Review Detail

Crunch Fitness - McKnight Hot

Shops - Gyms December 20, 2022 2116

Crunch Fitness - McKnight - Spacious, Clean and Vibrant gym With Tons of Amenities

December 20, 2022 (Updated: February 24, 2025)

Overall rating

4.6

Products & Services

5.0

Staff

4.0

Customer Service

4.0

Price

5.0

Location

5.0

In an effort to get started early on a New Year’s resolution - yes, it is right about that time - I signed up for a free trial at Crunch Fitness along McKnight Rd. in Ross Township. The free trial entitles me to 7 days of workouts before making up my mind if Crunch Fitness is worth joining. This review is about day one.

First, the timing couldn’t be better for Crunch Fitness as a long-standing and locally owned and operated gym, Club Julian 24-Hour Fitness closed at the end of summer in 2022. Here, Crunch Fitness opened its doors in the Fall of 2022, thus filling a void. Yes, I am one of the former Club Julian patrons who now need a gym that is convenient to get to and is also not named LA Fitness. Crunch Fitness met my needs in that regard, but this gym is certainly not your father's or mom’s Club Julian (or mine).

I found Crunch Fitness to be warehouse-sized, extremely well-appointed, lively, clean, and filled with a certain energy. Additionally, the members appeared to be a diverse age mix of younger high school and college kids to well, more older folks, such as myself. So this is a place where mom and dad would fit in too.

When I first entered I was greeted at the main foyer island, where a very friendly desk assistant walked me through my guest registration on an Ipad. She then proceeded to show me around the facility.

You will see from the pictures that there are so many machines in each row, be it ellipticals, exercise bikes, or stair climbers you are half expecting that you are really staring into a carnival tent mirror room and everything - as these exercise machines surely did - appeared to stretch to infinity. So, yes, there is plenty of machines here.

Generally, the spacious gym is divided into three main areas. When you walk back to the entry area, the right is filled with various HIIT (high-intensity interval training) stations and weight machine training circuits.

The HIITZone delivers high-intensity interval training designed to torch fat, sculpt muscle, and increase metabolism by burning calories long after you stop sweating. In this medieval-looking area, you will find a plethora of fitness equipment including free weights, kettlebells, sleds, tires, rope pull-downs, battle ropes, heavy bags, medicine balls, power rowers, monkey bars, and what have you.

The center aisle is mostly dominated by cardio machines such as stationary bikes, ellipticals, and stair climbers. I will certainly be surprised if I came in here one day and every machine is occupied because they have a mile of each type.

The left area, from the perspective of having just walked into the place, is filled with free weights and powerlifting equipment. This area appeared to cater to the younger crowd.

While I started out in the middle and did a very light workout on an elliptical machine, I eventually found my level in the “Judgement Free” zone, which seemed a collection of body part machines that attracted bodies that needed those machines - like me - and the encouragement the machines proclaimed.

So this takes me to the philosophy of this gym. They stress positivity, inclusivity, and fun. You get the sense that they go out of their way to make Crunch Fitness an embodiment of those ideas. Now, if only I can embody in my body the ideas of fitness, I will be set.

Other features of the gym can be accessed in the surrounding and adjoining rooms. There is a group exercise room, a stationary bike riding room, and even a room where you can drop young off so that they can entertain themselves while you get a workout in.

Now the last walk around contained the hydro massage and tanning rooms. All seemed state-of-the-art and modern. The locker rooms too were squeaky clean, and in this department, I can speak to the men’s locker room( but I would imagine the women’s locker room would be just about like the men’s).

The location along McKnight Rd. is easy to get to with plenty of parking. It is located at the former Steinmart site (wow, what a change) and conveniently sits next to a Dunham’s sporting goods department store. So, even if you forgot your water bottle, you can run next door and get a new one.

Part of me misses Club Julian. Heck, I worked out there when I graduated from North Hills High School in, eh, the 90s whatever. Still, with the closing of Club Julian, it is time for a change. It is a time for Crunch Fitness.

Times are typically 12 AM to 12 AM most days of the week. They close a little earlier on Fridays and weekend hours a shortened to 7 am to 9 pm. They also offer a scheduling app and online classes you can do from the comfort of your home.