Gym recs near South Durham?

Hi all, I'm trying to get back into shape after a few years of lazing about but I don't know where to start with finding a gym. In the past I just worked out at my apartment complex but that is no longer an option.

We live in south Durham very close to RTP so I was thinking maybe the YMCA in Northwest Cary or Hope Valley Farm. Any thoughts on the quality / equipment availability at either of those places? Or are there better/ private alternatives? Pretty much just looking for a treadmill to run on in the evenings, maybe a rower, and bonus points for yoga classes and a lap pool, ideally without breaking the bank or having to drive more than 10-15 minutes.

in bullcityby RedPanda5150

87%

2mo

hunterravioli

2mo

Durham has 2 indoor pools with fitness equipment. The cost is very low for Durham residents. The people who work there are extremely nice and helpful. https://www.dprplaymore.org/248/Indoor-Pools

bleeding_eyes

2mo

Wow. Any feedback on experiences with these, esp for lap swimming?

hunterravioli

2mo

I lap swim at Campus Hill. It's $27 for 10 visits, cheaper if you buy more visits up front. Pool is heated. But not too warm to swim laps. Locker rooms and showers have always been clean.

magikarpeggio

2mo

Seconding this! These indoor pools are great - I love Edison Johnson!

Jenergy83

2mo

Depending on where you live in s. Durham, check out unc wellness. I live off of 751 and it’s 8 minutes from me. Lap pool, sauna, whirlpool, indoor running and walking track, weights, climbing wall, etc.

Jenergy83

2mo

And a nice selection of classes including yoga!

RedPanda5150

2mo

Wow that has so many extras! Indoor track and a climbing wall were not things I expected to see. How busy does it get in the evening? Are the crowds tolerable?

Jenergy83

2mo

The crowd is mostly adults and I find them pretty tolerable because there’s plenty of equipment spread out!

KaoxVeed

2mo

There is a gym called Fitlab studios I have thought about checking out. Seems mostly focused on weights. It is attached to a CrossFit place and they offer a lot of classes, but also a free workout gym pass.

No pool though.

TheLinkToYourZelda

2mo

The y at hope valley farms is not a great option. It's really a clubhouse. The gym area is extremely small and the pool is only open in the summer with very limited hours for lanes.

dzeff

2mo

i really miss rtp fitness. crusty old place but rarely crowded and full of free weights. inexpensive too. victim of covid

warriorflower

2mo

If you’re willing to drive to the Hope Valley Farms Y, I’d recommend driving 5 more mins to go to the University Hill O2. They have great equipment and some of my favorite group fitness classes. And if you have certain BCBS insurance plans, you can get a membership at a big discount

BowieObscura

2mo

I love the equipment and classes at O2 Fitness but I've never been to a more crowded gym. What makes it worse is the number of individuals and groups of friends taking photos and videos during their workouts.

ncphoto919

2mo

yeah, O2 is decent but its so freakin' crowded lately and the groups of dudes just hanging out around machines together or people filming is getting out of hand.

One_Act_2457

2mo

It is extremely crowded and impossible to find parking at peak hours.

Ron_Sayson

2mo

Yes, if the OP has health insurance, they should look at their plan to see if it offers a discount for a gym membership. My Aetna plan gets me a 50% discount off an O2 membership with a very low activation fee.

I did the same analysis and I came up with 02. It gets pretty busy at times so try to plan your visits. Always plenty of cardio machines open

RedPanda5150

2mo

That's a good idea, and I think my job has discounts on some local gyms too. I'll look into O2 - thanks for the rec!

bakingpy

2mo

Near the UHill O2, there’s also Prime Fitness, has lots of equipment available, and it’s not crowded at all. No gymbros too and is fairly cheap.

carolinablue199

2mo

I love O2! Very happy member here

SitePale2595

2mo

There are no really good gyms in Durham in my opinion and I would love if we had more options! Interested to see the feedback you get here

gukiepatootie

2mo

Yeah, I wish Durham had better gyms. I live in North Durham and have to drive all the way to Hillsborough to go to a decent one.

chaoticbalancer

2mo

Also north Durham and I’ve been going to O2 on Shannon rd, worth checking out if you haven’t

gukiepatootie

2mo

I went there about a couple of years ago when they were giving away cheap one month trial passes. While it offers a large variety of machines and equipment, I just didn't like how crowded it got no matter what time I went. Also, the membership was just too expensive for me. I don't really require a lot, just the essentials. I found New Mill Fitness in Hillsborough was perfect for my needs. Thanks for the recommendation tho!

chaoticbalancer

2mo

I feel that, I just did a one month pass and almost at the end of it. I’ll be back to all patriots gym in rougemont, 24 hr access and just the basics in there

gukiepatootie

2mo

New Mill has 24 hr access as well and they have a sauna if you're into that stuff. Also, it never gets too busy throughout the day and is always almost empty if you go around noon. I like the vibe better there compared to O2.

chaoticbalancer

2mo

Well shit I might try that spot out next, bringin good vibes 🤘🏻

gukiepatootie

2mo

You should! They give out discounts to students, first responders, military and healthcare workers. Also, I have yet to hear of complaints when it comes to canceling membership compared to so many gyms out there which is one of the reasons I chose to go there. They offer pausing your membership too if you're going to be away for a while for only $5. The gym is also always clean, and the equipments and machines are in very good shape 👍🏼

chaoticbalancer

2mo

I’m going to give them your reddit name as a reference cause I’m sold 😂 cheers gukie

gukiepatootie

2mo

Lol thanks man 😂

tacobelle685

2mo

THIS. Why don’t we have better gym options, like Raleigh, in Durham?!

alejandrowoodman

2mo

FitLab.

It’s a HIIT/Crossfit gym, with classes for powerlifting and olympic lifting as well.

It’s also a great social community.

dontjudgemebae

2mo

Fuel Fitness might be alright for what you're looking for. They close early on the weekends though, so keep that in mind.

FinancialDocument115

2mo

UNC Wellness Center- Cary

HoRo2001

2mo

I’ve been going to Burn Bootcamp 6 days a week, every week, since last August. I love it. Each camp is challenging, and no camp is the same.

It’s a really supportive environment, has free child-watch (no for all times) and has really changed the way I think about myself and my capabilities.

Ok-Somewhere5315

2mo

If you can cough up the cash, anchor gym in Durham has great equipment with a 24/7 pass

tacobelle685

2mo

The hope valley y has decent classes but the weight room is tiny. You may be better off checking out o2!

blueViolet26

2mo

I like Orange Theory. I was not into working out at all and now I love it. They have one in the South Point area close to Harris Teeter. I've never been to that studio, mine on MLK Jr.

I also go to the Y, but the downtown one because it is closer to where I live.

RedPanda5150

2mo

My sister likes OTF where she lives but I gotta admit it sounds kind of intimidating, lol. Do you have any trouble getting into the time slots that you want?