David Langston

Review of Ashland Family Ymca

On paper this gym seems like it would be terrific,...

On paper this gym seems like it would be terrific, and it is, provided you are younger than 13 or older than 60. I cannot say enough about the majority of the staff as they are some of the best I've come across when it comes to customer service and friendliness. I am a member going on my second year and have stayed because driving to Medford is too inconvenient.

If you are looking for a gym where you can exercise without interruption and enjoy the facilities then this is not the place for you. The weight room is packed during normal hours and the basketball court or pool are reserved for outside groups on many weekends. There is also an inordinate number of very inexperienced lifters due to the fact that the Y caters to the aforementioned age groups above all else, which can lead to some headaches when people do not understand gym etiquette. If you do choose this gym and weightlifting is your primary goal, you should start lifting before 9am or between 12-3.

If you want to get laps in on the pool or play pick-up basketball then this is not the gym for you. The pool is a toilet for the hundreds of small children that play in it daily and during the months of January through March you can forget about getting any significant playing time on the courts. The summers are the only time you will be able to count on the courts being open and unfortunately there will be very few decent players around during that time period.