YWCA Minneapolis - Uptown

I've been a member here for over 20 years. The transformation of this gym in that time has been amazing. It's a gorgeous facility. Love the pool. Equipment is frequently updated. It's a comfortable exercise venue.

So many ways to be active! Classes, personal trainers, weights, pool, track, treadmills, hot tub, sauna, and the best front desk staff ever.

Welcoming and experienced staff, great pool, and inclusive community. Basketball courts could be updated, but the facility is well kept for the most part.

Clean, comfortable facilities, friendly, professional staff, and if you have children the kids zone is one of the best things ever.

I like it here more than other workout spots (Lifetime, Anytime, etc.) The Y staff are always friendly and approachable and I feel super comfortable with the dynamic of the gym.

I've been coming here while the Midtown YWCA's locker rooms are under construction. Let me say that the locker rooms at Uptown are A+, very classy, clean, and they provide keys so you don't have to worry about a lock and private shower stalls.Positives:Locker rooms - super fancy (imho)Staff - They feel a little more friendly and personable than Midtown, on the other hand, I've had a chance to get to know the Uptown staff more than I did at Midtown, so I recognize faces.Parking - paying for it sucks, being able to park in covered ramp on a sunny or rainy day is great though.Quiet - Not many kids, not much chatter, everything feels very calmThere are two negatives about this location: the equipment is a little older than what's at Midtown, all perfect serviceable, and I don't really have any complaints, but after starting on the fancy new stuff at Midtown, these feel like a step back. But weights are weights and ellipticals are ellipticals at the end of the day, right? The bells and whistles aren't what matters. Also the main exercise floor is at basement level, so it's a little blah, but high ceilings and good lighting help mitigate that feeling somewhat.The other thing that I think is a BIG negative: You have to pay for parking. Worse, I haven't been able to find clear communication on what parking costs. It seems to be about $1 an hour (which is very reasonable for the area), at least for the first hour (hour and a half?). If you're someone like me, though, who goes for 2-3 hours 4ish times a week, that starts to get pricey. I'm already paying for my membership, paying for parking effectively increases my membership cost by $20 a month. That seems unreasonable. I'm putting up with it while Midtown is being renovated, but if this was my "regular" gym, I would have definitely thought twice about a membership. There's got to be a better option for parking (pass cards?)Things that can go either way depending on your personal preference:Kids- there aren't many here. There is child care (I don't have kids so I can't speak to what it's like), but there aren't too many kids running around the facility itself. Midtown is definitely family/kid friendly, Uptown is geared more towards adults.Pool- The pool is a little bigger with 1 or 2 more lanes than Midtown, the water is varying degrees of cold (a plus for lap swimmers, probably more of a negative for more recreational folks). I've taken some of the water aerobics classes, and they're okay but definitely geared at the 55+ crowd.Classes - (I assume this is true for all locations, though I've only taken classes at Uptown) Because of the 'drop in' nature of the classes, there tends not to be much explanation as to what the heck you're doing. Water aerobics instruct would say something like 'lets polar bears.' and I'd have to look around and watch everyone around me. There's some narrative assistance to clue you in, but not always. It's not terrible, but expect to spend the first class you attend one beat off from everyone else as you try to sort out what you're supposed to be doing. It's the trade off for not having to sign up and take the classes in a progression.Over all, a very nice experience. I love the YWCA, love having multiple locations I can go to, and have overall had a great experience with only occasional minor annoyances. As someone of size, this was the best gym-going experience I could hope to have, it's great and I recommend it.

Been a member here for 18 months and still discovering new classes I like. Dawne, Deanna and Kristin are fantastic yoga instructors and Kevin is the best bodyflow instructor! Discovered bodyflow and am a regular in Kevin’s class. He’s the best. So glad to be part of this community.

I can't think of a better gym in Minneapolis, especially for the price! I'm a HUGE fan of the locker room system, with your ID card granting you a free temporary locker: GOODBYE PADLOCKS! Also, the staff here is AMAZING. They're always helping out, and making sure everyone has everything they need. They've personally helped me out more than once! It's great to see a place with such a noble mission do so much for the neighborhood, while also providing a service that members of all socio-economic backgrounds can enjoy!

I enjoy working out here, good facility. I accidentally left my watch there one day. Called and asked if the staff could check if it was in the locker I used. The staff had an attitude after asking. Said she would go check. After a minute she was back and said she couldn't find it. I went in right away to check myself and it was sitting in the middle of the locker I used. When I saw the women at the front desk she said, "Well at least you found it." Wish she would've been more friendly and proactive.

The YMCA Uptown is a great place to get a good work out. Although the place is a bit pricey, they try to help out as much as they can with cost. The hot tub is amazing and the facilities are the really good. They have a machine that tests your blood pressure and I really think that's a plus for them. If you love basket ball, they have open gym on Wednesday and it gets really fun and competitive often so you are getting a good work out and improving your skills at the same time