If you want to work out a lot (4-7 time per week),...

If you want to work out a lot (4-7 time per week), then it's very important that the gym you join be in a location that is convenient to access. Maybe it's just me, but if I have to go out of my way to get exercise, I just won't do it very regularly.

So, for me, location is one of the best things about the Y. It's basically at the midpoint of the two mile line between my house and my job. I go past it at least twice a day whether I work out or not, so joining was kind of a no-brainer.

The facility seems to me to be extensive and pretty all-encompassing for all different kinds of exercise, though I think (especially from reading other reviews here) that maybe this has resulted in a kind of "jack of all trades, master of none" situation. Even if that is true, for me it's fine because my primary needs are:

1. A daily cardio workout to burn some calories since I sit at a desk all day at work.
2. Some strength training equipment (machines and free weights), so I can dabble in that a couple times a week.

It's nice to have all the other stuff that's there available to me in case I want to use it, but it's the location, cleanliness, and ready availability of equipment that I personally want to use on a regular basis that are the real selling points of the Y for me.

I also made good use of some of the specialty machines that they have at the Y when I was rehabbing from shoulder reconstructive surgery, and prior to that also after a back injury. I suspect that the Y may be a generally good choice for people with anything that could be considered "special needs".

Of course you have to think about what your specific needs are before joining. It is not as cheap as some other places. I have seen a few hardcore-looking muscle-guy types, but only very rarely. If that's the kind of "fitness" you're looking for, then the Y might not be for you. That probably shouldn't come as any surprise, though. Also not a great spot for trying to land dates with other singles, as it caters pretty strongly to families, senior citizens, and teens.