Downtown Durham YMCA

I love this Y! I joined early this year, mainly for the classes. Now you can go to any facilities in the Triangle for the same price and I’ve only been to the Downtown Durham and the Chapel Hill — Downtown Durham is much better.
The classes are excellent and the instructors pay a lot of attention to form, which makes things safer (this is not the case in Chapel Hill). There’s a lot of equipment and even at peak times I haven’t had to wait long for a treadmill. Staff is everywhere, eager to help and really friendly. I love that they will give you a locker and a towel.
Haven’t been in the pool yet but it looks really clean and there’s a nice selection of pool classes and lane times.
Parking is really easy at night.
Why not five stars? There are a few things I don’t like, one of which isn’t the Y’s fault but needs to be dealt with:
–I so wish the locker rooms didn’t have carpet and carpet-​covered benches. Every time I go in there I feel like I’m walking through a petrie dish. It’s ultrahumid in there, too. It’s very clean in there but at the same time, pretty gross. I’m not usually a germaphobe but please, give us tile and sanitize…
–The classes are so popular there are wrist bands and signup sheets. However, people from the previous class just stay in the room without signing up, so the classes are overcrowded anyway. I’ve also seen people sneak in to the end of the earlier class, avoiding signing up. So odd. Wish they would police this a little more.
–Which leads me to — we need a larger group fitness room. There doesn’t seem to be a way to do that easily though.
Everything else is terrific.

Nice facility. It’s always super busy, but that won’t stop your grind.

I’ve been going to the Y for over a year now. I’m already sold on the fact that you can use any of their four facilities in Durham (and you if you are traveling elsewhere, you can use the Y at the other place for a short span of time, but it’s probably best if you check in with the other Y first). I’ve visited the Hope Valley and Lakewood Ys but I frequent the Downtown facility the most.
Overall, it’s a pretty good gym. The facility is usually always clean and they always have plenty of towels to use. There are plenty of cardio machines, which means that even during peak hours and days you may be able to get a machine to work on. That doesn’t mean you’ll get your first choice, but there’s usually always something open. Access to weightlifting machines during these particular times is a little bit different but definitely understandable. They also offer exercise classes (spinning, zumba, yoga, etc.); I’ve never tried one out but they seem pretty fun. There is a pool, a dance studio, a track, and a basketball court — all indoors.
Another great thing is that you don’t have to sign up for a contract; instead, you pay month-​to-​month. For a gym membership that’s great, since — let’s be honest — one might fall of the wheel at any point. I also enjoy the Y because it’s the only gym — that I’ve heard of anyway — that is community-​oriented and really emphasizes youth development and education. I support that.
One of my few gripes is that when there are dance classes in the studio, access to floor mats is limited, so we all have to compete for 6 or so mats outside of the dance studio.
Disclosure: I worked at the Y for like two months. I quit my job but I still kept going. It was really that month-​to-​month membership that hooked me in.

The Downtown Y is awesome! I’m there most mornings when they open at 5:25, wish they opened at 5. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The place is very clean, and well maintained. Many treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and the likes. Only a couple of grievances, there is a swim team or class that use many lanes of the pool from 6am until after 7 on Wednesday and Friday, making the pool too crowded for the amateur swimmer, and time limits are not well observed, for instance there is a guy on MWF that ties up 3 stations in the fitness center for an hour, while he meanders around the track, it would be nice to be able to share those stations.
Cell phone usage, and folks that don’t re rack their weights are annoyances that occur at every gym, so overall the Downtown Durham Y is well worth the money, I look forward to starting my day at the Y.

The downtown YMCA is a hit or miss. First off, membership is pricey when first approached, however when you consider your access to all Durham Y’s, racquet ball courts, gyms and pools, it’s not incredibly unreasonable if you take advantage of these benefits. For example, the downtown location is closest to my house so I workout there on the weekends while the Lakewood location is closet to work, so I’ll hit it up during off times (note: some locations are much smaller then others…)
When you walk in the he door you are greeted, checked in and given a towel and locker key if desired. The downtown pool is the only Durham YMCA indoor pool (Hope Valley has an outdoor pool). The hours are posted but are inconsistent even when posted which can be annoying if you’re a regular lap swimmer. There’s a large gym where they have pickup basketball games and the larger workout classes. They also have a track above the gym if you despise running on a treadmill (however I believe you have to run it 14x around to hit a mile). They have about fifteen or so treadmills (with mini built in fans, this is a plus for me! And also the NikeFit program and an iPhone 4/​iPod jack), two ergs, several bikes, elliptical machines, etc. I’ve never gotten to they gym and had at least one treadmill unavailable to me. However the five yoga mats fill up quickly. Free weights and weight machines are also available and in high usage. I’ve attended a couple of the cardio classes which are a good way to get some cross training in on those days that you need a boost.
Overall, this YMCA is very average and well used. You can get a good workout in but I always clean machines before and after. The locker rooms are very well used as well. Open showers with one drain in the middle– I always hope an edge shower is available!– sauna and stream room as well, I’d just encourage people to wear shoes and get in and out quick. They do have hair driers in the woman’s locker room and a «bathing suit drier». If you’re looking for luxury this might not be your place and from experience it’s not a «make friends» gym either – although the staff are always welcoming but never talkative.

I have been looking for a gym since I moved to Durham, and for the money the YMCA can not be beat. I have only used the Downtown Durham YMCA, as it is the closest to my house, but I will eventually try the others. While yes it can get busy, I have never had a problem finding a machine that I want to use. I also like that they included towel and locker service (surprisingly a lot of gyms don’t do this). I have yet to use the pool but I do like that it is there and I will eventually use it.
Also the biggest plus for me is that they have two rowing machines. As a former rower this automatically earns a 5 star rating as it seems that only the crossfit gyms have them in the area (and I am not about to do crossfit)

Great gym with all the amenities. Large gym floor space with plenty of cardio equipment, cycling and yoga room, indoor track, basketball court, swimming pool, steam room and sauna. This YMCA even has a daycare so you can drop off the kiddos and hit the weights like Arnold. Even though this location can get a bit full at times, it certainly offers the most.

There are a couple different locations within the Durham YMCA group but I’ve only used two-​Downtown and American Tobacco. Both are rather different and depending on what you’re going after and perhaps who you’re wanting to workout with, one may better better than the other for you.
Downtown Durham YMCA: This tends to be the hub of all the YMCAs in Durham. It’s big and has more to offer you in terms of variety and classes, from those wanting to cycle to those looking for big group bootcamp-​type classes. This YMCA also has a pool, saunas, basketball courts and equipment that’s not present in the other YMCAs. Now, with the size comes a few pitfalls. Unless you come at an odd hour such as mid-​afternoon, this YMCA is usually busy and has lots of traffic. Even though it’s the central location and the main branch, the parking lot is small and parking in the surrounding areas can be tricky and limited. This YMCA accommodates those with kids so you sometimes have to put up with kids sitting alongside the main workout floor, or parents wanting to workout alongside their tweens, teens coming up from the gym to the main workout floor in groups, etc. Another downfall is the people that come to this YMCA can be, at times, pushed for time and impatient, prone to approaching you in the middle of working out on a piece of equipment or when you’re in the middle of a set asking when you’re going to be done.
American Tobacco: For those looking for a smaller, slightly more intimate and less-​crowded space, this YMCA location may be for you. I believe fewer come here because it’s a bit tucked away and feels farther away from the Downtown YMCA that’s just 5 minutes away. This location is small enough where the staff gets to know you a bit better than the staff at the other YMCA location. People that come to this location don’t seem as rush or impatient as they do at the downtown YMCA. With a huge parking deck nearby, there’s always available parking, even if there’s a show at the DPAC or a game at the athletic park. One downfall tends to be fewer classes and not as much variety in classes and no weekend hours (though sometimes in the spring and summer they do open for a few hours on Saturdays). For those with kids, this YMCA probably isn’t for you because they don’t offer childcare like the Downtown YMCA.

Great gym room, spinning room, and indoor track. The kickboxing class I took was on half a basketball court and was NOT up to my standards (think running in place most of the time). It was the day before thanksgiving so maybe they had a sub teacher. I do expect more from the Y in terms of group fitness, but I’m happy to just work out on my own in the weight room.

When I’m not pounding the pavement, I’m at the Downtown Durham Y, pounding the treadmill belt (or not working out at all, which is more likely).
I’m an antisocial exerciser, so, when I go to the gym, I skip the locker room and go straight to the cardio equipment, stretching area, and some weight machines. I’ve considered classes, but always talk myself out of them. I also occasionally run the suspended track, but it’s really small (something like ¹⁄₁₆ mile) and almost makes me dizzy.
All this is to let you know the scope of my review, by the way.
Moving on! The cardio equipment is nice. It’s not state of the art, but it is nice, and machines are rarely out of order. Most of them face the same way – the TVs and the rest of the gym – but a few face the windows so that you can people-​watch on Morgan St. Also, if you have a window spot, people walking by can look at your (my) lovely (miserable) face instead of my hot (jiggly) behind.
The facility gets very crowded during rush hour (6:00−7:00ish am and pm, mostly), and the machines are very, very close together. Watch out for wild elliptical handlebars! It’s also always really hot in there, and the fans don’t do much.
If you’re into a basic workout, the DTD Y is great, and priced accordingly.

It took me a long to find a gym in the area I truly felt comfortable in, which says a lot since I would already be considered a «gym junkie.» I LOVE that they don’t make you commit to some crazy contract (i.e. 3-​year contact) and it’s just a month-​to-​month commitment. My workouts are centered around heavy lifting (deadlifts, squats, bench, chin-​ups, dips) and the gyms hav everything you need.
American Tobacco Location
–Laid back
–Workers are very friendly & welcoming
–Clean weight room and locker room
–Open layout (doesn’t feel cramped)
–Professional crowd
–Busy at lunch (more so than other gyms because of the location) and right after work
Downtown Durham Location
–Much larger than American Tobacco –they have basketball courts, an indoor track, and a lap pool.
–Unlike the American Tobacco location, they have 2 power racks (AT has a squat rack, but you can’t adjust safety bars).
–If you prefer a more intensive lifting environment, I would go to this location.
–Generally, it’s more busy than the American Tobacco location.
Overall, I really enjoy working out at this gym, but here are a few suggestions for improvement:
–More bumper plates
–Heavier kettlebells
–Nicer locker rooms at Downtown location
–Longer hours and Sunday hours at American Tobacco location
–Power rack at American Tobacco location

I love the Y. I’ve been a member for a while. I like the downtown Y and the American Tobacco location too. I go to school in the AT campus so it’s perfect for me. My fiancé loves the classes, especially Amy’s (I’m pretty sure that’s her name) spin classes. I’d give it a 5 star rating but there are a couple of things I don’t love, such as the lack of kettle bells for me

They open at 5:30 am on the weekdays. That makes me very happy, because in today’s fast paced world I need to find time to work off the stuff I ate in the cheese factory review i just finished. ;)
They just remodeled the place not too long ago and it is certainly nicer! The child care facilities are wonderful also.

I am a big fan of the Durham YMCA. When you join the Durham YMCAs you receive a membership to four locations. One location is open as a pool but the other three offer fitness classes as well as gym, and workout equipment. I find that there is always a class I can attend – it just might not be to my liking. Just like every other gym right after business hours it can be crowded but that is to be anticipated. I can usually get on the workout machine I want but occasionally I have to wait a few minutes. The fitness instructors are very friendly and certainly helpful. It doesn’t hurt that the YMCA is such a great value either.

I do like the Downtown Durham YMCA however I gave it 3 stars for a few reasons.
1. Both of my kids took swim lessons (ages 8 and 9) at this location. However they still cannot swim in the swimming area with out one of their parents present? Even with lifeguards on duty? Do they not have confidence in their swim classes? Not to mention both of my kids are tall, and can stand in even the deepest sections of the children’s pool.
This makes it difficult for me and my wife to work out on the same day stretching a gym visit from one hour to closer to two. I will watch the kids while she works out, and then she will watch them while I work out.
What is the point of having lifeguards then?
2. Equipment /​free weights during peek hours. The staff needs to enforce more common courtesy rules during peek hours. Signs are up for 30 minute limitations but are not always followed. I went in the other day, and trying to get a bench in the free weight area is almost impossible during peek hours. This day there were benches available, however there were about five men who had pushed all the benches to the side and had about 10 different sets of weights out in the floor space and were using the whole area for more than an hour, it is ridiculous that the staff allows this. not only could i not use a bench, even though it was available because of the lack of space, but they were ‘using’ or rotating so many different weights at one time i couldn’t get the weights i needed.
At almost 100 $ a month now for a family membership, I really am starting to wonder if I am getting my moneys worth here. If i can find a pool for my family to swim in, I will consider leaving.

I LOVE THE DOWNTOWN DURHAM YMCA. Maybe it’s because way back in the day, I jazz danced to the famous tune by the Village People. Or maybe it’s just due to the overall community feel that you would expect from a local Y.
When I moved to Durham, finding a gym was one of my top priorities. I tested out Millennium Gym on Hillsborough Road and hated it. Their cardio machines seem to be from the stone age and it was never ever busy no matter what time I went. Not a good sign.
Enter the YMCA. Though it’s a little farther from my apartment, it’s completely worth it. They have a great, affordable breakdown of monthly rates that vary based on your age and number of people you want to be members (such as single vs. family membership). I”m a Young Adult member (for those under 28) and pay a monthly fee of about $ 30.
All the major cardio and weight equipment is on the second floor along with a running track that circles above two basketball courts (14 laps = 1 mile). Their equipment and free weights are up to date, and I’ve never had a significant wait for a machine. Plus, there’s free coffee that I can help myself to when I’m done working out.
The best thing to me, though, is that true community feeling I get from this place. There are two women in their 70s that give me funny compliments on my work outfits in the locker room each morning (such as telling me I have «saucy» tights). Then there is Heather, an awesome spinning instructor who tells HYSTERICAL stories about her kids while kindly killing you to the sounds of Journey and Madonna. And then there are the the monthly Member Appreciation Days in which the staff thinks of unique ways to thank members. Everyone makes you feel like you’re part of a huge family.
If you can’t tell, I’m a big fan and am definitely a member to stay.

The Downtown Durham YMCA has been a popular gym in Durham of many years (probably because it is one of the FEW gyms in Durham that is easy on the pocket). I personally enjoy the atmosphere, and I do feel I get a good workout.
The general floor has a good amount of resistance and cardio equipment, but during peak times you do tend to have a lot of regulars eating up the machines. The regulars themselves are friendly, and you will find a good workout partner if not good conversation.
I judge my gyms by a clean locker room. Rarely has this locker been dirty, and the maintenance staff is «on it» when there is a problem.