way beyond just a cardio/muscle workout but the real boxing moves. He focuses on the nuances which make real differences in improving my punchings. Beside a great workout, I can always learn new skills from each of his class. Highly recommend anyone interested in boxing to take Lionel's classes! Even if you are not, I bet you will fall in love with boxing after this amazing and inspiring instructor! read more

VIM Fitness - Gyms Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

See all

A toxic combination of absurd pricing, inflexible membership policies, and overcrowding. The proprietors should be ashamed of this location. A membership costs around $750 per year, which is pretty premium. Yet cancellation and membership activation are absurdly expensive, and moreover involve a half-dozen steps and individual escalations. When they close for an extended period, they do not refund pro-rated monthly fees. Given that they are likely pulling in seven figures per year in membership costs, this comes across as absurd penny-pinching---the sort of practices that I typically associate with cut-rate gyms. The cherry on top is that this isn't even a good gym. It is tiny, and it is horrendously overcrowded. A true low light of the area. read more

I cancelled months ago - yet one minute after midnight on a daily basis for the past eight weeks they try to charge my credit card. I have called numerous times and signed and filled out the cancellation form - nonetheless the attempts to charge are ongoing. I called today twice and the phone went to voicemail stating the mailbox is full. I guess I will continue to receive emails daily until they finally discontinue the action or go out of business. read more

VIM is a high-end gym with no frills, just top-notch equipment and great classes. Members get unlimited class sign-ups--a terrific value if you can fit at least one into your schedule every week. My favorites are the medium-intensity offerings, like Core Flow Yoga with Brenna and Pilates Mat with Alex. Classes at VIM were one of the parts of my routine that I missed the most when the world went into lockdown. So I'm thrilled to say: They're back! Everyone wears a mask and stays 6' apart, separated by plastic barriers. Weird? Yes, at first. But once you get past that, the experience is as good as ever. Thanks for having me back, VIM. You've been missed! read more

Great gym, questionable customer service. Loved working out at this gym, equipment is great and always available. Employees were super nice and helpful. Customer service from upper management is a little sketch. Moving to Chicago in 7 days and instead of working a deal out with a returning customer they decided it was best to charge me for an entire month. I love this place and will be traveling back to Boston ~6 times a year for work. I would have spent the money to workout at VIM during these times if they had treated me better in my moving situation. Also, to touch on people commenting about overcrowding...this just isn't true. I've went at all times of day, and yes, during your typically peak hours there will be some crowding but this is one of the best gyms I've ever been to when it comes to getting to use a machine when you need it. read more

Nice facilities; machines, gym area, and bahrooms are.clean But only ONE of the two dozen ellipticals has an individual tv that works!

Same review as person below - I cancelled 4 months ago (with filling out the form) and have been still have been charging me with really frustrating communication when calling to resolve the issue. I still have no idea how to cancel my membership. read more

Four stars only bc of the price (depends on your subscription type which you can see online usually at least $70 a month, whereas I'm used to $25 crunch fitnesses in NJ). Other than that, it's a great gym. Location is pretty much right across the street from the T so it's very convenient to get to. Right next door is the h mart so it's nice to get a workout in, then grab groceries afterwards. When I signed up, I just signed up and walked into the breach, no manager or anything to show me around the facilities etc but all I was looking for was a free weight area and multiple squat racks, which there are four of. Thankfully said free weight area is usually not crowded even during rush hour times and a little before (4pm) is pretty much inhabited by less than 10 people total which is great. They have both bumper plates as well as the blocky octagonal plates and a decent variety of machines. There's a big area for ellipticals and treadmills, never seem it full. Though they lack a calf machine, pec deck, and anything for the traps (trapezius) if I recall correctly. The locker room isn't too bad, but the area w lockers for personal locks is much smaller than their (I'm guessing) premium area w special lockers that you can't put your own lock on. If you come around 630 or later on a weekday, you might actually be unlucky enough to not get a locker due to the limited number of lockers for a personal lock. All in all I would recommend this gym if you're just looking for a normal gym. Price is kind of steep but from what I've seen, it's probably about the norm for the Boston area. read more

Rude customer service! I have been to many gyms my life, this is the first ever front desk wanted to have a talk with me about me not leaving early enough (I was leaving the gym close to closing time and he stopped me, wanted to have a chat)! read more

Their customer service is the worst I've experienced in any gym, including a gym like Planet Fitness. Their online system is unnecessarily complex and clunky (e.g. I had to re-type my address, number, and other personal information to cancel, whereas in other gyms, you just tell them your name and ask to cancel.). They also make you cancel at least two months in advance-- this was not communicated to me upon sign-up. When I pointed this out, they were very rude and defensive rather than apologetic. It's a shame BSC Central Square closed down because VIM is 3x as expensive and 3x as rude. read more

been a member since 2016. great value and very nice facilities in a super easy to get to location. always a great part of my week

Absolutely horrible customer service and experience, I signed up for a 12 month membership the February before covid began, was auto renewed without my consent, and am still getting billed. Like most folks, I wanted to cancel my membership due to the lock down. This place is a dungeon with 0 ventilation and would be a huge health risk to anyone during a pandemic. I called and not only was the staff unable to pull up my file and answer my questions (when did I sign up, how long was left on the membership etc.), I was told I would have to freeze my membership instead of cancel. So I freeze it and start to get billed again in three months. I stepped foot in this gym TWICE. Now reading the Yelp reviews, I bet that even if I complete the cancellation form I will probably still get billed! The employee who handles financials is very rude and condescending so I do not look forward to having that conversation. What a headache for a cave-like dungeon that smells like feet. Did I mention you have to give 45 days notice for cancellations? Another $140 down the drain. Avoid at all cost if you can, please!! read more

I rarely post reviews online, but in this case I feel compelled to share my thoughts about this excellent business! VIM Fitness is refreshingly different than most corporate gyms. It is, by far, the best fitness center that I have ever belonged to! Most of my personal experience has been at the Central Square location (next to Central Kitchen). I've been a member for over 5 years. With bamboo and stone lining some of the walls, as well as clean locker rooms, VIM has more of a calm and zen-like spa vibe to it than a place like BSC, but without the absurd cost of Equinox. They even offer towel service, which is great. The clientele and staff tend to be very friendly and respectful. Overall, it seems to me that both women and men are equally comfortable in this environment, from everything I can tell. They have a very reasonable guest policy and the customer experience is great. There are no high-pressure sales people or anything like that. The passionate owner is extremely thoughtful about what equipment he decides to purchase. You can tell right away that this guy truly understands fitness, and the most effective tools for getting the results that you desire. For example, this is one of the few general gyms I have been to that actually has a complete paired set of high-quality kettlebells (from 4kg all the way to 40kg). They are a pleasure to use and very comfortable. In contrast, many other places only go halfway, offering a strangely incomplete, cheap set with only single kettlebells at certain weight loads, bells that don't go heavy enough, and uncomfortable ergonomics. Another impressive example is the Rogue "GHD" (Glute Hamstring Developer) that VIM just added. Most gyms have those slanted ones that are not nearly as effective or safe for stabilizing the midline or strengthening lower back, core and the whole posterior chain. VIM has even started to provide more tools optimized for people that enjoy doing olympic lifts, such as cleans, jerks, and snatches (e.g. round plates). They also have a solid variety of unique barbells (e.g. multi-grip barbell, trap bar, etc.) that others would never think to include. This gym is not simply about catering to "bros" who like to lift a ton of weight, though. There are also barre (ballet) rails installed in one of the fitness studio rooms, a decent schedule of varied classes, and much much more. I feel like there is really something here for everyone. If Central Square happens to be a convenient location for you, consider yourself very lucky because this is by far the best gym you can join in Boston/Cambridge IMHO! read more

Considered rejoining after Covid both because I miss the classes and because I want to support this neighborhood institution - was told I'd have to pay $20 to try out a class, and the person I spoke to didn't seem to know what the schedule was (not a crazy thing but he was kind of a jerk about it). VIM, work on your customer service if you want to attract people back to the gym after COVID. read more

I'm new to the area and am looking for a gym to join. I went into VIM because it's a 10 minute walk from my place, it has the equipment I want and is supposed to be really nice. When I got there and asked for a tour I was told I could just go wander around. Ok, I've never been to a gym that doesn't try to point out what makes it better than the rest, but I thought it would be nice not to have a sales person pressuring me during the tour. I go back to the front desk after my tour and wait around 5 or 10 minutes until a staff member finally showed up. I ask about prices, which were reasonable. I'm on the verge of shelling out the money for a membership, but would never do so without working out at my future gym first. You don't buy a car without test driving it, right? Well they tried to tell me that I'd have to pay $15 for a day pass if I wasn't going to purchase a membership. Huh? I've never been to a gym unwilling to let you give the gym a test drive before committing for a year! I wouldn't pay to test drive a car and Boston Sports Club gave me 2 weeks free to try to earn my business! There must be something fishy going on here if they want you to buy without actually trying their product first. Do yourself a favor and don't bother with VIM. Boston Sports Club is right next door. read more

Immaculate urban retreat, strong BSC competitor. I would switch to VIM today if I weren't locked in to a Boston Sports Club contract, simply because VIM requires no contract and is cheaper than BSC. VIM has agreements with some employers (including mine--Harvard) to provide a reduced $53/month rate versus the standard $64/month or $400/year. And the hours are the same: closes at 10 on weeknights, 8 on weekends. Membership includes access to VIM's other location down the street, unlike BSC. This place is brand new and immaculate. VIM feels like an urban retreat, totally removed from the city above. The motif is upscale sushi restaurant with dim accent lighting -- too dim, in my opinion. (An employee told me they are experimenting with the light and want feedback.) Environment matters a lot. On one hand I appreciate the Zen "focus on yourself" ambiance, but it's definitely not appropriate for the weights area. I want to be able to see the whole room from wherever I stand, not to mention my own likeness in the mirror. A lot of older people or people with reduced vision will struggle with the lighting, and it could pose a safety hazard. I might suggest experimenting with dark "zones" for people who prefer that. Because it's underground, there is no natural light, which is too bad. (This is a huge advantage for the BSC in Davis Square.) The exposed ceiling beams are great for the motif, but that means no noise insulation from above. You'll hear disembodied foot steps crashing overheard constantly. It creates the sensation the roof is going to collapse on your head, which *really* detracts from the Zen vibe. Sadly, there is only one set of dumbbells for each weight class. (One pair of five-pound dumbbells, one pair of 10-pound dumbbells, etc.) This is going to be a huge problem if this gym gets busy (and it will). My single biggest frustration with BSC in Central Square is only there are only *two* sets of each weight offered, which means a lot of standing around and waiting during busy times. The gym offers free towel service, like its next-door competitor BSC, but there were none in the men's locker room when I visited. I could find just two drinking fountains, at the front, and they barely worked. The stretching area is a bit spare (foam rollers, please!). There are iPhone chargers and cradles on the treadmills. This is awesome. read more

I've been using the VIM facilities since late January after having taken a long hiatus from working out on the reg. So far, I've been pleased with both locations in Central Square (579 and 350 Mass Ave). A couple of items I have for feedback, which aren't really deal breakers, but would be nice: 1) The towel supply doesn't seem to be consistent. Usually, they are out of the smaller cloths to use during your work out. There seems to be a "medium" sized bath towel, which doesn't quite wrap around, so I have to make sure I'm getting the largest size. 2) I love the steam and sauna room at the 350 Mass Ave location. One thing I wish they would improve on was adding Eucalyptus in the steam room. Also, there are some days when it takes a while for things to heat up, so I wish they had someone checking in to see things are working properly. Other than the above, the weights are good (I do wish they had a preacher curl bar), and the machines are good too. Plenty of treadmills and ellipticals, though a few more bikes and rowers would be nice. -It's never too crowded and there aren't any muscle-heads who will exacerbate your hate of "bros". -They have some aroma therapy machines around, so it usually has this nice minty smell. -They recently got digital scales in the men's locker room at the 579 Mass Ave location -The classes are great, and if you attend 4-5 in the month, you're getting your money's worth, because they're $20 fro a drop in for non-members. I love that they have BollyX, Zumba, Boxing Conditioning, and Tabata! read more

This is a very good gym and it's hard to think of complaints (well, maybe they could get people to throw their towels in the bin instead of on the floor/bench). Machines are in good condition, locker room is very clean, and the place has a great ambiance. I've never tried the classes. VIM doesn't get more than 3/5 stars because of the price and parking situation. I don't know what they could do about parking.. you either don't drive or you pay a few bucks each time. It's definitely an obstacle to going ~100+ times per year. And $730/year is quite expensive if you're just in it for cardio and a couple machines. Unfortunately I've decided to go back to rock n' fitness next year... it's inferior for sure, but at $300/year (before $150 insurance reimbursement) plus free parking, it's easily the better value. Edit: VIM should definitely open a location in Union Square! read more

I give this Pros: Much nicer, and more spacious than the University Park location. Good value for money considering how nice it is. Ample cardio machines. Cons: One water fountain at the very front of the gym is ok for a tiny joint like said University Park location, not so much for a facility 4 times it's size. It's a little too dark in the weight room, and only having one set of each weight for dumbbells can suck badly when it gets busy. I was disappointed to see no sauna or steam room when this facility opened unlike University Park, which was a little disappointing. And no posted hours of operation on the website? Seriously? Overall it's a good value, but I feel like it seems like there were some glaring oversights that should have been taken into consideration when this new branch opened. read more

I've been going here for over a year now and I absolutely love this place, so much that I've convinced two other people to also join. To be fair, I haven't had to deal with the horror stories of other gyms since I joined VIM straight out of college, but VIM has been a godsend in helping me achieve my workout goals. Long story short: it's clean, convenient (right outside the Central T stop, 2 locations), and has plenty of classes (Barre, Bootcamp, Spinning, BollyX, Yoga, etc.) if that's your jam. It's also never crowded. Even during peak hours, I've never had to wait for machine. Major bonus points. The price might seem a bit hefty at first, but compared to the other cheaper options around Central, it's definitely the best one. Plus, it's a locally owned small business so you can trust that they're not some skeevy multi-chain gym just trying to scam away your money. read more

VIM is by far the nicest, least expensive gym in Central Square. If you live in the area, you only have a few gym options: VIM, Boston Sports Club, and the YMCA (all located on Mass Ave). Of the three, VIM is the newest, least expensive, and least crowded. I did a trial at BSC and was not impressed--long waits for equipment and poor ventilation didn't seem worth the $64/month price tag (and that's with a corporate discount!). The pricing is what drew me to VIM. If you work at a local business and at least two employees from your company/organization register for VIM, you're eligible for their corporate rate--either $54/month or $400/year. VIM has two locations in the Central Square area (this one and another, smaller location located a few blocks east). Since it's new, the gym is never crowded, even at peak hours. Also, I really like the general atmosphere of the gym. The other customers aren't intimidating meathead types. In fact, they mostly seem to be women and kind of scrawny guys... Anyway, the main flaw people have with VIM is the extremely dim lighting. Supposedly, they're going for a spa aesthetic. The mood lighting turned me off at first, but I think it's become brighter in my one month as a member (or maybe I just got used to it). read more

Nice gym, but watch out because your things will be stolen and inflexible membership policies. I used to LOVE this gym. Then I got hurt. There is no option to cancel or defer annual memberships. I wasted $750 this year because I was injured and couldn't cancel my membership. Emails to management weren't returned. The couple times I made it in I had items stolen (brand new sneakers and a bag). When reported, the missing items were shrugged off. Used to be great, now a giant waste if money where things are stolen. read more

I LOVE this gym! Not only is it close to my apt, but it is clean, sleek and never too crowded. I have yet to wait for a shower in the morning, and the barre classes are challenging and awesome! I've already seen significant improvements in my body after only going for a few classes. The best part is that the classes are free for members. You also don't have to sign up ahead of time so you can drop in if your schedule permits, and they are never too packed. Awesome! My previous gym, Beacon Hill in Brighton, was the same monthly price, but it was always hot, sweaty, packed and I could never get into a fitness class without having to fight my way in. Also, their treadmills were old, but the ones at VIM have personal huge-ass TVs on each one, with great iPhone hookups, if that floats your boat. Love, LOVE VIM. I'd highly recommend it to anyone in the area. :) read more

Vim is the perfect gym, and definitely worth the price (I have the full year membership). On a rough work day, sometimes a trip to vim is all it takes to pick me up again. I frequent the gym for general working out/using the treadmill on my own as well as for the classes (I've tried spin, chisel, Zumba, bollyX, kickboxing, boot camp, barre, tabata). Even on the busiest night, the gym is never crowded and I'm always able to get a machine if I want it. I have loved attending the classes and think that the instructors are great. There are also many options and times to choose from, so I've attended morning and night classes, whatever fits my schedule (and sleep needs) that day. The only thing that I think could be improved is the spin space. If it's a full class, it can get pretty steamy in there, I don't know if additional ventilation would help. When the class isn't filled up though, it's not an issue. read more

I'm trying to decide if I should switch my membership over from the BSC, and visited today to try it out. Pros: gorgeous space (seriously, it's stunning!), decent prices, shiny new equipment, friendly staff, a slew of what look like really amazing classes. Cons: no hairdryers, only one water fountain at the front end of the club (and the water coming out of it was warm), and pop music piped in at an ungodly volume in some of the spaces (including the locker room). The music thing might be a dealbreaker for me - why go to such lengths to create a spa-like atmosphere and then ruin it with crappy pop music? You can tell they're still settling in, so I wonder if I should take a chance on it or not...? read more

Been to many health facilities in US. I really like this fitness center. Staff is wonderful, and the place is spiffy clean. I highly recommend this gym! read more

I've been a member of this gym for about 10 months. PROS - Very clean and modern. Design of the gym reminds me of high end club or a Vegas hotel, which is kinda cool. - I have gone to a few of the classes and they are pretty good. They offer them very often and there are a lot to choose from - Variety of machines - The crowd is pretty young, and there is a good mix of genders. Never felt like there were creepers or anything. - Cheaper than BSC CONS - Classes at the central square location fill up pretty quickly if they are popular. When I first joined this gym 10 months ago the classes were pretty empty. I guess everyone found out about my secret awesome gym - The location that's closer to MIT is a bit more limited in machines and such - The free lockers in central square fill up really quickly after work hours. It's awkward because everyone squeezes up near the front of the room. I will probably not renew due to the price increase and also my work is getting a gym installed, but I enjoyed being a member. read more

this review is solely for the class, not for the gym itself. I took Dalia's BollyX class for the first time tonight and it was invigorating! I sweat so much, didn't know I could sweat this much. the room has AC mind you.. the indian style dancing is great, bc it's not just dance moves and cardio, it focuses on lower body strengthening also! You def get a great work out and feel so good about yourself when you leave! She will make you WORK for that 1 hour. You can see her love and passion for BollyX, gives her 120%! You will be inspired to do 100% too. Give it a shot, wed nights at 6:30. She also teaches in other locations (MIT and Bos) on other nights. Love her!! read more

Wanted to update on my experience here since the owner fixed some previous issues. If you have your own workout routine (weights, elliptical, treadmill) then you won't find a better place at a better price in Central Square. I never did any of the classes, so I can't speak about any of that. However, the showers were always clean and so was the locker room. Its got a pretty interesting ambiance to it, and it doesn't feel quite as old as BSC which is a couple doors down. Has almost every piece of equipment you could think of, but I wish they had a preacher bench when I was there, maybe they changed that? read more

Great gym. As the previous reviewer said, it is clean, sleek, and seldom crowded. I often go to the weight room and there is 1, maybe 2 people in the whole room, if not nobody. Also, the free classes are great. For whatever reason the demographic of members seems more professional than other gyms: no juice heads, no one singing out loud while they work out, just good, nice people doing their thing. I live close by and my only wish would be for broader hours. read more

Gym is pretty good. Wifi is horrible. Doesn't work at all near the elliptical a. I was told it was being worked on a month ago, but it still doesn't work. Also, there are never enough lockers for people who don't want to pay extra. Everyone is bunched up in the free locker areas, basically on top of one another. Machines are great and classes are great. read more

Great classes and small group size. The instructors are very nice, knowledgable, and classes never overbooked. Glad I found a gym with Pilates & Yoga classes in Cambridge! Just noticed that the temperature in the class room is too cold for yoga! read more

I cannot speak to classes or the training staff. I do my own workouts. This is hands down the best gym in Cambridge. I've been a member for close to 2 years and have always been satisfied. Phenomenal equipment, towels, showers, lockers, equipment always available. Multiple squat racks/benches so you're not waiting around. No douchey meat-heads but very athletic and trained people are members. Looks cool - it's like a Japanese oasis (bamboo decorations on walls/cool lighting) of strength and fitness. Love it. Attentive staff / management. Easy to sign up and get started as well as ending your membership (I'm moving, wish I could take VIM with me). read more

After evaluating the gyms on Mass Ave in Cambridge, VIM was an easy choice. It is clean, there is a variety of classes, spacious, free wifi and towels, and new equipment. Staff has been friendly and helpful since I began. The only reason why I won't give it the full five stars is because the steam room at the sanctuary does not always work properly, which is a major let-down. Also- the bathrooms, shower areas specifically in both locations, could be cleaned more frequently. Tip to management- please provide more trash bins! Small improvements to VIM would make it absolutely worth the investment. read more

This is the best gym in Cambridge for the reasons set forth below: Machines: Exceptionally high quality. Diverse Assortment. And many of them. Price: Lowest price in Cambridge - $58/month if you sign up for the year. Aesthetics: This place looks like a dojo out of The Matrix. Busy-ness: I have been a member here for a year and have never had to wait for anything. Bonus Points: You don't have to deal with the creepy guy in the leotard who works out at BSC. As an aside: I live in a building with a gym in it and VIM's recent increase in price is making it significantly more difficult for me to rationalize my membership. read more

I've declared VIM in Central Square my new home-away-from-home. This gym is brand new, beautifully chic and delightfully empty! Shhhh, don't tell. From start to finish, the experience is wonderful. The low lighting keeps me calm and focused, my iPhone plugs directly into the cardio machines, the weight room is women friendly (i.e. there aren't a million muscular men demonstrating extreme-weight-lifting), and the spacious showers are the perfect remedy for sore muscles. I've always been a casual gym-goer, but now I can't wait to get back to the vim! read more

When I first joined VIM, I thought meh, better than BSC. I recently went back to workout with someone (who is a member) at BSC. I have never been more aware of my switch. BSC is awful, go to VIM. Since my first post, VIM has added a lot of equipment and greatly improved the lighting so that I can actually see. There are more people now which is probably testament that Cambridge folk are switching over. Also, as you can see below the owner responded to my previous post, which shows that they care about customer service. Star added. I got a customer feedback survey where I could state any issues or concerns about the gym. One is the occasional weird music, still no deal breakers for me. I've also noticed that as of the new year there is a greater staff presence on the floor which is nice, because sometimes adults need supervision. For example, prior to staff presence on the floor some gym go-ers would have full-on bluetooth conversations while working out that I could hear over my music. Annoying. VIM - keep your trainers on the floor. Overall - 5/5. read more