Help me make a GYM decision!

ok, I've been seriously lacking in the exercise department and the problem is mostly because I can't find a gym that I'm happy with.  Here's some background, I live in the middle of Brooklyn (Bay Ridge to be exact) and I work in Manhattan.  My subway commute is about 45 minutes and might be even longer now since I'm going to be working in midtown come Monday.

In the past, I've gone to a kickboxing gym in my neighborhood.  While I love kickboxing, the gym was even farther from my house (I had to go three stops past my subway stop for home) and the class schedule was not good for me.  I'd have to leave work early to make the 5:30 class or get there by 6 and wait a half hour for the 6:30 class.  I also got kinda sick of the classes because I always ended up with the same instructor.  This was, however, the best workout I've ever done for me.  It was also very expensive at $83 a month JUST for kickboxing...they aren't a full gym.  Also, by time I finished with the class, got back on the train to go home, I'd be home very late and then have to cook dinner and eat dinner late, etc etc.  I stopped my membership.

I recently joined Lucille Robert's with a friend because it was SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper and had a few different classes.  I had been going a lot but again, the class schedule didn't have what I wanted.  AND it was also like two blocks away from my kickboxing gym so I had the same problem of getting there late/getting home late etc.  It's a *****!  Additionally, and this might sound a little judgmental, the classes at Lucille Roberts just weren't my speed.  It was usually middle-aged to older women which I don't MIND but I didn't feel like I was getting a real good workout.  I still have the membership but I haven't been going because I'm just not happy with it.

Here's my last option, there is a New York Sports Club literally right up the block from my house.  My husband has been going and he says it's a decent to good gym.  He doesn't take the classes so I know nothing about them but I looked at his schedule and they do seem to have more of a range of classes at better times for me (especially since it is SO close to home).  The membership is $73 a month and now that I'm making more money at the new job, it is more manageable. 

What I can't decide is, should I go back to kickboxing which I KNOW has worked for me in the past or should I try NYSC and see if I like it there better?  They do have early AM spin classes which I'd consider (if I can drag myself out of bed) and they have evening classes like zumba, spin, and boot camp style.  They have kickboxing and spin on the weekends as well.  I think I've pretty much made up my mind what to do but I dunno, I wanted to reach out to my OH friends for a little help.  What do you guys think?

The main problem for me is working out late and then getting home to cook/eat dinner.  NYSC is obviously a better answer but I don't want to commit if I'm not gonna like it or want to go.  Since my husband is a member, I can do a week trial there but I have to see if I have to go with him or not.  Since I get home earlier than him, I'd rather go alone lol 

I'd go for it, and try to go to as many different classes as I could to see how they worked out for me.

Jane

Well.. I know that I'd be most likely to go to the place that is the closest.  Less of a way to make excuses not to go!  Can you do a month trial membership and see how it goes?  

I am biased since I am member of NYSC.  The plus about NYSC is that they are all over the place.  I live in Brooklyn and work downtown on Wall Street.  There are two within a three block radius of my office and on the weekends I go to the one on 15th Strreet in Midwood or the one on 5th Ave in Park Slope, depending on what I want to do.  Here is the thing, they have the Passport membership that you can use at  all the NYC Clubs.   If your company has more than 100 employees, you can get a discount on the price, so check to see if your company participates.  The classes are awesome.  Most open at 5:00 am and some classes start at 6:00 am and go up to 8:00 a.m. , so they are a lot more flexible.  I do spin at 6:00 am on Wednesdays @ Wall Street or any evening at the City Hall, so flexible.  They have yoga, vbarre, kickboxing, cross fit like classes (UXF), body toning and step classes.  The vibe is good and you can reserve your space in class online.  Since the one in Bay Ridge is so close to home can you go home, cook, eat and then work out? If not can you commit to some mornings and some nights to see how it goes? GL!

Id see if they'll give you a trial at hubbys' gym.  I'd drop the one where the classes are too easy asap--there's no point in continuing if you aren't going. 

I used to never want to work out at night.  I just wanted to get dinner done, get the kids in bed, etc.  However, being back at work this fall has forced me to go at night.  Whenever possible, I go to a later class (7 p.m or later).  I come home, fix dinner, feed my kids, and drink fluids.  Hubby gets home and I hand them off to him for bedtime, and I hit the gym.  I eat after I get home.

That's what works for me.  Often, I don't feel like going out (especially in the cold) in the dark, but I do it, and I'm always glad I did. 

Keep experimenting to find what works for you.

One more tip:  to make this work, I had to stop caring which class I went to.  Tonight, for example, I WANT to go to body step.  However, if my hubby isn't going to be home by 6:45, then I need to go to boot camp at 6:00 b/c then my kids can go to child care and be home in time for bed.  So I may have to do boot camp instead.  That's ok, whatever.  If I get desperate and no classes fit I do a cardio machine and a circuit of weights.  I'd almost always rather do a class, but it doesn't always work out that way.

I don't know if this will help you or not, but I tried. :)

Speaking from personal experience living in NYC, if something isn't convenient, you ain't gonna go, no matter how much you may love the activity. It's def been my biggest issue.

I haven't done NYSC but since they tend to be all over the city and they do have that passport option where you can go to any NYSC, that might be your best bet. See if there's one convenient to your new office. Maybe you can work out in the early AM, shower and head to work. Hey and then you avoid insane crazy train rush too. :) and more than likely, they are going to run crazy specials come New Years for all of the resolution makers out there.

Another vote for trying the hubby's gym. I'd imagine convenience is HUGE in NYC. It's huge to me in the midwest and I don't have near the travel challenges you do. Good luck!

Do the week trial.  Try out the classes you're interested in, and if you enjoy them, sign up.  I like the NYSCs, and I hated Lucille Roberts but it was all I could afford when I was going there and it was close to my office (two blocks) so I could work out on my lunch hour.  Since I work from home now in Austin, I don't have that issue.  I also kind of hate gyms in general, so I'm training for a half marathon and doing kettlebells ($90 a month for twice a week classes) as my cross training.  More important than convenience for me (kettlebell gym is actually quite far from my house) is LIKING my workout and feeling like I'm actually getting a good workout.  I get bored easily, and I'll quit.  If I don't like the instructor, I'll quit.  I always find something else to do since working out is an absolute necessity for my life (not about weight loss or maintaining, it's about sanity), but for consistency I need to really like what I'm doing and be continually challenged.  What is your workout style?  If you do the trial at NYSC and think that the classes aren't all that great, then I'd go with the kickboxing gym since it is such a fantastic workout and you seemed to enjoy it.  I know it's inconvenient, but at least the extra time would be spent doing something you enjoy :) 

Thanks everyone for the input!! I def think I'm going to do the trial with NYSC and see how it goes.  Otherwise, back to kickboxing for me!