Portland State University Rec Center

One of the best rec centers in Portland is found right here at the heart of Portland. The PSU Rec Center is amazing in all of the resources it provides. I can come here at 6AM and handle my business or come till 11PM. Only downside is that they aren’t open ²⁴⁄₇.

It’s a small facility, but PSU is an overall small campus compared to the others that I’ve been to.
It’s clean and has everything you would need in a gym:
— indoor track
— indoor pool
— weight room w/​a good amount of machines + weights
— basketball courts
— a few fitness room for special classes
— rock climbing wall
— water refill stations
— free lockers (type in your own password)
Also, it has a roof deck that has some pretty nice views of the school’s surroundings :)

A very clean gym with plenty of machines, a pool, indoor track, and a nice set of indoor courts. They gave a climbing wall and aerobics studios too.

The gym is run by students, who are inattentive. They usually gather at the PT desk in the weight room and just stand around. Most of them hate their job and just rich kids who parents asked them to work.
They have personal trainers, who don’t know anything about weight lifting. The PT staff is either old or fat, neither of which screams «get fit!» to me.
The weight area is frequently littered with weights that the staff does not put away, you will need to navigate around them.
The gym is usually packed at noon, and 6pm, the usual busy hours.
The equipment selection is acceptable if you don’t know anything about weight lifting or working out in general. It is clear that most of the patrons who attend know nothing about it, so the gym is probably fun for them.
The equipment breaks frequently. There is a lot of thieves that attend and will take your things if you don’t lock them in the lockers.
If you are not a student, or alumni, or living with a student or alumni, you cannot attend this gym. It will also cost you 30 bucks to get in if you have a student or alumni get you in.

If you’re the typical Portland «hipster» and are not a serious lifter, then this gym is perfect. If you’re one who cares about weights and equipment, then this gym is horrible. The dumbbells only go up to 100 and they won’t get heavier. The equipment is barely maintained and has broken on me while I’ve been lifting. They do not allow chalk to be used as well (I use it anyway) which is idiotic. Most of the staff are pretty nice and pretty cool. The «personal trainers» which I say VERY loosely, are complete jokes and do not look, act, or know what it takes to be a trainer. If you’re new to a gym, this place works. If you care about an actual good gym, this place is not for you.

Definitely the best gym/​work-​out facilty that I have ever been to. It is really clean and has high tech machines. I loved that some of the machines convert the kinetic energy from working out to dc (electricity). I also loved the scenery and the different views from the city and different point while working out. And, the hot tub is really nice!

I love the pool here.$ 5 gets you in if your with a PSU student. Really great gym that offers ample room to swim, run and work out. Great views of the city from the pool too!

If this gym costed as little as $ 5 a month I still wouldn’t go here… good thing it’s free.
It’s a nice gym for people who just do cardio and use a couple machines, but it’s terrible for people who actually lift weights. They have no lifting platform so if you drop your weights when you’re doing deadlifts or something they’ll come over and reprimand you. They say it’s bad for the floor. Then why weren’t the weights put on the ground floor of the building???
Another annoying thing is the fact that they don’t have more than one squat cage. They have a squat cage and a weird type of smith machine. (Most people who workout here don’t really know the difference.) So it’s a constant battle to use the only squat cage at the gym.
Campus Rec also employs some of the most unpleasant people. It feels like I’m inconveniencing some of the employees just by asking to rent out a belt. If you don’t like your job that’s not my problem! There are SOME employees who are always friendly and personable though.
One more thing – I’m not a fan of benching it’s definitely not my favorite lift, but maybe I would like it more if the benches they had at the rec center weren’t so terrible! YOU CAN BARELY PLANT YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND. I don’t know who was in charge of buying the equipment, but they definitely should’ve been fired as soon as they suggested purchasing those awful benches!

Nice facility and people
I just came by to watch a movie there. They were so welcome to the adoptee community and the screening of a new Korean American film. Much appreciated!

Shiny new gym equipment, nice pool, and one of the coolest indoor running tracks I’ve seen. Even if I wasn’t getting the benefits through my school tuition I would love to pay a bit extra to frequent this place for my workout. Unfortunately, I don’t think it works that way, but grab some sweat while you can, you are in for a hell of a workout.
The machines are well-​rounded, providing an excellent blend of just about everything you need. Enough variety to cover the occasional workout change-​up and fit into all standard preferences. Always clean (hey, the place is almost brand new!) and rarely down for maintenance. Even a great selection of free weights, too.
There’s a pretty incredible amount of services and while I haven’t hit them all, I’ve tried enough. Kickass pool, refreshments at the front, ice-​cold water fountains, variety of group X classes, and plenty of cardio machines (though there could always be more of my favorite orange-​trim ellipticals). Make sure to dip into the relaxing hot tub after a workout and stretch those muscles! Climbing wall looks stellar but I have yet to try that part out.
It could use a sauna. Now that’d be perfect. Maybe a juice bar, but this is getting a bit nitpicky.

Yes yes yes! Work it guuurl!
I work out after classes and couldn’t be more pleased with this gym. The treadmills/​elliptical machines have TV which is huge for my motivation. I love working out to reality TV just makes the time go by in a flash.
Also, they offer Zumba and Yoga classes! Yay!
Go here, get fit, and stay healthy.

The only thing the Rec center is missing is a Sauna but you can’t really have a co ed sauna at a university gym, you know what I mean?
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If you’re a student at PSU who cares about your well being, there is no reason to not go here. It is not your usual gym. Well appointed, excellently managed, clean, modern, friendly, non-​pretentious. That last one is important, I know I’m not the only one turned off by the typical «get pumped up!» gym environment, it’s obnoxious, lame, and I just can’t fit into it to save my life. This place, people mind their own business, and it really is the kind of place that anyone can go work out.

I must say that I am quite impressed with what this gym has to offer. The space is clean, decently spaced out, and efficiently organized. Now, I do not want to come off as a gym snob in any way, shape, or form but there a few key machines missing to make this gym my definition of perfect.
#1. Laying leg curl machine
#2. T Bar Row machine
#3. Hack Squat machine
#4. Stair master
While a great majority of the PSU student body has NO IDEA what these machines are or do, the rest of us professionals, or semi professionals do and would like to add it out our daily routine. Thanks in advance!
Outsidet of that that I really like the gym. There are a wide variety of classes to choose from and a rock wall to boot. The gym offers personal training as well; while I personally would not train with their trainers based on appearances alone (Not one of their trainers appears to be in tip top shape themselves) (no offense), for the average PDX girl looking to remain slim/​thin this is an option.
For girls looking for eye candy, this may not be the place if you’re into guys… with muscles that is. If you like them small, and with the muscle definition of a 13 year old girl then have at it. For the guys, the girls can buxom (few and far between but still available) or if you like them paper thin, like a 14 year old boy then have at it too. The point is there is almost something here for almost everyone.

Bye-​bye 24 Hour Fitness. No reason to not frequent to the gym if you are a student here. The best gym ever! Basically everything is new and clean (equipment, courts, machines, etc.). The community around this gym is great, esp. the employees they are friendly, helpful and attentive. They create a positive and youthful atmosphere in this gym. Campus Rec activities and classes are very affordable too– and there are many of them to choose from! Really, there is a lot of point out about this gym, but y’all gotta check it out!
Good for kids? Yes, when the facility has Youth Hours open (ask for schedule). Otherwise, kids are not allowed into this gym.

Now that my foot is all healed I am back at the gym. After a membership at Ballys and 24 Hour fitness (and the old Nautilus on 82^nd Ave) I must say this is the BEST gym. And it’s not just because it’s free. It’s because there are signs that say «don’t wear jeans». Obvious, but some must be told. It’s because it’s mostly younger people and when two annoying biotches get together on side by side treadmills and talk too loud, a tattoed young girl tells them to shut up, and they do.
It’s because Exspresso bikes are awesome. And Lots of TV’s on the equiptment so I get my heart rate up and my Alaska State Trooper viewing on.
It’s because the ladies lockerroom is clean and big and doesn’t smell like pee.
I love this gym.

Big place! It’s never seemed crowded when I’ve been there. Clean, modern, full of hotties.

Thank God I am a student again… what I mean is thank God I now have this awesome rec center to use and don’t have to continue to use the shitty crowded 24 hour fitness. Two floors of brand new machines, free classes, and plenty of pool/​court/​track space. And affordable personal trainers. If only I wasn’t in graduate school and actually had more time to use it.

Yippee Yahoo!!! the PSU rec center is FINALLY open! Time to get my lazy tush off the couch, put Dexter on pause, and get active again… and the fact that membership is free for students provides a little extra incentive!
I was initially tempted to throw up only 4 stars because I was definitely spoiled down at Oregon State with the ever-​wonderful Dixon Rec Center. Although different (and slightly lacking compared to Dixon in a couple areas) I was still impressed. I’m a big fan of new gyms and PSU went all out: 70% of the cardio machines have built in televisions with more than just basic cable, awesome downtown views from the pool, weight room, suspended track, cardio rooms, and gyms, 3 basketball courts, climbing center (with all brand new equipment to rent!!), a full range of group classes… I could go on and on.
Still lacking a bit in personality but it JUST opened so things are still a little in flux. Even given all the new years weight loss resolution people that typically flood gyms all over town from January 1 till about March 1 (by which point most have gone back to their lazy ways), there was plenty equipment to go around.