Those in NYC - Gym question

Hey all...I'm looking to join a gym here in NYC. NYSC and Crunch both seem out of my price range for now. Is anyone familiar w/ Mid City Gym? Just wondering what feedback there is. And if it's a bunch of muscle heads or gay friends or what...

Thanks!

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Manhattan Plaza Health Club
43rd and 10th has a good gym and a great pool

I think its under a grand a year (cheap these days), and they also do a monthly membership where your credit card is charged.

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You might actually look into Bally's. If you're good at haggling, you can get a membership for just one of their branches (my old roommate goes to the one at WorldWide Plaza at 50th and 8th) and you can pay a LOT less. The aforementioned roommate pays about $40 a month for that membership and it's a good gym.
Crunch is about $85 per month and that includes the ability to go to any Crunch or Bally's.

I disagree about Crunch. They do have their problems- pushy sales managers and trainers, and half the lockers are broken- but they have some REALLY good classes and teachers. You just need to know who to take class with. They have a spin teacher and a yoga teachr who are among the best I've worked with- they whipped me into phenomenal shape. Bally's is much cheaper to join- but it's also disgusting. The locker rooms are apalling.

NYSC- just avoid altogether.

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Manhattan Plaza Health Club
Really nice facilities, $79/month, but realize that even though you're being charged month-to-month, you're committed to a 2 year contract that you can only break if you move 25+ miles away, or become physically incapable of exercising. The way they explain it to you makes it sound like you can "cancel at anytime"...perhaps that's because that is what they say.

Its cheap, they have good machines and they have SWIMMING POOLS.

The best Y pools are the Vanderbilt on far east 47th, and W. 14th. (a brand new facility). The West Side Y across from Lincoln Center has two smaller pools and can get crowded at lunchtimes.

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