Westside Family YMCA

Amazing place for kids and adults! My son takes itty bitty sports class and he ‘s it! Coach Chris H. Is amazing with the kids. This is our second time around and I can’t wait for my daughter to be old enough to take this class!
The child care here is also top notch. Great place to take the kids while you work out!
Chris H and Chris T make this ymca the best gym around!

This review is mostly for the SMART 12 week program. I came to the Y as a newbie worker-​outer. I used to do a little bit of running and biking, and knew like, 2 ways to lift free weights. I signed up for the VERY affordable 12 week workout with 8 sessions with a trainer. I was connected with Matt, and he is AWESOME!
I’ve seen big changes in both my body and my feelings towards the gym. I don’t always want to go, but now it’s become a habit. I have met with Matt once a week which has been a big part of staying motivated. First, I know exactly what I’m doing each week, and second, I know that if I have questions I have a chance to ask him about it before I hurt myself accidentally! He’s also great with motivating me via text or email.
My workout plan is custom made for me– when I struggled with a specific machine due to my height, we found something that worked better. I don’t feel that I’m going through someone else’s cookie-​cutter workout plan. I’m also learning for the future when I finally go off into the world all by myself. I’ll probably still set it up to meet with him occasionally to double check my form and make sure my plan still works.
Anyway, go to Matt! He’ll change your life!

This review is for the ymca westside’s youth basketball program, which I really think is amazing. You can start your kid at age 4 – 5 in Itty Bitty Basketball (Coach Billy) on tuesdays/​thursdays from 4;15−5pm. For ages 5 – 6, they graduate to Rookies 1 and then Rookies 2 (Coaches John and Chris), which is also Tuesdays/​thursdays 3:30 — 4:15 for Rookies 1 & Rookies 2 is 4:15−5pm. All of these classes focus on basic fundamentals of basketball and then the kids play a game for about 5 – 10 minutes at the end. At age 6 and after the Rookies series, they move on to basketball league. By then, the kids would have developed a good foundation of basic skills like dribbling, passing, shooting, etc.
the cost for itty bitty & rookies are currently $ 70 (itty bitty) or $ 90 (rookies) for non-​members for 6 weeks. Rookies 2 requires the uniform for $ 20, and the uniform will be used later for basketball league. They run these classes year-​round with no break (except for major holidays like Christmas and New Years). Class size is relatively small – about 10 kids for Itty Bitty and even smaller for Rookies.
A year after taking Itty Bitty and Rookies, we just joined the basketball league, and it’s great! There are currently 6 kids on our team, so they get alot of play time. Out of the 6 kids, 5 of them played together at some point during itty bitty and Rookies. All 6 kids have a great foundation through the YMCA program. Practices are tuesdays or fridays around 5pm for ages 6 – 7. Games are 9am for this age. I LOVE that games are at predictable times and at the SAME time every week – unlike most leagues. They don’t keep score at the young age and they encourage good sportsmanship. The older kids play later on Saturday mornings, but it’s at the same time every week. The coaches referee and they play half court. The cost is about $ 175 for non-​members for about 10 weeks. I think they run league fall (sept-​nov), winter (january-​march), and spring (april-​june). Summer league is for ages 8 – 14.
The coaches are volunteer, but the Itty Bitty, Rookies coaches (Billy and Chris) also coach league. John is the director of the basketball program. He is extremely nice, responds to email promptly (tuesdays-​fridays), and explains basic basketball skills very clearly to the kids. This is the best program to start for young kids – especially before they start kindergarten when they play sports for recess/​lunch.
They also have basketball drills clinics in the summer (july and early august) and winter (first 2 weeks of december) for ages 7+ for tuesday/​wed/​thursdays ages 5−7pm for 2 weeks. The current price is $ 135 for 12 hours of clinic.
The basketball court is indoors and air-​conditioned. There’s a parking lot for $ 2. You will need to bring $ 2 for a token to exit the lot. You can also park on the street, but be careful about the signs.
In a year, ymca westside will be moving to University High School. They are supposedly building a bigger and better gym that will be shared with the high school.
Through this basketball program, my son (beginning at age 5) became much more confident and athletic. It was the single best thing we did to prepare him for kindergarten. He had previous played tball in little league, soccer, and other preschool sports, but the ymca basketball program was the since best thing we did to shape his self-​confidence and mkae it easier for him to make friends. Thank you to Coaches Billy, Chris and John!
Other moms recommend to check your local ymca for basketball program, and every ymca is different (Santa Monica league practices twice a week and stays together for years and plays again culver city and is very competitive. Culver City ymca practices outdoors and plays games at the CC middle school). I think that this ymca westside is a true gem for the kids’ basketball program.

The freeweights area is outside, except it’s in a vinyl, mildewy tent. Granted, at least one A/​C unit at LA Fitness in Westwood is broken absolutely every day of the year. But sometimes it’s working near the squat rack. So this is uncomfortable and stinky in the summer, and would probably be hand-​hurty in the winter. Also there are no collars for the barbell weights, so your equipment is going to be sliding all over the place – especially during deadlifts and bent-​over rows.
The pool is indoor and good if that’s your primary workout. For weights, I’d skip it. So, for the price ($ 60/​mo, plus $ 2/​workout to park), it’s hard to justify as a full gym membership. You could do David Barton for $ 80/​mo and swim here for $ 60/​mo plus parking… but at that point you’re basically paying Equinox rates. You might as well do Equinox.
Pool only, though, I’d go for it. You can even get here from east of 405 if you cut under the freeway on Ohio and then go down Sawtelle. Tried it at 5p on a Monday and it was nearly painless.

This YMCA is pretty clutch. It’s a bit of a drive for me but it’s worth it. I messed around with a few gyms (24 Hour, L.A. Fitness, other YMCAs) before I found this one and to be completely honest, it was the squat rack that brought me here. Other YMCAs only had Smith machines and 24 and L.A. were way too packed and expensive. Once I saw the pictures of the free weight room, I had to come check it out.
One of the things that really makes me like this weight room is that it is very old-​school and simple. Very classic, tried and true equipment like barbell stations for bench press and squats, dumbbells, chinning bars and cables. Another plus is that it is not crowded, and you almost never have to wait for equipment. Plus there is an open track outside you can do bodyweight stuff on so you are never in the way of someone in the free weight area. People are pretty chill and everyone minds their own business. The only reason I give 4 stars is because of the drive I have to take to get over here, but if you live in the area or somewhat close, this is one of the better kept secret gyms there is.

I really like this place. But it’s a bit strange to me that this place is more expensive than 24hr Fitness or LA Fitness. I understand it’s non-​profit, but it makes no sense to be more expensive than those other franchised.
I really hope they revise their business model. I would be down to pay their price if there was more incentive to be helping out the community. But this is just bad business.
Everyone is nice though.

This gym is very nice, clean and affordable. I also love the swimming pool. My son is also a member of YMCA for many years and gets basketball and swimming lessons. He loves going there for practices and games. They also have a outdoor parking lot which is $ 2 per entry. The child care is free. I recommend this YMCA to families. It is very family friendly.

I decided to join this Y and cancel my other gym membership because my daughter takes swimming lessons at the Y. The instructors for swimming are excellent and my daughter will continue to take swimming lessons. I joined the gym because it had everything my other gym offered, which included towels. This Y has stopped providing towels so I will caution anyone who joins. I am going to discontinue my membership for the gym. Most people don’t bring towels to the gym and it makes the equipment very gross. It’s also nice having a towel for a shower. It’s such a small thing but it’s an omen when gyms start cutting services that were included.

I have been a happy member for about a month now. Here are my reasons why I chose the YMCA over other ~fancy~ gyms:
— It is far less intimidating. I feel very comfortable here
— Even during busy times, there are still plenty of machines available
— Tons of free weights
— The upstairs free weight tent (that has the squat rack) is surprisingly awesome. Weights are always put back in their rightful places.
— Very affordable for college students or recent graduates like myself
— Kind and helpful staff (shout out to Feltus!)
A big plus is that this Y moving to a brand new location soon! That means even more space and probably updated equipment? Anyway I thought that I wouldn’t like this place because it’s not as «nice» as other local gyms but, hey, I come here and get my s*** done and that’s all that matters.

Family friendly and willing to work with you on the prices based on financial need. Works great if you want a family membership. You don’t have to pay extra for childcare. It’s included. Other gyms I’ve belonged to in the past charge $ 2-​$ 7 per visit. Parking is not an issue. I park on the side street or occasionally at a meter. Kids can take swimming, gymnastics, dance, jujitsu, Zumba for kids, and many more classes while parents work out. It’s a win win. Everyone stays active.

This gym is awesome, they have a lot of space and the Alice and wonderland comment is true! The best part about this gym is that they have loaner gear including jockstraps for all the guys to wear. It’s nice to see them offering this service to guys, proper support while working out is important. The men’s locker room is great too, plenty of room, 2 separate Mens gang shower rooms, a jacuzzi, steam room, and dry sauna. I commend the management for keeping this place open, I love it and wish more gyms would be built this way. It’s reminiscent of the good old days when gyms could be a fun place to make friends. Guys hanging around the locker room in their jockstraps, snapping towels, having a blast!

This a great deal if you want your 3 – 5 year old enrolled in many very useful classes, including swim, creative dance, sports, and gymnastics. Their classes cost a fraction of many other «professional» centers for dance and gymnastics, and provided very good value and practical skills for my child, with excellent coaching. I would be willing to increase the star-​rating once they move to the new facility (in couple of years) and improve their locker room cleanliness and moldy smell issues. The family locker room was especially an issue, nearly unusable due to musty, bad smells and lack of towels. The girls locker room also lacked private stalls. One plus is that you can squeeze in a work out while you child takes the classes, or while the child stays at their daycare area. Overall, the community and staff are very personable and friendly, beyond my expectations for such a densely populated location. It is something you don’t find going to the typical «profit» oriented gym environments. Having most extracurricular classes in the same place and seeing the same staff including their friendly youth program directors also benefits children’s sense of security and ability to make lasting friendships. We only need better attention to facility matters to be fully satisfied.

I generally like this place — but a concern of note is that every so often a «warning» is put up in the men’s locker room that thefts in lockers take place. Doesn’t the Y have security cameras to figure out who these idiots are??? And yes, YMCA administrator, you can’t control rumors, but it’s your responsibility to control security in your building ;)

$ 150 = sign up fee
$ 59 = monthly dues
And +$ 10 monthly if you want to visit all Ys in LA
So… I was thinking if joining the Y because A.) it’s close to my house, B.) it’d be less drama getting in and out, C.) it’d be less pretentious than other gyms, and finally D.) it’s probably the more economical option. Not.
The fees alone are that of a Gold’s, or 24-​hr, minus the nicer amenities so why pay the same for the Y? It’s a little dingy, dark, and not as «fun.» Fun being the crowd, atmosphere, environment, etc. Unless you’re walking over, the private parking is packed. So now it’s just one «plus» — being close to home. It’s a hefty price tag for a Y membership when you ask me. I guess if you have kids or are signing up for a family bundle, it’s a better option, but I’ll be passing on this for now.

I’ve only done the 7 day free trial for this YMCA, and I’m already very impressed. I say that mostly because it’s such a calm, comfortable atmosphere. I can come in, work out, won’t be bothered by a sales pitch, won’t have to wait for machines. It is a bit disorganized given the space. Workout equipment is placed in hallways and different floors, totally ramshackle. But as long as the equipment functions, which it does, who cares where it is. It’s almost double the price of the other franchise places like, LA Fitness and 24hr Fitness, but with that comes the comfort of not being upsold.

Very friendly staff from front desk to trainers!
Swimming pool is nice and clean but the schedule is a little bit hectic
All lifeguards, specially Joe, are amazing and extremely professional.

I love this gym. Yes its a bit crowded in the parking lot, and you have such a variety of people here… isn’t that why you go to the Y? I have a long standing membership to a large urban gym as well, but this is a community place where I, my husband and my teen can do different things without feeling we are part of the LA show. Theres even actors from some shows and movies you love sweating with the best of us.
And they are building another one!

I live walking distance from this Y and have been a member for over 2 years. I love it! I mostly go for the Spin Classes… I LOVE the instructors, Allison & Jen do an amazing job of motivating the class every week. They play great music and we blast up to 700 calories per class. I also love that this Y has a lap swimming pool, steam room and basketball court.
They also recently got new equipment for the free weights room on the roof… I wish the free weights area was a little more spacious. It gets a little cramped up there.

My husband and I heard great things about the Y swim lessons for kids, so we signed our son up for the Polliwog class (Ages 6 – 12, Beginners at this age group establish confidence in the water and the ability to swim short distances without assistance).
We took him on six Saturdays. The first class, I was disappointed. The instructor took the kids one at a time on a board. My son got a total of three half laps, or about 3 minutes of instructor time. The other 27 minutes were spent standing in the shallow end with the other kids, playing.
The second class, was a different instructor, who AT LEAST took two kids at a time on the boards so they got a few more laps in.
The third class, the first instructor was back. The same three half laps. By the fourth, fifth and sixth time, I wondered if I even wanted to bother driving to the Y, spending 30 minutes waiting for my son to have water play and end up washing a whole set of swim clothes. It was the most pathetic swim class I could imagine. It should be called water play, not swim class!
The instructor issued him a progress report that said his progression was not completed, NO SHIT! And, she recommends he take the class over again, NO WAY!
On the back of the progress report, the Aquatics Director says, «don’t be discouraged if your child doesn’t complete all the skills within his or her level during any one season. Your child needs to know that it is acceptable to take as much time as is necessary to master the skills.» With their instruction, it WILL take more than one season so I have to sign up and pay another $ 80. What a great scam!
Now, I’m out $ 80 and my son still doesn’t know how to swim. Glad I didn’t sign up for membership and waste even more money!
On the other hand, the parent-​child waterplay for infants looked like a fun program. think Gymboree playgym time in the water. Go to the Y for water play, NOT FOR SWIM LESSONS!!!

I just got screwed at the Westside YMCA! I had to go down to the YMCA in person to cancel my membership. I got off work early to cancel my membership, which was around $ 57 a month-​very expensive compared to other gyms. The guy Luis pulled me up on the computer and said my membership was cancelled. Come to find out, the guy screwed up and didn’t give me a form (required).
I didn’t look at my credit card statement for months (just paid it) and come to find out they kept charging me. Went to the top of YMCA staff food chain and they wouldn’t give me any money nor acknowledge the mistake. I learned to swim at the Hollywood YMCA, but this experience has turned me sour.