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Seattle Athletic Club
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Downtown
2020 Western Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 443-1111
2020 Western Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 443-1111
- Good for Kids:
- No
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- 11 reviews
- Neighborhood:
- Belltown
"Super-cool, high-end gym for serious athletes (with money). I walked in here and was shocked the first time! Hidden in Belltown (corner of…" read more »
8 reviews for Seattle Athletic Club
Advantages:
- Swimming Pool
- Juice/Snack Bar
- Basketball/Volleyball Court
- Location, when you need to shop at Pike Place Market.
- Steam room, and Spa
- Childcare (If I had bratty kids, I'd be "working-out" all the time, too)
- Squash facility and lessons!
- Awesome spin class
Disadvantages:
- Has that '80s interior feel, especially since there are no windows.
- Location, when you don't need to shop at Pike Place Market.
- Parking is only validated after 4:30p on weekdays.
- Juice/Snack bar - since you can charge things on your account, you forget how those post-workout protein smoothie adds up.
- Childcare, should not be confused with daycare!!
- Swimming Pool, I think one mile equates to like 29 laps, it's a small pool.
- The awesome spin class instructor left...
Hm, looks as though the only good things are the steam room and squash courts. Not enough reasons to remain a member.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (3)
- Cool (2)
Overall, the SAC is an excellent place to join. It tends to be a little pricier than a chain gym like Gold's or 24 Hour Fitness, but you do get the benefit of a fairly large cardio room, bb court, lap pool and racquetball courts. Most of the classes are free (spin, step, BOSU ball, weight training, masters swim), and they also offer short-termed speciality training classes (tri training, etc.). Not too crowded or a pick up place in the mornings or at lunch (not sure about the evenings).
Why it deserved 5 stars: the staff. In particular, the trainers. All are great at customizing your workout to meet your particular goals, being flexible about setting you up on a weekly or even monthly schedule, and will really teach you what that tiny muscle is back there that all of sudden screams out when you do the exercise (it looked so simple when they were doing it). Shout out to Elizabeth, who has been a very supportive and enthusiastic trainer. She is fun to work with, but really pushes your limits. For women who are wanting to build some self confidence, or just learn how to work in strength training into their workout (got to ladies, to keep those bones healthy), she is really good to work with. And before you know it, that tiny muscle back there looks pretty nice!
Why it gets 4 stars: difficult to get in and out during rush hour. Located near Pike Place Market, traffic is terrible during tourist season, and they validate parking only during certain times. Check ahead if you are driving to work out. (Excellent though if you work or live near there.)
People thought this was:
- Useful (5)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
I heart The SAC.
But it's not for everyone. It's totally worth the extra cash for me, because I really like that the facilities and people are better than the average gym. All the trainers are super nice and very knowledgeable. Most of them specialize in one or many things. My trainer pretty much changed my life and if it wasn't for him I don't think I would have stuck with it.
I just started taking squash lessons because that is apparently the thing to do at the SAC. So if you want to be cool, learn squash. But no really - they have a ton of courts and lots of round robins and are super into it there.
Rush hour (especially in January) is really busy. But I've been working out there though at that time for over a year and it's not too bad. You just deal. I have a "young professional" membership which I think is $70/month.
I can't overemphasize how friendly the staff is with the exception of the sales people sometimes being snarky. There are lots of retirees who go here and not much of a meat market at all so if you're truly just into being healthy then this is the place to be. No one makes you feel stupid and there's no pressure to be uber-fit.
Oh and parking kindof sucks M-F because you can only get validated in the garage after 5:30pm.
People thought this was:
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The SAC is a perfectly decent gym, but RIDICULOUSLY expensive for what it is. If you're over thirty, the membership is about $120/month (under thirty I paid $80), and I found few amenities I couldn't get at another gym for a quarter of the price. Yes, the squash courts are nice, and warm towels seem to magically appear out of thin air, but...that's about it. Perhaps if you're really into certain classes, certain trainers, or networking with rich people than it would be worth it, but other than that I can find no other reason to justify the outlandish membership fee. The facilities are well-kept and perfectly average, and the staff are fine, but I gave up my membership because it simply wasn't worth the money.
People thought this was:
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Great gym; only problem is that at rush hour times it's a little too crowded. I invited my personal trainer to join yelp and in return I told him I'd write the "first review" for Seattle Athletic Club (SAC).
Despite the fact that last week's training session involved 2 minutes on the "Quad Mill" (thanks Tim) and that I was limping for a few days; I love this gym. Great staff, always friendly and I've had the best experience with "Tim Koffler" (level 3 trainer; that means he's really good).
Definitely check out the SAC if you're looking for a high quality Seattle gym.
People thought this was:
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If wishes came true, I'd be a member of the Seattle Athletic Club (The Club). I can get a great cardio workout in anywhere until then.
Anyhow, I still support good health. So support The Club is given by purchasing merchandise at their store.
It's small. It's cramped. But the people that work there are warm, friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Quantities and brands of sneakers are limited, however, the have the best in the market. They knew what I needed. Comfortable and durable. That makes a huge difference. Really.
Current styles tend to keep us all an iota on the modish side of life. I know, because that's where I went after my pedicure. And I love my new rubber soles!
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The SAC isn't a terrible place, but it really didn't fit what I look for in a gym.
I go to the gym to lift. I do some cardio, play some sports, but primarily I am a weightlifter. That said, the environment was less than ideal. Yes, they have the essentials, but it could use more of them. I also don't really like the adjustable and seated benches they have for dumbbells.
The cardio area is decent, but I prefer the cardio machines having personal TVs rather than the plasma "theater" they have at the SAC. Also, they only have a few regular bikes.
Locker rooms are well kept and clean, and I do like getting a key to a locker every time I go to the gym. More convenient than having to drag a lock down with me. One thing I found odd...and you can take this as good, bad, or inconsequential...but I've been to many gyms across the country, and none had as many people hanging out naked in the locker room as at the SAC. I found this very strange.
They had some interesting-sounding classes. The reason I say interesting-sounding and not just interesting is that the cost is astronomical. You'd think since I'm paying anywhere from $80-$120/month just to be a member, that classes would be free. Well, only the basic ones are. Anything that I would consider attending, such as boxing, all-sports conditioning, etc, cost in the realm of $200/month ADDITIONAL.
All-in-all, I'm leaving the SAC because A) for me anyway, the cost/benefit ratio does not add up and B) the social, "hey let's hang out in the gym" clientèle does not really mesh with my "I'm here to work" philosophy.
People thought this was:
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ok... over a 13 year period... been a member of this gym several times... it used to be *worth* the expensive membership fee. The facility has gone down hill... tiles are broken, it's the same carpet (gross) that's been there forever... they can't keep regular staff at the front desk... they've managed to retain a few great instructors and the location is wonderful, but poor quality, poor maintenance.. it has the feeling that "no one is in charge" and complaints and feedback cards seem to go into the ether. there are other options downtown (including with a pool) that won't leave you frustrated because you pay for more than you get.
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