For many high school students, going to the gym is a part of their daily routines. Whether they play a high school sport or participate in an athletic extracurricular, completing a workout can be essential to rounding out their day.

In August of 2025, a new location of Crunch Fitness opened at the intersection of Highway 141 and Manchester Road, drawing in many Parkway West students, myself included. Now that it’s been a little over a month of attending this gym, I decided to break down the logistics to see if my membership is truly worth it. Evaluating based on price, equipment and cleanliness, I compared Crunch to other gyms that Longhorns seem to frequent, such as Planet Fitness and Lifetime, to help in choosing the best place for an effective workout. 

Price

Firstly, price is a very important factor for high school students when considering what their home gym will be. Crunch Fitness has three membership options, each one increasing in price along with benefits. The “Base” membership is the only one of the three that has the option of both monthly ($15.99 per month) and yearly memberships ($9.99 per month). This basic membership allows for the use of all machines, floors, locker rooms and one Relax and Recover service, the sauna. Sophomore Lanie Bowers uses this membership.

“[I appreciate it because] it’s cheap,” Bowers said. “I don’t have a job [and] it’s 10 dollars a month, so [it’s really nice].”

Stepping it up to the “Peak” membership, this monthly subscription has all the benefits of the Base membership, but includes access to guided group classes and all Relax and Recover services: tanning beds, massages and red light therapy. Finally, the “Peak Results” membership has all of the previous benefits, but also includes childcare, access to a hot studio and group fitness classes. Group fitness classes are held every day, but joining in often requires a prompt decision to sign up.

I decided to go with the base membership because, as a high school student, I didn’t need childcare, red light therapy and did not want to participate in group workouts. Overall, I would recommend the Base yearly membership, as it has the most optimal pricing for an average high school student and allows access to an abundance of equipment. However, for those who prefer guided exercise and classes in group settings, splurging for the Peak membership may be a better option.

When it comes to deals, Planet Fitness outweighs Crunch’s membership options. This past summer, I signed up for the free, three-month subscription that Planet Fitness offers exclusively to high school students. Sophomore Sanjana Daggubati also signed up for this membership and began her gym journey. 

“I was really excited when I heard about [this deal],” Daggubati said. “It’s so nice they’re offering this to high schoolers because it lets people who [wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise] reach their goals and still go to the gym.”

Equipment

Moving on to equipment availability, Crunch is one of the most optimal gyms in the area, simply based on the spaciousness of the gym and their myriad of machines. With at least 20 Stairmaster machines, 30 treadmills and an abundance of weights, members never feel like they’re in short supply of what they need for their workout. In a semi-private area with yards of turf, Crunch saves space for High Intensity Interval-Training (HITT) workouts, which allow for more low-key, machine-free workout sessions. Crunch provides external materials as well that gym attendants may forget to bring with them: yoga mats, barbells, dumbbells, weight plates and medicine balls. 

Zooming into the targeted-muscle machine section, Crunch has tons of leg workout options, ranging from the basic leg press to specific machines for the hamstring and calf muscles. For the arm workout options, there are six cable cord stations, an incredibly versatile piece of equipment, each with five attachments within. I frequent these machines, along with the machines for shoulder press, lateral raises, bicep curl and tricep curl.

While Crunch has ample equipment, Lifetime Fitness, the closest location being in Ellisville, Mo., far exceeds it. Sophomore Olivia Briner has attended Lifetime a few times and has thoroughly enjoyed her experience. 

“Lifetime was huge, super clean and they had really nice equipment. The gym was 10 times bigger [than Crunch]. They had a sauna, a snack bar, a really nice bathroom, an outdoor pool and an indoor pool,” Briner said. “I didn’t use the pool, but I thought it was nice [they] offered both pool [facilities] and the actual gym in one place.” 

Environment

Overall, the environment of Crunch is very welcoming. Right when you walk into the gym, you are greeted with very friendly workers who take the time to make small talk, and they even take the time to remember your name if you are one who goes frequently. After a month of attending Crunch Fitness, I can personally say that the environment is a large portion of what makes me want to keep going back. Sophomore Shreyas Dixit agrees.

“[When] my mom and I went to one of their free classes, [the trainers] gave us really good tips on our form and how to use the different machines. [In general, the] workers are kind and they help a lot,” Dixit said.

Along with the workers and trainers themselves, the gym is centered around its core philosophy of “No Judgment.” This idea, displayed on the walls of the facility, written on equipment and made clear when you sign up for your initial membership, makes people feel welcome in an environment that can be pretty intimidating. Daggubati enjoys this aspect of Crunch.

“This [school year] is the first time I’ve gone to a gym before, and it was scary at first [because] I didn’t know what I was doing, but [features like] the writing on the walls was encouraging, so [I felt] better. Over time, I think I subconsciously internalized [the] message [of “No Judgment”] too, and [I realized] that others probably felt the same way,” Daggubati said. 

Just as I did, Daggubati attended Planet Fitness over the summer, and environment-wise, she recognized a vast difference. Specifically, Daggubati noted that Crunch Fitness’s workers were extremely helpful and professional. Similar to Crunch, Lifetime had a similar polished vibe, which Briner appreciated.

Lifetime Fitness is another gym that also has a similar vibe to Crunch, which Briner appreciated. 

“I remember walking in, and the front desk people were super nice to me and really sweet. [For example] whenever we clean [our equipment] up, they [made] sure to clean our spot afterward, too. The vibe was really fancy, [and] it was a really welcoming atmosphere,” Briner said. 

Final ratings

To sum it up, Crunch Fitness is an optimal gym for Longhorns due to their outstanding performance in price, equipment availability and environment. The base yearly membership is incredibly cost-effective for high schoolers. At only ten dollars every month, I would rate their price a 10/10. There is a lot of equipment that comes with this affordable membership, such as a wide array of multifarious machines, weights and dedicated rooms. I would rate this aspect a 9/10, taking a point off just because it doesn’t include guided classes for all membership levels. Finally, I would rate the environment a 10/10 because Crunch has found a way to make an environment that can be discouraging, the complete opposite, with their internalized philosophy of “No Judgment.” If you’re looking to start your gym journey, Crunch Fitness is the real flex, where your goals will always be in motion.