YMCA on Huntington Ave

April 18th, 2021

Beautiful drone shot capturing the historic YMCA building with florescent lights
brightening the night sky.

Words by: Andrew Leisengang

Rating 9/10

Seven-time Mr. Olympia champion Arnold Schwarzenegger described the gym in

the movie Pumping Iron saying, “The greatest feeling you can get in a gym [is the]

The Pump. Your muscles get a really tight feeling, like your skin is going to

explode any minute, and it's really tight - it's like somebody blowing air into it, into

your muscle. It just blows up, and it feels really different. It feels fantastic.” No
two gyms are alike in nature and that’s why choosing your training location is the

upmost importance. The YMCA on Huntington Avenue has been my home and

recluse the past seven months. Based on several experiences in other gyms, the

YMCA raised expectations on the limits to what a gym can provide.

The YMCA on Huntington Avenue was founded in 1851. Being the first Y in the

country, it doesn’t let down its reputation. Recently renovated in 2012, the YMCA

offers updated machines, dumbbells, and equipment. The equipment is some of the

best I’ve seen, and I personally have been to six gyms in the past year.

You walk into the YMCA and a warm feeling of home sweeps over you as the

friendly floor workers, Ed and Kylie, enthusiastically ask how your day is going.

You turn the corner and interact with the community you are a part of, which is an

array of people of different ages and backgrounds. Your workout starts and your

able to utilize the comfortable benches and use all the new equipment. When you

finally finish, endorphins running wild, you wish your friends a good night and

head out feeling confident and satisfied you spent another day building upon

yourself and growing mentally and physically.

The YMCA is a unique experience because not only is the facility updated, but the

staff and community are held to the highest standard. The staff at the YMCA are

some of the most welcoming and helpful people I have met in the gym. I have built

friendships with each of the staff, and they have provided me with a second home.

Ed always has a huge smile on his face as he gives me a fist pump when I enter the

gym. He also makes sure to give useful tips on form and has helped me transform

my squat technique. Kylie is another member of the staff who I look forward to

seeing every day. She always asks me how my day has been going and how my

weekend was. After a workout she teaches yoga and helps me recover from any

injuries with long held stretches. Overall, they work in unison to create an

inclusive environment where everyone feels like family and works to better each

other in the gym.

Side shot giving a glimpse of the cardio machines and overall layout of the YMCA
After being recently renovated in 2012 the equipment is all top of the line and

very easy to use. When entering you will see the cardio machines on the left, which

include treadmills, stair climbers, and bikes. Right after entering you'll spot the

Cybex machines, which include a variety of different upper and lower body

specific machines. Finally, to the right is the free weight section. The free weights

section includes a terf area and multiple cable machines, benches, barbells,

dumbbells, and kettlebells. Through plentiful and spread out equipment, the

YMCA allows you to reach any fitness goals you may have.

The members at the YMCA also add to the appeal of joining this gym. There is an

extremely open community of gym goers who are kind to everyone and make sure

people feel welcome. I’ve met people that range from ages 16 all the way to 65 and

people from all around the world which has allowed me to speak a plethora of

languages too. My third day there, a Northeastern third-year complemented my

physique and told me he noticed my hard work. As the months went by, I became

friends with a range of people from different backgrounds and ages all sharing a

connection and common interest of devoting time to spend at the YMCA. I have

been to other gyms and have never experienced such a strong, supportive bond

between the fellow lifters. The YMCA has created an environment where
experienced lifters help newbies and give compliments. I have personally been

given great advice and also helped others. An example of both is my friend Ugo

teaching me breathing techniques while bench pressing and me writing up a meal

and workout plan for someone who had less experience than I do.

Multiple outside reviews correlate to my experiences at the YMCA. Yelp reviewer

Peter said “Huntington is a little grittier and maybe a little less well-endowed in

terms of facilities. But it makes up for it in community.... I've always found staff

to be really friendly and helpful and they got to know me by name very quickly.

Plus it has a real local feel and a lot of regulars are very friendly and welcoming.....

All in all, a really great community gym. I'm a big fan.” The community is strong

at the Y and from two perspectives it can be easily seen this is true. Another Yelp

user named Fox said, “I very much enjoy using this YMCA because it is state-of-

the-art and shiny and new and has a lot of great stuff. It's one of the best in all of

New England despite being right in the city.” The facilities and equipment are

some of the best I have seen, and Fox backs up the success of the renovations from

the YMCA. On Facebook the endless amount of positivity didn’t end with Joans

Stephen Hadley commenting, “I enjoy the diversity of class members —from

country of origin, fascinating work/educational backgrounds, different points of

view and experience, and welcoming/inclusive approach to newcomers.” Diversity

is another aspect that I love about the Y. As a student at Northeastern, I haven't

seen a diverse student body for the most part. However, at the Y I have been come

friends with people from all over the world. Making friends from Columbia,

Sweden, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, I feel an expansion to cultures that I can interact

with.

Relative to the prices of other gyms in the area, the YMCA is slightly cheaper at

$50 per month with the option to put your membership on hold at any time. While

competitor gyms such as Boston Sports Club is $65 per month and Beacon Hill

Athletic Club is $55 per month. The Y gives members a bang for their buck with

exclusive amenities such a swimming pool and free classes. I know that there is not

a single reason crossing your mind as to why you shouldn’t join the YMCA on

Huntington Avenue so CLICK HERE and get started on your fitness journey.

Also, if your more old fashioned and want to sign up in person, Femi, the manager,

is extremely helpful, personable and would love to get you started.

With never ending benefits I am excited to see you at the YMCA as soon as

possible!
 Works Cited

Gaines, Charles, and George Butler. Pumping Iron: The Art and Sport of Bodybuilding. New
York: Simon and Schuster, 1981. Print.

E., Fox. “Huntington Avenue YMCA - Boston, MA.” Yelp, 10 Jan. 2020,

www.yelp.com/biz/huntington-avenue-ymca-boston-4.

https:\/\/nmtccoalition.org\/project\/huntington-avenue-ymca\/#author. “Huntington Avenue

YMCA.” New Markets Tax Credit Coalition, 27 Oct. 2020,

nmtccoalition.org/project/huntington-avenue-ymca.

Reimann, Tom, and Tom Reimann (692 Articles Published) . 30 Surprising Facts About Arnold
Schwarzenegger. 10 May 2019, collider.com/galleries/30-surprising-facts-about-arnold-
schwarzenegger/.
“403 Forbidden.” Boston Sports Club, 2020, www.bostonsportsclubs.com/page/offer-bsc?

gclid=Cj0KCQjwvYSEBhDjARIsAJMn0liPBXx_YgORZ6__vltQGOPlBuqaSEmlms7H

HXNPLtbLWiFo8f-aUFkaAg2JEALw_wcB.

“Contact.” YMCA of Greater Boston, 15 Apr. 2021, ymcaboston.org/contact.

“Facebook - Meld je aan of registreer je.” Facebook, 2020,

www.facebook.com/unsupportedbrowser.

“Join Now!” Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs, 2020, beaconhillathleticclubs.com/blog/72828/Join-

Now-.

“YMCA of Greater Boston.” Linea 5, 2018, www.linea5.com/ymcagreaterboston.