Crunch Fitness - Union Square

CapAJK_NYC41 ★★★★☆

I was in the area and decided to stop by, as I am always curious to check out gyms I have not visited before. This ended up being one of the stronger Crunch locations in the city and definitely one of the better Crunch gyms in NYC if you already have a Crunch membership or need a day pass or two. The gym has recently been remodeled, and all of the machines are brand new, which immediately stands out. The layout is very spacious, making training more comfortable and less congested than many other locations. As someone who primarily uses free weights for back, chest, and legs, this setup works especially well. When using dumbbells, there is enough space that people are not constantly bumping into you, and the flooring is even and stable. This is a big plus compared to some other Crunch locations in NYC, where uneven floors can be distracting during lifts. Dumbbells go up to 120LB, which covers most needs, though having heavier options would be a welcome upgrade, particularly for heavier back and leg work. The gym is also very clean, and the large stretching and warm-up area is a standout feature. Lower-body training is another strong point. There is a wide variety of leg and glute machines, multiple hip thrust variations, and quality specialty pieces like the pendulum squat and hack squat that add real value to the equipment lineup. The atmosphere is also worth highlighting. Every interaction I had with other members was friendly and respectful toward me and my friends, which made the overall experience feel welcoming. There are a few limitations worth noting. There is no Hammer Strength iso-lateral rowing machine and no chest-supported T-bar row, which would nicely complement free-weight back training. In addition, the gym could benefit from an incline press machine, as that option is currently missing. Overall, this is a very solid four-star Crunch location and one of the better options in the midtown/lower Manhattan area, especially for members who value various leg equipment, space, even flooring, cleanliness, and a comfortable free-weight training environment.

6 months ago

Mike Urowsky ★★★★★

I wasn’t the most motivated to get in shape, and flexibility was definitely not my strong suit. Working with Michaelangelo Villalba completely changed that. I’ve been training with him for almost three years, and in that time, he’s helped me achieve my goals. He’s incredibly consistent, reliable, and professional. Whether it was building strength in the gym or improving my flexibility, his approach was always thoughtful and personalized. When I set out to run my first half-marathon, he adapted our training to focus on injury prevention, especially for my knees and hips. I made it through training without injury and felt well-prepared on race day, thanks to his guidance. Michaelangelo combines a deep knowledge with a genuine investment in your progress. I’m moving away and unfortunately won’t be able to continue working with him at Crunch, but I would enthusiastically recommend him to anyone looking to improve their fitness and overall well-being.

10 months ago

Brooke CN ★☆☆☆☆

Had a terrible experience trying to cancel my membership. After months of having my membership on pause (spending 25 dollars a month to keep it paused) in order to use the final month that I had already pre-paid for (you pay for the first and last month when initially signing up), it came to the time when my annual fee was due for the following year. Thus, I decided to cancel and consider the month I had pre-paid for a sunk cost, except crunch wouldn't let me cancel without paying the fee for the FOLLOWING YEAR which I wasn't planning on being a member during at all, and when I hadn't even been an active member for months. They already had the free money from that last month and all my freezes- how greedy can you be? Management wasn't responsive to me other when I asked why I should pay the membership fee for the following year. Terrible waste of money, terrible customer service.

6 months ago