Where do I start, this gym is what I think of when thinking of the perfect gym. It started with the location and excellent staff and service. It quickly moved to the awesome energy and knowledge that you get from all staff; they are eager to help and will take time with you. Also, they understand what you are striving for and they WILL get you there and further, while having fun. The group classes are intense for every level athlete, and you will love the diverse workout combinations.Also, I must give credit to the south gym manager, Brett. I had a not so great experience in the past and Brett went above and beyond in making me feel valued as member. He know many of the members that visit the gym by name, and will always make time in hearing concerns and recommendations. If you visit this gym or plan to become a member, I would highly recommend you speak with him as he has great deal of context and will connect you with the right person for your individual fitness goals. I would highly recommend this gym and specifically, the south location! The team and Brett operates on excellence!

Racks are always full. Doesn’t matter if I come on workday at 6am or 8pm, or on Sunday at 12pm. They should really add more of them since it the most used equipment in the gym.

Great place to work out. Very clean. Staff are friendly and helpful. Fitness classes are great.

I cannot recommend this company. The facilities are nice, but it’s a complete money grab. They offer 3 months free but make you sign a 15 month contract so you end up paying for a full year anyway. Maybe most disturbing of all is no leeway for the pandemic. I understand that they are a business and need to make money, but no communication regarding precautions they are taking (if any) and no alternative pathway for those who signed up but no longer feel that it is safe to work out here. Unless you are a individual who works out 2x a day everyday, you will not get your money worth here. Do not join.

I came to Ames for ISU, and I guess I had the misguided notion that things in the bigger city were supposed to be bigger and better. Ive been wrong on every level since Ive been here and this place is no different. They dont enforce the mask wearing. Signs say masks on unless you are working out, masks on moving between machines etc. Nope. Most people I saw coming and going werent even wearing them into or out of the building. Bring a change of shoes, no street shoes in the workout areas. Nope. Mud and water all over everywhere, even on the track. I never had a tour of the facilities so my first time there Im walking around trying to figure out what equipment was where. I got so many stares like I was an alien from outer space or something. Definitely not a welcoming atmosphere. I was excited for a moment because they have heavy bags, but even looking like I was going to walk over to that area and I was met with death stares. 3 machines total for leg exercises. 99% of weight machines were for upper body. The leg curl and extension machines I couldnt even use right because the pads were so worn down, even on the shortest adjustment the settings were too big for my legs. And Im not small by any means. Absolutely no where to do any agility work, or functional movement/sandbag workouts. Really unless you just want fitness, and not somwwhere to do legit training, dont waste your money. Im glad I only did a 3 month thing. I already regret it. Im trying to come back after 3 years because of injury, I could basically do more in my tiny apartment than I can here. My gym back home was small, but it had so much more to offer. Complete disappointment, just like everything else in Ames so far.

Currently best place in Ames to workout... Now called Ames Fitness Center, second largest fitness facility in Iowa. 6 Hammer Strength halfracks, other Hammer Strength equipment, Cybex Eagle line,Lifefitness machine line, dumbbells are Hammer Strength... 30 odd pieces of Aerobic Equipment. Rowers, Ellipticals, Electronic Bikes, and recombanent bikes, TreadMills. 12 cable machines... Track is 12 laps to a mile, restrooms have 6 individual shower stalls, both steam and sauna rooms each... Free WiFi, and a bike rack, AFC has a registered dietician, masseuse, personal trainers, childcare available(call for hours). Pharmacy, Chiropractor, Salon... North has a 5 lane pool too, also InBody body comp analysis available for free to members...

I love this gym. They do a great job at making sure everything is clean 24/7 and the Vibe that you get when you work out there is great! Definitely recommend!

I would love to go ballroom dancing with this kind of music. It would be amazing.Oh wait....This is a gym, why is this bad choice of music not pumping me up? Please bring headphones if you want to stay focused!

Good lord the music makes me want to fall asleep! I understand you have a childcare facility downstairs, but there is clean music that can pump you up. Stop playing songs that are just people whispering in to the microphone!

Absolutely no one enforcing COVID restrictions

The new facility is incredible. Very clean and great equipment. The staff is super friendly as well. Ive been seeing a personal trainer for 2 years here and the new studio makes the experience so much more enjoyable! The variety of equipment is wonderful.

Place looks nice but they wont give you any pricing online, over the phone, or even if you go to the front desk. They want you to go sit in an office and listen to a sales pitch. They wont even give you a range of prices at the front desk. You would think they would want to convenience the potential customer rather than force you to go there and a wait to hear a sales pitch from an guy behind a desk. Looks like a nice place though, just initially not very approachable.

I enjoy working out there, its clean, laid out well and the staff is mostly friendly. I cannot recommend utilizing the personal trainers tho. I attempted to hire one, ironically to maximize efficiency and reduce wasted time in the gym and she was almost 30 min late when I gave up and left. I understand running late but a text letting me know so I dont waste my time would be nice. Other than that, its a good place.

The new gym is an amazing facility. I was a huge fan of the old south location, but I really appreciate how much open space they have given us at this new place. Also the new showers and lockers are very nice. I think it is great that there is the upper level rest room, the lockers are pretty far from the equipment

Not a lifter friendly gym. God forbid your weights make a little noise. If you prefer the gentle hum of cardio equipment then it’s a great place to workout. If you prefer to move some heavy weights and inevitably make some noise then go elsewhere.

Was told today to not drop the weights so loudly while deadlifting (I had just hit a PR while using bumper plates on a deadlift platform) because one of the businesses downstairs had complained. Why would you put the gym ABOVE the businesses? This is a fairly new building and this design choice shows a complete lack of common sense. Give it a few years and a planet fitness will move in and put this gym out of business. All the casual lifters will move to PF and all the serious lifters, who you are alienating, will want nothing to do with you.

Rude and discourteous staff. Prices vary without warning for an already overpriced gym. Will not return.

My time here was short lived. I had purchased a membership and less than two weeks I had to move to a different city for work. I had never gone in as a customer, not even once. When I tried cancelling, it would take them over a week to respond back to me, they said I could not cancel the membership. They wouldnt even let me buy out the contract ata slightly lower cost. I just have to wait for the one year membership to run out. Their customer service was awful.EDIT: Shortly after posting this, they said they misunderstood what I had said and they did cancel the membership. While I do appreciate them doing this, the rating stays the same because in the end it took me writing a review to get it done. Again, thank you for canceling the membership, but I hope the next person doesnt go through the same thing I did.

Great place to workout. Large variety of equipment with nice other people that workout there. They participate in Blue Cross Blue Shield Fitness benefit.

Very nice, new facility. Cardio equipment, free weights, weight machines, a 1/12th mile track, strength training room, spin room, yoga/group fitness room, shower/locker rooms, and other rooms. The membership gets you into all of their locations, but the day pass is super pricey: $15.

This place engages in predatory membership practices and is way too expensive. Hopefully the healthy life center goes through

ARFC is a great place to workout. The personal trainers are personable and friendly. They are very knowledgeable and are easy to work with.

Clean facility with excellent customer service and equipment!

My favorite part of this location is it essentially feels like two separate gyms. There is a lot of free weight equipment available on the lower level. The upper level is similar to a Planet Fitness setup, with lots of machines and cardio equipment.

Amazing staff and good equipment

Had a gym membership when it came with copper beech. Huge workout area, clean locker room, plethora of equipment.

Bathrooms is locked at night.

Very cool and very nice staff