text: The low overall rating in my opinion is a totally inaccurate summary of the JCC They provide a TON of different services having to swipe your card twice at the door or finding a broken treadmill should not be the basis for a bad review of a large organization that provides childcare gym space cultural activities classes lecturers festivalsit is so much more than what people are describing herennI go to the gym at the JCC because I live extremely nearby It is incredibly convenient for me I think the price is reasonable and you can get a couples membership that is cheaper than two single memberships As a young adult couple we pay a month only slightly more than a single membership so that is a great deal Especially coming from Chicago a month is nothingnnWe do not have the more expensive upgraded membership so we use the standard locker room if you have the fancy membership you use the adultsonly locker room with a hot tub and TV and couches and stuff but it is totally fine Sure there are kids scampering around but please remember this is a community center not just a gym so there are kids changing for swim lessons and things like thatnnI think the gym facilities are great and I have no idea what anybody would complain about Even at peak hours after pm on weekdays I can almost always get right on a treadmill The only exception to this was the first months of the year when New Years Resolution folks swarmed the gym But that will happen anywhere so it is not the JCCs fault Generally there is no line of people waiting for cardio equipment Any gym where I can immediately get on a treadmill at pm is a miracle in my book in Chicago not a chance The treadmills and ellipticals I think have individual TVs you can bring in headphones and watch TV while you run Some of the audio outlets can get wonky at times but you can almost always find a treadmill with one that works perfectlynnI think the weight room is wellequipped It is not the biggest ever but honestly it is not ever crowded so clearly they have all the equipment to meet the demand I do a wide variety of upper and lower body exercises there are several machines for all muscle groups and lots of free weights Occasionally a machine is broken but not nearly as often as other commenters have said nnWe like the staff at the JCC one of the guys in the cardio room always remembers us and our names and tells us when a new machine has come in so we can try it I have never worked with a personal trainer I have no idea how good they are I know they all have various types of accreditation and degrees in sports medicine and exercise science you can look online and see their qualifications I probably will not be trying their training just because I am confident in my workout routine as it is I did take a group exercise class once each unless you have a fancy membership and it kicked my BUTT in a good way so my impression of the classes is positivennLike with any gym when you join there are rules about payment early cancellation that kind of thing Just ask in advance and get it in writing Do not try to cancel halfway through the year and expect them to stop billing you immediately be smart take the initiative and plan in advance if you know you need to cut out of your contract early They told me upon signing that they prefer year contracts but they are willing to work with people who need to cut out early for reasons that cannot be helped like moving but you need to be proactive about it Just a pet peeve of mine when people complain about this the gym I used to go to in Chicago had some weird rule where you had to write a letter to the corporate headquarters to cancel Everyone on Yelp was writing reviews like I cannot cancel they keep charging me this gym suuuuucks but if you just read your contract or you know ASK a little in advance you can learn how to do it without getting overchargednnI have not engaged in many of their community activities since I am pretty much an atheist and not super connected to Jewish culture but we did stop by their Israel Independence Day Festival they had a petting zoo and they have had lots of other cool things going on for community members The JCC supports health community involvement child developmentit is way more than just a place for you to work out