Where to Workout in Manhattan, New Jersey or Connecticut: An Employee's Perspective of New York Sports Club

If you live or work in Manhattan, New Jersey or Connecticut, you may already be familiar with that red New York Sports Club logo. What you may not realize is that Town Sports International, the parent company of New York Sports Club, also operates over 100 health clubs in three additional markets-Boston, Philadelphia and Washington DC.

Before you continue reading, I feel honor bound to tell you that I am an employee of Town Sports International. However, the fact that I am not in the sales end of the business somewhat assuages my guilt in shamelessly promoting my own company. (I work in the training and development department in New York.) If reading this article leads to a gym membership, I won't get any tangible benefit, except maybe indirectly contributing to someone's improved health and fitness level.

As an employee, I've had the opportunity to experience New York Sports Club from a member perspective. One of the benefits of employment is a free gym membership (a great perk!), discounts on personal training sessions and discounts on New York Sports Club clothing and products. Over the years, I 've been a member of several gyms, but in my opinion New York Sports Club is the best.

What I like most about New York Sports Club is not only its emphasis on the member experience, but also its no nonsense approach to fitness. NYSC is not a spa, retail outfit or café, nor does it pretend to be. People who go to NYSC are there for one singular purpose-to work out and get fit. The entire member experience is geared towards that goal.

New York Sports Club offers a variety of cardio equipment including treadmills, ellipticals, stairmasters and bikes. In addition, the machines are always the latest model and in good repair. For strength training needs, there are free weights, resistance machines and the fabled kinesis wall (available at some clubs). The gym also boasts an Xpressline program in which the member can work just about all of the major muscle groups in twenty minutes. Another benefit of Xpressline is that it is always manned by personal trainers, ready to adjust the machines, correct your form and give advice.

All personal trainers at New York Sports Clubs (and in sister locations in other markets) are required to go through an intense training program dealing with not only physiology but also with business practice and customer service. Personal training sessions are sold in packs and can be purchased at the point of initial sign up or at any time during the membership. Even if you choose not to train with a specific individual, floor trainers are always available to answer questions during your workout.

New York Sports Club also offers a variety of cardio and strength training courses. For the hard core athlete, there's Sports Conditioning, in which members participate in a grueling round of speed drills, pushups and power moves. For the dance oriented, there's Latin Groove, Hip Hop Funk and Belly Dance. There's also Cardio Kick Box, Step, Pilates, Spinning, Yoga and Total Body Conditioning.

The best thing about NYSC is the consistency of experience. In any given gym, whether in a New York location or sister market, you'll find well-maintained equipment, a clean facility, minimal wait time for machines and a friendly staff. Another plus is the variety of clientele. While some gyms have a certain character depending on the location, you can be sure to find individuals of shapes, sizes and fitness levels, which definitely cuts down on the intimidation factor for the first time gym-goer.

So, if you are looking to get fit and live in the tristate area, New York Sports Club is the way to go. (For the folks in Philadelphia, Boston or Washington DC, that would be Philadelphia Sports Club, Boston Sports Club or Washington Sports Club.) It may not be the cheapest option, but it is definitely the best value for your dollar.