Anything good comes with a higher price tag. But in a few cases, you end up paying a higher cost without receiving anything worthwhile. Yes, this stands true in the case of gym memberships too.
It is well known that Life Time Fitness is costlier than most of the gyms out there. But is it really worth paying for their membership? Well, you are about to find out.
For this article, we have critically examined the amenities and facilities provided by Life Time Fitness and compared them against the cost you have to bear to avail these. And your first guess was correct, the experience at Life Time is worth more every penny you spend on it.
Keep on reading you will find out everything you need to know about this high-end gym before even stepping a foot into their gym location. Knowing what you are going to get for what your pay before actually visiting the place to take up the membership would help you make the right decision.
What Will I Learn?
Is Life Time Fitness A Good Gym?
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Of course, it is a good gym. Everything from the size of the gym to the tiniest equipment in there reeks of luxury and quality. You do have to pay much higher membership fees for that though.
Each location of Life Time is constructed like one big resort with pieces of exercise equipment and a lot of allied facilities. Covering about a hundred thousand square feet area almost every location of this high-end gym fits a large number of exercise equipment.
The racks, free weights, preloaded barbells, cardio machines, and the range of resistance training gym machines, everything is in enough numbers.
The layout of the gym is also impressive. They have arranged the machines with reference to the targetted muscle group. So you don’t have to go to the squat area on your chest day. And yes, you will find all you need for the bench press in the chest area only.
The environment is suitable for all tastes. If you wish to spin slowly while reading some book or have a serious weightlifting goal of pushing your rep max for deadlift, you will find people there with similar goals. The only issue people have mentioned is that staff outside the gym area can sometimes be rude towards the members.
You can even bring your kids here as the gym is family-friendly. Other than the gym floor, there is a lot of things that your kids can enjoy while you work out.
Overall, the gym is one of the good clubs you can join. The amenities, equipment, cleanliness, fitness classes, and other services at Life Time do justify the high membership fees.
Does Life Time Fitness Have Good Equipment?
The range and number of equipment Life Time have is arguably unmatchable. You can find almost every specialty gym machine here. Though the equipment selection does vary a little from location to location. You should check out the Life Time location thoroughly before joining if you are looking for some specific and rare exercise machine to use in the gym.
The cardio section of each Life Time location is filled with rows of traditional treadmills, ellipticals, Woodway curved treadmills, spin bikes, and steppers. These are in enough numbers at all locations, so at any hour of the day you hit the gym, you won’t have to wait for your turn to burn some calories on a cardio machine.
The range of resistance machines here covers almost every degree of motion humanly possible. All these machines are spaced out in different sections arranged by a focused muscle group. If a similar machine can be used to train two different muscle groups, then you would find at least one machine of that type in each of these sections.
The powerlifting section is also filled with branded high-quality racks and weights. Almost all racks have spotter arms attached. There are bumper plates dedicated to each rack so you don’t have to borrow them from other racks.
The preloaded barbells and EZ bars at Life Time remove the most boring part of lifting weights. You save a lot of time that would be otherwise spent in loading and unloading and can utilize that in an actual workout.
In total, Life Time Fitness has got everything covered in terms of gym equipment.
Classes
You would be stunned by the range of classes the Life Time location near you has to offer. And yes, for certain membership options, the classes are included in your monthly membership fees, you don’t have to pay extra for those.
The classes here cover a wide range of interests and fitness goals. They have yoga classes, Crossfit classes, spinning classes, strength training and conditioning classes, barre, and more.
The selection of classes may vary a little from branch to branch but all the locations try to cover the themes listed above.
They also offer digital membership for classes where you can get virtual training at home with their live-streaming classes, on-demand classes, and some curated digital content.
Pool & Spa
Every gym should have a pool, if not a big outdoor pool then at least a small indoor lap pool would do, but they should have one. Easy access to a pool and spa allows you to pamper and help recover the sore muscles after a high-intensity day at the gym. It would not only help you relax but also accelerate the results.
Life Time Fitness has all kinds of pools. At some locations, you would find an indoor pool, not a tiny one but a big Olympic-sized pool. At some other locations, there might be an outdoor pool with some big water slides, splash pads, and everything along with a kids pool.
At some Life Time locations, you may see indoor whirlpools too.
The eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, sauna, or spa facility at Life Time are comparable to a star hotel.
In most of the factors, all Life Time locations are similar, but they tend to vary a bit more in the case of pool and spa facilities. So, if you are looking for some particular kind of pool, sauna, or spa facility better to check the location of your interest physically before paying up the joining fees.
Other Amenities at Life Time Fitness
Other than being amazing at offering the best quality gym equipment, a lot of workout space, pools, spas, and everything Life Time Fitness also has plenty of other amenities to offer.
The varied amenities at Life Time include many things that sometimes don’t even go with a gym. A full-service cafe serving meals, snacks, and smoothies or alcoholic drinks being served poolside may be found at Life Time.
All locations have more or less similar amenities, you can expect to find all or most of the following amenities at Life Time.
- Showers and locker rooms
- Basketball courts
- Yoga studio
- Full-service cafe
- Salons
- Full-service spas
Child Care
Life Time Fitness is a family-friendly place. You can add your children to your gym membership and you can then leave your kids in their care for about two and half hours per session while you work out or enjoy other gym facilities.
The child care facility at Life Time can offer a great time to your kids through various activities and classes. The staff at kids academy of Life Time is well trained to take care of your little ones and also add some value to their stay at the facility by teaching them some art, craft, and sports.
The staff can help your kids with their curriculum, languages, homework, etc. They can also enjoy some swim time, fitness classes or engage in some games and sports activities there.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Life Time Fitness?
After reading everything described till now in this article you might get the feeling that everything about Life Time is great and there won’t be any cons to worry about. Well, that’s not the case. While there are many good reasons to join Life Time there are a few concerns that might affect your decision.
Here is the list of pros and cons of Life Time Fitness membership.
Pros
- Ergonomic floor layout
- Best equipment quality, quantity, and selection
- Variety of group classes included in the membership fees
- Family friendly environment
- Good childcare facility
- A lot of amenities and facilities like salon and spa
- Awesome pools
- Well-maintained equipment
- Many membership options suitable to almost everyone
Cons
- Staff can be strict, even rude at some locations
- It May seem too laid off place for those serious about achieving their fitness goals faster
- Much costlier than mid-range gyms
How Much Does A Membership At Life Time Fitness Cost?
Life Time Fitness is a high-end club, it does cost higher than any basic or mid-priced gym. The exact price of your membership would depend on many factors like your location, level of access expected, and the additional amenities required.
The most basic, single club, access only membership of Life Time would cost somewhere between 60 to 80 dollars a month plus the annual fees. Which is in itself costlier than any mid-range club.
The other membership options are standard and signature membership. The membership fees for these options are about 170 and 250 bucks per month respectively excluding the joining fees and taxes.
There are some membership options at discounted prices for a few categories like student discounts, corporate membership, junior executive, or 26 or under membership. If you belong to one of these categories you can benefit from these discounted plans.
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What Does Life Time Fitness Membership Include?
The inclusion of services and facilities in your membership depends upon the membership type you choose and the availability of the particular amenity at the gym location of your choice. Among the amenities and facilities offered by Life Time Fitness, a few are included in the monthly membership fees and for others, you will be charged extra.
Their most comprehensive signature membership includes almost everything Life Time has to offer. Here is the list of the things included in your monthly gym membership fees.
- Access to the clubs
- Unlimited in-studio, spinning, and other group classes
- Access to the sports facilities
- Class, kid care, and infant care reservations
- Special events at the club
- Live streaming and on-demand video classes
- Virtual training on digital apps
- Discount on nutrition products and equipment
Which Life Time Fitness Membership Is Best?
All the membership options at Life Time are balanced in terms of what you pay and what you get for the fees you pay. The basic access-only membership costs less but doesn’t let you have the luxury of enjoying all the amenities at Life Time. The signature membership, on the other hand, gives you access to everything but comes at a higher monthly cost.
If you have no budget constraint then the Signature membership of Life Time Fitness is the best one for you. You get the freedom to access all the locations of this luxury gym and can utilize the different amenities at different locations as you please.
Does Life Time Fitness Have Hidden Fees?
When you are taking the gym membership at Life Time, you are already paying at a much higher rate than many other alternatives, it would be a shame if you get charged some unknown fees without using any additional facility.
You don’t have to worry about any such things. There are no hidden fees. Whatever you need to pay for club membership, classes, trainers, and the use of various amenities will be informed to you at the time of membership sign up.
Excluding cafe, spa services, and bar, almost everything is covered in your monthly membership. If you just want to use the gym, pools, steam rooms, and attend classes, you don’t have to pay anything over monthly membership fees and joining fees.
The only thing that is of concern is the cancellation of membership. It has been mentioned by many ex-members that it is very difficult to cancel the membership and they got charged even after asking for canceling of membership verbally and through email.
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Is Life Time Fitness Worth It? [Verdict]
It might sound strange to some but Life Time Fitness is a good value or money gym membership.
This gym is not for someone looking for an affordable gym but if you can easily spare a hundred to two hundred bucks a month on gym membership, Life Time is really worth it.
Life Time Fitness is suitable for all fitness goals and personal preferences. So, if you can afford it, just go for it.
