A Twentysomething's Guide to Commack Gyms

Even though bathing suit season is basically over, I know that many Commackians are still trying to stay in shape for the impending Fall season of eating too much turkey, stuffing, and pies. 

In and around Commack, there are several different options to establish your gym-attending experience.

First—and most expensive—is located on Jericho Turnpike. This location is quite large and full of tons of shiny equipment including weight-lifting machines (none of which I know by name – sorry) and a plethora of running machines. NYSC also offers tons of butt-kicking classes that are sure to whip your body into shape—if you actually attend, that is. 

The downside to a membership at NYSC is that you actually have to go to the gym at least once a week to make paying their exorbitant price worth it. For many this may seem like an incentive to at least show up and take a class or two – but for me, the thought of heading home from work, to wait at a gym for 40 minutes for a class to start, to take an hour long class, and get home at 7:30 at night just sounds unappealing.

Then we havelocated on Commack Road.  I don’t know what it is about this place that doesn’t sit well with me. They have a bunch of different intense class options for your working out pleasure and they have enough treadmills and ellipticals so you can run at your hearts content. Honestly, I think I just like having some guy-candy to look at to pass the time while running and/or sweating to death, and that is one area in which Lucille Roberts is definitely lacking. 

If you head further South on Commack Road and venture into Deer Park you will find a much cheaper gym option than the previous two – Retro Fitness. 

When I went to sign up for this place, Retro Fitness was $20 a month with something equally as small down – NYSC was something crazy like $60 a month. The coolest part about this gym is that they have a theater room that’s stocked with various running machines so you can watch a full-length movie, in the dark, while exercising. I just wonder how fast that room starts to smell like dirty socks…

Another big negative is that for us Commackians, Retro Fitness is just too far away from home and there is no easy way to just pop off the LIE and end up there.

In a moment of cheap desperation, I sought out a Planet Fitness where the membership fee was only $10 down and $10 a month thereafter. Planet Fitness is my kind of place, so I thought this was a smart choice. They literally have a sea of treadmills, ellipticals, and stair masters as well as televisions to keep you entertained while you’re working those muscles. Plus, you don’t have to pay a crazy membership fee if like myself, you just want a place to go and run and don’t really care about other weight-lifting type machinery.  Only downside – this place is far away, in Bay Shore.