Anytime Fitness in Leo Has it Going On

My family had been members of the local YMCA system for many years, taking advantage of a corporate discount. We joined after Fort Wayne's wonderful YWCA campus which had been on Wells Street closed. The YMCA worked well for us for a long time. When the kids were small, we used the pool often, and also the child care facilities. It had lots of features, classes, and the kids also really liked the climbing wall at the DuPont Road/Dawson's Creek campus.

But recently, we found we were no longer using it enough to make it worth our while, and we dropped our family membership. My husband often works out at his workplace, and the kids get exercise at their school gyms and sports programs. I was trying to do things from home, and also running outside, which I love to do. But, I decided this winter I was ready for something more.

So after taking advantage of a free one-week trial, I joined the Anytime Fitness in Leo. It's so nice to be in a smaller gym after braving that huge YMCA for years. I've never been in this Anytime Fitness when it is crowded. I know they have fitness classes, so it's probably busier then, but when I've been there during the day it is relatively peaceful and quiet.

The equipment looks fairly new, and is in good condition. In one room are lots of treadmills, ellipticals, bikes and stair climbers. In a separate room are the free weights and machines (which are what I am mostly using right now). It's nice to have this separation. A third room has a projection screen for workout videos, along with a couple of bikes and some nice abdominal equipment. A fourth space, pictured in the lower photo above, is really nice - a very large room with mirrors for classes, or dancing, or stretching perhaps, when there are no classes scheduled.

A member can use one's key fob to swipe the door to get in, which makes it very secure at night or other times when the facility is not staffed. But what great flexibility that is - you could work out late at night or early in the morning. Video cameras are in the different rooms and are monitored by staff in the office, so it feels very safe. If you need assistance or advice, just go during the staffed hours. It's low-key, it's pretty clean, and nice. I like it. I seem to be making time to go, and that means everything. I can also use Anytime Fitness locations when I visit other towns, so I am looking forward to trying that feature.

There are also two tanning bed rooms - I thought we were all supposed to stop doing that for fear of skin cancer, but I must admit I still do like to tan outside in the sun. There are some nice TV screens in the weight machine room, but they always seem to be tuned to Fox News or ESPN, and I'm not that interested anyway. I usually prefer to listen to music through my headphones. I haven't tried the free WiFi feature, but it seems like a nice perk.

There are no big locker rooms, but there is a private shower available if someone needed it. There are two or three bathrooms, which are unisex and private. Usually the bathroom has been clean, but the last time when I was there around 11 a.m. on a Monday, it needed to be cleaned. I really don't understand how adults can miss the toliet a bit, and then not clean up after themselves. The garbage can was also pretty full and the sink was not spotless. Maybe that's just a Monday thing, after the weekend. But we all tend to be germaphobes in the gym, wiping down the machines after ourselves, etc., and rightly so. I bet the next time I go in the bathroom it will be clean again.

I like my new Anytime Fitness routine. I'm paying about $32 - $35/month. I think it's going to be worth it.