Davis Athletic Club comment archive - Davis

These are comments that were made on the Davis Athletic Club page, during the time (prior to April 2015) it was owned by the Beede, and Haussler-Beede, ownership groups.

The free-weight room received a makeover in September but the equipment still appears old. The heaviest dumbells are 100lbs and there is no incline bench in sight. This gym is not for the serious lifter. On the only occasion I have been at DAC the staff was very unprofessional, the gym was moderately crowded, the ambient temperature was higher than most gyms I attend, and there was no music playing. Perhaps it was just a bad day at the gym. —JackRoehrig

2007-07-05 23:08:53 I agree about "local Davis families" as the biggest users of this gym. I know several people who enjoy the indoor soccer or the basketball court. My perspective is quite prejudiced: my partner has taught group exercise classes at DAC for over 20 years. She's often had "groupies" who really enjoyed her intensity, focus, and structured approach to step aerobics and Spinning (the classes she currently teaches). I mention this not just to "toot her horn," but to show that this gym may not be for everyone, but between long-time staff and long-time members, it can have a friendly neighborhood feeling. Of course your experience may vary! —DougWalter

2007-09-06 10:36:43 I have been going to Peak Performance and have always liked it. We joined Davis Athltic Club a few months ago due to the swimming pool access, and its location.

I just want to mention my experience with the day care at this gym. Looks very nice and clean with an outdoor play area etc. etc.

I left my 2 year old and went to exercise. I come back 45 minutes later and do not find my son in the room, I go outside, he is not there either. Turns out he had been crying the whole FORTY FIVE minutes and finally one of the child care expert had locked him in the bathroom with himself, supposedly trying to calm him down. Oh and the light were off too.

I was furious. Their behavior was totally unprofessional and criminal forget tender loving. Any mother would know How I felt and what I felt like doing to the staff. The front desk and management did apologize but never heard from the guy who was actually involved. The best part, I was told he is one of their best people in the child care. Of course I have not had the courage to take him or any of my other children back there.

My feelings aside, I just want to mention this so parents are aware more careful and in case this happens more frequently, we can stop it. —dbh

2007-10-20 20:36:49 Me and my wife have been going to DAC on and off for several years. I like the equipment and the atmosphere. It is a clean gym and they have great staff. It may not be in line with Golds for the professional bodybuilder, but if you want a good workout with a nice selection of equipment then DAC is the place to go.

Rick —RickH

2007-12-03 01:01:04 My family and I just moved away from Davis :(, and this is one of the places that I miss the most. I loved going here everyday after work. You don't have to worry about it being a meatmarket type gym, since it is mostly a family type gym. The treadmills are the best, and the racquetball courts have great ventilation (which to me is most important, I can't stand stuffy courts). My 5 yr old daughter LOVED going to the day care, and talked about the staff all the time. Her favorite was the guy that works there....I am surprised about the comment made about him, I was also told he was the best they had. We have never had any problems, but then again we were only there for 4 months or so. They even hosted a parents night out event that was great fun for the kids (and parents)! I liked the gym so much because it was smaller than compared to say the ARC, but if you like those type of gyms than this is not the place for you. —RDN

2008-01-15 14:28:41 having used the arc for the last 3 years, i really appreciate returning to DAC. the weight room is small but clean. if you are a very serious body builder, the lack of variety will bug you a bit (no neck machine, military press rack, of incline bench). nontheless, if you are at the beginner or intermediate level, it shuld be good enough for you. on a side note, thier parking lot is very small and always full. this is not a porblem for me, there is plenty of parking close by. however, every time i go to work out, i see a line of cars waiting for a parking spot. YOURE GOING TO GO WORKOUT!!!! DONT BE LAZY AND WAIT 20 MINUTES FOR A SPOT, OR LEAVE BECAUSE YOU CANT FIND ONE!!! —JeffIto

2008-02-02 12:58:52 smells like a barn! —G.L.

2008-03-30 09:49:04 I've been going over to DAC since August '07- it's not brand spanking new, but the equipment is in good condition and in working order, the people are nice and it's not a meat market. It doesn't smell like a barn - and they've recently redone the lap pool which is a big deal as I'm a swimmer. It's a great place for families. —kclementi

2008-05-02 20:59:34 great family place and for working adults and senior not on the meat market, nor dating prowl...great staff, friendly, clean, realistic and kind....about the child care...always monitor before leaving your child with a complete stranger —BethC

2008-05-15 21:44:51 If you need to park and can't find a spot, keep going on the street and take a left. Take another left and follow this street until there is a little parking spot on the right. I am purposely leaving out names of streets so my neighbors don't get mad at me. That little parking lot is where the swimming pool is! Google map it! —Grant

Or just hit the map button at the top of the entry...

2008-07-08 17:38:24 The pool is a great benefit. The gym needs some improvements/updating. The carpet really needs to be cleaned, replaced or removed all together - it's brown from dirt. They could use more ellipticals (and less stair masters), as they are the most popular. The staff is friendly and the overall atmosphere is comfortable. I noticed that one room has nothing in it now, so hopefully it will be used for better equipment. —aml0515

2008-07-10 19:13:16 I really like the DAC, but they need to do something about their parking lot. There are two driveways into the parking lot— presumably one for entering and one for exiting; but since neither are marked, its impossible to know which is which. The parking lot is really narrow, and on a few occasions I've had to back out into the street because the driveway I consider to be the entrance is considered to be the exit by someone else. It seems to be a needless safety hazard that could easily be solved by some painted arrows and/or some signs. —ifoundthistape

2008-09-03 13:27:48 Can anyone help with the following questions about DAC. I have send 4 e-mails and left 2 messages and have yet to receive a reply. Thanks Here are the questions/concerns from the e-mail I sent

1. Are all your childcare workers currently trained in child/infant CPR and child/infant Heimlich maneuver and first aid? If not, when will then be trained? 2. Are toys/play areas cleaned on a hourly/daily basis in accordance with childcare standards? Are non toxic chemical used on toys especially ones that children put in their mouths? If not, how often are they cleaned and with which chemicals? Is the MSDS present for these chemicals? 3. Where are your child center rules/information posted? If possible please consider posting on your website and the door as you enter the childcare center. 4. How many children per adult? What is the maximum number of children at any time? How many infants? How many adult are present at all time? 5. What is the time limited for children in the center? 6. Are bottles/ closed cup allowed? 7. What is your sick child policy? Do your child care workers feel comfortable asking members not to leave their sick children? I have seen sick children in the center the three times I have been a guest and am wondering if the childcare workers feel uncomfortable asking member (who are often old enough to be their parents) not to leave their sick children? If your childcare workers feel uncomfortable it might be helpful (if the policy does exist), to post it on the door as you enter.

—ACA

Please see the following e-mail sent 6/13/08Chris,The childcare rules are posted next to the sign in sheet in the childcare. Additional copies are kept in a literature holder on the wall outside the childcare door. Most all your questions can be answered by obtaining a copy of childcare rules. I will happily mail you a copy if you would like to provide me with your address. Unfortunately I don't have a copy on my computer and can't e-mail a copy to you. You are the first request we have had to have this posted online and I will certainly look into getting it available online.The childcare is cleaned daily. The toys are cleaned with a product called Triad and the MSDS sheet in kept in the laundry room. Triad is for use in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, food service establishments, etc. The toys are wiped down with water after being wiped down with the disinfectant. The disinfectant is safe to be used on any surface or instrument that is introduced directly into the human body, bloodstream or mucous membranes.Everyone who works at DAC is required to be CPR/AED trained and it is the Director's job to make sure that new employees are not left alone in the childcare until certified.Please keep in mind that this is a free service to member's children and not a licensed daycare.You are welcome to stop by anytime and speak with DAC staff and visit the childcare! Contact me anytime with questions!Jan RobinsonFinance ManagerDavis Athletic ClubP.S. We are locally owned and operated and wear many hats including teaching group exercise and plunging toilets! Often times we are so busy taking care of members on site that inquiries by phone/e-mail don't get top priority. The best way to get information is to stop by! Parking is challanging but in 1981 when the club was built the city would only allow us 14 spaces. Hope that answers some of the above comments and concerns!Thanks

2009-02-25 18:13:02 I love this club. It is old but very clean. The pool is fantastic and you can swim any time. The sauna for women is a plus. —rivert222

2009-07-13 11:57:38 What happend to the website for DAC? —Nancycat

They haven't renewed it. Somebody needs to pay their domain bill. —jw
It's live... —ScottLay
- Indeed it is. Pretty common mistake, since the date for renewal can come and go without being noticed for awhile. —jw

2009-12-12 19:42:29 Really, really like this gym, overall :) From the reviews on this page, it seems that most people appreciate the fact that the place is not full of skinny girls that hog the cardio machines for hours and college jocks who do the same with the weights. However, as a fit, young woman in her 20s, I am a bit skeeved out at times by the older gentlemen who I catch staring at me whenever I look up. The concern goes both ways, generations. —dontworryaboutit

2010-02-21 14:58:34 I'm a big fan of this gym, but i wish they would mark the driveways with arrows - I noticed that most people seem to go in the 2nd driveway, circle around and go out the first, but every once in a while a stray SUV comes in the first and blocks everything up. —mooodavis

2010-03-24 12:27:23 The Davis Athletic Club is hands down the best gym in Davis. The Staff is amazing, its a large facility, and I love that it is not a meat market. When I'm here, I'm able to get my workouts in without any hassle. My experience with my trainer was awesome. She had a vast knowledge of health and fitness and I continue to use the program she designed me. Parking seems to be an issue, but realistically, we are coming to work out. Whats an extra 50 feet walking?? I love this gym and will continue come here as long as I'm in Davis. I highly recommend the DAC of all the gyms in town. —Mr.eNigma

2010-08-03 19:41:14 if you're a student, you're guaranteed a 42 dollar a month deal with the kickboxing class - be sure to explicitly ask for this deal when you go in and sign your forms, otherwise they'll conveniently forget. Be sure to check the amount charged on your bank account each month - it might save you a few good bucks if you're willing to be patient through the bureaucratic loopholes and dismissing attitudes once you get your money back.

The class is great - small class, you learn a lot, and Ty is a good instructor - but the finance sector and its treatment of their customers is a mix of incompetence and dishonesty, seemingly more so of the latter. I won't drop any names, but whoever they end up 'transferring' you to, be on the lookout.

Last thing - there's no such thing as Sunday open-mat workout, something my friend and I were promised as part of the monthly deal. —Paul Chan

Harry is no longer associated with the Davis Athletic Club! The other programs/instructors will remain!Harry will be replaced with a Judo instructor who truly represents the sprit of Judo which emphasizes mental, moral and character development as much as it does physical training.

2010-08-17 21:00:02 Forget this no-name deal, this Harry character needs to be held accountable. I just argued with him for 20 minutes at the gym. He not only failed to resolve my issue from two weeks ago, there is now a new issue of overcharging my friend 30 dollars. Yes, 30 dollars. His logic was this: since my friend was 'undercharged' for the last month (40, the promised 'student deal,' instead of 55), he had to 'overcharge' this month to compensate. Uh, what? I'm not sure what planet he's from that a discount membership means undercharging the first month before overcompensating for the following month. It was crystal clear that it would be a 40-a-month membership deal. My friend and I called him out - 'cause, you know, we took elementary math, too - and he responded by calling Ty over, who Harry carried the blame from our apparent stupidity of understanding the situation to Ty's tendency to 'bring the fees up by himself sometimes.' Neither of us bought that, and Ty's look was one of confusion and astonishment at Harry's remark. More dismissal and condescension from Harry as the argument gets dragged out, and now we're just talking on top of each other over a simple math problem. My friend and I ejected ourselves from the conversation, canceled our membership with the girl working the counter, and were promised a refund for the overcharge, but were given no specific date. We then laughed about Ty's facial expressions at Harry's remarks until we drove the hell home.

It could've been resolved as easily as an apology and a refund - we got anything but the former and the latter is tentative, and Harry has been a thorough jacklass through the entire ordeal. He's not going to get business from me or my friend, any of our friends in Davis looking for a gym, or hopefully anyone reading this as well. That dude straight up fucking sucks, goddamn. My theory is that aside from being the Northern California Judo Champion of his weight class, he's getting his double dragon black belt in irreparable people relations and shit-eating business ventures via manipulative posturing he never left behind at the playground. A gi-wearing grown man in his 40's knowingly ripping you off, then yelling over your complains by reciting 2nd grade math addition problems. Take a second, sit where you are and imagine that shit for a second. Yeah. That's been my experience. —Paul Chan

2010-08-19 15:37:37 Decent gym, great kickboxing class, one shady Harry.

PROS: The gym has all the essential equipment (free weights, machines, etc.) and I've never seen it crowded. At least compared to the ARC, where anytime after noon means overcrowding and waiting for most equipment. I haven't used their sauna or pool, but that comes with the membership. They also have a nice little area where you can do stretches or hit the heavy bags.

CONS (buckle up): I joined the DAC because of the Muay Thai kickboxing class. I had taken Muay Thai with Ty at the ARC before, and decided to come to the DAC because he's an awesome instructor and overall cool guy. Harry, the Judo instructor, setup my membership. He promised me a $40/month student deal with no initiation fee. Everything seemed good until I was overcharged $30 only a month an a half into my membership. When I first asked him about this, he said, "Don't worry about it, we'll take care of it." Okay, people make mistakes sometimes, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. When nothing happened almost two weeks later, I asked him about it again and he acted like he'd never seen my friend and me before, "Hey, you guys want to get signed up for a membership?"

We pressed him about giving us a refund for overcharging us (yes, he overcharged both of us), and through a lot of indirect arguing, told us that most people were charged $55 for the Muay Thai class, so it was only fair for him to bring our rate up to $55/month as well. I told him my contract that HE DREW UP clearly says I'm signed up for $40/month, to which he replied, "Well do you have it WITH you?" He had no response when I said I would bring it in...

Then he lied and blamed Ty for raising other peoples' prices, even though Ty was standing right next to him. I don't care what the reason is, the fact that he did all of this behind our backs and assured us that everything was taken care of is explosive bull diarrhea. What a scoundrel. He loved our money so much, even after canceling our memberships on the spot, he still withheld any information on when/if we would even get our refunds.

The dude loves money. Much, much more than the well-being and loyalty of patrons. This sucks for Ty because the Muay Thai class is excellent and, I think, worth more than the $55/month they are asking, which is why it's such a good deal for us poor college kids. However, with Harry behind the finances, no amount of ass coverage will save you from a nuclear screw.

I recommended the DAC to all my friends when I first signed up, and the Muay Thai class was getting a good flow of enrollment during that time, but now I wouldn't even recommend it to the richest person in Davis because Harry and his "double dragon black belt in irreparable people relations and shit-eating business ventures" is bound to screw them over too.

Don't go to the DAC unless you're only going for the regular gym membership. —BillyHong

2010-08-19 21:56:27 I'm a member of the Townies, and DAC is largely populated by beings of our ilk. Nevertheless, it's a great place to work out. Generally, DAC is for people just people that are working out for health. It's not about body building or dating, but rather simple access to comfortable place to work out. Sure, we'd all love to be part of the dedicated Crossfit core that works out there, but few people can put in that dedication.

We're part of the 5:30am crowd, which is generally a group of regulars. Friendly people, easy access to free weights and machines, and a generally comfortable experience. —ScottLay

I don't know... 5:30AM sounds pretty hardcore to me... —hankim

2010-10-26 18:36:53 Our family was excited when we first joined DAC, especially for the warm water outdoor pool, but we soon learned that the warm pool is for adults only (except for six hours in the week) and that was not acceptable to us. Even if NO ONE else is in the pool, children are not allowed in the "training pool" except for those six hours. We spoke to the gym about altering the rules, and they weren't open to changing them, so we asked for a refund and they gave it to us. End of story. We're moving over to Davis Swim & Fitness. —EMO777

2010-11-18 18:48:20 Wow. I am moving to Davis in January and I was hoping to join the DAC. However I am disturbed by the 2007 comment entry about the woman who found her 2 year old child locked up with a male child caregiver in the bathroom with the lights off. What was even more disturbing was the lack of concern on behalf of the DAC staff...I understand this happened 3 years ago, so maybe this was just a fluke. But this speaks very very poorly of their policy. That incident was WEIRD, extremely unprofessional, but, hopefully, totally innocent. Has anyone else out there had a good or bad experience at the DAC childacare center? Please comment...My child is one year old and I was hoping to find a nice place to leave him for an hour when I go work out. I will stay with him for the first few visits. But I hope that by 1 or 2 weeks I can leave him and go work out...But I don;t know what I would do if that situation ever happened to me. —CarolinaWonder

I think from the phrasing the child was locked up by himself, not with the childcare person. I could be wrong, but you'd think someone would make more of a fuss if that was the case. —JoePomidor

2010-11-20 19:28:32 Thanks for the reply. I hope you're right... I hope the mother just made a grammatical mistake ('with' should've been 'by')...Do you or anyone else have any personal opinions about the DAC's childcare? Are there any other gyms/yoga studios, specialty or otherwise, in Davis that offer childcare? THANKS. —CarolinaWonder

2010-11-29 15:53:21 I use the childcare, along with my 3 girlfriends, 3-4x/week & LOVE it. Our kids range from 13 months-4 years. SUCH a great place. The comment made was a TOTAL fluke. It makes me so sad that that was said about such a quality facility & outstanding childcare staff. They also calm down my 13 month old who screams & would ALWAYS pick up him & hold him if he was really upset. Let me know if you have more questions. —soccermomma

2010-11-30 22:49:14 No annoying music, heavy weights, warm pools feels good man

No lunk alarm, good martial arts programs, and a wide variety of classes —Snacksta

2010-12-04 19:08:17 Thanks Soccormomma. That is very reassuring. Thanks for sharing... —CarolinaWonder

2011-01-25 10:34:07 I am so dissappointed with DAC - this used to be a nice facility and certainly the people are nice - but it is DIRTY! I don't know why they don't do a better job of cleaning it - it used to be reasonably clean. The women's locker room has clumps of hair and dirt and I never EVER walk on the floor with bare feet because it is just so disgusting! Stuff that gets dirty seems to stay dirty - I'm not sure if they ever do anything other than sweep the floors and even that is none too thorough. The "ick" factor is pretty high there! I've been in lots of other clubs that are older but not dirty at least. —Weatherford

2011-02-24 13:19:43 Great gym. It has a descent membership price, and the staff here is friendly. —NikhilDahal

2011-03-14 17:04:13 This seems to be the best gym in Davis as far as what I look for, sadly (they have a pool, aqua aerobics, good selection of group classes, and I can make a lot of the class times after I get off work). I say sadly because I wish Davis had more options to pick from.

Does anyone know if they ever waive initiation fees (either specials or early in the year)? I tend to join gyms on and off but I would hate to pay the fee every time (unless they only charge you the fee once at DAC?) —Ravyn

In a town with less and less to do every day, I go to DAC at least 6 times a week. I'm in the best shape I've ever been, and have learned a lot from other members about how to stay in good shape. The one really great thing about this gym is the dry sauna, which I use almost every time I come in. The service people are helpful and friendly..what else could you want? —JoshLawson

2011-04-15 13:18:34 Walked in this morning after work to inquire about the facilities and offered programs. Amazed at how friendly and alert the staff was at 5am. The facilities seemed to be well maintained, it was a quiet atmosphere but was still fairly busy at this early hour.

Decided after a couple of hours to return and begin a membership. Really looking forward to getting my hands on the free weights and some of the cardio equipment. —Wes-P

2011-04-18 07:17:01 Wow... I never realized cheat machines could do so much work on ones body before. Always been more of a free weight guy before but the weight room had a few too many people for my taste/insecurity. I'm not a super small guy, but I'm not a hulk either.

Went in to work out for the first time here and, as sore as I am, I had a blast. My friend and I checked out the facilities on our own, warmed up on the treadmill (which was surprisingly fun and effective) and then moved on to the Nautilus machines... Every part of my upper body including my back is in pain but it's a good pain.

I think these machines are great because there is no way you can screw up the exercise. They are focused on key parts of the body, are safe and efficient and the ease of adjustment helps you to keep pushing when the weight becomes too much allowing a truly full workout in a short time. The staff was friendly and welcoming and didn't make me feel uncomfortable or unwelcome and I will definitely be continuing this. So glad I found the DAC! —Wes-P

Props on being there at 5am. NikhilDahal

2011-07-12 19:55:07 No mention (yet) of the yoga classes they offer. It's not a huge component of the group exercise classes, but there are a couple of regular instructors, and I've found their classes to be good. I appreciate the emphasis on having a challenging class, but with an eye to safety, the different ability levels represented, and our local tendency to personalize any program ;^{) Maybe someone with more experience of DAC yoga classes can add to this? —DougWalter}

2011-09-13 22:23:50 I love the DAC and mainly for the people that work there and the atmosphere. You can tell that the staff really care about the place, the members and they seem to enjoy their work. I have had the best teachers here for toddler soccer (coach Steve!), swim lessons and the daycare staff has been really terrific (Alex has always been one of my favorites! You can't find a better sitter. I enjoy the many, many classes, machines and terrific pool here. What a deal! You will like this place if you are not looking for a sparkling place with beautifully fit people (actually some of the instructors are beautifully fit!). —Lasan

2011-11-05 12:52:04 I took my kids to childcare yesterday and found out that Alex the childcare director was fired so the general manager Ryan Beede could give his girlfriend the job! Alex had been working at the Davis Athletic Club since she was 16, and she's sat for our kids at home for several years. She's a lovely girly and did a good job for them. I'm very saddened by this and also infuriated to say the least. My kids love her and we will continue to have her sit for our children at home. Very very bad. I hope this comes back to you 10 fold (it will). —laurashearercotler

2013-09-12 21:05:34 I'm hoping to renew my membership now that I've moved back into the area. I called and posted the Child Care hours above. The front desk employee gave me this information, it sounds too good to be true. I'm hoping it isn't :) —jenb

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