Lincoln Park Athletic Club

My family had a membership at LPAC for over 8 years. As with all clubs it has its pros and cons. On the plus side the space is light, and open with a good amount of both aerobic and strength equipment. And the Kids Club is the best in the area by far. My major con, and it is a BIG ONE, is that they dont really care about membership satisfaction. And management is too thin skinned to handle complaints. Specifically if you are a swimmer do not join. My wife and I both find access to the pool to be very important, and throughout the year kids programs and lessons fill the pool. At the most extreme during the summer the pool is largely unavailable to members from 2-5pm on weekdays. No lane is reserved for member use (LPAC is unique in this and even most of their sales team is unaware of this fact). When I suggested to management that they seemed to be focusing on generating revenue from kids by limiting access to facilities for membership I clearly touched a very raw nerve. How do I knowafter dropping our membership to find a club with better kids access, I decided to re-join to have access to the very nice kids club for our childrens sake while my wife joined elsewhere with a better pool. We were not allowed to rejoin. Having spent about $25,000 in fees, training, and kids stuff we were very much surprised to find that our money was no good at LPAC. This is not a club who cares about its members, regardless of length of relationship or amount of money spent. Other examplesI asked if it would be possible to get LOOK toe clips on one of the many bikes in the spinning room. It took 3 requests and 2 months until I got a response which was NO. If you join LPAC and you get the feeling that they dont care if you are happy you are right, they dont. PS my wife is a candidate for double knee replacement surgery (one of the reasons why pool access is so important) but she couldnt park in the handicapped parking spot because the owner parks there.

Pros: great kids club
Cons: no interest in customer satisfaction

I've tried out many gyms, mostly downtown, and I really believe that LPAC up in linclon park is the best gym in Chicago. The equipment, locker rooms and ambience at most higher-end gyms in Chicago are all quite good, so what really makes LPAC stand out to me are their personal trainers. They do an excellent job of selecting the staff at this club, they are very intelligent, friendly and dedicated to helping you out. Every trainer is certified to work with you on all of the equipment at the gym, and they cover many different specialties. You can easily hire a trainer for a single session to answer questions you have and teach you specific things, so it's entirely up to you whether you want a whole package of sessions or just one. They have trainers focused on triathlon and marathon training, and I've found them to be extremely knowledgeable and unbelievably helpful when I go over my training plans with them. Even with my enthusiasm for it, I really don't think I would be doing triathlons if it weren't for the help they've given me, and it's been so much fun. They also have many pre-natal classes, which I haven't seen elsewhere, and a good swim training class, and I've heard their yoga classes are excellent but I haven't tried them yet. I'm just really happy with this gym!

Pros: wow, the student rate here is cheap!
Cons: it's a very popular gym, so it can be busy at times. But you can usually get on the equipment you need.

Maybe I'm biased because when I was pregnant with my first child almost 2 years ago, there weren't ANY trainers in Chicago that worked with prenatal women EXCEPT at LPAC. I have since had a second child and have been working with the same personal trainer from 2 years ago. And, since Lehmann's closed it seems that there are less choices for gyms with childcare options. Yes, the crowd has become more techie and cell phones are sometimes seen while people are working out. But, if you just want to get in, work out, and get out LPAC can't be beat.

Pros: Close to the El, Prenatal Trainers, Variety of Classes
Cons: Can get crowded, Parking tough at time

LPAC has very solid equipment. Unfortunately, they do a poor job of labeling it when it's not working and do an even poorer job of repairing machines in a timely basis. At one time, it was was a top notch workout facility where people actually went to sweat. Now, you see people talking on their cell phones (yes, while "working out", if that's possible) and more makeup than sweat. The trainers disrespect other members (taking up more space than necessary in the sometimes crowded stretching area), setting a poor example others. Finally, the snack bar ... I workout 5 days a week during prime hours and the snack bar is a ghost-town. Makes you wonder just how fresh their food can be if they can't sell it. Overall, it's a good gym. If they'd lose the attitude, it'd be a great gym.

Pros: Equipment, Classes
Cons: Price, Attitude

LPAC is a great club that creates an environment rather than just a health club. The staff of personal trainers cater to your individual training needs. The diversity of equipment and classes raise the bar for other clubs in the area. Great yoga for every level and a new Pilates core studio are great amenities as is the Kids Club, massage and even an outdoor climbing wall. The staff is enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Great classes include a bootcamp, state of the art spinning and even a triathlon training group with coaching. A new health food snack bar is a great option for a quick cup of gourmet coffee and or sandwiches or smoothies.

Pros: classes, personal training, environment
Cons: cost, crowded