Health and Fitness

And the Winner Is…

Behind the gothic façade that appears dark and mystique even when Stern MBA 1's and 2's are not using it's facility for the annual Halloween Party, this gym has all the accoutrements of your typical space. A cardio area, weights room an accommodating staff willing to assist or direct your work out experience. This is David Barton; one of the many gyms New York has to offer. But what separates Stern students from the many New Yorkers who clock a nine to five (aside from the dependable paycheck guaranteed at the end of each pay cycle) is the obvious dilemma as to whether or not a gym membership is even justifiable. After all, as an NYU student both Coles gym (conveniently located a few blocks from Stern) and the Palladium at East 14th Street, are entirely free! Well, relatively free (it's really just a perk thrown in with what I like to call our "competitive" tuition but free sounds so much better).

So you're faced with the dilemma, what is the point? Why should I increase my living expenses to accommodate a gym when I've already been given full access to a facility 2 ½ blocks away from where I spend well over a majority of my time? Let's consider the pitfalls and benefits. Let's just flush out the advantages and disadvantages:

Coles/Palladium:

No Pressure: This gym accommodates a student schedule. There's no pressure to get there at a particular time. While NYU sports facilities offer classes, you may never feel obligated to take them. They're a "nice to have" but at the end of the day, these gyms are best for getting in and getting back to work as quickly as possible. It's a perk that you'll loose when you're no longer a student, so it's a carefree and effective way to get no frills to the point exercise, with no pressure.

Cha-Ching: Working out at Coles requires no additional commitment beyond your enrollment at Stern. Membership gyms charge a fee, plain and simple.

Accommodations: This is where things get dicey. Anyone who's been to the Palladium or Coles (and I've been to both) can relate to the, how shall I put it, unstable locker room situation. I'm not sure how far in proximity the locker room is from the pool, but to say the atmosphere is as close as you will get to a maritime setting this far inland in Manhattan would be an understatement.

Crowd: There are always people here. Well, not always, the early mornings are pretty slow and lax. It used to be that way during noon/lunch as well, but that came to a screeching halt once we sunk farther into fall. So at "peek times" this place can be packed. Filled with aerobic co-eds and a few of us grad students sprinkled about.

Membership Gyms:

Comfort: In a majority of these gyms there is a woman in the locker room. She has cleaning supplies in her hands she's usually collecting towels, making sure the locker room is as presentable as she can make it. There's no need to guestimate when the place was cleaned last because there is a housekeeper always in plain sight.

Classes: Some gyms use this as a differentiator. They have an array of classes from pilates to kickboxing that may partly be the reason for incurring the monthly fee.

Location, Location: Not only do these gyms surround NYU but also for those of us that live farther away from campus, these gyms have multiple locations and more convenient access.

Fees: At the end of the day you're stuck with an extra bill. On average these gyms cost between $100-150/month. There is also a market for premium specialty gyms with a price premium.

The Sell: Don't you feel like you're always being encouraged to do something new when you're a member of a gym? Take on a trainer; try this new class, etc. I've been talked into more useless classes than I care to admit, and I don't mean to take away from those truly unique classes that do differentiate their services, but I could do without the occasional hard sell.

I'm not sure that there's really a winner, but at least you have all the necessary information needed to make an informed decision.

NYU Gyms:

Coles Gym 181 Mercer St NYC

Palladium 140 E. 14th St NYC

Membership Recommendations:

David Barton 4 Astor Place NYC

NY Sports Club: 232 Mercer St NYC