Gym Profile: YMCA  Downtown Minneapolis

Dating back to the early twentieth century, the downtown Minneapolis YMCA boasts a rich, ninety-year history of community involvement, family fitness, and healthy living. Its convenient location to downtown office workers, affordable membership fees, and various amenities make it a well-liked place to get fit.

Russell Conwell first founded the Minneapolis YMCA in 1866, but it wasn’t until 1919 that the organization made its home in the Tudor-Gothic building on 9th and LaSalle. Back then, the YMCA contained a library, social and game rooms, a large gymnasium, an auxiliary gym, a swimming pool, handball courts, boxing and wrestling rooms, showers, a 250-room dormitory, classrooms, a cafeteria, and a banquet room. Today, the amenities have changed, but the mission hasn’t. The YMCA is still devoted to the betterment of the community and its youth.

Among the features are a six-lane lap pool, whirlpool, steam room, sauna, basketball gym, racquetball courts, a running/walking track, childcare services, and large locker rooms. The downtown Y also offers several group fitness classes (which are free for members), including BODYPUMP (a full-body barbell workout), Group Cycle, Mat Pilates, Fitness Yoga, Turbo Kick, and Zumba (a cardio class that combines Latin and international music and dance).

Because it’s a downtown gym with skyway access, lunch and evening hours are typically filled with professionals trying to complete a quick workout. It’s important to note, however, that there’s rarely a time when members have to wait for a machine. The historic building gives the space character (it’s actually on the National Register of Historic Places), as well as ample room for rows of cardio machines, weight machines, free weights, and cool-down areas. It’s a large-scale gym, but the staff and trainers make efforts to get to know members by name.

Membership is $60 per month, but check with your insurance—most agencies offer significant discounts at YMCA locations if you workout eight to twelve times a month.

YMCA, 30 S. 9th St., Mpls., 612-371-8740