Here's what it's like at Equinox, one of the swankiest gym chains in the country

Equinox

Equinox is arguably the swankiest gym chain in America. 

Members pay $200 to $300 initiation fees and $160 to $250 monthly rates. They rave about the gym's amenities, which include classes taught by former Olympians and spa treatments.

While I’m content with my measly $15 a month gym, I still wondered about what it’s like to be a member of Equinox.

How tough are the classes? Do only beautiful people exercise there?

While I can’t afford its lavish prices in the long-term, I tried Equinox for a week through a friend's guest pass. Here’s what I found out.

Equinox is a nationwide luxury gym.

There are 33 locations in New York, and I was able to tackle five of them. Each location has benefits — some have pools and hot tubs, while others have steam rooms and saunas. My personal attraction and motivation to try Equinox was for the pool. I haven't been able to get in a pool since I moved to Manhattan! 

Signing up for classes isn't as competitive as I expected it to be.

I always feel like there's a rush to sign up for a fitness class before spots run out, but that wasn't the case at Equinox. Members use an app to check in, book a class, schedule training, and search for clubs.

Some gyms allow you to sign up 26 hours in advance online, while others offer walk-in only classes. When I signed in for my class at the gym, I was given a number so that employees can keep tabs on who's in the class. No sneaking in here!

The gym itself offers elite equipment for cardio, strength training, and stretching.

The screens of the cardio equipment offer every kind of distraction that you might need while running. I had never seen or used anything like it. 

I could go on Facebook, read the news, watch TV, or listen to podcasts all while attempting to run at 6.5 mph. It made my half-hour cardio session fly by.