12th Street Gym

204 S 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA

Address:	204 S 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
Phone:	+1 215-985-4092
Site:	12streetgym.com
Rating:	3.9
Working:	5:30AM–11PM 5:30AM–11PM 5:30AM–11PM 5:30AM–11PM 5:30AM–10PM 8AM–8PM 8AM–7PM

Location

Photos 9

Reviews 5

Mind Blown

I went to this gym early in the morning (7AM) for a quick workout using the three day guest pass. Walking into the gym I immediately got that "commercial" gym feel as I was greeted by your typical narcissistic gym bro at the front desk. He wasnt rude or anything, but you can immediately tell hes the type to look down on you for his own deluded reasons, and that he spends way too much time in front of a mirror taking selfies. I am a powerlifter so I went downstairs to their maze of strength training equipment for a leg workout. If its your first time to this gym be prepared to sped most of your time waiting for equipment or searching for a certain type of equipment. The squat racks are incredibly cramped up against their mirrors and their stretching area is cramped into the back of the leg area with about no more than four feet of height so if youre tall or have back problems forget about stretching after working out your legs. Im sure there is a studio or other area where you can stretch but I didnt bother to look since I felt extremely uncomfortable and out of place working out there so I left after I got a quick leg workout and stretch. Their pool was closed for maintenance, but judging from the pictures on their website it, it seems very small and cramped like the rest of their gym anyway. The real deal breaker that convinced me to leave and never come back is the fact that chalk is banned there. Most gyms that ban chalk do this because theyre too lazy to clean it up all the time just to keep their equipment the illusion of appearing clean and ready to use. Chalk is necessary for a lot of heavy lifters so if youre the type to take their workouts seriously I suggest you stay away from this gym as there are many other gyms in the city without ridiculous set ups and rules in place. If youre the type to sign a contractual agreement for a gym membership that youll never use with an over the top "safe space" like Planet Fitness then this gym is for you!

Stacey Plattenberger

Ive been a member to this gym for several years now and I cannot imagine joining a different gym. Unlike many other gyms, 12th Street offers a huge number of group classes and they are always free. It is one of the few gyms in the city that has a pool which is a great option for exercising or just relaxing. The sun deck provides a nice place to get some sun without having to be a little awkward by sitting in Washington Square in your bathing suit. The clientele is diverse, so there are nice people to look at but you dont feel intimidated because there are lots of regular folks of all shapes and ages. 12th Street is ALWAYS doing something to improve the members experience. They seem to constantly be renovating some part of the building to offer something new or better utilize the space. New equipment and programs are always being added. However, my favorite part of the 12th Street Gym is matter of personal preference. I really like how the gym is divided up into many smaller rooms. While the layout of the space is a little confusing at first it is really nice to be in smaller, exercise-specific areas. It makes me feel less intimidated. I personally dont know why anyone likes those single large room gyms. 12th Street is cozy and makes me feel comfortable about exercising. All gym memberships are pricey, at least with the 12th Street Gym, you get a great value for your money. They gym is clean, smells good, and the staff (especially the front desk) are extremely friendly.

George FromPHL

Think prison gym. I never take the time to review online. But this gym has become poorly maintained, I can only assume they are closing or selling. The current owner took over a few years back and the hope was things would get better. Imagine if your Grandmother who survived the Great Depression and never spent a penny without a coupon was in charge of a gym. This would be it. The bathroom is gross and has had "new restrooms coming" signs for over a year. They do not consider the rust on the Spinning bikes a maintenance issue. They post signs "new xxxx coming" only when something collapses or breaks beyond repair. Example: Studio 1 where they hold fitness classes, the ceiling collapsed. Signs go up "New Studio 1 coming", not really. The renovations that were done are a joke. I go here because I live right up the street. But it has finally gotten so bad that after over 10 years I will not renew. Most of my friends have moved on over the last few years. The owner should be truly embarrassed. The place is nasty, calling it poorly maintained is an understatement. This has become the equivalent of a rec center in a low income area that relies on donated equipment. There is nothing wrong with a rec center in a low income area that relies on donated equipment, but here we pay. Did I say the bathrooms are super nasty. They never replace equipment. The place is a dump!

Elenora Haag

I have been generally happy with this gym, which I joined a couple of months ago. The rates are reasonable, and its never so crowded that I cant find a free machine. But several times recently it has been incredibly hot in the upstairs cardio rooms, and the air conditioning did not seem to be on. It must have been 80, 85 degrees in there this evening, easy. (The temperature outside was around 72 degrees). It really felt like a sauna. They seem to be relying on open windows and ceiling fans, even though there are a/c units, which obviously doesnt work well in small rooms with a lot of people working out. I asked to speak to a manager and she was incredibly rude and unhelpful, telling me at first that its good for you to work out in the heat, and then that they are not allowed to turn the a/c on until it reaches a certain temperature OUTSIDE (but didnt tell me what that temperature is, or when that will be - and of course the temperature outside is irrelevant if its boiling hot inside, that means you need the a/c on!), and then that the a/c WAS in fact on in one of the cardio rooms, was broken in another, and finally that she had been up there and it was not hot. I was speechless. I would leave if I could, but they made me pay for an entire year in advance :-(

Anonymous User

This gym has issues. Ive been training in different gyms for 30 years, and this place just plain bugs me. For starters, it smells terrible. This is because most of the gym is sub-grade (basement) and you cannot get that moldy smell out of damp carpets. Most of the help is totally rude, especially at the front counter. This gym announces 4 times over a loud speaker its "closing time," beginning 1 hour from closing & every 15 minutes until its closed... think about that: your concentration is competing with a loud speaker every 15 minutes 1 hr before closing... insane. Moreover, their staff in a rush to get home, begins vacuming 1 hr before closing kicking dust and that nasty mold smell throughout gym. The gym also opens up the gymnasium on the 2nd floor to dodgeball teams a couple nights a week. Ive got nothing against dodgeball per se, but when you hear 40 scurrying feet on the ceiling 1 floor below, it sounds like the place is caving in. The gym and its amenities are also off-limits during these events. Good luck finding parking to boot! Dont waste your money. I joined for a year and let the last 5 months lapse.