I wanted to join here because of the pool and it’s very close to my house. I don’t feel save walking down to it now. Drugs are being sold between the Y’s location and the Post Office. I’ve been harassed and followed from that area. When I tried the gym, I also didn’t feel comfortable in the changing room and the pool schedule I learned, made it almost impossible to be able to use the pool. They also house homeless people and they use the showers. Which is what made me extremely uncomfortable in the locker rooms. I’m transgender, so safety in locker rooms is my number one concern when joining a gym. I wanted to use the pool, but it’s 100% not worth putting my safety at risk. Do yourself a favor and go to another gym!

If you want a gym membership for swimming take a close look at the pool schedule for times they have available for your age group, and the days and times of day its open. The pool is old and small and most of the time the schedule is jammed up. Absolutely NOT worth the $60 a month.

It's very unfortunate that The Cambridge YMCA has taken it upon themselves to disallow YMCA members from other gyms the ability to use their facility. They have been telling me for months that they have just not decided when that would be, leading me to useless weekly phone calls to check the status of their decision. It was never like this before covid and they have taken their precaution overboard. I did not wish to use my leverage as an employee for another branch but even when I told them this they said that I would still not be allowed, then saying that they could make an exception once or twice. I live on the area but am employed so thus have a membership with another Y. I do not know if what they are doing is even okay with the gyms policy as a whole.

Unfortunately this is the most affordable gym in Central Square at $49 a month ($59/mo if over 30). Gym floor closes at 7:45 pm. Equipment selection is unbalanced. For example, they have 6+ flat benches and 1 incline bench. No hack squat, and are missing many typical weight training machines. 8 or so squat racks. Main weight room, leg and back equipment are typically very crowded during the 5-7:30 pm timeframe. Which makes it difficult to workout during normal 'after work' hours. Closing at 7:45pm exasperates this issue. A bit of attention towards what equipment should be stocked would make this a much better place to work out. Long story short, its about the best your going to get in Central without breaking the bank.

I recently visited Cambridge YMCA and overall had a decent experience. The staff were friendly and welcoming, always ready to assist with any questions or concerns. The equipment was well-maintained and varied, providing ample options for a full-body workout. However, I was disappointed with the cleanliness of the locker rooms, specifically the sauna and steam room. The tiles and surfaces were not properly cleaned and had an unpleasant odor, and the sauna was not operating properly during my visit. This negatively impacted my overall experience. In conclusion, while the staff and equipment at Cambridge YMCA were great, the lack of attention to cleanliness in the locker rooms was a drawback. I hope that improvements will be made in this area to ensure a more enjoyable and hygienic experience for members in the future.

After the Harvard gyms effectively closed during the pandemic, I finally checked out the Cambridge Y. I am a veteran of too many sports clubs to name in Boston and Cambridge over the years. For someone now well beyond his prime (and likely others) this is the best! The exercise equipment is ample if not elaborate, the indoor rubber track undersized but easy on the knees, the pool while not the full 25 yards not too cold and most often with at least a lane available to share, the locker room and showers clean and ample, the staff invariably helpful and friendly, and the monthly cost, including a locker and two clean towels, very reasonable and the best around. I’m sure there are many classes and the like available, but I’m more than satisfied as is. I think so well of the place that I even make a modest charitable donation!

They close way too early and blast Closing Time when it's time to leave every single day, which is absolutely obnoxious. You will come to loathe the song if you go in the evenings. Also overpriced and the pool is too full. The building design is strange and terrible. No noise reduction wall panels, so some of the lifting rooms are piercingly loud. Staff is great, and there is a sauna and steam room, so cheers for that.

One of the best gyms in Cambridge, with ample space for a workout, a big cardio area, heated swimming pool. Going here for the last five months, the trainers are also good. A couple of feedbacks, the gym closes at 8:00 pm; I feel it’s early compared to other gyms around; also, on weekends, it gets closed at 3:00 pm, so I had to take two gym memberships if I have to hit the gym at late hours. Be prepared for hunting metered parking spaces. Overall a positive experience apart from the two stated sissies.

Great experience snd highly recommended! The front desk staff helped me get setup in just a few minutes after giving a tour of facility. Gym machines are new and very well maintained. It can get a but crowded right after work hours but the size can surely handle it. The personal training staff is awesome as well. I got 4 classes from Chorobi Sagna and it was totally worth it. He helped me get better at my workout and also made a plan for me for next few months!

I mostly want to share this review to address what I think are inaccuracies in other peoples' reviews. I've been working out for 4 years and recently moved to Cambridge and I can say this gym has all the equipment I need for every workout I do (the only thing they don't have is the lying leg curl but they have seated leg curl so just use that one). I like that it has a separate stretching room. Other reviews say that some of the rooms are loud but that's expected if you go to any gym. You can wear noise-cancelling headphones which really helps. Someone also mentioned they play the song Closing Time every day. Maybe that was true before but it's certainly not true now. Another review said that it gets crowded but to be honest this is the least crowded gym I've been to (I've worked out at very different times and it's still less crowded). Finally, I like that they have a boxing room and they also offer boxing classes. I can't recommend the pool because I don't swim and some reviews mention the schedule is crowded which is probably true.

Lots of character and plenty of good equipment. They recently changed their schedule and now close at 9pm M-Th which is very nice! Solid place to work out with a friendly staff.

Great weights setup for powerlifting, Olympic lifting, or bodybuilding. They took old racquetball courts and just filled them with power racks, barbells, and dumbbells. Cardio equipment is pretty busy at peak hours. Overall the best value gym in the area by far.

Love this gym! Classes are great and offered at a variety of times. Staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. There should be equipment for any workout you want to do. My only complaint is that the hours are less than ideal compared to before the pandemic. I believe this gym used to open quite early and close late - now on the weekends it's only open 8-4 and it closes at 9pm on weekdays, for the same cost of membership as before.

I was in Cambridge for two weeks on vacation, so I got a monthlong membership at the YMCA so I could maintain my regular training schedule. Here are a few thoughts as a "visiting member": *I appreciated the variety of workout areas and equipment at the Y. I train for powerlifting normally, and I needed a place that would have all the necessary equipment for the workouts my coach sent me. The Y had everything and then some. *The environment felt comfortable and like a safe place to work out. Nobody was aggressive or scary. Gym-goers were generally polite and considerate. Front desk staff were exceptionally friendly. *My only mild complaints were that the temperature and wi-fi connectivity could vary significantly from room to room. I appreciated the fans in the free-weights area and brought my own little fan as well. (Us Californians are kind of spoiled with our dry heat, though, so this is likely a personal issue!) And for the wi-fi, it was good to have access in some areas rather than none. The YMCA does a nice job of providing hospitality, a solid fitness environment, and flexibility to us out-of-town visitors. It can be hard to find good gyms that have all this and don't cost an arm and a leg.