Gym: JCC of Dallas
Parking: There’s plenty. If you buy the Premier Level Membership package, you’ll be entered for a raffle for premium parking each month.
Hours (Medical City Health & Fitness Complex): 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Price: Cost ranges from $33 to $88 a month. When you turn 70, you get a great discount.
Who Goes There: Families, senior citizens, and some young professionals
Rush Hour: 6 a.m. classes, lunch-time, and 4:30-6 p.m.
Best views: Stationary bikes overlooking the pool area
Group classes: We counted 82 group classes in a one-week period on the JCC’s summer calendar. Classes offered include Masters Swim, Row & Core, Athletic Flow Yoga, Aqua Zuma, Dance it Out, SpinPower, and many others.
Unique items: Three basketball courts, soccer field, multiple pools, auditorium, kids’ classes, and a library (yes, a library).
The Lowdown: Though I’d known about the JCC for years, the first time I checked it out was for Yogi Dogi in July. Any fitness center that lets me take my favorite four-legged companion with me for a workout deserves a return trip. So I went back without my pup to explore everything the center has to offer. There are multiple fitness rooms for basketball, spinning, tennis, yoga, lifting weights, doing cardio, or swimming. There’s even a soccer field. Kids are more than welcome (I saw many while I was there), with multiple classes dedicated to them. Senior citizens are also well taken care of with specific classes, equipment, and pricing. The group classes are creative, thanks to Terri Arends, group exercise director. Though I may not be signing up (it’s a little farther form my home than I’d like to drive regularly), I will be returning for Yogi Dogi in the fall.
Beware: During my tour, I spotted multiple pieces of equipment that I had never seen before. One was called “The Cage.” It’s a stretching contraption of some sort. The JCC also has self-propelled treadmills that are cushioned for lower impact on your knees. I commented that I didn’t even know how to approach several of the machines and was told that there is a one-hour orientation to explain everything to new members. Definitely take advantage of that.
