Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Unpleasant young gentleman at the reception desk . He wasn’t able to cancel my membership in person because he didn’t listen to my information and he came out with an attitude not only to me as a member but to someone double his age. The young associate must to be trained for the job and teaching some manners. Grateful and thankful for the helpful and kind manager ( woman) that took over him.

Truly terrible customer service. They never answer the phone, put you on hold indefinitely, and we have been trying to cancel a membership there for 6 months. We were told to email them the one time we got through and we did like 5 times and no response, nothing and we kept getting charged. They had the audacity, after my credit card refused payment to continue trying to bill us, and I have to keep disputing charges! Capital One has informed me that not all merchants are blockable and so there's nothing I can do but continue to dispute the charges lol

This is a first impression review. I utilized this facility to access their indoor pool. I was able to do this using a one day guest pass (accessible from their website). I arrived for the 11am adult lap swim session. The schedule can be found on the website. The staff at the front desk was very friendly and informative. I was directed to the locker rooms downstairs, where the pool is also located. You can use any of the long lockers as long as you have your own lock. In the ladies locker room there are showers, a small sauna, and bathrooms. The area was very clean and modern looking. The pool was great. At the time I arrived, it was not crowded. There was a life guard on duty; he didn't say much but was pleasant. I swam for about an hour. I enjoyed my first time here and will definitely be returning.

The customer service sucks. I tried to cancel my membership and the young lady that completed my paperwork, never submitted the cancellation. However, I decided to continue with my membership three months later after realizing that my membership was never canceled. I was credited the three months. However, I asked that a member be removed so that a new member can be added. The guy told me he removed the member but when the new member tried to register, they had no record of me asking them to remove the other member. I am so frustrated and tried of their customer service. Also, when you call they are either speaking really fast to rush you off the phone and some of them have attitudes.

most important staple of my bed stuy life. the only place i frequent more regularly is my house. i love the classes and cherish the diversity. it’s extremely busy which means you have to get to classes 15 minutes early but c’est la vie… sauna is life

In March I canceled my membership and they keep charging me for the call and don't resolve anything. They're inept thieves. They say it's canceled but don't do it to continue taking money from you.

Big shoutout to Shamaira at the front desk who is always and willing to help anyone in need. She has taking my 8 million comments and handles with such patience . The equipment is state of the art and awesome ! Love the atmosphere

3 stars originally because some things are good here and some things are bad. But enough bad things that I switched to 2 stars and will be stopping membership. The good is that there is generally enough equipment for the amount of members here. The equipment covers most general population needs for aerobic and strength training. There is a basketball court and swimming pool. The bad: restrictive hours, restrictions on using the full ymca (court and pool), and faulty water fountains. The hours are fairly restrictive, especially on weekends. If you have a full time job or work on the weekend you probably will struggle to workout here. Also, the water fountains are consistently low pressure and run at a trickle and the filter lights are often yellow or red for weeks at a time. Some of the staff seem to care and most don’t seem to care. Finally, the basketball court and swimming pool are only open to general members at VERY few, specific times of the day — so if you have a full time job you most likely cannot use the YMCA pool or basketball courts — even if no one else is utilizing them when you are there. Overall, good equipment, but restrictive hours and few chances for general members to utilize the basketball court and pool; plus, faulty water fountains that are rarely working or have a green filter light. Edit: The YMCA regularly closes as well, per photo below. Not sure if they post any of this in advance, but it is frustrating to travel to the gym just to find out it is closed unexpectedly.

Amazing swim program - that coaches are so kind and supportive. They truly see the potential for greatness in every swimmer and support their individual growth. My child started in the swim lessons over a year ago and started with the Swim Team this fall. Over this time, my child has built so much self-confidence in and out of the water (and had so much fun). Additionally, they offer a lot of Family Swim sessions and it is never too crowded. For adults, the locker room, steam and sauna, cardio room, etc. are all very clean and everything is in good working order. I haven't tried the cardio or weight classes, but I know from friends there are some great ones, too. The front desk team is busy - but always very friendly (especially to kids :)). The membership is very affordable and provides great value. Thank you Bed-Stuy Y!!

I love the Bed Stuy Y. Mr Jeffrey in particular is so wonderful and helpful and so is the rest of their staff. Definitely gets busy but such is life lol.

I ran into the same issue that a lot of people are complaining about on this Yelp page. I cancelled my membership and they still keep charging my card. When I called just now to speak with someone about the issue, I was met with incompetence and rudeness. The website says to submit a written notice which I did but the awful lady I spoke with over the phone told me the opposite: you have to cancel in person. So what is the truth? Cancellation policies should be clear and up to date and readily available to all members. And the problem still hasn't been fixed. Most likely I will have to open up a claim with my bank now because no one at this location will help me. Think twice about signing up here because they'll trap you in a membership. And the worst part is that I make very little money as do so many of the people who go the YMCAs in general. We go because it's economical and in our neighborhood. So when you have a place like this that just wants to ring money out of you, it really really hurts.

Absolute shithole. Staff are rude and patronizing, classes are pathetically bad. They are even rude to children! Do yourself a favor and go to any other YMCA.

I love going to the YMCA on Bedford Ave. My favorite classes are Zumba on Monday, Wednesday , Friday & Saturday. My other class is Water aerobics on Wednesday. Monday is AOA. MY splashes ( pool) is on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. You have to get in it to win it. You won't regret it. Stay fit.

I never write reviews but had to for the Bed Stuy YMCA. I followed their website instructions to cancel my account 8 months ago and despite several calls to the branch and probably 10 emails at this point, they still have not canceled it and the $65 charge shows up on my account every month. It's infuriating! Save your money and go elsewhere.

I just joined this YMCA and I feel like for $68/month it is well worth the value. The weight room is well taken care of, the four lane pool has ample open adult swim times and is well maintained, and Zumba with Jorge is a particularly fun cardio class. In my opinion it has many of the amenities of a more expensive gym at a fraction of the cost, and I have found the staff and other patrons to be friendly and community-minded.

3.5 stars. I've been coming here for the past 2 years and it's a good basic gym for the price you pay. Pros: - You get a lot for $52/month: a 4-lane lap pool, modern exercise equipment with small inset TVs, weight room, indoor basketball court, saunas..etc - Pool: The pool is great and most of the time is clean and kept at a comfortable temperature. They offer all the basic equipment such as boards, buoys, and hand paddles, and much more for kids - During Daily Lap Swim (18 yrs+) - Any Level Mon - Fri 5:30 am - 7:55 am: ~50% of the time I have my own lane, and maybe 10% would you ever need to share a lane with 2 people - During early mornings I rarely have to wait for Ellipticals and Cybex Total Body Arc Trainers - I've read many negative reviews on the rude staff, but I have never encountered this during my AM visits. The front desk ladies always say hello when I swipe my card and when I tell them there are no more wet wipes, they replenish pretty quickly. The life guards during Lap Swim are always nice. - Changing rooms and showers are basic and clean (I wouldn't say spotless, but clean) Cons: - Poor Maintenance: My biggest concern about this gym is that it takes FOREVER to fix things, such as the water dispensers, broken gym equipment, and the Suitmate Swimsuit Water Extractor (which is so old it roars and shakes during use) in the changing rooms. I love to fill my water bottle in the main water station the cardio room, but it's been broken since this summer! - The array of indoor plants look dead or very sad - The 2 Stairmasters and the ONE rowing machine are very popular so there tends to be a wait, and for that reason I wish they added more of these. - The entire space can use a visual upgrade, especially the pool with it's scroungy outdated tiles - The pool hand paddles and boards are pretty old and grungy, these could also be updated Tip: - Machines are cleaner and there are fewer people at 7AM - If you have the NY ID, you get 15% off for the first year for new members. - Make sure you check with your employer if you get YMCA discount - Much of the info you can find on https://ymcanyc.org/locations/bedford-stuyvesant-ymca

The equipment was recently updated, the bathrooms renovated, and the air conditioners were replaced. I love it here, it's like "Cheers" everybody knows your name when you walk thru the door. Saturday mornings are super busy, because of the many programs that are available to children including swim instruction, ballet, karate, and Jr. Knicks basketball league. Child care is available for the little ones. I strongly suggest the sauna or the steam room after spin class. Zumba on Tuesdays have like a cult following, it's packed with Soca music and good vibes. The spin classes are the best, up beat music, engaged instructors, and new improved bikes. Gary's 8:00 a.m. boot camp also has a loyal following and he works you out. Sunday mornings here are peaceful and relaxing, treadmills are easily accessible late Saturday evenings and all day Sundays. Yoga on Sundays include music candles, dim lights, and meditation. It's a bit pricey, but your paying for ambience, familiarity, and community, you can't get that at Blink. Discounted memberships are available for municipal and government employees and financial assistance is available to all who qualify.

I just joined the gym and really love the pool. This was my second visit today and checked the Y app and it said there was an open swim and the times. No problem. I show up & there is a swim team occupying the entire pool. At first, I thought I read the app wrong. When I asked a staff member, I was informed the pool was "closed." I was then told "there are flyers." Staff members were polite, but I'm incredibly disappointed being a new member. Also hard to be in the building when you're a flight attendant and not in one spot often. Don't trust the website for schedules. Call them before, especially if you're using the pool. My advice: Please don't have an app if it's not accurate. Flyers do not qualify as a schedule. Disappointed.

This is a COVID review. This gym just isn't worthy he cost at this time. I wasted almost 100 dollars on a two person membership for January. You can't get any slots for swimming and there's no classes and most of the facilities are closed at this time. $20 at planet fitness makes more sense at this time

I will try to make this short as possible. Honestly they don't deserve any stars. 1. If you are looking for a quality gym with a great staff, equipment, and full access to everything in the building this place is NOT for you. 2.Extremely small and there aren't many machines. There is a 30 min time limit on cardio machines (because there are not enough). 3.The staff is extremely rude, and they always seem annoyed if you have questions. 4.If you are tech friendly forget about using the app for this location. It is never 100% updated with the correct info. And the option to have your card on the app doesn't work when you scan it at the YMCA. I tried to scan my card today from the app it did not work. The lady at the desk had an attitude saying "It doesn't work, it never works" I said ok what should I do she asked did I have ID. I told her no because being that I had it on my phone I thought that was all I needed because it is my card just on the app making it convenient. Still having an attitude, speaking rudely to me she states "No you still need your ID". So I proceed to leave and she finally let me in by manually checking my info through the system, saying rudely next time bring your ID. 5.It's extremely hard to contact them by phone. 6.The track is NEVER open. 7.During the summer there are children everywhere it will be like working out at Summer camp where you're the guest! ONLY having access to the few machines they offer. 8.The weight room has extremely bad odor. Like EXTREMELY bad. 9.Locker rooms are a little outdated but decent. I've never used the sauna or pool they never look too inviting or the cleanest. 10.Its just definitely not worth the money. You will deserve better.

The good: - This is a very family-friendly gym, that often organizes parties and activities for kids and families. A true beacon for the community. There's a party room, a computer room, and a kid watch room. - This is the only gym with a pool on this side of Brooklyn. After that, you have a pool at the Y in Cobble Hill and nothing else. The pool is clean, well kept, and relatively underutilized, despite the small size. - Free cholesterol and blood pressure screenings and free flu shots once a year in February. - A security guard on duty in the changing room most of the time. - Recently renovated bathrooms on the ground floor. - The people who work here are very friendly. - $49/mo membership. --- The bad: - Victim of its own success: with many new apartment buildings opening up on this part of the neighborhood, the number of members has increased a lot in the past 3 years or so. Good for the finance of the YMCA, but not that great for users. Expect crowding. - A lot of people use the sauna as their own personal laundry room to dry their sweaty clothes. - If you need to contact the director[1] or anybody who holds a position of responsibility above the employees who work here, nobody will get back to you. --- The ugly: - The weight room is too small and it gets too crowded too quickly: if you're coming here after work, forget about being able to use the single set of weights and one of the 3 benches before 8:30pm. Same during the weekend after 11am. - Broken equipment stays broken for months[2] - I saw a drug dealing transaction happening right in front of the windows in the bike room. Not great if you come here with your kids. ------------------------- [1] See my previous review from 7/31/2009. [2] This is unlikely to have anything to do with the people at the front desk, who are always very responsive (and very nice too).

I don't give the Y the credit it deserves. It is an organization that was made for the people. I belong to a corporate fitness center and sad to say, I HATE IT, but since my employer has a negotiated special rate, I reluctantly participate. But the Y is just a better place to put your money. And although this particular branch aint much to look at, think of the big picture. I came one night as a guest and the receptionist just logged me, and let me in. There was no selling involved. Thank you YMCA for being real! The cardio room serves its purpose and the treadmills are quite new with touch screens and each with its own TV. I have to say I like their cardio room better than at my own gym despite the small size. When I was finished my workout, sweaty, happy and pumped with adrenaline, I walk downstairs to the locker room. Along the walls are photos that children have taken and a caption underneath is about what they think of GENTRIFICATION. It was absolutely awesome. It is so great to have a place where children can have a voice. Thanks YMCA for being a meaningful organization, and not just another money-making capitalist scheme!

Was a member for over 12 years, I recently moved so I was canceling my membership. kept calling trying to cancel but no one picked up after multiple attempts and days. I finally reach someone and they say I have to come in. This is a big inconvenience so I say fine, I head all the way over there when I finally had the time and when I go to cancel, because it was the day of my renewal they said I was going to be charged an additional month and there was nothing they could do. Even after many previous attempts to reach out and me finally heading all the way back there. Some community organization.

It's definitely not the place I grew up going to....they have made a ton of improvements to the facility and programs they offer but I believed this happened only because of gentrification. There was no push to make these improvements prior to that. Additionally the Y has become really expensive and seemingly overcrowded. Although I live on the same block as the gym, I no longer attend because of the overcrowding and lack of authenticity that I grew to love about this place. Maybe I'll try again at some point.

Really rude staff. Also the acoustics are horrible. When the kids are running around their voices echo and it is an amazingly loud din. The fault isn't the children, it is the design. The staff doesn't listen when you talk, interrupts you and if one of their friends walks by they just start talking to them instead of helping you. I was a member at other YMCAs for about 10 years, but now go to a generic gym

I went to this location less than 24 hours after my 15 year old son signed up for a membership and the facility director left me in the lobby for 37 minutes after she was told I was waiting to speak with her!! She asked the receptionist what I wanted and receptionist replied that I had a question about the membership(which was $71 monthly) she looked at me and went in to her office and never returned..I will never forget the lack of customer service from Ms. Sonia Atherly. I will never refer this location to ANYONE!! i would recommend the Y in Park Slope immediately!! Stay far away from the Y at 1121 Bedford Avenue!!!

I have been a member since 2016. The YMCA has some good exercise programs. Most of the staff is helpful in person. However when you have to phone the Y for information, no one picks up the phone. The recording states to leave a message in a staff mailbox. I usually go to the Y at 5:30 a.m. in the mornings. I exercise in the cardio room. Unfortunately the cardio room is rarely air conditioned. When I voice my concerns to the staff about the lack of AC in the cardio room, the concern falls on deaf ears. There is a suggestion box on the entrance table. I am not sure what is done with the suggestions because on four occasions I have expressed my concern about the lack of AC in the cardio room in the mornings. I included my name and phone number and again no one responds to the concerns. If you like working out without AC then this is the place for you. For the monthly membership there are a lot of other places that you can work out that are air conditioned. Donna

Not bad at all. Love the pool even though they are never on time with scheduling. Locker room is clean always a plus . I agree with the other reviewers that the staff is very rude!!!

A solid gym, but with a few shortcomings. Let's start with the broad strokes. It's a bit pricey unless you get some kind of deal (low-income, state employee, family plan, etc.) it'll be around $50/month. This is an expensive gym compared to Blink Fitness or one of those other budget gyms, but this one has more stuff, like a pool, sauna, b-ball courts, funny little mini track, yoga/spinning classes, etc. So you might find it worth the extra cost. If you don't take advantage of those sort of things and are looking for a more basic, budget gym, this might not be your place. Other reviews have said that this YMCA has been a victim of its own success. I would kind of agree with this statement. The main problem with this gym is that too many damn people come, all the time, and the weight room and treadmills are often full. The weight room is poorly laid out, and just small to begin with. It could use another squat rack so badly, and another flat bench press station. I often find myself substituting a decline bench press in for my regular flat bench workout, because I just don't want to wait 20-45 minutes for it to open up, and to be assertive about claiming my spot in line. Also, other small various complaints: 1. treadmills often are "loose". I don't know how else to describe it, but as a fairly heavy guy (200 lbs), some treadmills skid out a bit under me when I'm running 8+ mph, and about 25% of the treadmills here do it. I come often enough to know which ones are the shady ones, but if that is important to you, then keep it in mind. 2. half of the drinking fountains don't work, because there isn't enough water pressure. Bummer. 3. When spinning classes are going on, they really blare the music. You can hear it in the weight room, and it clashes with the also-bad music they blare in the weight room. I wish all gyms would just stop playing music. C'mon, every single person has headphones in, and I really doubt it's the same song. Good things: 1. There is a nice community feeling here. They use some of the money for good stuff, and there are a lot of nice people who go here. Even if I resent them for making me weight to use the treadmills and squat racks. 2. The sauna is awesome 3. The hours are great. They are even open late (until 11 PM) on Fridays. Nice! Get a workout in before going out drinking. 4. Nice, funny little bike room off to the side. It's about the size of a bedroom, and clearly used to be an office or something, and was repurposed. But it's great if you like to bike. It is nice and quiet in there, except when someone is in there and sings along to their music (weird, but happens a lot) or when spinning class is going on, and then you are really in for it. 5. Location is great. For me, at least. That's about it. Members, do you agree? Still, this place earns 4 stars, because I freaking love it, and go almost every day. But eventually depreciation will get the best of it.

This Y has grown on me. While I still do not like all the kids that go here as their 'school gym' and that some of the patrons piss me off, like any gym if you figure out the right times to go, you're in workout heaven. Even better are the classes offered. I took swimming lessons here this past summer and the instructor was fantastic. The customer service here still needs some work, but even that has improved in the past year so not too many complaints on that front either. As the Yelp stars say, 'Yay! I'm a fan.'

Janice decided to turn away my 2 children and I today. Stating that we could not use our free pass because members have been complaining that to many outside ppl have been taking up space in the pool. I'm guessing that means white members complaint that a pool us black ppl pay day prices are invading there new space. I have had a membership but us blacks have to work and prefer to pay on a Sunday to use the pool. Now we are being denied access. I had to take my kids back home today. She didn't even say well as a courtesy for today since you haven't been here in a long time and did not know. Mind you! The other girl was willing to take my $16 per child, but Janice wanted to prove herself to the white bystanders and turned us away.

What you get in terms of equipment at the Y is fair for the price, but the management and staff are unprofessional and extremely disorganized. I tried to cancel my membership and it turned into a weeks-long ordeal involving multiple emails that went unanswered, a phone line that does not work, and eventually, an in-person visit that took nearly an hour and involved multiple staff members. There has to be a better way, especially given the pandemic. Worst of all, they refused to refund me a charge despite clear evidence that I had repeatedly attempted to cancel.

***** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE SWIM LESSONS ONLY***** I have a 5 year old son, who is not in the second session series of the swim classes. First go round was the bomb.com . The student to teacher ratio was great. All the kids was really enjoyed themselves and doing lots of drills in the water. They all got enough individual attention and were learning. This go 'round, Thumbs down. Has the YMCA hear of CAP OFF?! It was too many damn kids per group. My son did 2 drills max. Am I paying for my son to hang on the ledge for most of the class. Hell to the No!! I'm sure no one is!. They need to either have enough instructors to and break the groups up further or not accept as many children, I signed up early as hell waited on a hour long line to make sure my baby got a spot, late comers should just have to wait for the next session. stop being Greedy YMCA by accepting more kids than the program can handle. Its a hazard having some many kids , the teacher can not possibly watch all of them and we are not getting our monies worth! Not mention not even enough space on the deck for parents to watch their children. And don't even get me started on the "family dressing room"

This place has great modern equipment. More than that it's reasonably priced, which is not typical of other city Y's. That being said, the cheap membership fee means that this place has a ton of members.....it gets crazy busy! Nice place to work out, worth joining!

HORRIBLE and impolite Front Desk service. Lady is rude and unhelpful. No desire to pay any money for SUCH service.

The YMCA is like the best deal in fitness ever invented. As other posters have pointed out, the initiation fee is $75, and if you join with someone else as a family, it's something like $54/month, which of course is like $27 a month if split between two adults. BUT WAIT, IT GETS BETTER! If one of those adults is a city employee (for example, a teacher), then you get the discounted rate of $40/month for a family, or, split between two adults, ONLY $20 A MONTH. It's a steal of a deal given all the Y has to offer: cardio machines, strength machines, free weights, a pool, free personal training, free classes: yoga and pilates and dance, a ton of activities for kids, and more. All that, and I've never had to wait for the elliptical.

This place is disgusting. I have been a member of several gyms in my mere few years on earth. The NYSC, Crunch, YMCA, and Parks and Recreation. Of these gyms YMCA is the most ghetto and rank. Stank lockers, stank staff members, stank ID machine..never works...the people behind the counter is slow and rude. Ugh. No thanks oh yes the machines are dated and are often broken. If you really need to save money I'd go to NY Parks and Recreation the 23rd street branch is bright, spacious, with tons of machines and a pool for 75 per year. There are other branches throughout the boroughs.

I signed up for there promo where the $75 joining fee would be waived last week, and I already want to cancel my membership. Why, oh why can't a 24 Hour Fitness be in the area? I don't care for this place at all. The cardio machines suck, the weight room is severely lacking and small, no towel service (this is a first), and the staff is rude (you're really gonna make me stand in line just to ask if you have towels)? Idk, it's sorta close to my house but I wanna go somewhere else. I also don't like how they have kids hours so they're able to come in and work out, even if they don't know what they're doin.

I love this Y, I truly do. Excellent service, friendly staff, clean facilities, a pool, awesome classes, and a price that simply can't be beat. I just joined with a LivingSocial deal but I'm already pretty excited to come back, try some new classes, and get fit! It's pretty easy to get to, and their hours accommodate most schedules.

Just joined the Y and I am so glad I did. They have a huge weight room, but what I am into is the classes and they have a lot. The boot camp classes are really amazing. There's a great vibe and you are sore afterwords, even thought the hour is fun and goes by fast. My one complaint is that it's not closer to the subway, so it's a bit of a pain to get to. But, compared to Crunch (where I used to go) I'm so happy. It's so much cheaper and still has great quality classes. People are really friendly too.

Half of the staff here are friendly and welcoming. Sadly the other half vocally makes their opinion that you are NOT welcome very apparent. Lots of little micro aggressions like "EXCUSE me sir" in that condescending way or little jabs implying that you somehow aren't following imaginary rules that they perceive to exist. Perhaps their time would be better spent making sure the facilities are clean, that people wipe down machines, that cell phone conversations in the workout rooms cease, that locker room doors close automatically for the privacy of children, that the screaming children are contained to the gymnasium and enter through those doors. Instead of harassing paying adults for no reason. Billing cycles are maddening. They bill monthly (which is great) but require 15 days notice to freeze your account if you're traveling etc. Think about it... You have to plan your life months in advance just to figure out when you're going to be gone and when you need to contact them to make the freeze happen in time. Every single time I've planned a trip I've missed the window between my billing cycle and the advance notice I need to give to freeze membership; which means I am constantly paying for an active membership when I'm not even around. REALLY frustrating and totally unacceptable when you should just be able to do this kind of thing via website or app.

I've been a member of the Greepoint Y, the Park Slope Y, and now the Bed Stuy Y! They have all been great, and I do believe the Bed Stuy Y has the most recent renovations...or at least that's how it looks. I joined in January so I was able to avoid the initation fee. At $45 a month it ain't bad at all espcially for everything you get. I mainly use the pool to keep in shape for surfing...which is 25 meters (or yards?) long..which is not Olympic size, but meets high school standards. Way better than the Greenpoint pool which is half the size! I tried to use a treadmill during the weekend which was a huge mistake...I think all of Bed Stuy and Clinton hill was in there! I ended up running outside in the freezing cold instead! I plan to use the weightroom eventually, but there are always some muscle bound dudes in there pumpin' like crazy and I'm a skinny lightweight, so I feel like a nerd. The staff and lifeguards seem pretty nice and I haven't had any customer service issues. With only being a few blocks away it's a no brainer. Go Bed Stuy Y!

I've been going to the Bed-Stuy Y for a little over a year and have been really pleased with my experience. Nice staff, great classes, good-quality equipment. The fee is a bargain for NYC: only $49/month! Only issue is that with few gyms in the neighborhood, it can get pretty crowded, especially during weeknight evenings. During these times, don't be surprised if you have to wait 10-15 minutes to get a machine. Try adjusting your schedule to go during non-peak hours or take classes to enjoy a wait-free workout.

This is a terrific neighborhood gym: clean, spacious, modern, well run and maintained, with a great selection of machines, cardio equipment, free weights and classes, as well as a pool, sauna and steam rooms. And with the occasional exception of a grunting, dumbell-hogging musclehead, it's entirely free of the attitude (and obnoxious membership hawking sales types) that you'll find at virtually every chain gym in the country. The large staff has a truly positive, supportive vibe, and there's a real sense of community among the members, who seem to range from 15-80, and represent a pretty impressive cross section of Bed-Stuy. Sure, you could nitpick if you wanted to: the TVs don't always work on the treadmills (but y'all just know you shouldn't watch the tube while you work out), it gets crowded in the main room fairly easily, and there never seem to be enough 20-30 lb. weights to go around. But for $41 a month, why bother? It's a great deal, and if you wait a while, chances are you'll catch one of their "no joiner's fee" promotions, which makes it a no-brainer. Three thumbs up.

I would have loved to stay at the Y, but this is not the best gym for those who do floor exercises and yoga. I had to switch gyms because I got hit in the head by someone's free weight because of the lack of floor space (floors are crowded whether you workout in the morning or night). I would have also liked to see the space have more than one set of 15 pound weights. Otherwise, the staff is very friendly and it's a great gym for those looking to do cardio.

I've been a member of the Bedford Y for a few years. I like how well they have maintained it over the time I have been here to get my work out on. They have a number of different things that you can do. Different classes, free weights, machine weights. They even have this track on the upstairs floor which is pretty cool. I like how they sometimes have different community events and I feel like the place is well maintained. It has a definite presence in the community. I wish I could go to more of those events. My only real problem with this place is that if you have a job and go during the hours that most wage slaves go you might have a hard time getting to use the equipment you want to use.

The good: 1) It's a YMCA, which like all YMCA's is community-oriented -- it's part of the neighborhood, it's not all snooty like an Equinox 2) It's super cheap for a full-fledged gym with a pool 3) It has a full set of weight-lifting equipment (not just cardio) 4) It has a pool (my #1 reason for going) The bad: 1) They just don't invest in maintenance and it's really bad. The weight room *still* has a bad odor despite the renovation last year which was supposed to fix it. The swimsuit extractor has been broken for *weeks* without fixing, and every time I tell the front desk they act like they're hearing about it for the first time. The water fountains have been dribbling for months so you can't actually drink from them, and the push-bars to turn them on will fall off and not get replaced. And there are emergency pool closings all the time. 2) No towel service, and I've been told it's the only NYC YMCA without it. If you just lift weights and live nearby it's not a dealbreaker. But if you need to shower and go to work after, or use the pool, it's a major inconvenience to bring your own towel and deal with a damp towel in your gym bag all day long that mildews if you don't immediately remember to take it out of your bag when you get home. 3) The weight room plays blaring hip hop from a radio station that's full of commercials, always the same top-10 songs that don't change for months, and often is full of static because there's a problem with the antenna. It's 2019 -- just have a *silent* weight room and let us listen to our own music choice on our own earphones, like every other YMCA in the city I've been to. Or if you *insist* on playing music, at least subscribe to Spotify so it's commercial-free and pick a *good* hip-hop station that actually has variety and keep it at a reasonably low volume! So c'mon Bed-Stuy YMCA... seriously. Raise the price a little if you need to, keep up with basic maintenance, get some towels, and get rid of the blaring commercials in the weight room. It's just crazy how much nicer other YMCA's are -- the nearby ones in Park Slope feel like absolute luxury in comparison. Sure they cost a bit more, but surely there's a middle ground here?!

What used to be a shoddy gym is now completely overhauled, and a great bargain to boot. For those of you who live in the area but insist on going to Equinox, NYSC, and Crunch---shame on you. Take a tour of this gym and realize that instead of paying upwards of $100+, you can pay approx $25/mo (like me, no jokes) for a complete gym w/machines, free weights, cardio equipment, and classes. All of this is included in your base membership! I got in just before the renovation, so I got a great deal. But government employees, students, and a list of organizations they partner with receive additional discounts. Yours might be on the list! You just can't beat it. If you're truly about a workout this is a great gym to join for your body and your pockets.

I've been a member here for a while now and have slacked on writing a review. I generally go early in the morning when they first open around 5:30 am. At that time, you can have the run of the place since it's not crowded yet. There are always machines available at this time. I have no complaints whatsoever on the cardio area. This morning I went to run around the track (since using the treadmill doesn't give you as good a work out). The basketball/track area was completely dark. I thought that was odd. Went to the front desk and was informed that the boss advised not to turn on the lights first thing. Well, pretty please cuz it's dark in there!! The gentleman had no problem turning them on, and I could proceed with my workout. The only issue I have with the Y is that the front desk staff will sometimes be rude, or pretend they don't see you and leave you standing there like a lost kitten in the rain. (How I came up with that reference, I have no idea). Anywho, they do take some time when it comes to customer service. HOWEVER, no matter what issue I've had to talk to the front desk about, it always got resolved quickly. This is a fantastic place for the community. They have group classes, stuff for kids, and also offer educational info "seminars" on different topics throughout the month. Low rates, lots of choices and available to everyone. I recommend you run right down and check this place out!

pros: great price, new machines CONS: questionable customer service*, crowded at times *My brother is moving away from the area at the end of april, and so we had asked to remove him from the family account for the end of april. Apparently they didn't understand that (which can be understandable cause it can be confusing), and they had cancelled him at the end of march. So upon arriving at the gym, they would not let my brother in, because he had been removed (by no fault of our own). They then said that they could not allow him back on the family plan, and would have to put him on a new membership+initiation fees. RIDICULOUS! So they are telling me that there is nobody at the YMCA organization that can punch in a few numbers on a computer to fix an error that they caused. So, current members, be forewarned that canceling and adjusting memberships have to be ABSOLUTELY clear (and there are rules to doing such), or you'll get screwed in the end.

I love the Bedford Y! **I only take a.m classes so I cannot speak for the evening work out experience** The yoga classes I have taken (especially Tuesday's 6:30am Vinyasa flow class with Lia and the Hatha class on Fridays at 9am with Athallia) are excellent and on par with classes I have taken in yoga studios. Gary's boot camp class is a total workout and had me sore in places I didn't think muscle existed! The spin classes rock! I mostly take week day morning classes but have taken weekend spin classes that are great also (tho way more crowded). All the spin instructors are great and they are all different and offer something unique but some rock harder than others(6am with Nicole will easily burn 500 calories and tone that *** Michelle is also really high energy and Tabitha is great with form and technique) My only complaint is when you get up at 6 am in the morning to work out and the instructor doesn't show up and there is no replacement it is really disappointing...(that is why I gave it four stars) The pool is amazing and clean as well as the sauna and steam room. The locker room is adequate. The main fitness room seems to rock for the people that are in there (I am a group/class exercise kind of person). The staff are friendly and cool. They also have a "women of weights" class that teaches us ladies how to use the weight room and the fitness room strength training gear. It aims to get us less intimidated by those rooms and the gear (if you are a group fitness person like me). The instructor (Marguerite) is very cool and knowledgeable. I love the community center atmosphere as I always see people I know from many different facets of my Brooklyn life and I feel really comfortable here! It is worth getting up at the crack of dawn to work out here.

Wonderful community gym w/ a fantastic selection of classes, great equipment in a clean and friendly environment. Affordable and supports a broad range of programming for all ages. Grateful to have this in the neighborhood.

The Y's are great, and this one is no different. Such a great thing for the community, but also a legitimate work out facility. The Bed-Stuy Y has a pool, gym, free weights room, and a workout room with weight and cardio machines. They even offer classes, such as spinning, pilates, yoga, etc. The best part about this place is the reasonable price. My roommate and I got a family membership and with our student discounts, we were only paying $34/month! This place is clean, comfortable, the work staff is friendly, and it has everything you need. It can get crowded during rush hours, but that can be said for any gym in NYC. The spinning classes are great, so I highly suggest people take that if they can.

They are missing the last star because the front desk staff can be a bit rude but I can overlook it because I like this gym. A lil crowded during the early evening but I have never waited more than 5 minutes for any machines or equipment so I am not complaining at all. I love the fact that they offer family classes and have something for all members of your family to engage in. The prices are really affordable and they offer discounts for many companies and city workers. Go check it out.

I just joined this Bed-Stuy YMCA yesterday, and went to use it for the first time today. They reopened this year after a major renovation and expansion. I had noticed it many times before, but was reminded by the recent subway ad campaign to do more research and when I found out they had a pool, I got my act together and joined. It's a great deal: an adult membership has a $75 initiation fee and is $35/month thereafter. It's an *even better* deal if you have someone to join with (and don't mind one person being the primary member). I took 2 friends with me, who joined as a family: up to 2 adults for the same $75 initiation fee (just one fee for both people) and $52/month thereafter. This Y has a 25 yard pool with 4 lanes (where you will find me!), a gym/basketball court, an indoor track, a sizeable weight room, a large and well-stocked cardio room, and a couple classrooms. (Almost) all the classes are free, and they have all sorts of stuff: yoga, pilates, hip-hop aerobics (which I hear is awesome), and much much more. The locker room also has a sauna and steam room. (Oh! and renting a kit locker is just $5 per month!) Other services they offer that are awesome, but which I won't require are: free babysitting in the mornings and evenings (I'm not sure of the exact hours), a computer center with free computer and internet use, and a family locker room for the comfort of mothers coming with sons/fathers with daughters. Oh, and there is ample bike parking out front! Plus, all the staff there are exceedingly friendly. I am so happy!

What everyone else said. We're paying $50 a month for two of us. The equipment is like new. They've got a steam room, sauna and lap pool, plus spinning, large gym and tons of free classes. It can get pretty crowded on weeknights after work, but so does every gym. So in conclusion, I say: Don't join this gym! You don't want to pay half the price of NYSC for the same facilities! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!

I worked at one of the most expensive and really nice gyms in NYC so.. I didn't have to pay for a membership. But.. I am no longer employed with them and I had to find a gym close to home. Soo... I joined the Y in Bed Stuy. Over-all I really like this gym. Its your neighborhood gym. Not high end so please don't expect bells and whistles or towel service. Pros: Finally have new cardio equipment you can plug your ipod into. Friendly Staff Nice classes my Fave is the BOOT CAMP with David on Tuesday and Thursday nights People are friendly Cons: Small weight lifting area but... Im a girl and I go in there and hang with the guys. They give me the weights or bench when I need it. Bathroom on the first floor DO NOT USE IT No towel Service I really like this gym Im there all the time.