In the past couple of years, it seems that people have tried to commercialize everything, and working out is no exception. Chains of dinky gyms with average quality equipment and no culture have been popping up across the country, promising an experience that they can’t actually provide. While these gyms are good for beginners, they don’t have the same atmosphere as a local gym does. Luckily, those local gyms are still alive and kicking—and my personal favorite is the Wisconsin Athletic Club (WAC).

Let’s start in the weight room. They have enough machines that there is almost never a wait time to use any of them. All equipment is cleaned daily and if something breaks (which it rarely does) it gets immediately replaced. Separate from the main weightlifting area is a more private, personal trainer room, that provides the more conservative of gym-goers an enjoyable environment to feel unwatched.

If you aren’t into lifting weights, however, they still got you covered. At the Lake Country location, they have an entire deck of cardio machines. They also provide 2 cycling rooms for morning and evening classes, a dance studio, yoga room, full-court basketball gym, 3-lane pool and hot tub, 2 pickle ballrooms, and the most unique amenity, 8 full-sized tennis courts. If you can’t find anything there that you enjoy, then I don’t know what to tell you. 

After you’re done utilizing all of these amenities, there’s no better feeling than going back to the locker room where you can find the final layer of this sweet cake. A steam room to help you sweat out all of the stress you have been accumulating And after raising your body temperature to those high degrees, nothing feels better than a refreshing cool shower, all in the same locker room.

You might be thinking, “None of these perks matter if the culture sucks,” and I would agree, but I have found that the WAC has one of the most supportive cultures in any gym. I frequently speak with both trainers and other members whenever I go, whether it’s them giving me advice to help my form, or just wanting to talk about their week. And this experience isn’t unique to me. People are constantly going up to others and encouraging them to push themselves: “one more set”  “one more rep”. That is the sign of a truly great place to work out, somewhere where the people want you to get better as much as you want to get better yourself.

With all of the upsides to the Wisconsin Athletic Club, the quality of the equipment, the quantity of the equipment, the amount of amenities that are included, and the positive culture, this gym provides a better bang for your buck than any commercial gym could.